Writers Talking

Anjanette Fennell
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Books

The podcast that shares the writerly convos that writers have when no one is listening (even if they *are* listening) - looking to demystify the writerly process, share the inner thoughts that don't always align with the outer successes and as much inspo as possible without worrying about sticking to script or filtering for trending content. We aim to deliver REAL writerly convos in about 45 minutes, so you can feel inspired to keep going on your own writerly path! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 2d ago

    Talking to Nick Croydon, author of Nautilus

    Nick Croydon is the CEO of QBD Books, one of Australia's best-known bookselling chains, and the author of the bestselling debut The Turing Protocol and its new follow-up, Nautilus. In this episode, Nick traces his path from auditing the bank in the basement of Harrods to running a bookstore empire (from 55 stores to nearly 100), and explains how his love of history and a time-slip machine became a thriller series. We dig into the new book's big question — don't fear the technology, fear the people who have access to it — plus greed, the lies that spiral out of control, and the rise of AI-powered scams aimed at authors. Nick also shares what it was really like to be a debut author from the bookseller's side of the counter, and what he's changed in his own stores as a result. Connect with Nick on Instagram @theturingprotocol Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Talking to Nick Croydon, author of Nautilus

  2. Oct 22

    Talking to Whitney Fitzsimmons, author of The Rising

    Whitney Fitzsimmons spent decades mastering the tight, formulaic world of broadcast journalism — so when she finally sat down to write her debut novel, The Rising, the sheer freedom of fiction nearly stopped her in her tracks. In this episode, Whitney walks through how a flood-ravaged fictional town called Birradurra and a twenty-year-old cold case came to her almost fully formed, why she built herself a literal “resistance bear” to wrestle with self-doubt during the first draft, and the long road from rejected agent pitches to landing with Ventura publisher, Jane Curry. She also gives us a first look at what's next: a possible sequel to The Rising, and an entirely new project pairing a jaded old-school crime journalist with a whip-smart young cadet. Connect with Whitney: Website: whitneyfitzsimmons.com Instagram: @whitneyfitzsimmons Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Talking to Whitney Fitzsimmons, author of The Rising

  3. Aug 31

    Talking to Gabbie Stroud, author of The Angry Wives Club

    Gabbie Stroud joins us to talk about The Angry Wives Club, her “domestic noir with a chick-lit twist,” set on the far south coast of NSW. We start with the story of how she met fellow author Emma Grey (a completely random meet-cute in a dental surgery waiting room), then dig into how three generations of women - Steph, Heather, and Joni - came together on the page as, in Gabbie's words, an integration of all the women she's been. Gabbie talks candidly about her pantser-meets-plotter process (she prefers “quilting” to “pantsing”), the moment a throwaway joke revealed the book's real theme, and the editorial note from her publisher that gave the women their best revenge. We also get a hint at what's next: after two memoirs and two novels wrestling with heavy themes, Gabbie says she's finally ready to just enjoy her writing. Connect with Gabbie: gabbiestroud.com | Instagram: @gabbiestroudofficial Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Talking to Gabbie Stroud, author of The Angry Wives Club

  4. Aug 17

    Talking to Andrea Barton, author of the Jade Riley Mysteries

    We first sat down with Andrea Barton back when The Godfather of Dance came out; now she's back to mark the completion of her five-book Jade Riley Mysteries series! In this episode, Andrea unpacks the decade-long journey behind the series: how a psychologist named Tara Wells became journalist Jade Riley, why the book she wrote first (The Desert Thief) ended up published last, and how thirteen years living as an expat in Lagos, Houston, and Doha shaped the setting and stakes of each novel. She also opens up about traditional vs. hybrid publishing, what it's like pitching a series book by book, and gives us a first look at her next project… a climate-science thriller set partly in Antarctica. Connect with Andrea: andreabartonauthor.com | Instagram: @andreabartonauthor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Talking to Andrea Barton, author of the Jade Riley Mysteries

  5. Aug 5

    Talking to author Tricia Stringer, author of The Road Trip & The Paradise Resort

    Tricia Stringer joins us again hot off celebrating 30,000 copies sold of The Road Trip — and just months out from the October release of her next book, The Paradise Resort. In this episode, Tricia talks about how Road Trip favorites Kathleen and Omar found their way into the new story, and how a completely unplanned character, the irrepressible Beatrice, showed up around 20,000 words in and reshaped the whole book. We dig into what actually changes (and doesn't) about writing your tenth book versus your first, why Tricia writes toward “happy for now” endings rather than neat resolutions, and get into a wide-ranging conversation about AI, authorship, and what makes human-written fiction irreplaceable. Connect with Tricia here: Website - triciastringer.com.au Instagram - @triciastringerauthor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Talking to author Tricia Stringer, author of The Road Trip & The Paradise Resort

  6. May 18

    Talking to Fleur McDonald, author or The Witness

    Fleur McDonald is one of Australia's most prolific crime writers... and she's the first to admit she has absolutely no idea how she does it. In this conversation, Fleur returns to chat about The Witness, the third instalment in her Kalgoorlie series (after The Prospect and The Missing), a book that deliberately flips the script: you might figure out who did it halfway through, but the real tension is whether anyone gets out safely. Anj and Fleur dig into what it takes to keep a series fresh when you're staring down book 27, why Kalgoorlie became Fleur's answer to an Australian version of Midsomer, and how setting can be just as gripping a character as any detective. They also get refreshingly honest about the chaos behind the craft - the editing process that's become more intense than ever, writing and editing two books simultaneously, a pregnancy timeline blunder, and a new experiment where Fleur submits chapters one at a time to her publisher in a bid to tighten the creative chaos. Plus: why a typo in a published book might actually be something to celebrate. https://www.fleurmcdonald.com/ https://www.instagram.com/fleurmcdonaldauthor/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Talking to Fleur McDonald, author or The Witness

  7. Apr 30

    Talking to Kathryn Heyman, author of Circle of Wonders

    Kathryn Heyman is an actor, playwright, performance poet, novelist, and director of the Australian Writers' Mentoring Program. Her new novel Circle of Wonders (HarperCollins) is unlike anything she's written before. In this winding, generous conversation, Kathryn takes us inside what she describes as the "beautiful grapple" of writing this book about Roni Bloom, a charismatic woman at the end of her life who has, by her own reckoning, made a mess of things. The novel gathers the women in Roni's orbit to help her live a good death...even if not all are convinced she earned it with a good life. We talk about her intentional structure of this story alongside the muddier, more mysterious work of finding it on the page. Kathryn pushes back on the old idea that the novel is the realm of the intellect, making the case for fiction as the territory of feeling, and explains why she wanted to write something AI couldn't write! We also get into the craft questions she fields as a mentor: protecting creative energy through building real boundaries, the false binary of plotter vs. pantser, why "the facts are not always the same as the truth," and her dance teacher in Scotland, who taught her that encouragement does what shame never can. This is a conversation for readers, writers, and anyone interested in what it means to sit, even briefly, in our "messy and magnificent mortality." Find out more about Kathryn and follow her here: https://kathrynheyman.com/ https://www.instagram.com/kathrynheymanwriter/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Talking to Kathryn Heyman, author of Circle of Wonders

  8. Jan 30

    Talking to Amra Pajalic, author of Time Kneels Between Mountains

    Amra Pajalic and I had so much more to chat about, so we continued our conversation! Some of the larger topics we cover in this second part include: Creating from passion rather than market pressure A big throughline is choosing creative projects based on personal passion and integrity, not trends, algorithms, or sales expectations. We talk about following curiosity across genres, letting reading habits shape writing, and resisting the pressure to “write to market” in favour of work that feels meaningful and sustaining. Midlife creativity: confidence, permission, and letting go We also spend a significant time on how midlife brings less need for validation, more self-trust, and greater freedom to create without shame or apology. Amra shares about letting go of frantic energy, external approval, and the fear of judgment, and embracing creative work as self-expression rather than performance. The long game of creative practice (process over outcome) We repeatedly return to the idea that meaningful creative work requires time, repetition, patience, and release. We also highlight burnout, false starts, undercooked drafts, learning by doing, stepping away from projects, and trusting that clarity often comes through continuation rather than force. Writing as learning, healing, and identity evolution Another important concept we both speak to is writing as a vehicle for growth and transformation—from working through trauma, to shifting genres as life stages change, to reframing jealousy as a signal of unlived creativity. Writing is not just valued as output, but as a way of understanding oneself and one’s evolving voice. Don't forget to follow the links below to connect with Amra and let her know what insights landed for you... Discover more about Amra here: Website - https://www.amrapajalic.com/ Instagram - ​https://www.instagram.com/amrapajalicauthor/ Substack - https://substack.com/@amrapajalic? BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amra-pajalic Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/author/amrapajalic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Talking to Amra Pajalic, author of Time Kneels Between Mountains
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About

The podcast that shares the writerly convos that writers have when no one is listening (even if they *are* listening) - looking to demystify the writerly process, share the inner thoughts that don't always align with the outer successes and as much inspo as possible without worrying about sticking to script or filtering for trending content. We aim to deliver REAL writerly convos in about 45 minutes, so you can feel inspired to keep going on your own writerly path! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Anjanette Fennell
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    72
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Writers Talking

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