Latest / The Book Deal / Supercharged brains and publishing advice with author and Publisher Dani Vee

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Supercharged brains and publishing advice with author and Publisher Dani Vee · The Book Deal

0:09
Tina Strachan: This is the Book Deal podcast where you will discover the inspiring stories, the authors behind your favorite books.
0:15
Tina Strachan: No matter what stage of writing you are at, we've got you covered.
0:19
Tina Strachan: I'm Tina Strachan.
0:20
Tina Strachan: And I'm Madeleine Cleary.
0:21
Tina Strachan: And join us as we pull back the curtain of published authors one deal at a time.
0:29
Madeleine Cleary: The book Deal podcast acknowledges the traditional owners of the land and waters, which it's recorded on and pays respect to their elders past, present, and emerging.
0:43
Tina Strachan: Hi, it's Tina Strachan here, and in this episode of the Book Deal Podcast, I am interviewing Danny Vee.
0:50
Tina Strachan: Many of you would know of Danny because not only is she an author of children's books, including picture books and junior fiction, but she's also a publisher at Larrikin House.
1:00
Tina Strachan: I.
1:00
Tina Strachan: In this interview, we discussed Danny's most recent book, my Supercharged, A DHD Brain, and why it's important for books to represent both sides of the A DHD experience.
1:12
Tina Strachan: We share our tips for getting the most out of our own supercharged brains when writing and Dani also shares her publishing advice for debut and aspiring authors.
1:21
Tina Strachan: There's something for everyone in this episode, and I hope you enjoy.
1:25
Tina Strachan: Dani Vee, welcome to the Book Deal podcast.
1:28
Dani Vee: Thank you for having me.
1:29
Dani Vee: I'm very excited to be here.
1:31
Tina Strachan: Oh, I have been so looking forward to chatting to you on the pod because I know you have so much advice to and to share, and tips to share with our listeners.
1:41
Tina Strachan: 'Cause not only are you a multi published author, uh, but you are also, the Podcast host of the incredibly popular Words and Nerds podcast, and a publisher, at Larrikin House publishers as well.
1:55
Dani Vee: Yeah, I've actually become now the publisher at Larrikin House.
1:58
Dani Vee: So, um, it's just, I think it's just that a DHD brain having lots of fingers in all the pies.
2:05
Tina Strachan: I hear you with the A-D-A-D-H-D brain just, uh, trying to fit as much in as possible, right?
2:10
Dani Vee: Yeah.
2:10
Dani Vee: And it's a hyper focus as well.
2:12
Dani Vee: You know, like books and writing has been something that I've always loved as an English teacher before I was, you know, writing and podcasting.
2:19
Dani Vee: And so that's just always something that I've loved.
2:21
Dani Vee: And, you know, when your brain loves that, it just wants to do.
2:24
Dani Vee: All the pieces of it.
2:25
Dani Vee: So
2:26
Tina Strachan: a hundred percent and wants to put it, um, ahead of everything else sometimes, but firstly, and I've, I've got lots of questions about that.
2:35
Tina Strachan: Um, but firstly, congratulations on your two new books that have come out recently.
2:40
Tina Strachan: My Pet Croc and My Supercharged, A DHD Brain.
2:44
Tina Strachan: Can you tell us a little bit about them?
2:46
Tina Strachan: Can we start with my pet Croc?
2:48
Dani Vee: Yeah, absolutely.
2:49
Dani Vee: Uh, my second J Ffic and it was an idea that when I was talking, um, you know, about ideas of what to write next, my publisher's, like what would happen if a kid had a pet Croc.
2:58
Dani Vee: And I'm like, I don't know what would happen.
3:00
Dani Vee: I, I might try and find out.
3:01
Dani Vee: And unlike ri, which was my first jfi, which was just so impossible to write, probably because I was so new at it.
3:07
Dani Vee: This one just, I don't wanna say it was easy'cause it's never easy, but it just sort of flowed.
3:11
Dani Vee: The characters came to me and I was like, well, what would happen?
3:15
Dani Vee: And because I really like playing with the opposites,'cause I like trying to write into humor.
3:19
Dani Vee: So I was like, well you expect the croc to be vicious and that to be dangerous.
3:23
Dani Vee: But what if the croc was as harmless and cute as a puppy?
3:28
Dani Vee: You know what would happen then?
3:29
Dani Vee: 'cause my kids used to just watch the Dangerous Animals documentaries over and over again.
3:34
Dani Vee: I was like, well, what if the most dangerous animals on Earth.
3:36
Dani Vee: All became as harmless as kittens and puppies.
3:40
Dani Vee: And then I thought, well then what would that do to the ecosystem?
3:43
Dani Vee: Because even though that sounds great, you know, brown snakes are no longer dangerous.
3:46
Dani Vee: There's a whole chain of events that happen.
3:48
Dani Vee: So I started doing some research, and then I thought of my character.
3:51
Dani Vee: Felix, and he's been dumped with his crocodile from his aunt, who's this eccentric scientist and his best friend, autumn Black.
3:58
Dani Vee: And then I had a little bit of fun with a villain.
4:00
Dani Vee: So I used to be an English teacher, and I remember having a classroom full of these beautiful Caitlins and they were all spelt differently.
4:06
Dani Vee: And I was trying to remember who was who.
4:08
Dani Vee: And you know, it was one of those things that I was, I wondered where that came from.
4:12
Dani Vee: It's really stressing how to remember who these exact people were in their work, et.
4:17
Dani Vee: And I thought, well, what would happen if the villains, and, and don't get me wrong, these girls in the class were beautiful.
4:21
Dani Vee: But I thought, well, what would happen if we had villains all had the same name, Caitlyn, but spelled differently?
4:26
Dani Vee: And, um, they just got worse and worse as the spelling became more complicated.
4:30
Dani Vee: And I just had a lot of fun with that, um, that sort of premise of having villains.
4:33
Dani Vee: 'cause I think in kids' books, in particularly humorous books, you want villains that are also fun.
4:39
Dani Vee: Like you don't want villains that you're too scared of.
4:40
Dani Vee: You want villains that are a little bit silly and a little bit like caricatures.
4:43
Dani Vee: And so kids can laugh at them rather than be afraid of them.
4:47
Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
4:47
Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
4:48
Tina Strachan: I have read something, uh, a little while ago.
4:50
Tina Strachan: 'cause my youngest, he, um, always associated with the villain in books and movies and things.
4:58
Tina Strachan: He always wanted to be the villain.
5:00
Tina Strachan: And I remember, you know, as a mom, you know, you haven't done this before.
5:04
Tina Strachan: And it's like, there's something wrong with my kid that just wants to always but it, but when you look into it and you read into it, apparently it's because, um, they, they're just more exciting.
5:15
Dani Vee: They're often more interesting, you know, either they're funny or they've got a backstory or mm-hmm.
5:20
Dani Vee: Antagonist of their own story.
5:21
Dani Vee: So yeah, they're, they're, I've always been intrigued by villains as well.
5:24
Dani Vee: All those people who are really ambiguous, because I think that's generally what humans are.
5:28
Dani Vee: Yeah.
5:28
Dani Vee: Maybe not as much as, you know, the villains that we see.
5:31
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
5:31
Dani Vee: You know, we're all a bit of everything.
5:34
Tina Strachan: Yeah.
5:34
Tina Strachan: And they have power.
5:35
Tina Strachan: And that's, you know, for a kid, you know, that's, that's pretty cool to associate with that.
5:39
Tina Strachan: So, um, so that's, yeah, that's a hilarious concept and um, I'm sure kids are going to love it.
5:45
Tina Strachan: And what was the age group for that one?
5:47
Tina Strachan: So junior fiction,
5:48
Dani Vee: pretty fiction, probably up to 12 years old, so Oh yeah.
5:51
Dani Vee: So probably uh, year four to year six.
5:54
Dani Vee: But then I went to a school and all the year twos were buying it as well, so whether they were reading or getting their parents reading.
5:59
Dani Vee: So it covers quite a lot of primary school'cause the premise is fun, you know?
6:02
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm
6:02
Tina Strachan: Hmm.
6:02
Tina Strachan: I'm sure the parents love reading it to the kids as well.
6:05
Tina Strachan: That's an important thing when you're writing a book.
6:07
Tina Strachan: It's gotta be, if the parents are possibly gonna read it, make sure it's fun for them too.
6:11
Tina Strachan: That's right.
6:12
Tina Strachan: Now, um, my supercharged A DHD brain as well, that's just come out very recently also.
6:19
Tina Strachan: Um.
6:20
Tina Strachan: Can you tell us a little bit about that?
6:21
Tina Strachan: What's the, the age group for that one?
6:23
Tina Strachan: And, and tell us a bit about the book.
6:25
Dani Vee: That's a picture book, so you're three to sort of eight years old, but I actually think, and I used to teach picture books even to year 12 Kids for Visual Literacy.
6:32
Dani Vee: And I think this book, it kind of goes across ages because it's about, I.
6:36
Dani Vee: Our brains.
6:37
Dani Vee: And I think anyone who knows anyone who has a DHD, whether it's your children or your children's friends or some relative or whatever, which, and I think we all do because, you know, diagnosis are going up.
6:47
Dani Vee: It's really just interesting to be able to put yourself in the shoes of a person with a DHD.
6:52
Dani Vee: Now, I was diagnosed pretty late, so only a couple of years ago, and then I started doing a lot of research and knowing that it's quite, um, hereditary.
7:01
Dani Vee: So then I started looking at my daughter.
7:02
Dani Vee: I started looking at my.
7:03
Dani Vee: Dad, my cousin's diagnosed.
7:05
Dani Vee: I'm like, oh, this all makes sense.
7:07
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
7:07
Dani Vee: But I think, um, as a kid and as an an adult, I've just always felt a little bit left of center of some of my friends.
7:15
Dani Vee: I've just felt like the odd one out, and I was never sure what that meant.
7:20
Dani Vee: And then as I got older, you know, teachers or whoever would sort of throw things at you, whether they were criticisms or comments like, oh, you're too loud, you're too much, you're too distracted, you're too this.
7:29
Dani Vee: You're too that.
7:30
Dani Vee: And, you know, I've gotten a pretty good self-confidence, but it's still chew away at that, you know, and you think, oh, am I annoying?
7:39
Dani Vee: Am I too much?
7:40
Dani Vee: Am I too talkative?
7:41
Dani Vee: Am I, am I, am I.
7:43
Dani Vee: And then when I was diagnosed with A DHD, my cousin said, you might feel a bit of grief because you found out so late.
7:49
Dani Vee: But I actually felt relief, not grief.
7:51
Dani Vee: I was like, oh, like thank goodness I've now got something to make me understand my brain.
7:57
Dani Vee: I don't have to feel bad about it.
7:59
Dani Vee: I don't have to take on all those things as insults.
8:02
Dani Vee: That's just how my brain is wired.
8:04
Dani Vee: And I thought, how amazing would it be for a kid to have a book like that?
8:09
Dani Vee: Who was like me, um, and go, oh, I'm not, you know, there's nothing wrong with me.
8:15
Dani Vee: It's just my brain and that's the way I'm wired.
8:18
Dani Vee: And so we all know the hard bits of A DHD.
8:21
Dani Vee: We hear that a lot on the, you know, mainstream media.
8:23
Dani Vee: And so I said, I pitched well, what if we celebrated the A DHD brain?
8:27
Dani Vee: We know that it's hard.
8:28
Dani Vee: Like I get the, you know, deep anxiety.
8:31
Dani Vee: And the overstimulation of A DHD.
8:33
Dani Vee: But it also allows me, as we mentioned earlier, to do a lot to hyperfocus on the things that I love.
8:38
Dani Vee: It, you know, makes me, um, adventurous and a little bit risk taking.
8:42
Dani Vee: And I don't think you can write books or have businesses or do cool things if you don't sometimes take risks.
8:48
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
8:48
Dani Vee: And so.
8:50
Dani Vee: I was like, well, let's just, I didn't push the, the challenges aside, they're still in there, but they're a lot smaller than the celebrations.
8:57
Dani Vee: 'cause why not celebrate a brain that's a bit different?
9:00
Dani Vee: So it's a really special book, um, because it's, you know, I wish I had it as a kid and it's directly from the experiences my brain.
9:08
Tina Strachan: Yeah.
9:09
Tina Strachan: Yeah.
9:10
Tina Strachan: So you're the perfect person to write it clearly.
9:12
Tina Strachan: And it's, um, so that, so it was important for you to write this book for kids because?
9:19
Tina Strachan: Like you said, you felt like you would've really appreciated that.
9:22
Tina Strachan: And, and, and like you just said, lots of kids and more kids now are getting diagnosed with it.
9:27
Tina Strachan: We know so much more about it.
9:28
Tina Strachan: I think it's, um, starting to become, it had a real stigma even for the kids, just knowing with my kids growing up, you know, talking like having classmates and stuff and there was a stigma for quite a while, but now I think it's.
9:43
Tina Strachan: Kids are so used to kids, like they, they have everything in the classrooms from all different, you know, angles.
9:50
Tina Strachan: And it's not, it's definitely not a hundred percent okay.
9:53
Tina Strachan: Like there's still a stigma, but they are just so.
9:57
Dani Vee: But it's not just about the A DHD kid understanding their brain.
10:00
Dani Vee: It's about everyone else in the class understanding that, oh, we're all a bit different, and that's okay, you know?
10:04
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
10:05
Dani Vee: That's okay.
10:05
Dani Vee: That we're all a bit different.
10:06
Dani Vee: We can celebrate all of our differences.
10:08
Dani Vee: And you know, James, who owns Z House, is also diagnosed with A DHD quite late as well.
10:13
Dani Vee: It was about the similar time, and then I start, I pitched this idea.
10:16
Dani Vee: I was like, yes, celebrate it.
10:17
Dani Vee: That's a great idea.
10:18
Dani Vee: And he's right into making sure that we engage and celebrate kids.
10:21
Dani Vee: It's been the whole premise of Larrikin House and then.
10:23
Dani Vee: After I'd written like a zero draft.
10:25
Dani Vee: He's like, and what about this and what about this?
10:26
Dani Vee: And we should do this and what about this?
10:27
Dani Vee: And I feel this.
10:28
Dani Vee: And I'm like, oh, I think you actually should have your name on the front too.
10:30
Dani Vee: Like if you've given way too many ideas for this not to be your book and your experience as well.
10:36
Tina Strachan: Yeah.
10:36
Tina Strachan: Oh, that's awesome.
10:37
Tina Strachan: Great collaboration.
10:39
Tina Strachan: Can't hurt having from different, um, sides.
10:41
Tina Strachan: And also, you know, the male female differences with A DHD as well, isn't it?
10:45
Tina Strachan: Like they've, they, they think there's a lot of that, so that's really important.
10:48
Dani Vee: We've been asked to, because we did, we deliberately put a girl, even though it's every kid's experience, we, we deliberately had a female protagonist because traditionally women have been underdiagnosed in this area because it's been a, a boy, a naughty boy's disease.
10:59
Dani Vee: And I'm using the rabbit ears people, because I don't believe in the naughty boy thing.
11:03
Dani Vee: It's just their brains.
11:05
Dani Vee: Um, and so we are going to,'cause it's been really popular, this book and it, you know, I think we sold.
11:10
Dani Vee: More than we had anticipated, which is a good problem to have.
11:13
Dani Vee: Um, we are working on one that's also sort of trying to dispel that myth of the naughty A DHD boy and trying to get a bit more understanding of that kid.
11:21
Dani Vee: So I've been doing a bit of research and that I was a teacher for 17 years, and so just trying to unpack that and not just dismissing them as naughty boys.
11:28
Dani Vee: They just need stimulation.
11:29
Dani Vee: They, you know, what do they need, um, you know, to help them function during day.
11:34
Tina Strachan: Yeah.
11:34
Tina Strachan: Yeah, that'll be great.
11:35
Tina Strachan: And even for,'cause it's such a, it'll be such a useful tool, this book.
11:40
Tina Strachan: And then even just having, I imagine if it's about a boy with a boy on the front, like the boys are just gonna pick that up more, aren't they, then?
11:46
Tina Strachan: So it's important for them as well.
11:48
Tina Strachan: Um, no, it's a really important book, Dani.
11:50
Tina Strachan: Congratulations to you both.
11:52
Tina Strachan: So now you put your supercharge brain to very good use with your podcast and your writing and your publishing.
12:00
Tina Strachan: Um, and you're a mom.
12:02
Tina Strachan: As well.
12:03
Tina Strachan: There's a lot going on.
12:04
Tina Strachan: And so it does sound too, you know, and I love how you're celebrating the, um, positives of an A DH ADHD brain as well in these books.
12:13
Tina Strachan: And it's funny, I actually had a friend once.
12:16
Tina Strachan: Say to me when she found out that I had a DHD, that she was like, oh gosh, I'm so relieved because you do so much.
12:25
Tina Strachan: And to her, she was just like, I feel like you're so productive and you do all these things.
12:29
Tina Strachan: And I, I just would be like, oh, well how does she get that stuff done and compare herself?
12:34
Tina Strachan: She's like, oh, no, no.
12:35
Tina Strachan: You've got a DH adhd.
12:36
Tina Strachan: This is great.
12:36
Tina Strachan: I can just like, I can stop
12:38
Dani Vee: comparing myself.
12:40
Dani Vee: The number one question I have gotten asked.
12:44
Dani Vee: Every time I go anywhere, you know, writer's conferences or wherever, is how do you do so much?
12:48
Dani Vee: And I don't like to think about it because it kind of makes me feel a bit stressed.
12:52
Dani Vee: Like, oh, how do I do it?
12:53
Dani Vee: Oh, is that why I'm stressed?
12:54
Dani Vee: Oh, I don't know.
12:55
Dani Vee: And so finally I have the answer.
12:58
Tina Strachan: Yeah.
12:58
Dani Vee: Yeah.
12:59
Tina Strachan: No, that's great.
13:00
Tina Strachan: Um, and I mean, but it's absolutely different for everyone.
13:03
Tina Strachan: And there is that flip side to it, you know, like, um, I have always feeling like, like you're on and, and that sort of thing, um, which is important for people.
13:12
Tina Strachan: And so there's negatives and positives as everyone does.
13:14
Tina Strachan: Even non A DHD brains.
13:16
Tina Strachan: Yeah, it's, but we know.
13:17
Dani Vee: About the negatives for so long.
13:19
Dani Vee: 'cause I feel like that's been the focus, which, you know, it needs to be for people to understand, but you know, well, you know, it also helps us do this, that, and that.
13:27
Dani Vee: So let's have a bit of a different conversation about a DH ADHD as well.
13:31
Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
13:32
Dani Vee: No, it's great.
13:38
Carla Salmon: Hi, I am Carla Salmon, author of, we Saw What You Started, which will be published by Pam McMillan on the 1st of July, 2025.
13:46
Carla Salmon: We saw what you started as a teen crime mystery perfect for 11 to 15-year-old readers.
13:51
Carla Salmon: It follows New Boy Otto, a Californian surfer who arrives in a small, insta worthy coastal town in Australia and joins a local surf lifesaving club hoping to fit in and find some friends.
14:03
Carla Salmon: Unfortunately, this has made much more challenging for Otto when he's blamed for a string of suspicious fires that damage local businesses.
14:11
Carla Salmon: It's only local girl Millie, the club surf lifesaving champion who thinks maybe Otto is innocent because Millie knows that small town rumors aren't always true together.
14:21
Carla Salmon: They have to work out if they can trust each other and find out who is actually responsible for the crimes.
14:28
Carla Salmon: I've written, we saw what you started specifically for young teens, exploring themes that are relevant to their everyday lives, like what they're willing to do to keep their friendships, the competitive vibe that often exists in groups, meeting parent expectations or more likely pushing boundaries, juggling part-time jobs, and of course, a first crush or two.
14:48
Carla Salmon: The book also poses the question, is it ever okay to do the wrong thing for the right reasons?
14:55
Carla Salmon: I really hope teens hear their own voices in Otto and Millie's.
14:58
Carla Salmon: Dual points of view and enjoy a little mischief and fun during lots of fast-paced action as the characters ride dirt bikes on beach roads, sneak out for night swims and try to avoid trouble at the skate park.
15:10
Carla Salmon: The story is very much inspired by some of my favorite coastal towns and childhood memories, and I can't wait for you to read it.
15:17
Carla Salmon: Thanks so much for your support.
15:24
Tina Strachan: I'm sure we've got lots of listeners with a DHD or maybe they're listening to this and going, oh, maybe, maybe I have a DH adhd.
15:31
Tina Strachan: 'cause that's where I actually first ever thought that was from a writing podcast that I listened to about 10 years ago.
15:37
Tina Strachan: And the host, she had just been diagnosed with a DH adhd and some of the things that she was saying, I was like.
15:44
Tina Strachan: Oh gosh, that's, that sounds like me.
15:47
Tina Strachan: And just put that little thought in my mind.
15:49
Tina Strachan: And that's, you know, it probably took, you know, another five years for, for
15:52
Dani Vee: anything to come of it.
15:54
Dani Vee: More than 20 years.
15:55
Dani Vee: I was diagnosed with an anxiety and panic disorder and anxiety meds made me about 50 times more anxious.
16:02
Dani Vee: And I was like, well, why don't they work on my brain?
16:04
Dani Vee: And no one thought to say, maybe you have a DHD.
16:07
Dani Vee: It was, again, something that I.
16:09
Dani Vee: You know, research and thought, oh, this sounds like me.
16:12
Dani Vee: You know, my cousin and another friend said, do you think you have a DHD?
16:16
Dani Vee: So, you know, I, I do think, and I'm a bit been talking about this a bit lately, if you follow me, but I think in a lot of ways the medical profession have let women down in a lot of ways.
16:27
Dani Vee: You know, whether it comes to menstruation or our reproductive organs or A DHD, it's a bit sort of like, suck it up.
16:35
Dani Vee: Mentality.
16:36
Dani Vee: And I'm not saying that's all medical professions, obviously not.
16:38
Dani Vee: I've had some brilliant doctors, but I've also had, you know, experiences where I've been dismissed or misdiagnosed.
16:44
Dani Vee: And I think, you know, part of that was also advocating for ourselves.
16:47
Dani Vee: We know our bodies and our brains better than anyone.
16:49
Dani Vee: We wake up to them every day.
16:52
Dani Vee: So I think as women, until some things start to really change, I think we need to make sure we advocate very deeply for ourselves and for our daughters.
17:01
Tina Strachan: Yeah, that's important.
17:02
Tina Strachan: That's a really good message.
17:04
Tina Strachan: So for those, writers, I'm sure there's probably lots of writers with a DHD somehow, especially if you're someone who's very prolific in getting words down.
17:12
Tina Strachan: It's, it could be you.
17:14
Tina Strachan: Or on the flip side to it as well, there's the, um, distraction that can come from it.
17:20
Tina Strachan: So do you, so I thought we'd offer some tips today, Dani.
17:24
Tina Strachan: I know, I know some, some, I have some tips that I guess help me with it.
17:29
Tina Strachan: Um, certainly once I had been diagnosed, like you said, it was a relief and it almost made things better kind of straight away because I was like, oh, I just know that I need to do this now.
17:38
Tina Strachan: Instead of just trying to be like, well, that person doesn't have to write a thousand things on their list every day.
17:44
Tina Strachan: I'm not that person.
17:46
Tina Strachan: I'm somebody different.
17:47
Tina Strachan: It helps me.
17:47
Tina Strachan: And, and that's, and that's been incredibly helpful just in that knowledge.
17:51
Tina Strachan: So, um, do you have any tips, Dani, for, writers who, are, are trying to get the words down and trying to focus and with, uh, an A DHD brain?
18:02
Dani Vee: I'm probably going to be very disappointing right now because I get thoroughly distracted and I put myself on a time-lapse the other day when I had the data right, and I thought, I'm just gonna see what I actually do.
18:12
Dani Vee: And it was so funny because I would write, I'd get up and make a tea, I'd write, I'd look at my phone, I'd write, I'd painted my nails like.
18:19
Dani Vee: I just important, when I looked back at it, I went, wow, how do I get anything done?
18:24
Dani Vee: So what really works for me is a little short, sharp bursts because I'm like, okay, I've got 20 minutes to write, go, and I know those 20 minutes are precious.
18:31
Dani Vee: When I have a day, I just squander it.
18:33
Dani Vee: Really?
18:33
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
18:34
Dani Vee: Um, I was wondering why I was really good at riding on the plane and in the airports.
18:38
Dani Vee: It's because I don't have anything else to do, but.
18:40
Dani Vee: The laptop in front of me.
18:41
Dani Vee: I don't have wifi and I don't, you know, have anything else that I can do.
18:44
Dani Vee: I can't just get up and get a snack.
18:46
Dani Vee: So I think where I write in a cafe is good for me as well, because you're there with purpose and you're there with a time constraint.
18:52
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
18:53
Dani Vee: Oh, please.
18:53
Dani Vee: For the love of God, give me a deadline.
18:56
Dani Vee: If you just tell me that I've got.
18:58
Dani Vee: Whenever to write it, you'll get it.
19:00
Dani Vee: Never.
19:00
Dani Vee: So deadlines really work for me.
19:03
Dani Vee: Competition works.
19:04
Dani Vee: When we did nano rmo and we were competing sort of with each other but ourselves, but every week we'd sort of say how many words we'd each written each week.
19:12
Dani Vee: That was a real motivator because I needed to get to the, you know, the point that we all wanted to get to and, you know, you kind of wanted to beat your mates, so that really helped.
19:21
Dani Vee: Um, but I, yeah, so for me.
19:25
Dani Vee: I, I like to ride in the cracks of time because I think 20 minutes for me is a lot more productive than two hours because like I said, I'll just waste it.
19:32
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
19:32
Dani Vee: Um, and making, and even if like, I try and put self-imposed deadlines in, but they're not as.
19:38
Dani Vee: Significant is when someone says, you need to give me this.
19:41
Dani Vee: By this time, I don't know if you're the same.
19:43
Dani Vee: I don't sleep a lot.
19:44
Dani Vee: I try and sleep, but I just, my brain just won't, it doesn't matter what time I go to bed.
19:48
Dani Vee: My brain will wake up six hours later and go, we're awake.
19:51
Dani Vee: Here's 4,000 ideas for you today.
19:54
Dani Vee: Um, so it doesn't matter if I go to bed at 10 or 12, and so I've just started going to bed.
19:58
Dani Vee: Well, not started.
19:58
Dani Vee: I've done this for a long time, about 11 or 12.
20:01
Dani Vee: 'cause I don't wanna be waking up at four.
20:03
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
20:07
Dani Vee: Thank you, Brian.
20:08
Dani Vee: Even on the weekend, I try and make the room really, really dark and all of that.
20:11
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
20:12
Dani Vee: And I managed to sleep until eight 30 on Sunday morning.
20:15
Dani Vee: But I did go to bed at one 30 and I was still very proud of myself.
20:19
Dani Vee: I'm like, seven hours, look at me.
20:22
Dani Vee: So, I don't know.
20:23
Dani Vee: I think with, when you have a DHD, sometimes you have more hours in the day because you don't sleep a lot, but then you've got less'cause you're just distracted.
20:30
Tina Strachan: Yep.
20:31
Tina Strachan: Yes.
20:31
Tina Strachan: Not as productive maybe.
20:33
Tina Strachan: Yeah, no.
20:34
Tina Strachan: Um.
20:35
Tina Strachan: Look great by the way, so that was worth it.
20:42
Tina Strachan: They were really good tips and I think they're all, they'll be all huge, hugely beneficial.
20:47
Tina Strachan: Um, but you know, some people probably wish that they didn't sleep as much.
20:51
Tina Strachan: Some people wish that they could only sleep, you know, six hours.
20:54
Tina Strachan: I used to always think that I wish I could just sleep less and kind of get more, kind of squeeze more into my day.
21:00
Tina Strachan: But, um.
21:02
Tina Strachan: No, I, I totally agree and I agree with you about the holiday thing.
21:05
Tina Strachan: If we go, we've got a caravan and we go away, caravan, and I get so much writing done on holidays just because I'll get up early before the kids and I'll sit outside.
21:14
Tina Strachan: Like, we don't take, you know, if normally at home I feel like, okay, maybe I've gotta do some exercise and stuff like that.
21:20
Tina Strachan: I can still do exercise on holidays, but you know.
21:23
Tina Strachan: No one really wants to do that.
21:25
Tina Strachan: So I, you know, I just feel like I just get, I just sit in my little cave and I just write until the kids get up.
21:31
Tina Strachan: And, um, normally I have all these other things that we need to do, you know, even just like getting ready for school or going to work, but you kind of tracked, so it's great.
21:40
Tina Strachan: So I get lots done there, so I completely agree with you on that one.
21:44
Tina Strachan: But my other tips at Work Timer, like you said, is great.
21:47
Tina Strachan: Um, when I first started getting back into writing a one hour timer, that was that I, I would set a one hour timer when I had a little kid and I was, you know, would like a baby putting them down for a nap.
21:56
Tina Strachan: I'd be like, set your alarm for one hour, get it done.
21:59
Tina Strachan: I just felt like I could tick the box, you know?
22:01
Tina Strachan: Um.
22:02
Tina Strachan: Uh, but setting alarms, a thousand alarms, because I don't know about you, but I have a lot of things that pop up in my head all the time.
22:10
Tina Strachan: Oh, gotta do that.
22:10
Tina Strachan: Oh, gotta do that.
22:11
Tina Strachan: Oh, gotta do that.
22:12
Tina Strachan: So sometimes I think just quickly, just set, set an alarm in your phone, even if it's for later today, and it'll, it'll,'cause I will always forget it, but if the alarm will remind me, um, and it gets it off my head.
22:24
Tina Strachan: Gets, it gets, I have
22:25
Dani Vee: alarms for everything in my life.
22:27
Dani Vee: And when you score my phone, it's just alarm, alarm, alarm, alarm, alarm.
22:30
Dani Vee: 'cause you know, I, I love my children, but sometimes I get so hyperfocused or distracted.
22:37
Dani Vee: I, if I didn't have that go pick them up from school alarm, I reckon I would've been late.
22:41
Dani Vee: 50% of the time, I'm like, oh, gotta go.
22:43
Dani Vee: So it's really helpful.
22:44
Tina Strachan: No, a hundred percent.
22:45
Tina Strachan: And also it helps you focus though, don't you think?
22:47
Tina Strachan: Because I have one, I have a two o'clock go, go to school and sit in the lineup on the days that I do pick up and, um.
22:54
Tina Strachan: But then I go, if I don't have that alarm, I would constantly be like, oh, is it time now?
22:58
Tina Strachan: Yeah.
22:58
Tina Strachan: Oh, is it time?
22:59
Tina Strachan: Now?
22:59
Tina Strachan: I keep looking at the clock, but if you, and I think that's helpful for anyone, um, just to set it and then you actually don't.
23:05
Tina Strachan: It's amazing.
23:06
Tina Strachan: That was like a game changer for me.
23:07
Tina Strachan: I don't know how it took me so long to work that one out, but you just.
23:11
Tina Strachan: I can sit back and write and not worry about it.
23:13
Tina Strachan: Um, also keeping, I try to keep a routine.
23:17
Tina Strachan: So like I try to get up at a, you know, time in the morning and um, just get my writing done so I can kind of tick that box.
23:23
Tina Strachan: 'cause I get quite frustrated.
23:25
Tina Strachan: And sometimes when you get in that ru of not writing, it's hard to get out, isn't it?
23:30
Tina Strachan: Uh, headphones as well.
23:32
Tina Strachan: White noise.
23:33
Tina Strachan: Just, I have those loops, those ones that just block people out.
23:36
Tina Strachan: So I was just saying this morning, went to a cafe and just.
23:38
Tina Strachan: You know, pop them in so I couldn't hear.
23:40
Tina Strachan: And or, um, those binaural, is it called binaural bi bial beats, um, that you can get, you know, just on, you know, apple music and Spotify and stuff like that.
23:51
Tina Strachan: And that's just, uh, puts you into like a bit of a really hyperfocused state, which is nice and you don't even know that they're there.
23:59
Tina Strachan: But, um, yeah, I find them really productive too.
24:01
Dani Vee: I have the noise canceling as well.
24:03
Dani Vee: Cannot listen to music with lyrics because I'll just.
24:06
Dani Vee: My brain won't be able to cope with that.
24:07
Dani Vee: Yeah.
24:07
Dani Vee: Um, but yeah, I just chuck on the classical writing music on, on Apple and I don't even notice it's there, but it helps me focus and I'm not distracted by the noises around me.
24:18
Tina Strachan: Yeah.
24:18
Dani Vee: No,
24:18
Tina Strachan: it's
24:19
Dani Vee: great.
24:19
Tina Strachan: Really good tips.
24:21
Tina Strachan: Um, so now before you go, um, drawing on your publisher brain now, uh, do.
24:29
Tina Strachan: Do you have any advice for,'cause we have lots of aspiring authors, um, that listen to the podcast.
24:35
Tina Strachan: Do you have any top tips for aspiring authors who are trying to get a book deal?
24:40
Dani Vee: Yeah, and I think it's a real balancing act.
24:43
Dani Vee: And these are going to, what I'm gonna say is probably gonna contradict some things that we've all been told.
24:47
Dani Vee: You know, write what you love, et cetera, et cetera, which is important.
24:50
Dani Vee: But it's just as important to know the market at the time.
24:53
Dani Vee: It's forever changing.
24:54
Dani Vee: Even as publishers and we have good intel, we look up books and stats and how they sell from Nielsen.
24:59
Dani Vee: We have Simon and Schuster telling us what's going in the marketplace, what Big W are buying, all that kind of stuff.
25:05
Dani Vee: Um, but.
25:06
Dani Vee: It still constantly changes.
25:07
Dani Vee: So you think you know something and something's selling and something's hot, and then it will be like, Nope, not that anymore.
25:13
Dani Vee: This.
25:13
Dani Vee: And so I can imagine as a writer it's even more difficult'cause you don't have access to all those data and conversations that we do.
25:20
Dani Vee: But I think you need to do your best to know who's publishing what.
25:24
Dani Vee: What's the brand of each publisher?
25:25
Dani Vee: What's selling well, what's not selling, what's hot?
25:29
Dani Vee: Um, what are kids reading habits right now?
25:31
Dani Vee: Um, and what are the important issues?
25:33
Dani Vee: And, you know, as we talk about A DHD or neurodivergence or uh, diversity, these are all things that are really important in kids' books at the moment.
25:41
Dani Vee: So it's hard to know everything, but you really just need to keep your ears open.
25:44
Dani Vee: Listen to podcasts, you know, like ours.
25:46
Dani Vee: Go to writing conferences when you can go to, um, book launches'cause they're free.
25:51
Dani Vee: You can just go to, mm-hmm.
25:52
Dani Vee: Book launch and support them, you know?
25:54
Dani Vee: Um, so just do what you can.
25:55
Dani Vee: Look at the best selling list.
25:56
Dani Vee: Go into bookshops, speak to booksellers, and I think just educate yourself as much as you can.
26:03
Dani Vee: I do manuscript assessments as well as part of the publishing, and we do pitch parties and all those kind of things.
26:08
Dani Vee: And you know, the submission, uh, piles that we've just had in June, we signed someone from that, by the way.
26:13
Dani Vee: Um, very, that's very exciting.
26:15
Dani Vee: Um, but I think it's about practice.
26:16
Dani Vee: And now your craft, as authors, myself included, we're always in such a rush to get.
26:21
Dani Vee: Published'cause.
26:21
Dani Vee: Oh my God, when's my next book deal?
26:23
Dani Vee: Oh my God.
26:23
Dani Vee: I need to get a book deal.
26:24
Dani Vee: And I, I, I understand more than anyone that urgency, but it's kind of like you wouldn't expect to be a brain surgeon just by watching a brain surgeon.
26:35
Dani Vee: Do brain surgery once, right?
26:37
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
26:37
Dani Vee: And so I think we sometimes underestimate what it takes to be a writer.
26:43
Dani Vee: And someone said it takes you a million words to write any good words.
26:48
Dani Vee: And so I don't know the truth in that, but I actually think the more you write, the more you hone your craft.
26:53
Dani Vee: That's that's the key.
26:54
Dani Vee: You know, because even of what's in, what's great, what's selling, if a publisher comes across a great story, they're gonna want it.
27:02
Dani Vee: You know, whether it's now or in two years or whatever, they're going to want it.
27:06
Dani Vee: And I just think in such a competitive industry, and you know, the industry is doing it tough at the moment, for whatever reason it might be the financial crisis, I have no idea.
27:15
Dani Vee: Um, but near enough isn't good enough.
27:17
Dani Vee: And I see in the submissions pile.
27:20
Dani Vee: We talk about rhyme a lot, particularly for picture books, and most of the rhyme I read is not ready for submission.
27:27
Dani Vee: And I think you need to perfect your craft.
27:29
Dani Vee: Um, be honest with yourself.
27:31
Dani Vee: You know, if if it's not quite right in rhyme, it's not gonna be quite right for the publisher.
27:37
Dani Vee: So you have to be honest with yourself.
27:38
Dani Vee: And I know I love rhyme, I love it.
27:41
Dani Vee: I've taught poetry.
27:42
Dani Vee: I'm obsessed with it, but I know that.
27:44
Dani Vee: It's a bit tricky in publishing and so all besides my epic doubt, all my picture books since then have been in ps.
27:50
Dani Vee: Fingers crossed I'll get to write one in rhyme again one day.
27:53
Dani Vee: But you really have to listen to the market and really hone your craft and try not to take rejection personally.
28:00
Dani Vee: We've all been rejected, like every single writer has it's part of the business.
28:05
Dani Vee: Um.
28:06
Dani Vee: And even as a publisher sometimes I love a manuscript and James loves a manuscript, but for whatever reason, we can't publish it because something similar's just come out or something similar, came out with the same sort of idea and it didn't sell well, or they're not, junior fiction isn't selling very well right now, or whatever the reason, you know, and so I think as publishers, we look up stats like a religion, and so sometimes we have had to pass on stories that we really liked because they, we didn't think they were gonna sell at that time.
28:35
Dani Vee: Um, but the good news is that, and I think this is a real lesson in what I'm trying to say, is that someone that I just signed recently through the submissions pile, she said, I submitted to Larrikin House four years ago and didn't get published and four years on, you know, we loved her manuscript and it was, it was a really tight, well-edited.
28:58
Dani Vee: Fantastic issue based manuscript.
29:01
Dani Vee: And it was like, she's listened to the market, she's listened to what we want as publishers and she's really honed this craft within each of its life.
29:09
Dani Vee: Like obviously it's gonna go into editing, but I would say it would not need a lot.
29:13
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
29:13
Dani Vee: You know, another author that I'm looking at, um, signing again, she's done a manuscript assessment with me a couple of years ago.
29:20
Dani Vee: The manuscript wasn't ready, but.
29:22
Dani Vee: Two years later, I just read something of hers.
29:24
Dani Vee: It's amazing and I wanna look at publishing it.
29:27
Dani Vee: Um, another author that did all of our school of larrikins, and obviously you don't have to do that, but it's just an example.
29:33
Dani Vee: Um, she did all of our courses and then she pitched something to James.
29:37
Dani Vee: It wasn't quite right.
29:37
Dani Vee: Pitch to pitch pitch, and then she pitched something James like, yes, I like that.
29:41
Dani Vee: You need to write it.
29:42
Dani Vee: And we're publishing that.
29:43
Dani Vee: Um, it's coming out next year.
29:45
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
29:45
Dani Vee: So I think if you love writing.
29:49
Dani Vee: You'll keep doing it no matter what.
29:51
Dani Vee: And so I think it's just really important to just keep honing your craft and everything you write is not wasted words.
29:58
Dani Vee: You know?
29:59
Dani Vee: Uh, my sad publishing stories that I wrote a 90,000 word crime novel, the publisher called me to say that they loved it.
30:06
Dani Vee: They wanted me to rewrite it from first to third person.
30:09
Dani Vee: I rewrote it took me, you know, months and months to rewrite it, and then I never heard from them again.
30:13
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
30:13
Dani Vee: So we've all got that story.
30:15
Dani Vee: You know?
30:17
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
30:17
Dani Vee: And so it's, you can say, yeah, it's disappointing, but I learned a lot from that process.
30:22
Dani Vee: Of course, I would've preferred a publish book, but that's not, that's not the nature of this business.
30:26
Dani Vee: If you want certainty, you know.
30:28
Dani Vee: You, you go to uni and you come out as a teacher or a whatever, and that's certainty and there's uncertainty in business.
30:34
Dani Vee: That's why it is so rewarding when you finally get published.
30:37
Dani Vee: Um, but I think you just have to, you have to hone your craft because I see a lot of submissions or manuscript submissions where people are still learning, which is fantastic.
30:46
Dani Vee: We should be learning our craft.
30:48
Dani Vee: Or people who are kind of like, I did a workshop and now publish me, and sometimes it happens.
30:53
Dani Vee: And I love that when that happens, that sometimes you need to watch a few more brain surgeries.
30:57
Tina Strachan: It's a long game.
30:58
Tina Strachan: It's, that's what we say, like it's a long game.
31:01
Tina Strachan: And I think that's all really important information.
31:03
Tina Strachan: Uh, I, I sort of equate it to like, you're not going to sell a huge piece of artwork the first time you pick up a paintbrush.
31:13
Tina Strachan: Like, you just, you can't, you just aren't skilled and you haven't painted that well and you, and it's, it's, yeah, but we don't expect someone to just pick up a paintbrush and, and, and sell their work and have a, you know, a huge display at an art gallery.
31:24
Tina Strachan: And it's very similar.
31:25
Tina Strachan: Just gotta keep going and.
31:27
Tina Strachan: And yeah, you never look at those artworks as wasted time.
31:30
Tina Strachan: It's, you know, and it's, it's fun and enjoyable for the person and then just getting better every time.
31:35
Tina Strachan: No, I totally agree.
31:36
Dani Vee: Everyone accepts that it takes four or five years to do a university course, right?
31:40
Dani Vee: And then you're a qualified teacher, and then you're still a beginning teacher and you're probably, if I'm honest, not good for another five years, you know, from my,
31:47
Tina Strachan: and you probably didn't get the best job that you wanted either.
31:50
Tina Strachan: You just take the kind of the first one that's there, and you are not the headmaster or the head of.
31:55
Tina Strachan: School or whatever it is.
31:56
Tina Strachan: Yeah,
31:56
Dani Vee: I, I think we just need to take a little bit of that into our writing.
32:00
Dani Vee: And there are exceptions to every rule of course, but just take the time to learn and hone your craft.
32:04
Dani Vee: And I think, you know, the, the authors that I was kind of mentioning before, you know, I hope those stories help as well.
32:10
Dani Vee: And even myself, like I was writing for years and years and studying literature and teaching English before I ever submitted anything because I just never thought I was good enough.
32:18
Dani Vee: But then finally I'm like, okay, it's now or never, lady.
32:20
Dani Vee: You're not kidding.
32:21
Dani Vee: Any younger.
32:22
Dani Vee: So, you know, it's not like the first manuscript I ever wrote got published.
32:26
Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
32:26
Tina Strachan: Yeah.
32:27
Tina Strachan: No, rejections are just part of the part of the deal, isn't it?
32:31
Tina Strachan: It's part of the pathway forward.
32:33
Tina Strachan: Um, just quickly before you go, uh, what about any top tips for our debut authors?
32:37
Tina Strachan: We've got lots of debut authors that listen.
32:39
Tina Strachan: We've got, um, some that are about to publish, some that have just published this year.
32:43
Tina Strachan: Some that are.
32:44
Tina Strachan: Stuck in the second book Blues, we'll call it, trying to work out what to do there.
32:49
Tina Strachan: Um, any, any tips for them?
32:52
Dani Vee: Yeah, I think you've gotta hit the ground.
32:54
Dani Vee: Um, I did this with my first book.
32:56
Dani Vee: I, you know, spent my own money on sending as many bookshops as I can.
33:00
Dani Vee: A little signed bookmarks saying thank you for having my book.
33:04
Dani Vee: Um.
33:05
Dani Vee: And then I went to as many bookshops as I could, and I just did like a whole weekend day trip.
33:10
Dani Vee: And I just did a little map of, you know, one way map of where I could go and visit bookshops and get to know booksellers.
33:15
Dani Vee: And then they've signed you book, they put a little sticker on it, you know, they, they might hand sell it to someone.
33:20
Dani Vee: So, oh, the author was just in this suits your, you know, what you're looking for, et cetera, et cetera.
33:24
Dani Vee: Um, go to book launches, get to know other authors.
33:27
Dani Vee: Then you'll have a really nice support base.
33:29
Dani Vee: We have a really beautiful group of, you know, authors that we spend a lot of time with on a social matter.
33:34
Dani Vee: You know, we don't always talk about writing, but it's just nice to have that really supportive, um, people who are, you know, because your family don't often wanna, you hear, to hear you talking about writing, they sometimes wanna talk about something else.
33:45
Dani Vee: So it's nice to have that little support group.
33:47
Dani Vee: Um, I would be looking into writing groups, whether it's an official one at your library or whether it's.
33:52
Dani Vee: A couple of writing mates that you just catch up or you can throw ideas around with.
33:55
Dani Vee: Like, I have a lot of people I can go, what do you think about this idea?
33:58
Dani Vee: What do you think about this title?
33:59
Dani Vee: Or could you read this chapter?
34:01
Dani Vee: You know, and I obviously would do the same for them.
34:03
Dani Vee: So I think just creating those little communities, and I'm just trying to think of free stuff'cause I know you don't and a lot of money, um, as a debut author, or you know, sometimes it's established author, either, sometimes, ever, yes.
34:13
Dani Vee: Sometimes ever.
34:14
Dani Vee: So I'm trying to think of things that are just, you know, I'm not saying time's not important,'cause time is very important, but you know, having a book out's really important too.
34:21
Dani Vee: So you should probably put aside a month or two to really go out and get on the ground, I reckon.
34:27
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
34:27
Dani Vee: Uh, go to book launches, go to as many, um, you know, Sydney Writers Festival.
34:31
Dani Vee: The Family Day was amazing.
34:32
Dani Vee: That just went,'cause you could go there, you could meet incredible authors, you could watch them on the stage, you could talk to other authors, you could have your book signed.
34:39
Dani Vee: So it was this real.
34:40
Dani Vee: Really great vibe of meeting people and learning and, and seeing what kids are buying.
34:45
Dani Vee: You know?
34:46
Dani Vee: I think that's kind of the best information that you can have and just support other authors, you know, and it's not to get something back, it's just because it's such a great celebratory community that we do celebrate each other because we know how bloody it is to get published.
35:01
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
35:02
Dani Vee: So when someone has a win, we're not sitting there jealous.
35:04
Dani Vee: In our little witch case, we're like, yay, someone's done it.
35:07
Dani Vee: Whoa.
35:08
Dani Vee: And we're celebrating their book and we're getting them on our podcast and we're putting them up in our stories and we're reviewing their books and we're holding up their book in the bookstore.
35:16
Dani Vee: Like all of that stuff is, is free and helps you to be part of that community.
35:22
Dani Vee: So for me, community is just not, has to be number one.
35:27
Dani Vee: Mm-hmm.
35:27
Tina Strachan: No, absolutely agree.
35:29
Tina Strachan: That's amazing advice.
35:30
Tina Strachan: Thank you, Dani.
35:31
Tina Strachan: It's been incredible having you on the show today.
35:33
Dani Vee: Thank you.
35:34
Dani Vee: I enjoyed talking about all of that important
35:36
Tina Strachan: stuff.
35:37
Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
35:38
Tina Strachan: It's very important, and especially to introduce your two new books into the world as well.
35:42
Tina Strachan: Thanks, Dani.
35:43
Tina Strachan: Great.
35:44
Tina Strachan: Thank you so
35:44
Dani Vee: much.
35:46
Tina Strachan: Thank you for listening to the Book Deal podcast.
35:49
Tina Strachan: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the pod so you can receive updates as soon as our new EPS drop and to keep up to date with what the pod is doing.
35:57
Tina Strachan: You can also find us on Instagram.