All the news from my little world of words and pictures. What I’ve discovered as I set about illustrating my own work. Some thoughts on indie publishing versus traditional publishing. What painting has taught me about illustrating. The gifts of being obsessed and how that can help you achieve your goals. Plus, all the news from girlandduck.com — and where to once the Duck Pond closes in May. A long episode, my love, so put the kettle on! Hop on my mailing list: Sign up here ► About Jen &...
Mar 31, 2025•36 min•Ep. 65
Many years ago, I decided to start a magazine. I mean, how hard can it be? I jumped in deep and really gave it my all. And I learned so much. All of it was transferable and all of it fed me as a writer and as a businesswoman. Today, come on a journey with me into the past and I’ll share with you the deep lessons I learned from the Alice Magazine and how they can help you too! Link to Four Weeks to Write a Junior Fiction Story, here: https://girlandduck.com/write-a-junior-fiction-story/ Hop on my...
Oct 28, 2024•25 min•Ep. 64
Often, we get so hung up on the hero of our story we forget we are creating an entire world. Secondary characters are crucial to this world. In many cases our secondary characters not only people the story, they carry the story. They deserve as much attention as our protagonist so here’s a few ideas on how you might flesh out your cast and add variety, depth and surprises to your story world. PS. I thought I’d written a blog post about secondary characters, but I was wrong. Sorry! I must have be...
Oct 01, 2024•17 min•Ep. 63
Writing a novel is a messy process. Everyone will tell you that. But how messy? What’s it really like behind-the-scenes with a book that is slowly taking shape? This is a messy episode of the podcast. I flopped down on the couch after a long day of writing and just blurted out what was in my head. Go forth if you dare. Make sense of it… Resources mentioned: Five Ways to Write A Book, with Jen Storer. This a free mini course on my website. You can grab it here: https://www.jenstorerpresents.com/5...
Aug 30, 2024•13 min•Ep. 62
‘Hey buddy. Wanna buy a watch?’ Our inner critic can be feral while we’re in the act of creating. But marketing? OMG. That’s next level ugly. In this episode I talk about marketing for creatives. How marketing triggers our inner critic and makes us feel like a crim in a trench coat. I discuss my own challenges with marketing and how I learned to be at ease with it. The moment you put something out into the public arena you are called upon to market. But it needn’t hurt. Let’s challenge our inner...
Jul 22, 2024•30 min•Ep. 61
This wonderful conversation with two authors at the top of their game is a delight. Prepare for an insight into process, friendship and fun from Emily and Nova. Proudly presented by girlandduck.com Links: https://emilygalebooks.com/ https://www.novaweetman.com.au/ https://jenstorer.com/ girlandduck courses and info: https://girlandduck.com/ Books mentioned: https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/outlaw-girls https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/elsewhere-girls The Duck Pond membership: Cli...
Jul 01, 2024•48 min•Ep. 60
Pitching Pep Talk Pitching, submitting, throwing your hat in the ring? You are AMAZING! As creatives it’s super important that we keep recognising and acknowledging our courage. KidLitVic is well underway and it’s got me thinking about vulnerability and how much of our identity can be caught up in our creativity and our creative pursuits. Let’s support each other (there are so few of us!) and acknowledge the struggles. Let’s also work to keep our dreams and goals in perspective. Today’s pep talk...
May 21, 2024•17 min•Ep. 59
Being a fictional character is risky business. Or it should be. Are your characters in enough danger, under enough pressure or stress, threatened in some way? This can be tricky for children’s authors. The impulse is to protect our characters, keep them safe and, gawd forbid, sensible… But that’s the death knell to drama and storytelling. Happily ever after needs to be earned, otherwise the tale is kinda ho-hum. Let’s talk about upping the tension in your stories as well as knowing when to pull ...
Feb 15, 2024•14 min•Ep. 58
Today I’m chatting about creativity boundaries. At some point it helps to rein in your interests and focus. Drill down, as Elizabeth Gilbert would say. This year, 2024, is my Year of Acrylics. First boundary done and dusted, thank you very much. Next boundary. I’ve taken it even further and, as we speak, I am painting 100 coffee cups. Yes, indeedy. This goal, this boundary, has already added a lot of energy to my daily output and is paying off if surprising ways. I’ve even learned to work with p...
Feb 05, 2024•26 min•Ep. 59
In this gorgeous conversation, our first for 2024, Jen and Neridah discuss Neridah's childhood, careers and her path to becoming a much loved author of children's books. About Neridah Neridah loves history and true stories. An author of eight books for children, Neridah is also an award winning short story writer and poet. Her latest picture book, published by Walker Books Australia in 2023, is called Eat My Dust! , and is the amazing true story of Jean Robertson and Kathleen Howell, who helped ...
Jan 24, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 56
Do you do Morning Pages? Do I do Morning Pages? Sometimes. I used to do them religiously. Like, for years… In this ep I chat about my history with ‘the pages’, the impact they’ve had on my creativity and my life and how the pages can help you, too. Books mentioned: The Artist’s Way , by Julia Cameron Steal Like An Artist , by Austin Kleon ► About Jen & Girl and Duck: If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! Click here . For more girl&duc...
Jan 14, 2024•16 min•Ep. 55
As we head into the big adventure that is 2024, it can be helpful to select a word of the year to inspire, energise or even challenge you. Your word companion can act as your muse. Your word might inspire art and journal prompts or encourage you to make longed for changes. It might even challenge you to find your courage or to live and create more passionately. One of our lovely Duck Pond members chose ‘effortless’ as her word for 2024. This word inspired me to riff on the whole idea of ‘effortl...
Jan 03, 2024•16 min•Ep. 54
Final thoughts for 2023, dear listener. I’ll be back in 24, for sure. (I like that rhyme!) Three things that might be of interest to you in this ep (another ep inspired by a lovely Duck Pond member). My favourite book on spirituality and why. My favourite book on creativity and why. The oracle decks I use in my Full Moon readings in the Duck Pond. By today’s standards, when the market is flooded with all sorts of spiritual and creativity treasures, the books I discuss in this ep might seem like ...
Dec 15, 2023•33 min•Ep. 53
Let me tell you a little story about the time I got a substantial Australia Council grant (so exciting!) but didn’t write the book (so frustrating!) and how that felt and how that evolved and how I finally, years later, have figured out how to write said book. Ramblings about patience, perseverance and passion, today, dear author. ► About Jen & Girl and Duck: If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! Click here . For more girl&duck goodness, go...
Dec 07, 2023•20 min•Ep. 52
You’d be surprised how many developing (and established) authors trip when it comes to tense. But never fear. Gaining confidence in your ‘weaker’ areas just takes practice and self-awareness. The art of tweaking, rewriting and self-editing can be learned and honed over time. Hang in there, dear author, keep doing the verk, keep asking questions and always be gentle with yourself. There are MANY moving parts when it comes to creative writing! ► About Jen & Girl and Duck: If you'd like to subs...
Nov 28, 2023•17 min•Ep. 51
Every now and then I receive a letter that’s frank and raw but oh so common. What happens when you feel fed up with striving? When the dream to become a published/successful author has taken its toll on you and your family? If you’re questioning your choices, wondering if it’s all worth it, our 50th episode might be the balm you need. This is not a rah-rah, you’ve got this, just-do-it, Nike commercial. It’s deeper than that. This ep is all about looking at the bigger picture, perhaps finding spi...
Nov 06, 2023•22 min•Ep. 53
Thoughts from my yoga class. What’s blossoming in you and your creative life? Let’s honour that, dear listener. Also, how I organise my notes, manuscripts, research, WIPs and whatnot. A few practical ideas to help you get on top of your ideas and files. ► About Jen & Girl and Duck: If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! Click here . For more girl&duck goodness, go here - GirlandDuck.com Jen's Life Coaching page can be...
Oct 25, 2023•25 min•Ep. 49
What to do when you haven’t yet mastered dialogue. Let’s talk about that! Let’s also talk about art and drawing and John Cleese and creativity and comfort zones and coffee and, yes, there is a kitty meowing in this episode. Everyone has something to say. The main thing is to remain loyal to our characters and our own unique approach to creative expression. ► About Jen & Girl and Duck: If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! Click here . For more girl&...
Sep 21, 2023•22 min•Ep. 48
Reflections on Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts, by Matt Bell Some ideas on how you might go about editing (and polishing) your novel or picture book. I also discuss the danger of overworking a PB. ► About Jen & Girl and Duck: If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! Click here . For more girl&duck goodness, go here - GirlandDuck.com Jen's Life Coaching page can be found here...
Aug 04, 2023•25 min•Ep. 47
In his book, The Anatomy of Story, in the section on Story Movement, John Truby, talks about the Meandering Story. ‘The meandering story follows a winding path without apparent direction…’ Indeed. This episode is something like that. It meanders along with nary a hint of purpose. Topics I wander through: What makes me a buy a book Why I don’t read blurbs An accidental ‘review’ of T J Klune’s, The House in the Cerulean Sea How Klune’s book helped my tackle my own WIP The need to slow down (and sp...
Jul 31, 2023•17 min•Ep. 46
As writers, voice is wildly important to the success of our work. But what exactly is voice and why is it so important? When I teach creative writing IRL, I often start by asking students to define voice for me. This always leads to a robust conversation (and lots of head scratching). Most of us know instinctively what voice is but we find it tricky to define. Tricky to put into words… Take a deep dive with me in this ep and we’ll unpick voice once and for all. If you want to see me analyse voic...
Jul 14, 2023•19 min•Ep. 45
Latest discovery? EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) can be super helpful when it comes to our creativity blocks or hurdles. What I discovered this week is that you can use EFT to go deep, get specific, with what’s holding you back in your creative process. This week, I got specific. I ‘tapped’ on my belief that writing action scenes does my head in. Or worse still, I’m no good at writing action scenes… I went deep with this and woah! I uncovered some surprising beliefs including, only men can wr...
Jul 08, 2023•11 min•Ep. 47
It the world of online biz, we’re encouraged to separate ourselves from our business. Your business is not you. Your business has its own energetic imprint, an identity that’s quite separate from you personally. GirlandDuck is not me. My biz is like a token, a piece I circulate and move around on the boardgame of life. As creatives we can do the same. We can ‘employ’ someone else to do the marketing, the pitches, take the rejections and critiques, do the stuff we find confronting or scary. Madon...
Jun 28, 2023•14 min•Ep. 43
I’ve been reading The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. An elegant parable all about finding one’s destiny while also uncovering the treasure within. When we tap into the ‘language of the universe’ and learn to read signs and omens, we actually tap into our intuition. When I had a major ‘tower moment’ in my thirties, I turned my back on common-sense and made a commitment to follow my heart, follow the niggle, and trust that there was true and meaningful treasure in that direction. As artists and write...
Jun 21, 2023•13 min•Ep. 42
I once heard it said that ‘Writers are like old houses, they need a lot of shoring up.’ It’s a lovely quote (which I have randomly attributed to Ann Tyler). In today’s episode, I explore this notion more deeply. Why do writers (and illustrators) need shoring up? What makes us so… wonky? No doubt you have your own views—and probably more to add! But it feels good to discuss our vulnerabilities now and then, and to look at it from several angles. Sure, old houses need attention and patience and co...
Jun 15, 2023•11 min•Ep. 41
Okay, I’ve got four tips for you again today. I’m obsessed with four, aren’t !? I think it’s my brain’s favourite number. Anything more than four and my brain drifts away. La la la… BUT. Having said that. There is one EXTRA tip in this week’s ep. EXTRA TIP: If you’re new around here, get yee to the girlandduck website! Check out all the freebies (I made them with YOU in mind)! There’s so much goodness waiting for you. So. If you’re in love with kidlit, creative writing, illustrating, and you wan...
Jun 08, 2023•19 min•Ep. 40
I’ve had a topsy turvy relationship with writing and I’ve witnessed this in my community too. We come to writing with a vision of how it’s all going to be then, surprise, surprise, we discover we have talents in completely unexpected areas. Want to write a picture book but end up writing a novel? Want to write poetry but end up writing a lifestyle blog? That’s how it happens. That’s normal. In today’s ep, I talk all about my own journey from writing sneaky sidenotes in public service documents (...
Jun 02, 2023•16 min•Ep. 39
Last night we wrapped up the rewriting course with a scrumptious live coaching call. (Don’t you bloody LOVE sitting around talking about writing??) We explored many of the challenges and fears rewriting can present and I offered four ways I use to handle such fears. In particular, I was looking at that ‘pull the thread’ fear. If you’ve done a rewrite, you’ll know what I mean by this! Pull one thread and the entire thing will unravel AND (even worse) I won’t know how to fix it! Sound familiar? Th...
May 26, 2023•17 min•Ep. 38
A g&d quick chat! Four questions to help you with a rewrite: 1. Is the narrative arc strong? 2. Is the resolution satisfying? 3. Are the kids proactive? 4. Is there a lovely twist? Apply these questions to your current WIP and see if they help strengthen your story or give it that extra oomph! (Works great for picture books) ► About Jen & Girl and Duck: If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! Click here . For more girl&duck goodness, go here - GirlandDuck.com...
May 17, 2023•11 min•Ep. 37
A very special edition with Fiona Lloyd, a girl&duck alumni. Fiona was born in the beautiful North-East of England near picturesque countryside, windswept beaches and the vibrant cultural city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She dreamed of writing in a cosy country cottage and of life as a theatre actress but, as it often does, life got in the way. Working and travelling instead, Fiona floated in the Dead Sea, climbed the Sydney Harbour bridge, gave guided tours in Holland and fell in love with all ...
May 15, 2023•42 min
