#4 On the Convo Couch 🛋️
A few changes for the pod in 2025!
Hello Writers 👋
Welcome to Writes4Women for 2025. Great to be back after a much-needed break, especially when there’s so much to look forward to in 2025.
Hopefully you’ve had some down time and been able to catch up on some reading — and possibly some podcasts. If you haven’t managed to get to the full W4W backlist, we’ll leave a few listening/viewing suggestions for you below.
✨ What’s been happening?
On the family front, we had a fairly quiet but lovely Christmas celebrating with family at home, but that all seems like so long ago!
On the reading front, I’ve recently devoured a new historical fantasy — Upon a Starlit Tide — by Australian author Kell Woods, which I absolutely loved. It’s a fabulous mix of fairy tale, and history, woven together in a tale that transports the reader to another time and place. I can’t wait to hear Kell chat to Jo Riccioni about this book on the pod in February.
I also finished another page-turning story, a women’s fiction/mystery, Secrets in The Lakes by debut author Sal Gallaher. I’ll be chatting to Sal about her path to publication and her decision to self-publish in a couple of weeks time, so stay tuned for that episode.
My current read is The Summerfield Saddler by Penelope Janu. Her rural romances are always such beautifully told stories, it makes her books hard to put down, and I’m loving the tension between the small-town saddler heroine and the brooding Norwegian hero documentary maker. Penelope and I have set a date to record a podcast episode about the importance of editing and how the process works for us both, and I can’t wait for that chat.
On the writing front, I’ve started my 2025 Christmas novella (to be published in the Country Practice Christmas Anthology in October this year) with the aim of writing one thousand words a day and having the draft completed by the end of the month. BUT, as John Lennon reminded us life often has other plans, and just when I was on a roll my back decided to go on me! I’ve spent the last ten days having physio, applying hot packs and taking pain-killers, and not being able to sit or sleep) for very long. Not exactly conditions conducive to creative thought or getting words on a page. I’m starting to feel better and am now planning on upping my daily total to 1500 words a day, possibly in short batches of 350 words at a time. If you’d like to find out more about my process, or follow along as I write the novella, you can become a paid subscriber and join the Writes4Women Substack Family.
And finally, I’ve just had a blissful three days with my wonderful writing group The Inkwell. While I have heard some not-so-good stories about writing groups I can honestly say I would not be still writing if it wasn’t for this talented, supportive and wise group of women. Three of us have been in the same writing group for 20 years now, and the group as a whole has been together for around five years, and we plan to be sticking to each other like glue indefinitely! We’ll continue meeting fortnightly throughout the year and are already planning our next retreat.
Are you in a writing group? Has it helped you keep writing?
🙌 Writes4Women in 2025
As regular listeners will know, recording and editing the podcast is a passion project for me, one that I’m able to share with other writers in order to educate, inspire and motivate. Doing this on a weekly basis does take a fair number of hours and it has impacted my writing time. Towards the end of 2024 we held a listener survey (thanks again to everyone who responded), and one of the surprising discoveries was that half of those who responded said they would prefer fortnightly episodes. I totally get that listening to a full episode per week can sometimes be difficult. So, we’re trying something different this year and moving to a fortnightly release, with the odd bonus episode thrown in when time permits. Hopefully this will allow regular listeners to keep up with the episodes but still provide enough of a schedule that you won’t miss any of the episodes.
We’ll also aim to have the episodes a little shorter (around 40minutes) with an additional 15-20 minutes for paid Substackers. But as I do love a writing chat some episodes may still be an hour long!
Our current guest list includes Kell Woods, Penelope Janu, Sal Gallaher, and Emily Maguire, and we’ll be kicking off the season on January 31 with a very special follow up episode featuring Megan Dalla-Camina and Pam discussing The Writer’s Mind.
And while we’re talking Substack, I’m currently working on the schedule for the monthly Write-In sessions where paid subscribers can join me for a writing sprint and ask-me-anything/discussion session and will also be doing quarterly webinars on craft topics. The first one, on backstory, will be out in February.
Also for paid subscribers will be the bi-weekly Diary of a Novella episodes throughout January and February which will follow my writing and revision process as I complete a novella. And watch out for other bonuses as they roll out over the next few months.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on these changes and bonuses so drop us a note in the comments, along with any suggestions you have for guests and topics on the pod.
🎤 Pam’s 4 Top Backlist Picks
🎧 Under the Influence: 4 Books that Shaped My Writing with Joanna Nell
🎧 How to Stay Published with Ber Carroll
🎧 Dervla McTiernan In Conversation with Rae Cairns
🎧 On Creativity and Bravery with Holly Ringland
What was your favourite episode of 2024?
👀 Other Writing Things You May Be Interested In...
Places are still available for The Next Chapter Writing Retreat April 10-13 in Kurrajong NSW.
This retreat is aimed at writers who have a completed draft of their manuscript (as a minimum) and are looking to tighten their writing, deepen their characters and create an engaging manuscript that will have readers turning the page.
The focus of the workshops is on refining, editing and shaping your work, and providing a dedicated space and time for you to learn and develop your skills alongside like-minded writers.
There are limited numbers - only 12 onsite guests - with the possibility of a small number of additional offsite spots.
Those who attended in 2024 raved about their time together! I’d love to have some Writes4Women listeners join us but don’t delay as spaces are limited and filling fast.
Turn Up the Tension Online Writing Course
A self-paced course designed to take your writing to the next level. The course uses examples from contemporary fiction to discuss the key elements of writing and sustaining tension. During this eight-week online course, you’ll work through a series of exercises that will hone your skills and give you renewed enthusiasm to work on your manuscript. Regardless of genre, if you want to write a page-turner, this online workshop is for you.
Online Feedback: Manuscript Development at Writing NSW
Do you have a draft manuscript of adult fiction or memoir? Are you looking for feedback and tips to improve your work? Join this online manuscript development course to give and receive feedback on your writing from author Pamela Cook.
In this online course, author Pamela will provide feedback on your manuscript (up to 7200 words) plus a synopsis in an online classroom environment, enabling you to hone your skills over three months.
You’ll also give and receive peer feedback and be able to consider the tutor’s feedback on your fellow writers’ submissions. The tutor’s feedback will focus on specific areas for each of the three submissions.
That’s all for now. Watch out for our first episode for Season 6 on January 31 and in the meantime I hope the muse plays nice.
So much happening in your world, Pam!
Thanks for the mention. I can’t wait to chat with you about Secrets In The Lakes on your Podcast 🤩 å
Love the proposed changes Pam and look forward to another year of W4W x