How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? As a teenager, I loved composing angsty poetry and my love for expressing myself through writing pretty much grew from there. As controversial as it might sound, I didn’t connect with English subjects at secondary school. They just seemed rigid, regimented and out-of-touch with current society. I wanted the freedom to write what inspired me. So, I did a Professional Writing and Editing course, then got inspired by a reinvigoration of romance in the media, in movies, and here I am. What did you do to actively pursue writing? (Joining …
Author Spotlight – Annika Johansson
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I’ve always loved words and human behaviour and went into copywriting after university – writing mini stories in 30 seconds for television or radio commercials, or 10 seconds for print. Then on the eve of my 40th birthday, something switched in my brain and I knew I was ready to tackle long-from storytelling so I began diving into writing courses to learn the art form of longer storytelling. What did you do to actively pursue writing? (Joining RWAus, Mentorship etc) I tried to suck up as much craft inspiration as …
Author Spotlight – Amy Hutton
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I’ve always written, either for fun because it’s something I enjoy, or for work. For many years I ran a blog reviewing movies and TV shows. I also wrote as part of my job as a TV producer, and that was far and away my favourite aspect of the role. I can find enjoyment in writing anything. Emails and memos, scripts about some show I would never usually watch. it all gives me a kick. But it was in 2018 when I decided I might have more than a 30 …
Author Spotlight – Joanne Speirs
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? Always a voracious reader, I only started writing after my mum passed away. The couple of years after, I fell into a bit of a dark hole and a friend suggested I ‘write and get the sh*t out of my head’. Seven years later, my debut novel was released with Harlequin. What did you do to actively pursue writing? (Joining RWAus, Mentorship etc) I had to learn the craft of writing fiction and undertook Manuscript Incubator with Writers SA, where I met Victoria Purman. Victoria introduced me to RWA and …
Author Spotlight – Keighley Bradford
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I liked guessing what would happen next in stories and was never right. It opened my eyes to the endless possibilities of storytelling, so I began writing and never stopped. What did you do to actively pursue writing? (Joining RWAus, Mentorship etc). I’ve been writing since I was 13. I joined the local writing club in high school and entered national writing competitions. Once I graduated, I started doing self-paced courses until I started uni, where I studied writing and publishing. During this time, I continued to learn everything I …
Author New Release – Phillipa Nefri Clark
Title: The House at Angel’s Beach Author: Phillipa Nefri Clark Date: 31 May 2024 Publisher: Storm Publishing Format: Ebook, paperback, audiobook Ivy Ross left Rivers End ten years ago, vowing never to return. Her heart broken, her trust gone, the father she adored behind bars. But when her sister Jody begs Ivy to return to finalise their inheritance, the majestic Fairview House, she is drawn home. And when she finds a collection of heartfelt letters hidden in her father’s library, everything she thought she knew is called into question. The anonymous letters reveal a heartbreaking love story that forces Ivy …
Author Spotlight – Kay Alahakoon
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? From a young age, I crafted stories in my head while others counted sheep to fall asleep. My earliest memory of this creative habit dates back to when I was about four. Inspired by my mother, an avid reader, I developed a love for books and soon found myself creating sequels to the stories I finished reading. However, it wasn’t until I was around 12 or 13 that I began putting these stories on paper. My first story was a love story penned in a notebook in Sinhalese, my …
Author Spotlight – Sam Valentine
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I think the desire to write has been there since I was very young because I loved fiction so much. Books were a big part of my childhood, so I developed an appreciation of story very early. I wrote a few stories when I was a kid, but the urge to write a novel came many years later. I didn’t really know how to get started or what to do, but I wanted to start by understanding the science of language more, so I undertook an undergraduate degree in English …
Author Spotlight – Jennifer Raines
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? I can’t remember a time I didn’t read. Even as a young child I’d read with a torch under the sheets after lights out. Reading provided an escape from my real world. Then I started making up stories, preferring to live in my imagination. I got a reputation for falling down stairs and tripping over—always dreaming. I started scribbling down stories, terrible rhyming verse and, I guess, what would be called flash fiction today— a vignette triggered by an overheard conversation or something I’d seen. Earning a living slowed me …
Author Spotlight – Moira Yeldon
How did you discover you wanted to be a writer? My love of writing started with poetry, and I wrote a poem to acknowledge most important events in my life. I moved onto writing articles, short stories and finally to novels. What did you do to actively pursue writing? After completing a course in creative writing some years ago, I sought out writing groups and joined societies such as RWAus to network with like-minded writers. I utilised beta readers, mentors and editors who all helped to shape my writing. What do you find are the advantages of being part of …