Writer’s Book Club is just like a regular book club but each month we’ll take a deep dive into a specific novel from a writing craft perspective.
It's a podcast for people who read books with a writer’s eye and find themselves wishing they could ask the author specific writing questions about the novel.
Essentially, it’s a no-holds-barred insight into an author’s writing craft and process, applied to a real-life novel.
Shownotes are available at www.writersbookclubpodcast.com
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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.
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.
In this final episode for 2023, I’m bringing you a deliciously long chat about writing craft and process with the author of five novels, Joanna Nell.
Jo joins me in a deep dive into her novel writing practice, sharing her techniques for creating dynamic characters, sustaining story momentum, managing dialogue, and outlining scenes. She also takes us through her entire editing process, how she weaves in backstory, the importance of the opening line and she shares some terrific tips for what to do when she’s feeling stuck.
I asked Jo to read several excerpts from her novels to illustrate things like dialogue, chapter openings and backstory so there are lots of practical examples for you in there.
You’ll find Joanna’s novels in all good bookstores, both real and digital.
You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year by Joanna Nell here.
ABOUT JOANNA NELL
Joanna Nell is the internationally published, bestselling author of five novels. She is also a doctor and an advocate for positive ageing. Her short fiction has won numerous awards and been published in magazines, journals and short story anthologies including Award Winning Australian Writing. She has also written for The Sydney Morning Herald's SpectrumandSunday Life magazines. Originally from the UK, Joanna lives on Sydney's Northern Beaches in a mostly empty nest with her husband and a creaky Labrador.
A deep dive with Jo Riccioni into the writing process and craft behind her fantasy novels The Branded and The Rising.
We talked about Jo's writing process, how she carves out writing space, her experiences with writing different genres and recent successes in her career such as signing an international deal for her fantasy book series. Jo also spoke about the importance of character development, ideas for world-building, lessons she’s learned from writing in different genres, interactions with her readers and her role as a writing teacher. We also got a very special reading from Jo’s latest fantasy novel The Rising.
If you’re a fantasy writer, Jo gives some great advice about the kinds of events you should attend. She also spilled the beans on the software she used to create the map at the front of the book.
You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Rising by Jo Riccioni here.
ABOUT JO RICCIONI
Jo Riccioni is a novelist and short story writer whose latest fantasy series, The Branded Season, is out now in Australia and will be published in the US and UK in 2024.
Jo’s first novel, The Italians at Cleat’s Corner Store, was published in Australia and the UK. It won the International Rubery Award for Fiction and was longlisted for the New Angle Prize. Her short fiction has been published in Best Australian Stories twice, and in anthologies in Australia and overseas. She has won short story awards in the UK, the US and Australia.
Sally Hepworth talks about the writing process for her novel Darling Girls.
We discussed writing craft aspects including inspiration, research, character development, description, typical writing schedule, editing, backstory, pacing, seeding in twists and balancing darker themes with humour.
You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Darling Girls here.
ABOUT SALLY HEPWORTH
Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, most recently Darling Girls. Her novel, The Mother-In-Law (2019), has been optioned for a TV series by Hollywood actress and producer, Amy Poehler.
Drawing on the good, the bad and the downright odd of human behaviour, Sally writes incisively about family, relationships and identity. Her domestic thriller novels are laced with quirky humour, sass and a darkly charming tone.
Sally's novels are available around the globe in English and have been translated into 20 languages. She has sold more than one million books worldwide.
Kate Mildenhall talks about the writing process for her novel The Hummingbird Effect.
We discussed writing craft aspects including structure, voice, setting, editing, sentence work, inspiration, multiple timelines, journalling and the power of prompts.
You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Hummingbird Effect here.
ABOUT KATE MILDENHALL
Kate Mildenhall is a writer and teacher. Her debut novel, Skylarking, was named in Readings Top Ten Fiction Books of 2016 and her bestselling The Mother Fault was longlisted for the 2021 ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year and shortlisted for the 2020 Aurealis Awards. Kate teaches creative writing and co-hosts The First Time podcast – which features conversations with Australian writers – and is currently undertaking a PhD in creative practice at RMIT University. Kate lives in Hurstbridge on Wurundjeri lands, with her partner and two children. Kate’s third novel is The Hummingbird Effect.
Her latest novel THE FIRST SUMMER OF CALLIE McGEE is a ‘cosy middle-grade mystery’ (out now).
Brendan Cowell
Season 3 · Episode 27
Wednesday, August 2, 2023 • Duration 57:28
Brendan Cowell talks about the writing process for his novel Plum.
We discussed writing craft aspects including:
- how the main theme of the novel ripples through every character
- why structure is where the magic lies
- why Brendan decided to plot this particular novel
- how he broke the novel into micro-beats
- the influence his publisher Catherine Milne had on the work
- how he writes authentic dialogue
- what his experience as a playwright and screenwriter brings to his novel writing
You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Plum here.
ABOUT BRENDAN COWELL
Brendan is an award-winning writer, actor and director for television, theatre and film. He wrote the smash hit RUBEN GUTHRIE for Belvoir St Theatre in 2009, and wrote and directed the film adaptation, winning an AWGIE for the screenplay. Brendan wrote two episodes of the multi award-winning series THE SLAP for which he won the AACTA Best Screenplay prize. He has been named the 'leading light amongst playwrights of his generation' (The Sun Herald) and has won the Patrick White Playwright's Award, the Philip Parsons Young Playwright's Award and the Griffin Award. His 11 plays have been produced all around the world. He was a writer on the acclaimed TV series LOVE MY WAY, in which he starred. Many of his episodes for LOVE MY WAY were nominated for Australian Writers Guild Awards (AWGIE) for Outstanding Screenplay. Brendan is based between New Zealand, Sydney and London, and yet remains a loyal Cronulla Sharks fan. Brendan's bestselling debut novel How It Feels was published by Pan Macmillan in 2010 and Plum was published by HarperCollins Australian in 2021.
Victoria Purman talks about the writing process for her novel A Woman’s Work, an historical novel set in Melbourne in 1956.
We discussed so many writing craft aspects including:
- how a pamphlet in a second hand bookstore gave her the idea for the novel
- how she fills the saggy middle of a novel
- the importance of a first line
- how her readers are a treasure trove of stories and ideas
- her approach to backstory
- the editing process
- how she overcomes self-doubt
EPISODE INCLUDES SOME SPOILERS
You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of A Woman’s Work here.
ABOUT VICTORIA PURMAN
Victoria Purman is an Australian top ten and USA Today bestselling fiction author. Her 2023 novel, A Woman’s Work, is out now. Her books The Nurses’ War, The Women’s Pages, The Land Girls and The Last of the Bonegilla Girls have all been Australian bestsellers. Her earlier novel The Three Miss Allens was a USA Today bestseller. She is a regular guest at writers festivals, a mentor and workshop presenter across Australia, and has judged the fiction category for the 2018 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature and the 2022 ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize for an unpublished manuscript.
Rae Cairns talks about the writing process for her novel Dying To Know, a crime thriller.
We discussed so many writing craft aspects including:
- why she starts with theme, rather than plot or character
- the research process
- the power of a prologue done well
- conventions of the crime thriller genre and how to meet readers’ expectations
- how a crime thriller should start
- how to write page-turning chapter endings
- an editing method that ensures a balance of tension and pacing
- Rae took us through the opening of her novel and showed us, step-by-step, how she balanced the tension and pacing which was so helpful.
You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Dying To Know here.
ABOUT RAE CAIRNS
Rae Cairns writes crime with heart: thrillers featuring everyday people facing extraordinary circumstances. Her debut novel The Good Mother was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Fiction in the 2021 Ned Kelly Awards and longlisted for the 2021 Sisters in Crime Davitt Awards. It draws on her background as a youth worker in Northern Ireland during the final years of 'The Troubles'.
Dying to Know, Rae’s second novel, is a standalone Sydney based thriller and centres around a woman’s determination to uncover what happened to her missing sister.
Rae has also co-managed a crisis refuge for street children, worked as Program Director for the Sydney Olympic Youth Camp and holds a degree in Performing Arts.
A multi-genre writer, creative writing teacher and speaker with many years’ experience in magazines, newspapers and online publishing, Allison is co-host of the top-rating Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and former co-host of the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast.
She lives on the south coast of NSW (Australia) with her family.
