The WestWords Podcast
Enjoy these bite-sized conversations with some of WestWords' creatives, from the heart of Greater Western Sydney. These episodes cover many of the skills required by writers at all stages of development.
- Update frequency
- every 12 days
- Average duration
- 30 minutes
- Episodes
- 87
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2024
WRITING FOR ANIMATION with Ally Burnham
Ally Burnham (WestWords' own Creative Producer) recently won an AWGIE award for her animated short film Metropius. In this conversation she chats with James Roy about some of the differences between …
PAINTING BETWEEN THE LINES with Charmaine Ledden-Lewis
Today's conversation is with Bundjalung illustrator Charmaine Ledden-Lewis, who speaks with James Roy about the expectations, limitations and obligations of being a First Nations artist, and where th…
"AWESOME, GOBSMACKED, NURTURED & INSPIRED" with the 2022 WestWords-Varuna Residents
In this Mini-Masterclass, James sits down with the 2022 WestWords-Varuna Writers in Residence: J. Marahuyo, Paris Rosemont, Harvey Liu and Finn O'Branagain; the winner of the inaugural Ultimo Prize, …
"HENRY LAWSON WAS HERE" with Lowell Tarling
Today (2nd September 2022) marks a century since the passing of beloved Australian (and Blue Mountains) poet and writer, Henry Lawson. In this conversation, James speaks with biographer and historian…
LETTERPRESS - THE "SLOW FOOD MOVEMENT" OF PRINTING with Caren Florance (a.k.a Ampersand Duck)
Caren Florance (a.k.a. Ampersand Duck) is a letterpress artist who is currently residing in the house formerly owned by the late Mike Hudson and Jadwiga Jarvis, who were the duo behind the famed Way…
"MINI-PRACTICUM #1 - Write like Hemingway" with James Roy
In this mini-practicum, James Roy leads you through a short writing exercise that will hopefully help you better understand the benefits to finding a more simple but more effective way to tell your s…
THE CURATIVE SPACE with Dave Griffiths
Curative - does the word suggest something that cures, or something that assists in curating? Conversations, for example.
Dave Griffiths opened his cafe with two purposes in mind, and neither of them …
THE WRITER LAID BARE with Lee Kofman
Writer and creative writing teacher Lee Kofman talks about writer's block, the art of redrafting, and the spectre of "the pram in the hall".
THE LULLABY(ISH) EPISODE with Demet Divaroren, Erica Wagner, Paula Kelly Paull and Tony Eaton
Lullabys are universal, and in this episode, four writers and literature experts share lullabys and vague approximations of same with James Roy. I'f you'd like to share a lullaby with us, please emai…
THE 67TH BLAKE POETRY PRIZE with Simone King, Kirsten Krauth and Gershon Maller
This special edition of the WestWords Mini-Masterclass podcast is taken from an interview conducted with the winning and two highly commended poets (Simone King, Kirsten Krauth and Gershon Maller) fr…
THE HURT HEALER with Alasdair Carter
James Roy and WestWords Fellow Brittany Kempaiah chat with slam poet Alasdair Carter about his work, particularly with respect to his "other job", which is working in the nursing field.
*** DISCLAIME…
IT'S ALL ACADEMIC with Georgia Monaghan
Writer, lecturer and doctoral candidate Georgia Monaghan talks about the evolution of her work looking at the concept of spectacle, and the associated creative project.
*** DISCLAIMER: Views expressed…
"WOULD YOU RATHER...?" (Part 1) with Ally Burnham, Margo Lanagan and Michael Campbell
In this episode, James throws some curly questions at Ally Burnham (screenwriter and WestWords' creative producer), Margo Lanagan (multi-award winning author) and Michael Campbell (biographer and Wes…
"SPOILER ALERT!": THE HAMILTON TENSION TRICK with James Roy
In this episode, James Roy discusses the first song of the stage musical Hamilton, and the seemingly unusual decision to announce the method of the main character's ultimate demise. It's a structural…
"ON STAGE, ON SCREEN": WRITING FOR PERFORMANCE with James Elazzi
James Elazzi is an Australian born writer, of Lebanese decent. His writing stems from his upbringing, combining a hybrid cultural melting pot of Lebanese and Australian heritage. His award-winning wr…
"THREE HATS": WHEN YOU'RE A WRITER, AN EDITOR AND A PUBLISHER with Jane Godwin
This fortnight, James is speaking with Jane Godwin, who is an award-winning writer of over thirty books for young people, which she managed to achieve during a thirty year career as an editor and the…
CENSORSHIP OF BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE with Lili Wilkinson
In this conversation, James' guest Lili Wilkinson discusses the censorship of literature for young people, and how allowing them to 'experience' the lives of those outside their own world through boo…
WRITING FOR THE YOUTUBE GENERATION with Mick Elliott
Welcome back! It's the first episode for 2022, and Number 50 since we began the Mini-Masterclass podcast series.
James' guest this episode is author, illustrator, TV writer and producer, screenwriter …
TALKING COLLABORATION with Helen Thurloe and Melinda Smith
What happens when a YA fiction writer and a poet get together to write a genre fiction novel, where they're both working on the same character and no one is designated driver? In this conversation, h…
"THE STATE OF PLAY": PUBLISHING TRENDS with Leonie Tyle
This fortnight we feature a conversation with publisher and editor from Tyle&Bateson Publishing, Leonie Tyle. She speaks with James Roy about the publishing prospects of new writers now, compared wit…