The Creative Life Podcast: Episode Thirty-One

Today’s guest is Annabel Smith. She is the author of the digital interactive novel The Ark, US bestseller Whisky Charlie Foxtrot, and A New Map of the Universe, which was shortlisted for the WA Premier’s Book Awards. She was an inaugural Australia Council Creative Australia Fellow and holds a PhD in Creative Writing. She is also a contributor to Trust the Process: 101 Tips on Writing and Creativity.

Books, Topics Discussed and Recommended Reading

The ‘Who, What, Why’ of the plotting triangle.
Why she chose the epistolary structure for her novel The Ark, how they can be difficult novels to write (and read) and how she found balance.
How the remarkable book website – thearkbook.com – came to life through an Australia Council grant and her collaborative relationship with those who worked on it.
Her advice on applying for grants.
What she learned about the experimental, pioneering part of the digital publishing world.
Her thoughts on self-publishing and the differences between commercial and creative success.
The running series on her website about the working life/reality of how writers earn money.
Her thoughts on writing groups – her tip in Trust the Process – and how to best deliver constructive criticism.

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