The Society of Unpublished Authors

On this episode we talk about why rejection feels so hard, and what we can do after we get rejected.We learn from poet Maggie Smith in her book 'Dear Writer' that YOU are not being rejected, your work is.We talk about 4 big reasons picture books are rejected from the Picture Book Summit PodcastOur big takeaway is not to send your work out too early. Take your time and make it the best it can be.Also, do your research and send your manuscript to the right kind of publisher.Thinking about rejection rituals, we love Western Sydney author Adam Byatt and his Pigeon of Proclamation, and his 24hrs of eating cheese. Jo also shares some helpful tips from Dani Vee.We're using royalty-free music by Geoff Harvey—be sure to check out his full catalogue on his YouTube channel @GeoffHarveyMusic

Episode 4: Money, Money, MoneyThis episode is all about how much money you should/could spend chasing your dream of being a published author, and what you can do if you have none.We discuss creative writing courses, manuscript assessments, competitions and other paid avenues to publication.We also share our favourite free resources such as podcasts, online videos, critique groups and libraries. We encourage everyone to attend book launches, even if you don't know the author or illustrator.We hear from some other creatives about their ideas for the best paid and unpaid resources for writers. Big thanks to Amanda Lieber, Liz Ledden, Zoe Gaetjens, Artelle Lenthall, and Melissa Kelly.Finally, we talk about reframing the term'chasing your dream' into something more tangible.We’re using royalty-free music by Geoff Harvey—be sure to check out his full catalogue on his YouTube channel @GeoffHarveyMusic

We share the experience of having our book ideas come into the world, not written by us.We discuss whether there is anything truly original? Where do ideas come from, and how to capture them. What is a unique voice, and how can we find ours?We talk about the books Steal Like an Artist, Use Your Words, Big Magic and The Seven Basic Plots.We compare the way we write our first drafts, and how ideas are fun to get, but stories can be hard to write.Intro and outro music is royalty-free music by Geoff Harvey—be sure to check out his catalogue on his YouTube channel @GeoffHarveyMusic

This episode is all about cringe. What does it mean, where does it come from, and how much should we care about it? Also, what role does social media play in cringe culture?We discuss actor Austin Butler’s thoughts that ‘embarrassment is an underexplored emotion,’ Erica Mallet’s ‘Cringe Mountain’ theory, and Amie McNee’s notion that cringe is the gateway to magic and letting go of what others think of us.We talk about author/poet/novelist Ocean Vuong and how he sees the fear of being cringe affecting young writers. We also find wisdom in Holly Ringland’s book, The House That Joy Built.We share some of our experiences of feeling cringe over our lifetime, and what happens when we get to the other side.Also, hear what some of our friends think about cringe culture.Intro and outro music is royalty-free music by Geoff Harvey—be sure to check out his catalogue on his YouTube channel @GeoffHarveyMusic

This episode is all about what on earth publishers are looking for and whether knowing or not knowing can affect our writing. We discuss whether Rick Rubin's theory that 'the audience comes last' is a good one for writers, and we also talk about country singer Luke Combs and his song Doin This.We talk about young children and the way they make things for the joy of it, not the finished product.We share our experience of attending a WestWords Creative Writing workshop for the WestWords Living Stories competition.We challenge ourselves to find our most unpublishable idea or manuscript and show it some love and joy.Intro and outro music is royalty-free music by Geoff Harvey—be sure to check out his catalogue on his YouTube channel @GeoffHarveyMusic