The Why, What and How of Storytelling

I recently had the honour of chatting with Lisa Hope Tilstra on the Make Life Less Difficult podcast. To quote her purpose, “This podcast explores what it means to make life less difficult for each other and for ourselves. We share stories of struggles and successes because we believe sharing our stories eases the difficulty of life.” This really spoke to me because as an editor and writing coach, my role is all about helping people tell their stories. I tried to articulate for Lisa how I help authors and subsequently wrote this post to capture those ideas.
When a client approaches me for help with their book, I need to understand their motivation and goals. The why, what and how of their story:
Why do they want to tell the story?
What do they want to say?
How might they say it?
This may sound obvious, but it’s easy to dive into what is already on the page without considering these parameters. If I’m working with authors who are clear about their goals, I don’t spend much time on this, but for new authors who are feeling their way, a more extensive discussion may be useful. Continue reading The Why, What and How of Storytelling

Bella Ellwood-Clayton on Weekend Friends

Dr. Bella Ellwood-Clayton’s debut novel is set in a cliquey suburb where belonging to the in-group is everything. It features intense female friendships and explores parenting in our perilous times when social media can build someone up as quickly as it can tear them down.
Join us as we talk about motherhood, friendship and how to write a good plot twist. Continue reading Bella Ellwood-Clayton on Weekend Friends

Sarah Bourne on writing about social issues

Sarah is a counsellor, yoga teacher and prolific writer. In the past couple of years, she’s published five novels. The common thread is their focus on specific social issues, such as dealing with grief and trauma. With a career in mental health, her writing is peppered with insight into the human condition. Join us as we discuss the genesis of each of her stories. Continue reading Sarah Bourne on writing about social issues

Timo on his IT Thriller, The Scaevola Conspiracy

Timo has worked for years on the frontline of machine learning, so he’s uniquely qualified to write about the IT world. His thriller, The Scaevola Conspiracy, follows a couple of new graduates who join one of the biggest IT companies on the planet. Join me with Timo as we discuss the dangers of AI, and question how realistic his book scenario is in real life. Continue reading Timo on his IT Thriller, The Scaevola Conspiracy

Sara Adrian on the thrill of writing treasure hunts

In our last interview, following the success of her trilogy, Infiltrating the Ton, Sara introduced us to her second series, The Diamond Dynasty, which follows the loves and adventures of the Klonimus brothers. She has now published the second and third books in this series, In Eternal Love and In Tune With His Heart, which besides romance, offer the excitement and dangers of a treasure hunt. Let’s discuss how Sara uses the hunt to reveal more about her characters. Continue reading Sara Adrian on the thrill of writing treasure hunts

Megan Norris on using her book to help survivors of family violence

Megan is a journalist and acclaimed author. Her first book, Perfect Victim, which she co-authored with Elizabeth Southall was made into the movie In Her Skin. She is about to republish Look What You Made Me Do, which won the 2016 Australian Sisters in Crime Davitt Award for best non-fiction. This true crime book examines cases of men who kill their children to take revenge on their spouse.

Passionate about helping women and children subjected to abuse at home, Megan is raising money for a refuge in Queensland at her official book launch on Saturday 5 August. Read on as we discuss The Sanctuary’s valuable work and more. Continue reading Megan Norris on using her book to help survivors of family violence