Writers Behaving Badly Podcast

On this episode of Writers Behaving Badly: Brooke, Lisa and Annie tackle the heavy vibes of 2026 with podcasting joy and a new format. We’re folding in the cheese for our new segment (please leave a comment to help us give it a title), getting inspo at the traffic lights (hello, motorcycle man 👋) and writing through the horrors that are modern life.Plus: We discuss some truly unhinged writing advice from Stephen King…and will Brooke ever forgive Lisa for killing off Nana Lil?What You'll Learn:Why finishing a ‘bad draft’ can leave you with golden nuggetsHow to write in the face of existential dreadWhat we’re reading to keep our book brains fed and happy!Segments Inside:✍️ Sins & WinsLisa declares herself a ‘swinner’, Brooke breaks a writing slump with a sneaky sideways glance at the traffic lights and Annie discusses what life as a working historian means for her writing.📚 OUR UNNAMED SEGMENT?How do you write in the face of existential dread? No, really? The horrors may persist but so do we! Learn why Lisa is genuinely looking forward to the art that comes out of this period in time...and why, no matter what, you should keep making it.🍵 Tea Time Rant1, 2, 3, 4, 5…everybody in the car and come on let’s write! Stephen King’s weird writing advice we just have to talk about.Got some writing tea to spill? Leave us a comment 😊Our next Badly Behaved Write-Along is on Wednesday 25th February @ 7:30pm Melbourne Time. Come and join us! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersbehavingbadly.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Writers Behaving Badly: It’s the season two finale! Annie, Brooke, and Lisa wrap up a year of literary chaos with bread, burnout, and breakthroughs. Lisa digs deep for one final curly question and Brooke delivers the Footballer’s Baby conception scene…(almost)…Plus: The knitting community comes for Hank Green in a thread war for the ages…What You'll Learn:The difference between a supportive beta reader and a confidence killerHow to give feedback that doesn’t make someone quit writing foreverWhy “being kind” isn’t the same as “lying”Segments Inside:✍️ Sins & WinsLisa inches closer to ‘the end’ while Brooke and Annie creep further away…🔥 Roast or ToastBrooke gives us what we’ve asked for…the Footballer’s Baby is finally conceived…📚 Curly QuestionHow do you find a Beta Reader…but more importantly, how do you give good feedback without crushing a writer’s spirit? Lisa shares her wisdom.🍵 Tea Time RantHank Green vs. the knitters: when socks are undervalued, and sexism enters the chat. Annie brings the chaos; Brooke tries not to choke on her tea. Are we cancelled? Afraid knot…Our next Badly Behaved Write-Along is on Tuesday 28th October @ 8:00pm. Come and join us! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersbehavingbadly.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Writers Behaving Badly: It’s our very first live, in-person episode—recorded in Sydney with questionable tech, maximum chaos, and at least one snort that may or may not become a sound effect.Brooke fights through a new-job writing slump, Lisa produces her award-winning early manuscript for listening pleasure and Annie gets distracted by a 90s inspired dream. There’s a dramatic reading, a curly question about beta readers and tea that makes us wonder if Malcolm Turnbull has a Google alert on his name (or DMs are open…)What You'll Learn:Why you can’t follow ‘the shinies’Why it’s easier to write the 60sHow your early work forms part of your writing journey (even if you think it’s cringe)The right time to send your work to beta readersSegments Inside:✍️ Sins & WinsIt’s an in-person confession time with one of our writers ending up in the sin-bin while the other two just scrape over the line.🔥 Roast or ToastLisa’s Strictly Business gets a dramatic group reading—tampons, talismans, and a groom with cold feet. Instead of a brutal roast, it sparks nostalgia, trope talk (“touch her and die”), and Brooke’s so in love with the hero she makes Lisa blush.📚 Curly QuestionWhen is the right time to send your manuscript to a beta reader? Lisa explains what is ‘too early’ and how to know if you’re really ready for feedback.🍵 Tea Time RantA viral reel sparks debate: can you judge someone by the books on their shelf? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersbehavingbadly.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Writers Behaving Badly: We’re back with New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth for Part Two of our rollicking chat. Sally dishes on the realities of social media (hint: don’t waste time building a platform before you’ve written the book), resilience in the face of one-star reviews, and the myth-busting advice every aspiring author needs to hear.She also spills some tea on a library event with Lisa that went hilariously sideways—complete with Maud heckling from the front row…Plus: Lisa can’t take an ugly photo of Sally (no matter how hard she tries), and Brooke yells the F-word directly into Sally’s face. You couldn’t script it if you tried.Follow Sally Hepworth on Substack 😊Pre-order Mad MabelWhat You'll Learn:Why social media can wait until you’ve actually written the book.How to find (and keep) your voice online without hating it.The art of laughing at one-star reviews (including Rhonda’s epic takedown).Why every writer needs resilience and a good sense of humour.Our next Badly Behaved Write-Along is on Tuesday 23rd September @ 7:30pm. Come and join us! (We’ll be announcing more end of year dates shortly 😊) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersbehavingbadly.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Writers Behaving Badly: The hosts sin in varying degrees (and one of them blames it on their husband 👀). Brooke dusts off her shiny flirtation of a manuscript, Bad Boy Lessons and is given Lisa’s toughest roast yet. We tackle a curly question on story complexity versus depth and spill the tea on a Bookstagrammer who admitted to pirating books…Plus: Hotel hijinks, write-along confessions, and Lisa pushes the GCM…again 😉What You'll Learn:How to tell if your story is truly complex, or just unnecessarily complicatedWhy depth (not endless subplots) is what keeps readers hookedPractical ways to strengthen character voice so readers fall in love with your heroSegments Inside:✍️ Sins & WinsBrooke confesses to a zero-word week (saved only by a memoir client), Lisa manages a chaotic small number of words (and blames her husband), and Annie keeps her manuscript alive thanks to write-alongs.🔥 Roast or ToastBrooke dusts off “Bad Boy Lessons” for Lisa’s critique. Cue hair plugs, gold teeth, and a neighbour with a ficus—and a whole lot of banter.📚 Curly QuestionIs your novel too complicated—or not deep enough? We unpack Michael Hauge’s advice and revisit Pride and Prejudice to explore why simple stories endure.🍵 Tea Time A bookstagrammer recently confessed to pirating books she reviews…we spill the tea.Our next Badly Behaved Write-Along is on Tuesday 9th September @ 7:30pm. Come and join us! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersbehavingbadly.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Writers Behaving Badly: Lisa smashes through her word count goal and we all feel confident this book is going to get finished, Brooke unleashes the horniest ghost in literary history, and Annie gets lost in falconry research (spoiler: no actual falcon purchased…yet). We debate whether prologues are brilliant or pointless fluff, dive deeper on publishing pay, and hear how bestselling author Tess Woods once mistook a literary legend for a random dinner guest. Plus: Sweet pepper perfume, ball sweat chit-chat, and Brooke’s shocking “Footballer’s Baby” edit nearly gives Lisa a heart attack.What You'll Learn:* Why months of “failed” drafts can be the secret to writing momentum* The brutal truth about publishing advances and why most writers don’t earn a living wage* When to cut your precious prologue (and when to let it stay)Segments Inside:✍️ Sins & WinsLisa blitzes thousands of words, Brooke nails her 5k-a-week rewrite goal (horny ghost included), and Annie coins a new term: “swinning” (sinning + winning).🔥 Roast or ToastThe gang debates whether Annie’s moody prologue is a stroke of genius or just pretty words destined for the bin.📚 Curly QuestionWe tackle the money talk: advances, earning out, and why most Aussie authors can’t quit their day jobs. Lisa breaks down the numbers and the myths.🍵 Tea Time ConfessionBestselling author Tess Woods spills the tea on a time she embarrassed herself at a literary event…Our next Badly Behaved Write-Along is on Tuesday 26th August @ 7:30pm. Come and join us!Got a sin to confess?Tell us your worst writing sin of the week in the comments—did you out-bad us?Catch up on the last episode 👇Did you miss the last episode where Kylie Orr got real on publishing realities (and royalties)? Check it out... This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersbehavingbadly.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Writers Behaving Badly: Season Two kicks off with triple wins! Brooke discovers the power of horny ghosts, Lisa finds her character voice (and an accountability partner who doesn't mess around), and Annie reclaims her historical heroine's agency. Plus, we debut Brooke's very first novel—complete with mysterious football jerseys and a dubious hall-of-fame.What You'll Learn:How to move past "am I saying anything important?" by focusing on what you do well—fun genres matter too!How accountability partners can transform your writing momentumWhy research matters even in contemporary fiction (looking at you, football scenes)The truth about first chapter "rules" and why most of them are nonsenseSegments Inside:✍️ Sins & WinsFor once, we're all winning! Creative breakthroughs, voice discoveries, and 30,000 words in a month.🔥 Roast or ToastBrooke reads from The Footballer's Baby—her genre-bending debut featuring NRL/soccer/gridiron confusion and generic farms. Lisa delivers the ultimate writing lesson: great storytelling transcends factual accuracy, but research still matters.📚 Curly QuestionWe tackle the TikTok writing advice rabbit hole and why those endless "must-have" lists might be killing your creativity.🍵 Tea Time RantThe ethics of true crime publishing—why the rush to capitalise on tragedy raises serious questions about victim-centred storytelling and responsible journalism.Our first Badly Behaved Write-Along is on Tuesday 12th August @ 7:30pm. Come and join us! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersbehavingbadly.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Writers Behaving Badly: Annie cries into her keyboard and calls it kink, Brooke rewrites her way out of despair, Lisa almost writes (Word is open!), and we all lose our minds over a listener’s first page. Also: AI in publishing—is it the end of craft as we know it?What You'll Learn:How to craft a first page that grips and devastatesThe emotional tools to write through chaosWhy great writing doesn’t need connections—just humanityWhether AI is a shortcut or creative death spiralSegments Inside:✍️ Sins & WinsRewrites, rage, and resilience—plus a reminder that “almost writing” still counts.🔥 Roast or ToastA listener delivers a mangy dog metaphor we won’t shut up about. Submission tip: raw truth + character voice = gold.🙋‍♀️ Curly QuestionCan you get published without connections? Lisa shares the only “networking” that actually matters.🍵 Tea Time RantGenerative AI in writing: we talk about it. Lisa would rather chew on a teabag than let a robot write her sentences, and honestly, fair.Like the pod? Leave us a review so we can keep reminding you that imposter syndrome ain't worth your time! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersbehavingbadly.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Kelly Rimmer joins the pod to chat imposter syndrome and drops some truth bombs for aspiring writers, Brooke and Annie face off over trigger warnings, Annie reads her words and Lisa recommends a cozy cat game.Got a sin to confess?Tell us your worst writing sin of the week in the comments—did you out-bad us?Leave a commentWhat’s inside this episode?🔥 Sins & Wins – Sinners and winners are all around!✍️ Roast or Toast – Annie reads the latest from her WIP and Lisa gives her a gold star for improvement🙋‍♀️ Author Interview – Kelly Rimmer shares her thoughts on imposter syndrome, bad writing advice and the one thing all aspiring novelists must do.🍵 Tea Time Rant – Brooke and Annie face off over trigger warnings. And Lisa sits on the fence.🎙️ Want us to roast (or toast) your manuscript? Submit your first page via Substack.🌟 Leave us a five-star review or tell Lisa she’s a saint for mentoring us. Either one fuels our egos.Catch up on the last episode 👇Why is my manuscript being mean to me? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersbehavingbadly.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Lisa gives you a free pass to watch TV, Brooke gets tongue-tied interviewing our guest Ella Ward and has a pre-prepared tea rant that SLAPS.Two of us are in the sin bin, one of us delivers words while the other two hype her up like she’s famous, one of us has her dreams come true by becoming an Ella Ward and Lisa Ireland sandwich and delivers a pre-prepared tea rant that scolds genre snobs.It’s chaotic. It’s unhinged. It’s exactly the kind of writing therapy you didn’t know you needed.Got a sin to confess?Tell us your worst writing sin of the week in the comments—did you out-bad us?Leave a commentWhat’s inside this episode?🔥 Sins & Wins – We win, we lose, we try to correct our errors by teaching you useful writing techniques but two of us are in the sin bin (again!)✍️ Roast or Toast – Annie reads the latest from her WIP and stuns Brooke into a face that resembles buffering internet.🙋‍♀️ Author Interview – Ella Ward as a good sport when Brooke (again) mentions her shrine and talks about cicada shape-shifting and shares with us a brilliant example of ‘before and after’ the edits! 🍵 Tea Time Rant – The kettle gets hot as we talk about genre snobbery and why smut has a place. Don’t yuck someone’s yum!Writers, dreamers, and literary mischief-makers—subscribe for your weekly fix of craft, comedy, and confessions.🎙️ Want us to roast (or toast) your manuscript? Submit your first page via Substack.🌟 Leave us a five-star review or tell Lisa she’s a saint for mentoring us. Either one fuels our egos. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersbehavingbadly.substack.com/subscribe

This week on Writers Behaving Badly, Brooke and Annie spiral into shame spirals, Lisa serves up a full-course manuscript masterclass (with sides of encouragement and mild roasting), and author Kylie Ladd drops by to destroy every writing rule you thought was gospel. Honestly? It’s a lot. But it’s also your new writing therapy session.Welcome back to Writers Behaving Badly, the podcast where manuscripts are sacred, self-doubt is shared, and our editing decisions come with a side of existential dread. This week, Annie confesses her manuscript is quietly weeping in the corner, Brooke faces down some plotting demons, and Lisa accidentally unravels her WIP like a wool jumper caught on a nail.Oh, and Kylie Ladd joins us to confirm: you don’t have to write every day. (Take that, hustle culture.)Got a sin to confess?Tell us your worst writing sin of the week in the comments—did you out-bad us?Leave a commentWhat’s inside this episode?🔥 Sins & Wins –Annie flirts with 30 new book ideas and neglects her WIP (again), Brooke rewrites herself into a corner, and Lisa unpicks her manuscript like it personally offended her—then remembers she saved all the old versions like the good anxious author she is. Penance is assigned, sass is served.✍️ Roast or Toast –Lisa gently (mostly) critiques Brooke’s second chapter, praising her brilliant rewrite and new narrative voice for Sully. She toasts the improvements, suggests trimming a few redundant words, and reminds us all that white space is a kindness—not a formatting crime.🎤 Author Spotlight –Kylie Ladd joins the chaos to share her biggest writing sins, worst advice (spoiler: "write every day" is cancelled), and why her breakthrough book still hasn’t, technically, broken through. A vulnerable and hilarious chat on publishing, process, and resilience.🍵 Tea Time Rant –Are author blurbs dead? Simon & Schuster seems to think so. The gang spills the tea on why blurbs are kind of fake news, the stress of begging favours from author friends, and how we’re all too emotionally fragile for this nonsense.💀 Chaotic Sign-Offs –We wrap with a healthy amount of imposter syndrome, chaotic giggling, and an invitation for Lisa to join the Dragon Smut Book Club (spoiler: she declines with conviction).Writers, dreamers, and literary mischief-makers—subscribe for your weekly fix of craft, comedy, and confessions.🎙️ Want us to roast (or toast) your manuscript? Submit your first page via Substack—we’ll only make fun of it a little.🌟 Leave us a five-star review or tell Lisa she’s a saint for mentoring us. Either one fuels our egos. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersbehavingbadly.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to Writers Behaving Badly, the podcast where writing sins are confessed, manuscripts get a little crispy, and literary chaos reigns supreme. This week, we’re serving up fresh mischief with special guest Kerryn Mayne, who joins Lisa, Brooke, and Annie to spill all the tea on publishing, manuscript meltdowns, and the questionable choices that got us here.Got a sin to confess?Tell us your worst writing sin of the week in the comments—did you out-bad us?What’s inside this episode?🔥 Sins & Wins – Who’s been productive, who’s been procrastinating, and who’s drowning in a shiny new idea instead of finishing the old one? (Brooke, we’re looking at you 👀).✍️ Roast or Toast – Lisa takes a very close look at Brooke’s latest manuscript draft. Will she make it out unscathed?📖 Editing is Painful – Kerryn Mayne shares how her debut novel Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder changed from first draft to final book—and why sometimes, losing a character (or two) is necessary.🍵 Tea Time Rant – Are male authors really being discriminated against in publishing? 🤡 Or are women just writing better books? The WBB crew spills their most scalding takes yet.😂 Chaotic Sign-Offs – Who’s getting roasted next? How can you submit your manuscript for a light (read: brutal) critique? And why is Lisa pretending she has control over this podcast?If you’re a writer, an aspiring author, or just here for the absolute shenanigans, hit subscribe and join us every week for more literary mayhem.🎙️ Want your manuscript critiqued live on air? Submit your first page on Substack—we promise we’ll be gentle(ish).🚨 Leave us a five-star review or roast us. We really don’t mind.Lisa’s full critique of Brooke’s workIf you’d like to read Brooke’s full extract (including Lisa’s comments), you can access a Google Docs version below.Brooke should be deep in edits for her current book… but The Shiny ✨ (aka a tempting new idea) is making that very difficult. Hopefully this critique will get her back on track! Lisa loved the atmosphere of Brooke’s opening pages but had thoughts on clarity and flow. You can hear the full critique—and Brooke’s reaction—on the podcast!To read our brave guest, Kerryn Mayne’s latest book JOY MOODY IS OUT OF TIME click the button below! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit writersbehavingbadly.substack.com/subscribe