Shows
Writing From Square OneChristmas Wrap-Up - season 2 FINAL episode!In the season finale of Writing from Square One 2, Sofia and Georgia give a run down of their accomplishments over the year, with an emphasis on celebrating both the big and little things, and comparing where you were a year ago to now. They also discuss their plans for next year - including plans for the podcast - and what special Christmas traditions they'll be partaking in this festive season!Huge thank you to everyone who has listened to even a minute of this podcast, without you it wouldn't mean a fraction of what it does to us...
2023-12-0126 minWriting From Square OneWhat Comes After Book One - with David Allan-Petale!Georgia and Sofia welcome another fabulous guest for episode 7 of Writing from Square One season 2: Boorloo (Perth)-based author David Allan-Petale! David published his debut novel, Locust Summer (Fremantle Press) in 2021 and is here to talk all about the tricky balance of creativity, work, family and the always-anticipated, sometimes-dreaded, book two. He graciously discusses his journey post-publication, the uncertainty that comes afterward and what he does to keep himself grounded. This is another episode that gets raw and real, and we are so grateful to have had David join us on our podcast.If you would like...
2023-11-1543 minWriting From Square OneWhich Do You Prefer?Sometimes life gets in the way of writing - and when Sofia and Georgia met up for this episode, it was one of those times. And while word counts may be low, the creativity juices were still high and alive! To scratch their creative itches, the girls have decided to do something special for this episode: a game of "which do you prefer?"Writing positions, fonts, first person vs third person, music or no music, the list goes on. This simple episode is designed to keep your creativity flowing even when your time is stretched and you're...
2023-10-3131 minWriting From Square OneComing "Clean" through Poetry - with Scott-Patrick Mitchell!In this very special episode, Sofia and Georgia speak to the marvellous Scott-Patrick Mitchell, a Boorloo (Perth)-based poet, writer and mentor, about their poetry collection "Clean," which was shortlisted for both Book of the Year at the 2023 WA Premier's Book Awards and in the poetry category at the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards. We talk to Scott-Patrick about not only their experience of composing Clean, but what poetry means to them and how writing - and art as a whole - can bring out the beautiful in the darkest of circumstances. Scott-Patrick also shares their personal tips for emerging...
2023-10-2050 minWriting From Square OneDealing with Author EnvyIt's just Georgia and Sofia for this episode, and once again they're getting candid about something that bothers them - and many other authors, writers and artists around the world: envy.An extremely human emotion, envy can be very demoralising. Seeing other people succeed while you (supposedly) lag behind is usually a blameless situation, so the blame often comes back on you. Maybe you're not writing enough. Maybe you're not entering enough competitions, submitting to enough agents. Maybe you're just not that good in the first place. Or maybe you're telling yourself these untrue things because you've seen...
2023-10-0334 minWriting From Square OneAll About Self-Publishing - with Nadja Fernandes!Welcome to episode 3 of season 2! - where Sofia and Georgia welcome special guest, author Nadja Fernandes, to discuss everything to do with self-publishing. You may not know that there is more than one way to be published - and the self-publishing industry is getting more and more accessible as time marches on. Nadja tells the girls about her journey of self-publishing, and why, for her book, First Aid Seamstress, it appealed to her over traditional publishing. In this insightful episode, plenty of conversation ensues about why self-publishing may be the best avenue for some, and what kinds of things...
2023-09-2041 minWriting From Square OneEmbodying Unrelatable Characters, From the Mind of an Actor - with Trent Foo!In the second episode of season 2 of WFSO, Georgia and Sofia welcome uber-special guest Trent Foo, a Perth (Boorloo)-born actor/producer based in Sydney (Warrane), to discuss character. How do you write characters you can't relate to? Who have been through things you couldn't dream of? How does someone like Trent, who embodies and interprets characters for a living, get over personal bias to be the best actor he can? Trent shares with us some tips and tricks of how he creates - and writes! - his most complex characters, and the girls take away some powerful messages...
2023-09-0643 minWriting From Square OneThings We've Had to UnlearnWe are BACK for season two of Writing from Square One!!In the opening episode, Sofia and Georgia discuss, in list form, the things they've had to unlearn since starting their writing journeys. As a new writer, there are some pieces of advice you will (often subconsciously) adopt - and the further you go along, you may find that these bits of wisdom actually don't REALLY apply to your work. This could be anything, from the way you format your dialogue to how you think about and prioritise writing as a whole. Sofia and Georgia raise the importance...
2023-08-2339 minWriting From Square OneWriting for Therapy - season 1 FINAL episode!This is the last episode of Writing from Square One's first season! And it's a doozy. Georgia and Sofia chat to one another about what it means to write for therapy - and why some stories just need to be told. What are the therapeutic benefits of writing that first novel? What sort of things do the girls need to write about in their own stories? And why is important to know WHY you are writing before you undertake your publishing journey? All these questions - and more - are answered in this season finale.Writing from Square...
2023-07-1631 minWriting From Square OneHow We Write Our NovelsIn the penultimate episode of Writing From Square One's first season, Georgia and Sofia talk about the process of writing: how they write their manuscripts, from plotting to character to research. They discuss the plotter vs the pantser, and how people can fluctuate between the two - like Sofia, who went from pantser to plotter to the hybrid plantser. Discovering what methods work best for you, whether it be letting your characters create themselves in a first draft, or writing out their entire life before you even start, is a big step towards writing your first novel.Plus...
2023-07-0341 minWriting From Square OneEverything Write Clubs - with Henry Plunkett!This episode, Sofia and Georgia welcome another super special guest - one they actually know quite intimately from their writing club, the Novel Writers Collective. Henry Plunkett is an emerging author living in Boorloo, Western Australia, and is here to discuss with the girls the benefits - and sometimes downsides - of joining a write club. Plenty of questions are raised: How do you find one in your community? What sort of things would you get out of it? What makes a good write club tick, and what can lead to one falling apart?Write clubs are...
2023-06-1648 minWriting From Square OneHow to Know Your Writing Style, ft. Some Unpopular OpinionsIn Episode Seven of Writing From Square One, Sofia and Georgia tackle the topic of writing style. How do you know what your writing style is? How do you develop it? Why is it important to know your style before you get published? It can, at times, be a difficult thing to pin down and identify, but once you do, it can be a lot more useful than you might initially think.The girls also touch on a couple of their own unpopular opinions when it comes to writing tropes and characters in fiction. Passions run a little...
2023-05-2844 minWriting From Square OneThe Ins and Outs of Competition Judging - with Carolyn Wren!In Episode Six, Georgia and Sofia have the privilege of talking to talented romance novellist Carolyn Wren, who has been judging KSP Writer's Centre's Spooky Stories Competition since 2016. All questions are asked about the ins and outs of short story competition judging - including how much editing a winning entry undergoes, objectivity vs subjectivity, and what story has stuck with Carolyn, all these years later. If you would like to learn all about what it takes to judge a competition, keep listening!Carolyn has won her fair share of writing competitions herself - eight, to be exact...
2023-05-2141 minWriting From Square OneNovels vs Films - with Zack Inglis!This fortnight, Sofia and Georgia are back with another guest - and this time they are here to talk about something a little different. They welcome the wonderfully creative and talented Zack Inglis, a screenwriter residing in Boorloo, Western Australia, to discuss the differences between screen and novel writing and why we as humans feel the consistent need to tell stories. Plenty of laughs ensue, as well as moments of deep recognition and thought.If you would like to continue following Zack's journey you can find him @zackvitus on Instagram, or on Facebook as Zack Inglis. Please...
2023-04-2343 minWriting From Square OneThe Audacity of Being a Writer - with Mona Farrokhi!In Episode 4, Georgia and Sofia welcome special guest Mona Farrokhi, a fellow aspiring author, to discuss writing identity. What does it mean when one embraces writing as part of their identity? What does it do for the confidence? Why does it sometimes take so long? And when and where does one gather the audacity to declare to the world - and themselves - that they are a writer?All these questions and more are answered in another emotionally vulnerable and deep episode. If you would like to follow Mona's journey, please find her on Instagram @mona_writes_words.
2023-04-1038 minWriting From Square OneConfidence (Or Lack Thereof)Episode 3 time! And, fresh off the back of two very average weeks, Sofia and Georgia are here to discuss what happens after your confidence leaves you. Why does it happen? Does it happen gradually or suddenly? What are some things you can do to bring it back?This is the reason we started this podcast: to be candid, and to speak about things that ofttimes go unspoken about. We hope that we can offer some advice, and let our listeners know that yes, confidence does sometimes leave you, and it is ugly - but it's normal, and it's...
2023-03-2636 minWriting From Square OneMotivation, Inspiration & Time Delegation - with Renee Treml!In episode two, we welcome special guest Renee Treml, author and illustrator of the Sherlock Bones series and more, and discuss what happens after you've decided to become an author. What do you do when you lose motivation? How do you find the time if you have a career and/or family to attend to? And what if one method doesn't work for you?Renee has some wonderful insights about what it's like to be a full-time author, and shares how she keeps at it every day. If you would like to follow her journey, please find her...
2023-03-1238 minWriting From Square OneTaking the First StepIn our first episode, we talk about our writing journeys and share tips on how to find and embrace your own writing community. Both of us have come a long way in twelve months - Sofia has become the coordinator of a writing centre, while Georgia has completed a 140,000+ word first draft in 8 months. None of this could have been achieved without our wonderful writing communities behind our backs - and we want you to discover your writing community, too.Please enjoy our first episode - there will be many more to come!Want to get...
2023-02-2435 min