#1 On the Convo Couch 🛋️
Welcome to the Writes4Women Substack, a brand new chapter in the story of the podcast 😇
Why Substack?
Welcome to the Writes4Women Substack, a brand new chapter in the story of the podcast. I’ve been watching this space for quite a while now and love the creative vibe and energy the platform generates. More than that, I love the sense of community it provides for creatives and that’s something that we want to tap into and nurture at Writes4Women.
So here, we are.
This is the first of the monthly newsletters you’ll be receiving if you are a follower. Keeping with the number 4 theme, you’ll find it in your inbox on the 4th of every month, packed with episode updates, an Ask Pam Anything column, a report of the monthly artist’s date I’m committing to each month (and encouraging you to do the same), a book giveaway … and that’s just for starters.
In addition to the monthly edition of On The Convo Couch, free subscribers will get top tips gleaned from each weekly episode and the opportunity to become a paid subscriber for even more benefits.
GIVEAWAY: This month’s giveaway is Red River Road by Anna Downes. All subscribers are automatically entered.
A new tagline
If you’re a long time follower of the pod you’ll be familiar with our tagline: Celebrating women’s voices and supporting women writers. That is still most definitely our aim but we have a new mantra: Get Inspired. Get encouraged. Get writing.
Watch out for posts inspired by this tagline in the coming weeks.
A history of Writes4Women
If you’re joining the Writes4Women community for the first time, here’s a short intro to the pod and your host Pamela Cook (aka Pam) …
Writes4Women was dreamed up all the way back in 2017 when co-founder Kel Butler was chatting to Pam about all things writing and feminism and tossed out a question: Do you want to start a podcast? Never having listened to one before Pam immediately said yes. The chance to talk to women writers about writing craft, books and their writing lives was way too good an opportunity to pass up. Writes4Women was born and the very first episode featured a conversation with Mia Freedman. Over the next few years so many guests joined Pam and Kel on The Convo Couch, honing their interviewing and producing skills and getting their heads around all the associated tech. It was a steep learning curve and lead to Kel setting up her own podcasting production company.
When covid hit in 2020 and writers were unable to do live launches for their books the podcast branched out into The Book Launch series, with multiple episodes per week, allowing writers to connect with readers and find their audiences.
Regular episodes moved from monthly to fortnightly to weekly as there were just too many great books out there, and too many fabulous women writers to stick to 12 eps a year. In 2021, with Kel’s business needing more of her attention the tough decision to split was taken. Pam decided to go solo which meant taking on not only the reading and prep, but also learning the editing and production side of things. Pam now had the perfect procrastination tool - how could she possibly write when there were so many episodes to get out?
But she did continue writing and in fact successfully published two independent titles (more on that below) during that time to add to her traditionally published backlist. In addition to distributing the podcast on all the major platforms Writes4Women episodes are also published on our wonderful website designed by the uber talented Michelle Barraclough from Fresh Web Design (side note Michelle is also the host and producer of the awesome Writers Book Club), and on the Writes4Women YouTube Channel.
In the last year, to allow Pam to actually do some writing (and stop procrastinating),a team of awesome writers have helped out as guest hosts including Rae Cairns, Meredith Jaffe, Jo Riccioni, Penelope Janu, Mary Lou Stephens, Anne Freeman, Cassie Hamer and Rachael Johns, each bringing their own skills and flair to the interviews.
There have been too many amazing guests to mention here but you can find the whole backlist wherever you get your podcasts and also at writes4women.com
You can also find us on socials at @w4wpodcast on Instagram and on Facebook at Writes4Women where team member Annie Bucknall is sharing top tips from the pod and some very amusing reels.
From the Archive of Inspiration
In one of our most inspiring episodes, Holly Ringland reminds us that creativity requires bravery. As she beautifully puts it, "Being brave feels fucking scary... But the doing and the bravery and the courage of the doing, that's the discomfort and that's the exhilaration." From overcoming self-doubt to embracing vulnerability, Holly's journey teaches us that the true magic of writing lies in daring to dive deep, face our fears, and trust the process. Let her words inspire you to take that next brave step in your writing journey!
PS Have you checked out Holly’s Substack - The Joy Rise? It’s brilliant 🥰
Meet Your Host Pamela Cook
Pamela Cook is an author, podcaster and teacher who writes page-turning contemporary women’s fiction, delving deep into the psychology of her characters and the complexity of relationships in all their forms. She has published five novels, all set in idyllic rural locations. Pamela is the host of Writes4Women, a podcast all about celebrating women’s voices and supporting women writers. She mentors emerging writers and teaches writing workshops through her business, Wildwords, and at various writers’ centres. When not writing Pamela loves to waste as much time as possible riding her handsome quarter horse Baloo and whiling away the hours reading on her veranda overlooking beautiful bushland in Dharawal country.
Join the Writes4Women Substack Community
We are super excited to be building our community here on Substack. There are a range of options for you to choose from. If you’d like to become a paid subscriber and receive the bonuses outlined below, you’ll be helping support the production, editing, distribution and promotion of the podcast, and also have our eternal gratitude.
Community Tier - FREE
🎧 Access to Regular Podcast Episodes: Enjoy all regular podcast episodes for free.💌 Newsletter Access: Receive the weekly newsletter with writing tips, guest updates and exclusives, and episode summaries AND the lengthier monthly newsletter
Family Tier ($7 month)
👏 All of the benefits of the Community tier.
📺 Exclusive weekly video updates: access Pam’s regular video updates where she shares insights from her writing life, coaching tips, strategies for writers, and answers listener questions
🙋♀️ Interactive Content: Ability to submit questions for Pam to address in the Ask Pam Anything video series
📣 Recognition: A thank-you mention in a special section of the monthly newsletter and a shout-out on the podcast.
🤗 Additional monthly newsletter content
🤑 A 10% discount and first access to Pam’s writing courses.
👩🏻🏫 Mini-Coaching Videos: Additional quarterly videos (up to one hour) where Pam puts her writing coach hat on and dives deeper into a specific writing topic or analyses a scene from a published book.
🛋️The opportunity to join Pam on The Convo Couch to chat about your writing or a new/upcoming release.
🏃♀️ Access to a monthly one hour Write Time ‘writing sprint’ followed by a half discussion with Pam and fellow writers
PAM!! It's so good to have you here on Substack. What a trip down memory lane in your first post. I've been listening and subscribing for several years (via another platform :)) and I'm so excited that you're here. You are one of the most incredible supporters of the writing community and I've learnt so much from listening to the pod. Can't wait to see what happens here for you xo