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

Christmas Book List 2021

In this year’s Christmas list, I’m sharing 15 incredible books from the authors I’ve interviewed throughout the year representing diverse talent from around the globe – Romania, Portugal, Australia, Dubai, Moldova, UK, NZ and USA. From poetry to thrillers, from romcoms to memoir, there’s something here for even the most difficult person to buy for! There’s even an adorable adventure for children. Continue reading Christmas Book List 2021

Alexandra Paucescu, a Diplomatic Spouse

More than a decade ago, Alexandra was whisked away from her management role in Romania to go to Austria for her husband’s job as a diplomat. Abroad as a diplomatic spouse, she has volunteered for various not for profit organisations, and this year, she published a book to share her experiences. Read on to hear more about her unique lifestyle – the diplomatic life is not always as glamorous as it sounds. Continue reading Alexandra Paucescu, a Diplomatic Spouse

Nicole Webb From Newsreader to Author

Journalist Nicole Webb worked her way up to become a newsreader at Sky News Australia, but then gave it all up on a whim to move overseas. After six years in Hong Kong and then Xi’an, China, she returned to Sydney a different person and completed her memoir, China Blonde. Read on for more about the transformative nature of her expat life and writing journey. Continue reading Nicole Webb From Newsreader to Author