#2 On the Convo Couch 🛋️
Who or what inspires Pam to write?
Hello Writers 👋
Welcome to the second edition of On The Convo Couch, the monthly Writes4Women newsletter.
It’s been a fantastic first month for Writes4Women here on Substack, with quite a few new followers discovering the podcast and new paid subscribers joining the W4W Family.
In keeping with our new tagline — Get Inspired. Get encouraged. Get writing. — we’ll be covering all three verbs in our monthly newsletter. This month, podcast host and producer Pamela Cook will share some of her writing inspirations, reveal who and what encourages her to keep writing, along with her four top tips for dealing with procrastination.
✨ Get Inspired
What or who inspires me to write?
In a nutshell, women!
As the mother of three daughters and someone who comes from a long line of independent resilient women, I’m drawn to writing about issues that affect women of all ages. Change is a pivotal element of story, and all my stories are about women at turning points. Whether it’s the death of a close relative, the discovery of something mysterious from her past, being blamed for something that wasn’t her fault, having to prove herself in her work or family life, or coming to terms with loss, each of my protagonists has in some sense been inspired by women I’m related to, have met or read about.
Putting my characters into difficult situations and seeing them draw on their inner strength — and often on qualities they don’t even know they have — allows them to grow and evolve as the story unfolds. Creating a strong character arc is a great way to make sure that character and plot are intertwined and making things worse for our protagonists is the best way to get that arc.
There are so many individual women who have inspired me, from my mother to my daughters, my friends and writing buddies. In the wider world I’ve been inspired by writers Maya Angelou and Mary Oliver, actors Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman, and public figures Malala Yousafzai, Oprah Winfrey, Taylor Swift and gymnast Simone Biles. The list could go on and also includes many ‘ordinary’ women I’ve read about who deal with difficult circumstances on a daily basis.
Who or what inspires you?
🙌 Get Encouraged
Over the last few years, I’ve interviewed dozens on writers and never fail to come away from those conversations without a few writing tips. Each month I’ll be sharing some of the tips from writers we’ve featured on the podcast, starting with tips from the wonderful Amal Awad:
If it's that hard to write something, if you're dreading it, if you can't sit down and do it, I would really question why you're writing it. This was a huge lesson for me.
You've got to play with your creativity, be open to it and don't take it so seriously.
We are actually inherently creative beings, using our creativity flexing those muscles every day in different ways. The architect is creative. The lawyer is creative. Everybody is creative. It's just about claiming your version of creativity and enjoying the ride.
When I talk about the uphill climb, I don't think you should run out of oxygen. If you're taking the wrong mountain, get off it somewhere else. Enjoy the view. Like, it's a long it's a long climb so make sure it's the view that you want, it's the place you're happy to stop and rest that once in a while. That's the important thing.
✍️ Get Writing
Here are some great ways to get yourself writing ...
Have a dedicated place which is YOUR writing space. Write here regularly so your brain associates that space with getting words on the page.
Spend some time making brief notes about what will happen in your scene, not just action but what your character wants at the beginning of the scene, how he/she is feeling and how these emotions change as the scene progresses
Use a pomodoro timer like the BFT app which sets up writing sprints for you and includes short breaks. The timed sessions push you to write without thinking too hard while the breaks act as rewards.
Put your inner critic/editor in the passenger seat. As Elizabeth Gilbert says in Big Magic, they can come along for the ride but will NOT be taking the wheel.
🤫 Who’s coming up on Writes4Women?
In this week’s episode, catch the roundup of the fantastic Northern Beaches Reader’s Festival which took place last weekend. Pam shares her top takeaways from the sessions she was able to attend.
In coming weeks, Joanne Fedler will join us on The Convo Couch to chat about her gorgeous new book The Whale’s Last Song, Megan Dalla-Camina will be inspiring us as with the low down on her new non-fiction release, Women Rising, Sandy Barker will share her path to publication and top writing tips, Tricia Stringer will tell us all about her new release Head For the Hills, and guest host Jo Riccioni will chat to fantasy author Maddy Te Whiu.
Fall in Love on the Farm 🛻💕
Four Festive Romances to Warm Your Heart This Christmas!
Four stories, four heartwarming romances— Love on the Farm this Christmas brings festive cheer and rural romance to your reading list. Grab your copy today, snuggle up with these tales of love, and let the Christmas spirit sweep you away!
🎄The Christmas Contract by Pamela Cook
Bridie has until Christmas to convince her father not to pull the loan she needs to keep her organic produce farm alive. So when her elderly neighbour’s son—who’s been trying to buy her out—unexpectedly offers to help, she can’t say no. But as Christmas approaches, Bridie wonders if all the feels are just another complication or exactly what she’s been missing.
🎄A Fairytale for Christmas by Penelope Janu
Big-city lawyer Juliette is only in Ballimore to save her career by Christmas, but the small-town life has other plans. Helping out the locals, taking over the magical fairytale cabin in the forest, and facing off against the impossibly attractive farmer Beau may be exactly what she needs to rediscover a dream she thought she’d left behind. Can she create a happily-ever-after in time for Christmas?
🎄The Christmas Kindness Project by Lily Malone
After her 26-year marriage ends, high-flying property manager Rosie heads back to her hometown of Chalk Hill to rebuild her life. Nominated to represent her new employer in the Christmas Kindness Project, Rosie struggles with the pressure—until she gets unexpected help from Fletcher, a mysterious real estate valuer. Is it just a hot flush or is Rosie’s love life finally heating up this holiday season?
🎄Christmas at Yindi Creek by Stella Quinn
Angela’s holiday plans are simple—restore her late mother’s opal earring and return to the city. But with the opal dealers closed for summer, Angela finds herself stuck in Yindi Creek. Meanwhile, local sheep farmer Robbie has been quietly grieving a loss, but the town has decided it's time for him to heal. Will a meddlesome (yet heartwarming!) Christmas plan bring Angela and Robbie together for good?
🎥 Sneak Peak - Turn Up the Tension Course
If you’ve been looking to add more tension and excitement to your writing, this one’s for you! Pam’s most popular course—Turn Up the Tension—is on sale now, and we’re thrilled to give our paid subscribers an exclusive look at what’s included.
From crafting gripping scenes to keeping your readers hooked from start to finish, Pam’s course is packed with the tools you need to elevate your storytelling.
Ready for a glimpse into the magic? Hit play below and dive into this exclusive preview! 😇
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