Secrets from the Green Room
Irma Gold & Karen Viggers
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In each episode of the Secrets from the Green Room podcast hosts Irma Gold and Karen Viggers chat with a writer about their experience of the writing and publishing process in honest green room-style, uncovering some of the plain and simple truths, as well as some of the secrets – whether they be mundane or salubrious – and having a lot of fun in the process.
Available episodes
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Aug 24, 2023
Season 3: Episode 35: Chris Flynn
Irma and Karen chat about the impact of AI technologies on authors. Then Irma chats with Chris Flynn about exactly how Bookscan works and how he uses the data to monitor his own sales and make decisions about where to invest time with publicity, why publishing is operating on an outdated business model and how it should change, how to organise a book tour yourself, the ways in which both Ireland and Australia have impacted him as a writer, the challenges of writing humorous literary fiction, an unexpected encounter with Sebastian Barry, and how he is banishing self-doubt.
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Aug 1, 2023
Season 3: Episode 34: Eliza Henry-Jones
Karen and Irma discuss how to craft a good sentence. Then Irma talks to Eliza Henry-Jones about why ‘paddock beanbagging’ is her preferred way to write, how writing a novel every year since she was 14 helped her understand her world, how difficult it was to first be published at the age of 25, why as a writer she is a ‘chaos demon’, how having a child changed her as a writer, why she wrote Salt and Skin from a place of rage, the challenges of writing ‘unlikeable’ female characters, why she resisted Scrivener and then fell in love with it.
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Jul 11, 2023
Season 3: Episode 33: Aaron Fa'Aoso and Michelle Scott Tucker
Karen and Irma discuss book tours. Then Irma chats with Aaron Fa’Aoso and Michelle Scott Tucker about the process of ghostwriting (or co-writing) Aaron’s memoir, how they tackled sensitive subjects like suicide, racism and Aaron’s domestic violence history, the decision-making process on what to include and what to not, why Aaron almost pulled the project many times but ultimately never did, how Michelle captured Aaron’s voice, and why recording the audiobook sent Aaron into a dark place.
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Jun 20, 2023
Season 3: Episode 32: Robbie Arnott
Karen and Irma talk about presenting at sales conferences. Then Irma chats with Robbie Arnott about his ‘chaotic’ writing process, how landscapes inspire him and how he approaches writing about climate change to avoid being preachy, why his first book rejection really knocked his confidence, the way he fictionalised family history to avoid friction with family members, how a background in advertising helps him with the editing process, the pressure he puts on himself to get the writing perfect, how his time as a bookseller has shaped his approach to publicity, and weird author interactions in bookshops.
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May 30, 2023
Season 3: Episode 31: Artistic Director Jeanne Ryckmans
Irma and Karen chat about festivals and events they’ve been attending. Then Karen talks to former Canberra Writers Festival Artistic Director Jeanne Ryckmans about how a literary festival is programmed, the role of publicists and why sometimes they don’t work in the author’s best interests, how a writer should pitch themselves to an artistic director, the positive developments as a result of COVID, the writer Jeanne would have donated a kidney to get on her program (and did!), and crazy festival stories – from the author who did a session in his pjs, to another stung by a wasp right before a session, and a melted chocolate incident that incited panic.
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May 2, 2023
Season 3: Episode 30: Jock Serong
Irma and Karen chat about attending festivals as an interlocutor or as a panellist. Then Karen talks to Jock Serong about making the move from lawyer to novelist, why he dives into dark places, the fraught territory of navigating writing First Nations characters and history as a descendant of settler Australians, why he goes on writing excursions with his characters, a surreal green room experience with Ian Rankin, and an utterly disastrous panel event.
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Apr 11, 2023
Season 3. Episode 29: Marion Halligan
Karen and Irma chat about the pros and cons of online writing courses. Then they chat to Marion Halligan about how Sylvia Plath inspired her to get started, what she bought with her first earnings, how writing is a kind of madness, the challenge of writing a memoir about her late daughter, good and bad editing experiences and what it was like being edited by her sister, why essays are her favourite form, the controversies while serving as Chair of the Australia Council Literature Board, why the government should pay writers a salary, and why she got angry at Bill Bryson at the Melbourne Writers Festival.
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Mar 21, 2023
Season 3. Episode 28: Deb Stevens (Retired Sales Agent)
Karen and Irma chat about writing residencies. Then they talk to bookseller and sales rep Deb Stevens about what goes on behind the scenes in the book trade, how books are sold into bookshops, if and when and how authors should contact their sales reps, preparing for your book’s release, how authors can work maximise promo of their books, the most wonderful authors Deb has worked with and the divas, and how a puppy rescued Jodi Picoult on tour.
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Feb 28, 2023
Season 3. Episode 27: Inga Simpson
Irma and Karen chat about a new writing book, The Writer Laid Bare by Lee Kofman. Then Karen speaks with Inga Simpson about why choosing a character’s name to boost a word count ended up in a prize and her debut novel, how a childhood spent in nature influenced her writing, her determination not to let the second-book pressure derail her, the risks and challenges around telling stories involving Australia’s first peoples, how she measures success and the value of prizes, the politics of green rooms, and the highs and lows of appearing at writers festivals.
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Feb 7, 2023
Season 3. Episode 26: Booksellers
Irma and Karen chat about how organised (or disorganised!) they are with their writing. Then Irma chats to booksellers Katarina Pearson (Harry Hartog), Alison Page (Dymocks) and Peter Arnaudo (The Book Cow) about how to get friendly with booksellers – what to do (when and how) and what not to do, how long you can expect your book to stay on the shelves, how sales and returns work, the important role of sales reps and how they impact book selection, why relationships with local authors are key, when and how to sign books, how to organise events with bookshops, nightmare experiences with authors (and amazing ones too!), and the bizarre things that have happened in their stores.
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Aug 9, 2022
Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival series. Episode 25: Natasha Lester
In a special series direct from the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, Irma chats with Natasha Lester about how utter despair before an award ceremony preceded the best moment of her life, the lightbulb moment that changed the course of her career, the rewards of constructive sulking after rejection, how a fraught editing process almost destroyed her current book, how she manages three books at a time in different stages of writing, editing and promoting, the high of hitting the New York Times bestseller list, and why the Muse doesn’t actually exist.
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Jul 26, 2022
Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival series. Episode 24: Craig Silvey
In a special series direct from the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, Irma chats with Craig Silvey about the author school visit as a child that changed his life, the careful considerations around writing characters from marginalised communities, why he thinks writing to word counts is unhelpful, how writing is like an illness, the hardest manuscript he had to abandon, and the most frightening library display of his book.
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Jul 13, 2022
Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival series. Episode 23: Brooke Davis and Rhett Davis
*Blurb:* In a special series direct from the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, Irma chats with siblings Rhett and Brooke Davis about what it’s like sharing the world of publishing with a sibling, their very different paths to becoming published authors, the downsides of a worldwide tour when your book is a smash hit, the childhood books that shaped them and are now echoed in their writing, how grief led to them both publishing novels, the pressure of writing a second novel when your debut has been an international bestseller, seeing famous writers in the green room and realising how petrified they are, and horrifying realisations gleaned from diary writing.
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Jun 28, 2022
Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival series. Episode 22: Claire G Coleman
In a special series direct from the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, Irma talks to Claire G. Coleman about how poetry influences her non-fiction style, the downsides of book touring, how she deals with Twitter trolls, the complications of working with two publishers, her love-hate relationship with the editing process, and how she responds to criticisms that she’s ‘not blak enough’.
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Jun 1, 2022
Season 2. Episode 21: Robert Watkins
Craig and Irma unpack the role Amazon plays in the book world. Then Irma chats with Ultimo Press publisher Robert Watkins about why diverse publishing is so important to him, how to nab an editorial job, the way that authors should own the publicity stage and be proud, what makes him want to publish a manuscript, what good sales mean in terms of hard numbers, the impact of Covid on the publishing landscape, and a case of mistaken identity in the green room.
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May 3, 2022
Season 2. Episode 20: Tony Birch
Craig and Irma talk about books that have wowed them. Then Tony Birch chats to Irma about the sensitivity around fictionalising family, the importance of First Nations writing, who has the right to tell certain stories, the problems with teaching writing at university, the rejections that have really stung, the time his mum threatened a radio host, and the famous writers who have snubbed him in green rooms.
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Apr 6, 2022
Season 2. Episode 19: Sulari Gentill
Craig and Irma talk about teaching writing in schools and then Craig talks to Sulari Gentill about how she turned a hobby into a profession, why she can write anywhere but finds a quiet environment impossible, how she was snubbed at a major awards ceremony, the pros and cons of the profit share model of publishing, the ways in which writing about the past reveals patterns in contemporary times, and the time she accidentally hug-assaulted Tanya Plibersek at a writers festival.
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Mar 16, 2022
Season 2. Episode 18: Cat Sparks & Rob Hood
Craig and Irma discuss inspirational quotes, then Craig chats to writing couple Cat Sparks and Rob Hood about whether there’s competition in a relationship when you’re both writers, how your book can be a sausage in the sausage factory, how hard it is as an editor to get what you want from a slush pile (because authors don’t read the freaking guidelines!). Also, the benefits of being published by small presses and having a supportive writing community, what constitutes a good writing day versus a bad writing day, and snobby big name authors in the green room!
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Feb 22, 2022
Season 2. Episode 17: Nigel Featherstone
Irma and Craig talk about the differences in typing and handwriting work, and then they speak to Nigel Featherstone about how he always feels like an outsider, why it shits him that writing isn’t considered real work, how Tony Abbott was the unlikely inspiration for his novel Bodies of Men, the strange benefits of interviewing his characters, why he is an obsessive re-drafter, the experience of a writing nervous breakdown and the moment his agent thought he literally died on the phone to her.
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Feb 1, 2022
Season 2. Episode 16: Isobelle Carmody
Craig and Irma talk about literary tourism, then Craig talks with bestselling fantasy author Isobelle Carmody on the challenges of meeting fan expectations, why her writing income has suddenly dropped dramatically and how she adapted, whether genre labels are useful, the benefits of doing a creative PhD, and the repercussions of being an activist author.
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Jan 11, 2022
Season 2. Episode 15: Allison Tait
Craig and Irma talk about the dead authors they would most like to interview. Then Irma talks with (living) author Allison Tait (AL Tait) on why the first structural edit she received did her head in and how she now works through them, the most difficult book rejection she’s ever experienced, why children’s book authors don’t get the kudos they deserve, and a whole lot more.
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Nov 30, 2021
Season 2. Episode 14: Charlotte Wood
Craig and Irma discuss lesson learned from life on the road doing a book tour for Irma's book the Breaking. Then Irma speaks with national living treasure Charlotte Wood about the terror of public exposure on releasing a book into the world, the discomfort of the first draft and why it’s important to ‘look for trouble’, how and when to get feedback on work-in-progress, how the pandemic has changed book publicity, why writers desperately need more financial support, why a book rejection was the best and worst moment of her career, and green room encounters that would horrify the reading public.
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Nov 9, 2021
Season 2. Episode 13: Mirandi Riwoe
Craig and Irma discuss Covid-19 impacts on book sales – then Craig has an insightful chat with Mirandi Riwoe about combining fact and fiction in her historical novels, viewing the past through the lens of the present and the important difference between accuracy and authenticity.
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Oct 19, 2021
Season 2. Episode 12: Jack Heath
Irma and Craig talk about balancing the writing life with real life and then Jack talks about juggling multiple books, his love-hate relationship with social media and his most embarrasing fan-boy moment at Comicon.
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Jul 28, 2021
Season 1. Episode 11: Nikki Gemmell
Craig and Irma talk about what you write on your immigration card and when you first feel like a ‘real’ writer. Then Irma talks to Nikki Gemmell about the trauma of being outed for The Bride Stripped Bare, the importance of re-drafting and harsh edits, how words can change the world, the creep of imposter syndrome even when you have published a ton of books, dealing with vicious criticism, and how a leather-bound volume of Jane Eyre changed Nikki’s life.
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Jul 6, 2021
Season 1. Episode 10: Lisa Fuller
Craig and Irma talk about the good the bad and ugly sides of teaching writing, and then they chat with Wuilli Wuilli woman and prize-winning author Lisa Fuller about the state of publishing, how the industry can better support First Nations writers and editors, how the Pancake Parlour figured in her winning a major prize, and the many books her dog has eaten!
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Jun 10, 2021
Season 1. Episode 9: Sophie Laguna
Craig and Irma talk about writing groups and getting quality feedback on your work, followed by Irma talking with Sophie Laguna, on finding the essence of your characters, the fraught space of awards, how kids have made her writing practice better, the cruel world of publishing, how she struggles with success, navigating good and bad reviews, why writing a screenplay can sharpen the book edit, and how reading is like having an author's dreams in your hands.
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Apr 14, 2021
Season 1. Episode 8: Eugen Bacon
Craig and Irma talk about the fraught experience of getting book endorsements. Then Craig chats with Eugen Bacon about issues around black writing, the joys and difficulties of life that trigger inspiration, the complexities of defining genre, the art of the short story, and why reading Toni Morrison is like eating the richest truffles.
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Mar 24, 2021
Season 1. Episode 7: Valerie Parv
Craig and Irma talk about writing guides, in particular the new </p>book by Georgia Richter and Deborah Hunn, How to be an Author. Then Craig chats with Valerie Parv about how she went from an advertising copywriter to sales of over 34 million books, whether genre elitism and genre prejudice exist, the crazy debacle that was dubbed Parvgate, the impact of COVID on reading and publishing, moving from romance into science fiction, and a funny make-up mix up in the green room with her husband.
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Mar 3, 2021
Season 1. Episode 6: Brendan Fredericks
Craig and Irma talk all things book launches. Then Irma chats with her publicist Brendan Fredericks about his friendship with Liz Gilbert and getting drunk with Germaine Greer, how to best work with your publicist, what not to do as an author on social media, his faux pas with Richard Ford, and his green room adventures with dogs.
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Feb 3, 2021
Season 1. Episode 5: James Bradley
Craig and Irma talk about rejection and how to cope with it. Then Craig talks to James Bradley about his path to becoming an award-winning author, how to write about important and urgent issues without becoming preachy, his love/hate relationship with social media and how to protect yourself as an author in the public arena, why genre shouldn’t define a book but can usefully shape it, hanging out with Julian Barnes in the green room.
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Jan 19, 2021
Season 1. Episode 4: Karen Viggers
Irma and Craig talk about the challenges of public speaking and how to be Wonder Woman on stage.
Then they chat with Karen Viggers about the painful process of editing her latest novel and trying to find its heart, how escaping a party of screaming girls led to discovering she was a bestseller in France, the reality behind the ‘glamorous’ whirlwind of an international publicity tour, the complexity and confusion around the foreign rights process, how Instagram culture is compromising book reviewing and the feels of bad reviews on Goodreads, and the blunt nitty gritty of how much money her bestselling books have made.
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Dec 31, 2020
Season 1. Episode 3: Chris Hammer
Craig and Irma talk about the ins and outs of writing gigs on cruise ships.
Then they both chat with Chris Hammer about the unexpected international success of his debut crime novel, Scrublands, how the publisher you are with effects sales (and it’s not just big versus small), the value of awards (those that sell books and those that launch careers), forgetting your own character’s name during publicity, faux pas on meeting a super famous author, and what a walk-on part in his own movie might look like.
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Dec 8, 2020
Season 1. Episode 2: Holden Sheppard
Irma and Craig chat about the manuscripts that never make it to publication.
Then Holden Sheppard chats with Irma about writing failures and the drive to succeed, the publicity whirlwind and inevitable comedown, self-doubt and second-novel syndrome, being snubbed by literary big shots in the green room and world domination goals!
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Nov 13, 2020
Season 1. Episode 1: Anna Spargo-Ryan
Craig and Irma chat about why they’ve launched the podcast, the history of the green room and their own green room experiences.
Then Anna Spargo-Ryan chats with Irma about how she grew up with her own publishing house (sort of!), the manuscripts that never made it to publication, how she accidentally pitched a book on Twitter that led to a heated auction, what said heated auction involved (hint: a lot of emotional paralysis on the couch), the worst rejection of her writing life and a whole lot more.
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