How to Build an Audience: Content Strategy & SEO Secrets from a Top Newsroom Leader - Emily Heward

A five-way auction, a major literary award, and a debut novel about grief, care, and a wounded kookaburra - Charlotte’s path to publication is anything but ordinary. If you care about books, writing, or what it really takes to get a manuscript noticed, this conversation is full of hard-won insight. I talk with Charlotte - a poet, writer, indie bookseller, and PhD graduate - about how bookshops build community, why independent stores can’t compete on price but can win on experience, and what actually makes an author worth stocking. Charlotte also opens up about her mentor’s (also a customer at the bookshop she manages!) role in her writing journey for her award-winning manuscript The Kookaburra and the moment it unexpectedly turned into a publishing bidding war. You’ll discover: Why independent bookshops survive by becoming destinations, not just retailers How booksellers choose what to stock when shelf space is brutally limited What makes events, salons, and pop-ups such powerful discovery tools Why self-published books rarely make the cut, and when they do How mentorship shaped Charlotte’s writing process in a way her PhD never could Charlotte shares the inside story of winning the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for an unpublished manuscript, navigating agent and publisher conversations, and learning that patience, persistence, and community matter more than anything else. She also reflects on the reality of debut literary fiction, and why some manuscripts are best left in a drawer after they’ve taught you everything you need to know. This episode is essential listening for aspiring writers, indie bookstore lovers, and anyone who wants to understand the real ecosystem behind books on the shelf. It’s honest, practical, and quietly inspiring - the kind of conversation that makes you see both writing and bookselling differently.

In this episode of The Rewrite, I chat with author and film/TV creator Noël Stark about her debut romance novel, Love Camera Action. Noël shares how a career across acting, directing, producing, and reality television led her to fiction—and why writing a novel offered a new kind of creative control. We talk about writing for Paw Patrol, storytelling in reality TV, building a romance set, and bringing the realities of film production into a romantic comedy. We also get into the long road to publication, navigating feedback, writing consistently, finding the right level of spice, and the difference between creating stories for the page and the screen. Plus: Noël’s unforgettable Robert Redford story, rapid-fire book chat, and advice for writers starting their first novel.

Most authors market their books backwards, and it costs them attention, momentum, and sales. Former Sky News anchor turned book publicist Nicole Webb breaks down the publicity strategy that actually gets authors noticed—and why the best media angle is often not the one writers think will lead. If you're a self-published, hybrid, or traditionally published author wondering how to cut through a crowded media landscape, this conversation gives you the playbook. Nicole shares how she spots the story that will land, why publicity needs to start before your book is finished, and what authors get wrong when they treat marketing like a one-time launch instead of a long game. You'll discover: How book publicity really works when publishers, publicists, and authors all have different jobs Why media angles, backstory, and timing matter more than simply “having a good book” The real relationship between publicity and book sales, and why one great interview is never the whole strategy How to use radio, podcasts, websites, and social media together instead of betting everything on one channel The most common mistakes authors make when pitching journalists or handling their own marketing Nicole also shares what it was like to publicise her own memoir, China Blonde, including the brutal editing process, the endless follow-ups, and the unexpected reality of turning a personal story into a media campaign. Along the way, she explains why being a journalist made her a better publicist, how to bridge an interview back to your book without sounding forced, and the media training tips every author should know before they hit record. Nicole Webb is a former Sky News Australia anchor, media trainer, author, and book publicist who has worked with authors including Peter Singer and Don Winslow. Her work focuses on shaping strong media angles, building author awareness, and helping books earn attention in a noisy marketplace. Essential listening if you're an author, publisher, or anyone trying to turn a book into a visible brand. This episode is packed with practical advice, hard truths, and the kind of insider perspective that can save you months of wasted effort.

Have you ever wanted to write a novel but have no idea where to start?

Danielle Binks shares the secret (and fun!) way to find your genre as a writer, and how it led her to write middle grade contemporary fiction. We also talk about the importance of literacy, and her unfiltered thoughts on AI and the publishing industry.