Writer's Book Club Podcast

Katherine Collette is a writing coach and mentor who helps writers who want to get published, and writers who are about to be published, know what to do, what to expect and how to think, to give their work (and themselves) the best possible chance of success.

She is basically the person she wishes she’d had when she was first trying to get published!

In this episode, Katherine has given us a mini-coaching session so we can level up our writing for 2025. She shares great advice and so many fantastic tips:

The four phases writers go through on their way to being published, and how to short circuit some of them

The benefits and pitfalls of writing courses and writing groups

How she built a profile as a debut author (it didn’t involve social media!) and how she’d build a profile if she was starting again now

The difference between verbal and written pitches and her unusual but effective approach to pitching

What writers can do to increase their chances of publication 

The top three mistakes unpublished authors make

How to get unstuck when you’re ‘looping’ in your writing (are you stuck, moving the commas around?!)

Getting that first draft done

ABOUT KATHERINE COLLETTE

Katherine Collette is the author of two novels for adults, The Helpline and The Competition. The Helpline was published in Australia, the UK, the US, Italy and Germany and long listed for the Indie Book award for debut fiction. Katherine co-hosts popular writing podcast The First Time and its recent spin-off The Next Step. She coaches writers and authors on writing and publishing, and her cartoons have appeared in Griffith Review.

The Too-Tall Tales of Alma T. Best are her first middle-grade books.

Website: https://katherinecollette.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katherinecollettewriter/

Buy The Too-Tall Tales of Alma T. Best by Katherine Collette here.

REFERENCES MENTIONED BY KATHERINE COLLETTE

GET PUBLISHED! group coaching course with Katherine Collette

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Reasons Not to Worry by Brigid Delaney

Watch Katherine’s video pitch (it got her a two book deal!)

The 90-Day Novel: Unlock the Story Within by Alan Watt

Michael Hauge Story Structure

To Be Magnetic (manifestation course)

BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSE

To receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course 

This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Anita Heiss talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel Dirrayawadha.  

Anita shares her insights about weaving research, backstory and Wiradyuri language into the narrative, emphasising the importance of authors trusting themselves and their stories. 

We discuss Anita’s meticulous planning when it comes to her novels, which involves chapter breakdowns, character profiles, and using butcher's paper to keep organised. She talks about the importance of pre-manuscript consultations, sensitivity reads, and the editorial process with her First Nations editor, Grace Lucas-Pennington. 

Anita highlights the necessity for writers to remove themselves from their work to avoid burnout and gain a fresh perspective, as well as tips for keeping your writing authentic and managing the emotional labour of tackling heavy historical content.

ABOUT DIRRAYAWADHA

'Dirrayawadha is full of heart and hope, truth-telling and history – and shimmers with language too' Guardian

'A story from the past given vivid life for new understanding’ Kate Grenville

Bathurst, 1820s

Miinaa was a young girl when the white ghosts first arrived. She remembers the day they raised a piece of cloth and renamed her homeland 'Bathurst'. Now she lives at Cloverdale and works for a white family who have settled there.

The Nugents are kind, but Miinaa misses her miyagan. His brother, Windradyne, is a Wiradyuri leader, and visits when he can, bringing news of unrest across their ngurambang. Miinaa hopes the violence will not come to Cloverdale.

When Irish convict Daniel O'Dwyer arrives at the settlement, Miinaa's life is transformed again. The pair are magnetically drawn to each other and begin meeting at the bila in secret. Dan understands how it feels to be displaced, but they still have a lot to learn about each other. Can their love survive their differences and the turmoil that threatens to destroy everything around them?

From the bestselling author of Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (River of Dreams) comes another groundbreaking historical novel about resistance, resilience and love during the frontier wars.

ABOUT DR ANITA HEISS

Dr Anita Heiss is an internationally published, award-winning author of 23 books; non-fiction, historical fiction, commercial women’s fiction and children’s novels. She is a proud member of the Wiradyuri Nation of central New South Wales, an Ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and the GO Foundation, and Professor of Communications at the University of Queensland. Anita is also the Publisher at Large of Bundyi, an imprint of Simon & Schuster cultivating First Nations talent, and a board member of the National Justice Project and Circa Contemporary Circus. As an artist in residence at La Boite Theatre, she adapted her novel Tiddas for the stage. It premiered at the 2022 Brisbane Festival and was produced by Belvoir St for the Sydney Festival in 2024. Her novel, Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray, about the Great Flood of Gundagai, won the 2022 NSW Premier’s Indigenous Writers' Prize and was shortlisted for the 2021 ARA Historical Novel Prize and the 2022 ABIA Awards. Anita’s first children’s picture book is Bidhi Galing (Big Rain), also about the Great Flood of Gundagai. Anita enjoys running, eating chocolate and being a creative disruptor.

Website: https://www.anitaheiss.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dranitaheiss/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnitaHeissAuthor/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@anitaheiss

Buy Dirrayawadha by Anita Heiss here.

REFERENCES MENTIONED BY ANITA HEISS

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Anita Heiss interview with Richard Fidler on ABC Conversations

Bundyi Imprint (a division of Simon & Schuster) - A First Nations Imprint

Buy The Too-Tall Tales of Alma T. Best by Katherine Collette here.

BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSE

To receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course 

This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Jock Serong talks about the writing craft and process behind his novel Cherrywood.

Jock tells us how this novel started with several image fragments and a variety of influences, from Peter Carey’s Oscar & Lucinda and Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi, to Enid Blyton’s The Faraway Tree, and the Narnia Chronicles, with a little Dickens and Austen thrown in.

Jock’s explanation of how a handful of ideas became a story is one of the best I've heard. He also tells us his thoughts on writing place as character, how to describe minor characters so they stand out, how the structure of the novel changed, breaking the ‘show don't tell’ rule, and why the editing process should be considered cooperative rather than corrective. 

ABOUT JOCK SERONG

Jock Serong is the author of Quota, winner of the 2015 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction; The Rules of Backyard Cricket, shortlisted for the 2017 Victorian Premier's Award for Fiction, finalist of the 2017 MWA Edgar Awards for Best Paperback Original, and finalist of the 2017 Indie Book Awards Adult Mystery Book of the Year; and On the Java Ridge, which won the Colin Roderick Award and, internationally, the inaugural Staunch Prize (UK), and was shortlisted for the 2018 Indie Awards. He has won praise for his trilogy of historical novels Preservation; The Burning Island, which earned him the ARA Historical Novel Prize and the Historia Award for Historical Crime Fiction (France); and The Settlement, which was shortlisted for the Voss Prize and the ARA Historical Novel Prize.

Website: www.jockserong.com

Buy Cherrywood by Jock Serong here.

Buy Dirrayawadha by Anita Heiss here.

BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSE

To receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here. 

This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Donna M Cameron talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel The Rewilding. 

Donna and I discussed what inspired the novel, the importance of trusting your gut, how choosing the right point of view and tense can bring the writing alive, how she raised the stakes and why she dislikes dialogue tags. We also talked about her beta readers and the editing process for The Rewilding, and Donna does three fabulous readings from the novel to illustrate how she differentiates the voices for her characters.

ABOUT DONNA M. CAMERON

Donna M Cameron is an AWGIE nominated radio dramatist, award-winning playwright and short film writer. Her first novel, Beneath the Mother Tree, (2018) was listed as one of 2018’s top Australian fiction reads by the Adelaide Advertiser, was a finalist in the Screen Queensland/QWC’s Adaptable program and longlisted for the Davitt Awards. The manuscript of her second novel – The Rewilding, won her a 2020 KSP Fellowship, was runner up in a 2020 Writing NSW Award and gained her a 2021 Varuna Fellowship. It has just been published in ANZ by Transit Lounge.

Website: https://www.dmcameron.com/ 

Buy The Rewilding by Donna M Cameron here.

Buy Cherrywood by Jock Serong here.

BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSE

To receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course 

This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Terri Green talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel An Unsuitable Pursuit. 

Terri and I discussed writing and self-publishing an historical fiction series. Terri gave lots of wonderful advice about how and where to research, how to balance action, interiority, dialogue and description, how to use chapter headings for structure and how to balance humour with serious subject matter.

Terri also has some absolute gold to share in this episode about how and when to make the decision to self-publish, along with some of the important things you need to think about before and after hitting publish.

You’ll find links to buy An Unsuitable Pursuit by Terri Green here.

RESOURCES MENTIONED BY TERRI

The data base Terri referred to is called JStor.org. It contains mostly journals which cover the humanities, particularly history and English.  You can access it through your local library or State Library. There is also a free account you can register for and read up to 100 articles every 30 days but not all articles are in the free access area.

For sword-fighting, HEMA Historical European Martial Arts. Their website shows local clubs and they are very welcoming to new members. https://www.aushistoricalfencing.com/

www.english-heritage.org.uk

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust  www.shakespeare.org.uk

The Globe Theatre - shadespearesglobe.com.

Royal Palaces Trust (for Hampton court, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace).  www.hrp.org.uk  They have regular exhibits and produce a lot of useful booklets you can order.

V&A museum- great for looking at artefacts,  furniture, clothing. They have a good online resource as does the British Museum.

For writing craft, Terri recommends James Scott Bell  "Write Great Fiction-Plot & Structure" and "Write Your Novel From the Middle".

Maggie Lawson’s colour coded editing system

Atticus

Writes4Women with Pamela Cook - RWA 2024 Conference Round Up

Kindlepreneur

Northern Beaches Readers Festival

ABOUT TERRI GREEN

Terri is the author of 3 novels The Swordmaster’s Daughter, An Unsuitable Pursuit and The King’s Jewels which make up her Sisters of the Sword series. Terri has a PhD in creative writing and has won several prizes for her short stories. She loves a bit of history, mystery and romance, prefers laughter over misery and is a sucker for stories that tug at the heart. She shares her backyard with a lot of frogs and a colony of lyre birds, and her house with her husband and a dog called Mabel. When she isn’t writing you might find her sword-fighting, hula hooping or falling off a stand-up paddle board because life is too short to stay sitting down.

Website: terrigreenauthor.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrigreenauthor/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrigreenauthor

Buy The Swordmaster’s Daughter and An Unsuitable Pursuit by Terri Green here.

Buy The Rewilding by Donna M Cameron here.

BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSE

To receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course

This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Petronella McGovern talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel The Last Trace. 

Petronella went deep into the writing of this novel with me - we talked about inciting incidents, setting, research, editing, character development and all the techniques she uses to achieve narrative tension and keep that pace cracking along such as foreshadowing and writing cliffhanger chapter endings. This was also the first time she’s written an historical thread which added another layer of rich complexity to the story.

You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Last Trace by Petronella McGovern here.

ABOUT PETRONELLA MCGOVERN

Petronella McGovern is fascinated by what makes us tick, the lies we tell, and the secrets we keep. She is the best-selling author of Six Minutes, The Good Teacher, The Liars and The Last Trace. Her books have been nominated in the Ned Kelly Awards, the Davitt Awards and the Australian Independent Bookseller Awards. The Liars was selected in the Top 100 Big W/Better Reading list for 2023. Petronella has a Master of Arts in Creative Writing and tutors in creative writing. She grew up on a farm in central west NSW and now lives with her family in Sydney on Gadigal Country. Among other adventures, she has worked on a summer camp in America and travelled in eastern Africa which inspired parts of her fourth novel, The Last Trace.

Website and events: https://www.petronellamcgovern.com.au/

Buy The Last Trace by Petronella McGovern here.

Buy The Swordmaster’s Daughter and An Unsuitable Pursuit by Terri Green here.

BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSE

To receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course 

This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Michael Brissenden talks about the writing craft and process behind his novel Smoke. 

Michael talks about how his gripping new novel was inspired by the 2020 bushfires in Australia, detailing how real-life traumatic events and landscapes served as a backdrop for the novel. Michael discusses setting, in particular why he set the novel in the US, character development, and the craft of narrative structure - from his inspirations to plotting and the challenges of writing believable dialogue. Michael also touches on the influence of his journalism background and the transition to fiction, highlighting the importance of character-driven stories.

You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Smoke by Michael Brissenden here.

ABOUT MICHAEL BRISSENDEN

Michael Brissenden was a journalist and foreign correspondent with the ABC for 35 years, posted to Moscow, Brussels and Washington. He worked in Canberra for many years in various roles, including as the political editor for ABC TV's 7.30 and as a reporter with the ABC's investigative television documentary program Four Corners. Through his reporting, Michael has covered bushfires both in Australia and overseas, including in California where Smoke is set. He has published three previous books - thriller novels The List and Dead Letters, and his nonfiction book American Stories: Tales of Hope and Anger.

Website: https://www.michaelbrissenden.com/

Buy Smoke by Michael Brissenden here.

Buy The Last Trace by Petronella McGovern here.

BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSE

To receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course 

This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

NOTE: There are some spoilers in this episode.

BM Carroll talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel One of Us is Missing. Writing topics include pacing, managing multiple points of view, techniques and tips for writing crime fiction, structure, voice and description. 

I’m delighted to bring you another highly experienced novelist, the talented Ber Carroll or BM Carroll as you might know her. Ber has just published her 12th novel One of Us is Missing and it is a masterclass in domestic suspense. I couldn’t put it down.

Because she pivoted from commercial fiction to domestic suspense with her last five novels, she had to learn the rules of crime writing so she talks about what those techniques are. With this novel she had to completely change the structure to make the pacing work, so she talks about that in detail too which is fascinating. Ber also talks about when she introduces a spreadsheet to her process (because old accountant habits die hard) and we also talked about the importance for her of beta readers which is something I haven't asked anyone before on the podcast so it was really great to get into that - I think you'll find it really useful.

You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of One of Us is Missing by BM Carroll here.

ABOUT BM Carroll

Ber is the author of twelve novels. Her most recent novels The Missing Pieces of Sophie McCarthy, Who We Were, You Had It Coming, The Other Side of Her and One of Us is Missing are published under B.M. Carroll. You Had It Coming was shortlisted for the 2022 Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction and the 2022 Davitt Award for Best Adult Novel.

Website: https://bercarroll.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmcarrollauthor/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bercarrollbmcarroll 

Buy One of Us is Missing by BM Carroll here.

Buy Smoke by Michael Brissenden here.

BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSE

To receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course 

This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Charlotte Wood talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel Stone Yard Devotional. Writing topics include creative process and inspiration, first drafts, novel structure, writing in fragments, point of view, narrative momentum, voice, description and writing at sentence level. 

Charlotte is such a beautiful writer but also a seasoned writer - she’s been to all the places you, as a writer, have been or are heading towards - and she generously shares all that wisdom. 

One of the things I love about Charlotte is her curiosity. She’s constantly exploring and expanding upon her own creative process and draws inspiration and motivation from all areas of the arts, not just books and writing.

You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood here.

REFERENCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Subtraction - Charlotte Wood’s newsletter

Portrait of a Lady on Fire - directed by Céline Sciamma

Céline Sciamma - BAFTA Screenwriters’ Lecture Series

Charlotte Wood interviews Joan Silber on The Writer’s Room

The Art of Time in Fiction by Joan Silber

Louise Bourgeois, Artist

The Wren, The Wren by Anne Enright

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout

Making Stories: How Ten Australian Novels Were Written by Kate Grenville and Sue Woolfe

Living Autobiography Trilogy by Deborah Levy

Courtney Collins

Unless by Carol Shields

The Garret Podcast: Charlotte Wood

Read This Podcast: Charlotte Wood

Melbourne Writers’ Festival: 6-12 May 2024

Sydney Writers’ Festival: 20-26 May 2024

Brisbane Writers’ Festival: 30 May – 2 June 2024

ABOUT CHARLOTTE WOOD

Charlotte Wood is the author of seven novels and three books of non-fiction. Her new book Stone Yard Devotional was described by the UK Guardian as ‘a quiet novel of immense power’ and has been praised by authors Anne Enright, Tim Winton, Karen Joy Fowler, Hannah Kent and Paula Hawkins among others. 

Her previous books include The Luminous Solution, a book of essays on the creative process; the international bestseller, The Weekend; and The Natural Way of Things which won a number of prizes including The Stella Prize and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award. Her features and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Literary Hub, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Saturday Paper among other publications.

In 2023 Belvoir Theatre Company staged an adaptation of her novel The Weekend, and her novel The Natural Way of Things featured in ABC Television’s 2021 series The Books That Made Us.

She has produced a podcast of interviews with artists, The Writer's Room with Charlotte Wood, and in 2024 launched a monthly newsletter on the creative process titled Subtraction. 

In 2019 Charlotte was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) and was named one of the Australian Financial Review’s '100 Women of Influence'. 

Website: https://www.charlottewood.com.au/
Substack: Subtraction - Charlotte Wood’s newsletter

Instagram:: https://www.instagram.com/charlottewoodwriter/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlottewoodwriter

Buy Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood here.

Buy One of Us is Missing by BM Carroll here.

BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSE

To receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course 

This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Hannah Richell talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel The Search Party. Writing topics include structure, point of view, character development, dual timelines, backstory, reveals, editing, and writer’s retreats. 

Have you ever read a novel and thought to yourself ‘how on earth did the author pull it off?’ 

That’s exactly what crossed my mind when I read The Search Party by Hannah Richell. Hannah is a beautiful writer and her talent is on display again with this novel, her fifth. The Search Party is bit of a departure for her. Hannah’s novels always have a mystery element but with this novel she’s taken it up a notch. It’s not a police procedural but the police investigation does play an important part in how the novel is structured. And of course, at the heart of the novel, as with all of Hannah’s novels, are the relationships, this time with a focus on friendships, specifically old friendships that don’t necessarily stand the test of time.

Hannah and I had the most wonderful chat. She talked about how she wrangled the 8 points of view, how she restructured the novel when she realised it wasn’t ‘hooky’ enough, her editing process, how she managed the dual timeline and incorporated backstory, and what she did to make sure the reveals were in the best place. We also talked about writing retreats - how she does it, where she goes, why she goes. I know many of you have the same kind of life constraints that Hannah does - partner, kids, work - so this is something I’m sure you’ll be curious about.

You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Search Party by Hannah Richell here.

ABOUT THE SEARCH PARTY
Max and Annie Kingsley have left the London rat race to set up a glamping site in the wilds of Cornwall. They invite old university friends – TV star Dominic, doctor and new mum Kira, and free-spirited Jim and Suze – and their children for a trial weekend but the reunion quickly veers off-course.

First, there’s The Incident around the campfire on the first night. The following afternoon, a storm quickly develops off the rugged North Coast. When one of their group goes missing, all hell breaks loose. And as the winds batter the bell-tents, emotions run high and tension mounts for all the characters.

Who is lying in hospital, who has gone missing and who is the body on the beach below the cliffs . . .?

Gripping, cleverly structured and brimming with secrets and lies, this is a masterclass in narrative tension and a chilling exploration of the ways in which aspiration and anxiety collide. It will keep you guessing until the last page. 

ABOUT HANNAH RICHELL

Hannah Richell was born in Kent and spent her childhood years in Buckinghamshire and Canada. After graduating from the University of Nottingham, she worked in the book publishing and film industries in both London and Sydney. She is a dual citizen of Great Britain and Australia, and currently lives in the South West of England with her family. Richell is the author of international bestsellers Secrets of the Tides (2012), The Shadow Year (2014), The Peacock Summer (2019) and The River Home (2020). Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. Wow, phenomenal. Hannah is also a judge for the Richell Prize for Emerging Writers which was set up in memory of her late husband Matt.

Website: https://www.hannahrichell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahrichell 

Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/hannahrichellauthor 

X: https://twitter.com/hannahrichell 

Buy The Search Party by Hannah Richell here.

Special shout out to Penelope Janu, Fiona Taylor and Jemma from Reading For Keeps for your excellent questions. Give these writers and readers a follow on their socials.

BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSE
To receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course 

This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com