66 episodes
The Girl and Duck Podcast Girl and Duck
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- Arts
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5.0 • 23 Ratings
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Want to write BEAUTIFUL books for children?
Here at Girl and Duck, I take you on a journey from EXPLORING the art of kidlit creation, right through to MASTERING the art of kidlit creation.
#jenstorer #writing #books #kidlit #authors
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Ep 058 Risky Business
Being a fictional character is risky business. Or it should be. Are your characters in enough danger, under enough pressure or stress, threatened in some way? This can be tricky for children’s authors. The impulse is to protect our characters, keep them safe and, gawd forbid, sensible… But that’s the death knell to drama and storytelling. Happily ever after needs to be earned, otherwise the tale is kinda ho-hum. Let’s talk about upping the tension in your stories as well as knowing when to pull back. Includes examples (and dilemmas) from my own books.
Books mentioned:
The Accidental Princess by Jen Storer, illustrated by Lucia Masciullo, Penguin Books
Tensy Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children, by Jen Storer, Penguin/Viking
The Duck Pond membership: Click to Join the Duck Pond
► About Jen & Girl and Duck:
If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! Click here.
For more girl&duck goodness, go here - GirlandDuck.com
Jen's Life Coaching page can be found here
Join Jen's creative writing community the Duck Pond
Follow Jen on Instagram: @jenestorer
Subscribe to Jen's YouTube Channel - Click here
Jen's Author website: jenstorer.com
► Free stuff
Get writing immediately.
Writing prompts to get your imagination flowing! Get four AWESOME writing prompts delivered to your inbox over four days.
https://girlandduck.com/free-writing-prompts/
Grab this freebie!
A booklet containing the transcripts from Jen's, 'Hey Author' reels on Instagram. Full of tips and wisdom for writers at every level! https://www.jenstorerpresents.com/hey-author
Free Mini Course:
5 Ways to Write a Book with Jen Storer
https://www.jenstorerpresents.com/5-ways-to-write-a-book-with-jen-storer
Music Credit:
Title: Forward
Composer: Lane King
License: #2228160 (Bensound) -
Ep 057 100 Coffee Cups
Today I’m chatting about creativity boundaries. At some point it helps to rein in your interests and focus. Drill down, as Elizabeth Gilbert would say. This year, 2024, is my Year of Acrylics. First boundary done and dusted, thank you very much. Next boundary. I’ve taken it even further and, as we speak, I am painting 100 coffee cups. Yes, indeedy. This goal, this boundary, has already added a lot of energy to my daily output and is paying off if surprising ways. I’ve even learned to work with purple!
Boundaries will help with your writing too, of course. So long as you don’t impose them too early. Let’s talk about that. And more. This is a long ep, twenty-five minutes. Woah! That’s stovetop coffee for you… Thanks for listening!
► About Jen & Girl and Duck:
If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! Click here.
For more girl&duck goodness, go here - GirlandDuck.com
Jen's Life Coaching page can be found here
Join Jen's creative writing community the Duck Pond
Follow Jen on Instagram: @jenestorer
Subscribe to Jen's YouTube Channel - Click here
Jen's Author website: jenstorer.com
► Free stuff
Get writing immediately.
Writing prompts to get your imagination flowing! Get four AWESOME writing prompts delivered to your inbox over four days.
https://girlandduck.com/free-writing-prompts/
Grab this freebie!
A booklet containing the transcripts from Jen's, 'Hey Author' reels on Instagram. Full of tips and wisdom for writers at every level! https://www.jenstorerpresents.com/hey-author
Free Mini Course:
5 Ways to Write a Book with Jen Storer
https://www.jenstorerpresents.com/5-ways-to-write-a-book-with-jen-storer
Music Credit:
Title: Forward
Composer: Lane King
License: #2228160 (Bensound) -
Special Ep 056 - Jen Storer In Conversation with Neridah McMullin
In this gorgeous conversation, our first for 2024, Jen and Neridah discuss Neridah's childhood, careers and her path to becoming a much loved author of children's books.
About Neridah
Neridah loves history and true stories. An author of eight books for children, Neridah is also an award winning short story writer and poet. Her latest picture book, published by Walker Books Australia in 2023, is called Eat My Dust!, and is the amazing true story of Jean Robertson and Kathleen Howell, who helped map Australia.
Neridah loves footy, family, birdwatching, walking her dog and meeting other people’s dogs.
Website: neridahmcmullin.com
Jen & Girl and Duck:
►Join Jen's creative writing community here: https://girlandduck.com/the-duck-pond/
► Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjolaxW2XqJRjq2PNZHxd2Q?sub_confirmation=1
►Follow Jen on Instagram: @jenestorer https://www.instagram.com/jenestorer/
►Listen to the Girl & Duck Podcast here: https://girlandduck.com/podcast/
►Buy Jen's creative writing book: See Me Jump: 20 things I've learned about writing books for children:
Buy it at amazon.com: http://a.co/i3C6SLF
Buy it at amazon.com.au: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/064801990X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_aueBBbEHSX3WA -
Ep 055 Morning Pages
Do you do Morning Pages? Do I do Morning Pages? Sometimes.
I used to do them religiously. Like, for years…
In this ep I chat about my history with ‘the pages’, the impact they’ve had on my creativity and my life and how the pages can help you, too.
Books mentioned:
The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron
Steal Like An Artist, by Austin Kleon
► About Jen & Girl and Duck:
If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! Click here.
For more girl&duck goodness, go here - GirlandDuck.com
Jen's Life Coaching page can be found here
Join Jen's creative writing community the Duck Pond
Follow Jen on Instagram: @jenestorer
Subscribe to Jen's YouTube Channel - Click here
Jen's Author website: jenstorer.com
► Free stuff
Get writing immediately.
Writing prompts to get your imagination flowing! Get four AWESOME writing prompts delivered to your inbox over four days.
https://girlandduck.com/free-writing-prompts/
Grab this freebie!
A booklet containing the transcripts from Jen's, 'Hey Author' reels on Instagram. Full of tips and wisdom for writers at every level! https://www.jenstorerpresents.com/hey-author
Free Mini Course:
5 Ways to Write a Book with Jen Storer
https://www.jenstorerpresents.com/5-ways-to-write-a-book-with-jen-storer
Music Credit:
Title: Forward
Composer: Lane King
License: #2228160 (Bensound) -
Ep 054 Word of the Year and Effortless Being
As we head into the big adventure that is 2024, it can be helpful to select a word of the year to inspire, energise or even challenge you.
Your word companion can act as your muse. Your word might inspire art and journal prompts or encourage you to make longed for changes. It might even challenge you to find your courage or to live and create more passionately.
One of our lovely Duck Pond members chose ‘effortless’ as her word for 2024. This word inspired me to riff on the whole idea of ‘effortless being’ and to wander into more esoteric terrain for this episode.
As I always say, words are magnetic. They draw to themselves all kinds of magic!
Happy (Magical) New Year, dear listener!
► About Jen & Girl and Duck:
If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! Click here.
For more girl&duck goodness, go here - GirlandDuck.com
Jen's Life Coaching page can be found here
Join Jen's creative writing community the Duck Pond
Follow Jen on Instagram: @jenestorer
Subscribe to Jen's YouTube Channel - Click here
Jen's Author website: jenstorer.com
► Free stuff
Get writing immediately.
Writing prompts to get your imagination flowing! Get four AWESOME writing prompts delivered to your inbox over four days.
https://girlandduck.com/free-writing-prompts/
Grab this freebie!
A booklet containing the transcripts from Jen's, 'Hey Author' reels on Instagram. Full of tips and wisdom for writers at every level! https://www.jenstorerpresents.com/hey-author
Free Mini Course:
5 Ways to Write a Book with Jen Storer
https://www.jenstorerpresents.com/5-ways-to-write-a-book-with-jen-storer
Music Credit:
Title: Forward
Composer: Lane King
License: #2228160 (Bensound) -
Ep 053 Final Thoughts for '23
Final thoughts for 2023, dear listener. I’ll be back in 24, for sure.
(I like that rhyme!)
Three things that might be of interest to you in this ep (another ep inspired by a lovely Duck Pond member).
My favourite book on spirituality and why.
My favourite book on creativity and why.
The oracle decks I use in my Full Moon readings in the Duck Pond.
By today’s standards, when the market is flooded with all sorts of spiritual and creativity treasures, the books I discuss in this ep might seem like 101s. But that’s why they’re so important to me — and I suspect it’s why they are classics, too. They are foundational.
Also in this closing ep, why I decided to form an IRL writers’ group in 2024, and the difference between a critique group and a writers’ group. (Big relief sigh here, as I didn’t realise there was a difference until a duckie set me straight!)
Books and other pretties mentioned:
The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Now-Guide-Spiritual-Enlightenment/dp/1577314808
The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron
https://www.amazon.com.au/Artists-Way-Julia-Cameron/dp/0143129252
The House that Joy Built, by Holly Ringland
https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460716632/the-house-that-joy-built/
Decks
The Creativity Oracle, by Zerner and Farber
https://www.amazon.com.au/Creativity-Oracle-Visions-Enchantment-Inspire/dp/0764358995
Goddess Love Oracle, by Wendy Andrew
https://www.booktopia.com.au/goddess-love-oracle-wendy-andrew/book/9781925924329.html
► About Jen & Girl and Duck:
If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! Click here.
For more girl&duck goodness, go here - GirlandDuck.com
Jen's Life Coaching page can be found here
Join Jen's creative writing community the Duck Pond
Follow Jen on Instagram: @jenestorer
Subscribe to Jen's YouTube Channel - Click here
Jen's Author website: jenstorer.com
► Free stuff
Get writing immediately.
Writing prompts to get your imagination flowing! Get four AWESOME writing prompts delivered to your inbox over four days.
https://girlandduck.com/free-writing-prompts/
Grab this freebie!
A booklet containing the transcripts from Jen's, 'Hey Author' reels on Instagram. Full of tips and wisdom for writers at every level! https://www.jenstorerpresents.com/hey-author
Free Mini Course:
5 Ways to Write a Book with Jen Storer
https://www.jenstorerpresents.com/5-ways-to-write-a-book-with-jen-storer
Customer Reviews
Discovery
Excellent podcast. I love the energy you bring to this. I feel inspired to keep going and encouraged that I’m on the right track, even if my cogs are a bit rusty. Discovery Draft! What a great concept and helpful reminder. Now back to my wonky, scary discovery draft. Thanks again.
Love the Pamela interview!
Great episode, lovely to hear you both and learn more about one of our fave mavens!
Exciting
Congratulations Jen, you did it. Great podcast look forward to more. You are an inspiration and people who love kidslit need to jump on board. Enjoyed hearing how it all started and how you help people get back in touch with their dreams. Thank you.