Writes4Women

How do you know when to trust your instincts as a writer and write the book you truly want to write? Host Pamela Cook welcomes crime author Petronella McGovern to Writes4Women to discuss McGovern’s fifth novel, Every Time She Wakes, a time-travel/Sliding Doors-style thriller.  In this chat, Petronella explains how the idea for the novel came to her, and how she went about constructing such a complex structure with five separate but related timelines. The conversation covers inspirations, research, using structural cues, writing in first-person present, subplots, beta readers, and lessons about ambition and confidence. A great conversation for writers at all stages. 2:08 Meet Petronella 5:57 Themes and Psychology 11:30 Choosing the Concept 16:16 Research and Philosophy 18:26 Writing Process Begins 25:52 First Person Present Challenge 34:00 Confidence And Ambition   SHOWNOTES: Grab a ticket to Pam's book launch here   Writes4Women www.writes4women.com Facebook @writes4women Twitter / Instagram @w4wpodcast   W4W Substack Click here   Petronella McGovern Website: click here Instagram: click here   Pamela Cook www.pamelacook.com.au Facebook @amelacookauthor Twitter @PamelaCookAU   This episode produced by Pamela Cook for Writes4Women and recorded on unceded Dharawal land.            Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/writes4women?fan_landing=trueSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Writes4Women host Pamela Cook celebrates the release of her eighth women’s fiction novel, Because You’re Mine, and shares her reflections on both what she'd do differently if she had her time over, and the choices she's glad she made when it came to her writing career. Pamela shares what she has learned in 12 years of publishing and 26 years of writing, outlining five things she would do differently, including handle rejection better, and write more instead of procrastinating, and she also highlights positives like  joining writing groups and starting the podcast. Join Pam as she spills the tea on her writing career, with lessons she hopes listeners can learn from 01:07 New Release Because You're Mine 04:57 Lesson One Handling Rejection 09:30 Lesson Two Write More 12:20 Lesson Three Promote Yourself 14:57 Lesson Four Treat It Like Work 17:43 Lesson Five Build Confidence 21:20 Wins Writing Groups and Community 24:34 Podcasting and Networking 26:14 Keep Learning the Craft 28:22 Teaching and Mentoring 29:25 Say Yes to New Opportunities SHOWNOTES: JOIN OUR LIVE ZOOM CHAT, 7PM ON TUESDAY OCTOBER 6 here Writes4Women www.writes4women.com Facebook @writes4women Twitter / Instagram @w4wpodcast   W4W Substack Click here   Pamela Cook www.pamelacook.com.au Facebook @amelacookauthor Twitter @PamelaCookAU Join me for the launch of Because You're Mine, tickets here   This episode produced by Pamela Cook for Writes4Women and recorded on unceded Dharawal land.              Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/writes4women?fan_landing=trueSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writes4Women host Pamela Cook chats to publishing industry professional Kelly Doust about her new business, Publishing Curious. Kelly has worked across many facets of the industry including as an author, but also in marketing and as an acquiring editor and publisher. She's started a new business to assist authors in reaching their publishing goals, and to demystify the industry. In this conversation Pam chats to Kelly about how acquisitions meeting work, what publishers are looking for in a manuscript, the realities of advances, and a whole lot more. And if you enjoy this chat, join Pam and Kelly for a live zoom chat on Tuesday October 6 ay 7pm, and bring your questions with you.   SHOWNOTES: JOIN OUR LIVE ZOOM CHAT, 7PM ON TUESDAY OCTOBER 6 here Writes4Women www.writes4women.com Facebook @writes4women Twitter / Instagram @w4wpodcast   W4W Substack Click here   Kelly Doust Website: click here Instagram: click here Substack: click here   Pamela Cook www.pamelacook.com.au Facebook @amelacookauthor Twitter @PamelaCookAU   This episode produced by Pamela Cook for Writes4Women and recorded on unceded Dharawal land.            Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/writes4women?fan_landing=trueSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shannon Kelly-White & Lisa Ireland on Mentoring and the Making of Billy King Host Pamela Cook interviews debut historical fiction author Shannon Kelly-White and author/mentor Lisa Ireland about the mentoring partnership behind Shannon’s debut novel. Billy King (“Wild girls don’t go quietly”), is a story set in the Australian high country 100 years ago and told through three women’s perspectives: bushranger Dulcie, missing mother Anna, and 12-year-old Billy. Shannon discusses her path from nursing to an unorthodox food blog and cookbooks, learning through a “drawer” manuscript, and developing a modern-feeling historical voice. Lisa describes recognising Shannon’s talent early, providing confidence and structural guidance, and focusing on story momentum and “killing darlings,” including major deletions and restructuring. They discuss knowing when to submit, securing an agent, editing, cover reveal, handling reviews, mentoring benefits, and more. 00:00 Welcome to Writes4Women 02:35 Shannon’s Pre-Book Journey 03:19 Inside Billy King 13:37 Starting Mentorship Together 19:28 Building Three POV Characters 23:46 Story Structure and Cutting 35:56 Knowing When Done 40:20 Stop Over Revising 45:39 Handling Reviews 49:13 Mentorship Matters 51:39 Mentoring For All 57:28 Final Writing Advice 59:42 Wrap And Resources   SHOWNOTES: Writes4Women www.writes4women.com Facebook @writes4women Twitter / Instagram @w4wpodcast   W4W Substack Click here   Shannon Kelly-White Website: click here Instagram: click here   Lisa Ireland Website: click here Instagram: click here   Pamela Cook www.pamelacook.com.au Facebook @amelacookauthor Twitter @PamelaCookAU   This episode produced by Pamela Cook for Writes4Women and recorded on unceded Dharawal land.            Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/writes4women?fan_landing=trueSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Courtney Peppernell on Pillow Thoughts, Self-Publishing, and Her Debut Novel The Last Poem Writes4Women host Pamela Cook chats with internationally bestselling author Courtney Peppernell,  about her path from early “lightning writing” and a supportive family to self-publishing novels and then poetry, and now her debut novel. Courtney describes self-publishing, and creating Pillow Thoughts from blog-style reflections, her poems going viral and landing a deal with a traditional publisher. Her latest release is The Last Poem, a multi-POV small-town Colorado story about grief, friendship and love. An inspiring episode for writers at all stages of their career.   00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 02:07 Early Writing Spark 03:54 Family Support and Creativity 05:41 Self Publishing Beginnings 08:05 Pillow Thoughts Goes Viral 13:25 Signing with a US Publisher 15:57 Series Strategy and Branding 21:15 Life Changing Success and Tours 25:26 Setting Up Poem Readings 26:18 Reading From Thinking Of You 26:58 Writing Poetry As Characters 29:17 Modern Versus Traditional Poetry 30:50 Why Online Poetry Boomed 31:58 Algorithm Changes And Reach 33:35 Turning To The Last Poem 35:27 Plot And Grief Group Setup 36:34 Crafting Multiple Viewpoints 40:37 Favorite Characters And Libraries 43:58 Why Wren Is A Poet 45:49 Traditional Publishing And Events 48:57 Upcoming Books And Music   SHOWNOTES: Writes4Women www.writes4women.com Facebook @writes4women Twitter / Instagram @w4wpodcast   W4W Substack Click here   Courtney Peppernell Website: click here Instagram: click here   Pamela Cook www.pamelacook.com.au Facebook @amelacookauthor Twitter @PamelaCookAU   This episode produced by Pamela Cook for Writes4Women and recorded on unceded Dharawal land.          Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/writes4women?fan_landing=trueSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.