In this special bonus episode of 'So You Want to Be a Writer,' Valerie is joined by her original podcast co-host Allison Tait in a live-streamed event celebrating 20 years of the Australian Writer Centre. Together, they discuss important topics for all writers – including goal-setting, overcoming writing obstacles, and structuring one's writing career. They also reflect on their own writing journeys, give writing tips, and offer valuable advice on managing impostor syndrome, planning writing schedules, understanding genre requirements and MORE!

00:00 Welcome
02:24 Reunion with original co-host A.L.Tait.
08:55 Writing Roadmap: Setting Goals and Overcoming Obstacles
19:00 Giving yourself writing rewards
21:44 Overcoming common obstacles
26:46 The importance of discipline in writing
31:04 Networking and community in writing
34:41 Understanding your genre
37:15 The role of revision in writing
41:54 Flexibility and pivoting in writing
48:48 Q&A session
52:53 Final thoughts

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Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com

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If you found yourself newly single after not dating since being a teenager, what would you do? Author and AWC graduate Holly Brunnbauer asks that question in her award-winning romance novel, What Did I Miss? –and in this episode she shares what inspired her to write it, her exciting story about getting an agent and book deal, plus the unusual window of time she writes in during each day!

00:00 Welcome
02:00 Our SALE is on
05:21 WIN!: ‘Every Day I Read’ by Hwang Bo-reum
06:54 Word of the week: ‘Orrery’
07:58 Writer in residence: Holly Brunnbauer
09:07 What is What Did I Miss? about?
10:20 What inspired Holly to write the book
12:50 The experience writing it
14:55 Holly’s year of writing a novel
16:27 Discovering the AWC courses
17:15 Getting an agent and a book deal
21:44 Pitching to screen professionals
24:00 Balancing writing with a busy life
26:24 Planning and Structuring a Novel
28:55 Documentation
31:50 The joy of writing and future plans
33:53 Publication surprises and realities
35:28 Bonus short interview with Charlotte Barkla
38:09 Final thoughts

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Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook
Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com

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When Ian Scott and Kirsty McHugh – curators at the National Library of Scotland – created an exhibition on pen names, they never imagined it would become a book. But that’s exactly what happened, and in this episode, Ian joins to discuss some of the curious motivations and stories behind some of the world’s most famous and infamous pseudonyms in their book Pen Names – including examples of authors who fully immersed themselves in their imaginary personas!

00:00 Welcome
00:18 Rewriting your personal narrative
07:06 Writing tip: Tracking your time
10:05 WIN!: The Funeral Crashers by Joanna Nell
13:33 Word of the week: ‘Edentulous’
14:14 The world of words: Short forms of ‘until’
16:10 Writer in residence: Ian Scott
16:57 The inspiration for the book Pen Names
18:42 An exhibition on pen names
23:00 The stories behind the stories
27:00 Common reasons for pen names
27:58 Gender bias in literature
31:55 Other reasons for not using your own name
32:10 Famous examples
34:55 Authors wanting to be judged independently
38:47 Deceptive use of a pen name: Fiona Macleod
40:55 Modern pen names and marketability
43:19 Collaborative writing under one name
45:01 Authors like Lee Child and book cover real estate
46:49 Would Ian choose a pen name for himself?
48:45 Wait – is his co-writer Kirsty McHugh even real?
50:30 Is his book in his own library?
53:02 Final thoughts

Read the show notes

Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook
Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.