Best Jen Gale Podcasts (2024)

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Ep 064 Alice Magazine - My Folly 24:48

11d ago24:48

24:48

Many years ago, I decided to start a magazine. I mean, how hard can it be? I jumped in deep and really gave it my all. And I learned so much. All of it was transferable and all of it fed me as a writer and as a businesswoman. Today, come on a journey with me into the past and I’ll share with you the deep lessons I learned from the Alice Magazine an…

1
Ep 063 Secondary Characters 17:06

1M ago17:06

17:06

Often, we get so hung up on the hero of our story we forget we are creating an entire world. Secondary characters are crucial to this world. In many cases our secondary characters not only people the story, they carry the story. They deserve as much attention as our protagonist so here’s a few ideas on how you might flesh out your cast and add vari…

1
Ep 062 Writing a Novel - A Mess in Progress 13:11

2M ago13:11

13:11

Writing a novel is a messy process. Everyone will tell you that. But how messy? What’s it really like behind-the-scenes with a book that is slowly taking shape? This is a messy episode of the podcast. I flopped down on the couch after a long day of writing and just blurted out what was in my head. Go forth if you dare. Make sense of it… Resources m…

1
Ep 061 Off to Market - with our Inner Critic 29:33

4M ago29:33

29:33

‘Hey buddy. Wanna buy a watch?’ Our inner critic can be feral while we’re in the act of creating. But marketing? OMG. That’s next level ugly. In this episode I talk about marketing for creatives. How marketing triggers our inner critic and makes us feel like a crim in a trench coat. I discuss my own challenges with marketing and how I learned to be…

1
Special Ep 060 - Jen Storer In Conversation with Emily Gale and Nova Weetman 47:58

4M ago47:58

47:58

This wonderful conversation with two authors at the top of their game is a delight. Prepare for an insight into process, friendship and fun from Emily and Nova. Proudly presented by girlandduck.com Links: https://emilygalebooks.com/ https://www.novaweetman.com.au/ https://jenstorer.com/ girlandduck courses and info: https://girlandduck.com/ Books m…

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Ep 059 Pitching Pep Talk 16:48

6M ago16:48

16:48

Pitching Pep Talk Pitching, submitting, throwing your hat in the ring? You are AMAZING! As creatives it’s super important that we keep recognising and acknowledging our courage. KidLitVic is well underway and it’s got me thinking about vulnerability and how much of our identity can be caught up in our creativity and our creative pursuits. Let’s sup…

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[184] How to be more activist with Clover Hogan 1:05:39

7M ago1:05:39

1:05:39

Hello and welcome to episode 184, and as it turns out, the last episode of the Sustainable(ish) podcast! I wanted to try and get to 200, and I’m annoyed not even to be ending on a nice round number like 185, but often in life things aren’t tied up in a nice neat bow. Long term listeners will know that at times the podcast has been very stop start, …

1
[183] Climate Comms that Lead to Action with Frank Holleman from Fork Ranger 1:05:23

7M ago1:05:23

1:05:23

In the spirit of London buses, ie nothing for ages and then two come along in close succession, this week’s episode is another foodie one, hot on the heels of Episode 180 - Food and climate change without the hot air with Professor Sarah Bridle. I’m chatting to Frank Holleman who is the co-founder of Fork Ranger, a platform and app that aims to hel…

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[182] The Climate and Nature Bill (and how to make your voice heard in a crucial election year) with Zero Hour 1:00:15

7M ago1:00:15

1:00:15

One of the things that frustrates many people, is a lack of action from governments around the world to protect nature and mitigate the worst impacts of the a warming and rapidly changing climate. The UK government was one of the first to come up with a Net Zero target back in 2019, and declared a ‘climate emergency’ that same year. However the pro…

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[181] The Party Kit Network (ripples in action!) with Isabel Mack 58:36

7M ago58:36

58:36

This week’s episode feels a little bit liking coming full circle on an episode from nearly 5 years ago! If you’re a long-time listener, and have an excellent memory, you might remember, way back in 2019, I interviewed the wonderful Tillie Mabbutt who runs Frome Eco Party Kit, renting out a party kit of reusable plates, cups and bowls to avoid the w…

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[180] Food and Climate Change without the Hot Air with Sarah Bridle 57:53

8M ago57:53

57:53

In this week's episode I'm chatting to Sarah Bridle, who is possibly our first Professor on the podcast! Professor Sarah Bridle is Chair in Food, Climate and Society at the University of York, researching environmental impacts of the food system and potential impacts of the environment on food availability. She is also the author of Food and Climat…

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[179] Climate Comedy with Stuart Goldsmith 54:22

8M ago54:22

54:22

In this week's episode I'm chatting to comedian Stuart Goldsmith. I'm a bit of a comedy fan, so I listen to Stuart's podcast, the Comedian's Comedian where he interviews other comedians about their work and he seems to pretty much be BFFs with everyone on the comedy circuit. It might seem a bit random to be interviewing a comedian on the podcast, b…

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[178] Small but mighty projects (and how to fund them!) with Misha Dhanak from Spacehive 1:11:28

8M ago1:11:28

1:11:28

In this week's episode I'm chatting to Misha Dhanak, CEO of Spacehive, the home of community fundraising. We're probably all familiar with the concept of crowdfunding and may have even funded products and projects on platforms like Kickstarter. Well Spacehive is a similar concept, it's a crowdfunding platform, but it's for community projects - so o…

1
Ep 058 Risky Business 13:59

9M ago13:59

13:59

Being a fictional character is risky business. Or it should be. Are your characters in enough danger, under enough pressure or stress, threatened in some way? This can be tricky for children’s authors. The impulse is to protect our characters, keep them safe and, gawd forbid, sensible… But that’s the death knell to drama and storytelling. Happily e…

1
Ep 057 100 Coffee Cups 26:26

9M ago26:26

26:26

Today I’m chatting about creativity boundaries. At some point it helps to rein in your interests and focus. Drill down, as Elizabeth Gilbert would say. This year, 2024, is my Year of Acrylics. First boundary done and dusted, thank you very much. Next boundary. I’ve taken it even further and, as we speak, I am painting 100 coffee cups. Yes, indeedy.…

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Special Ep 056 - Jen Storer In Conversation with Neridah McMullin 1:13:25

10M ago1:13:25

1:13:25

In this gorgeous conversation, our first for 2024, Jen and Neridah discuss Neridah's childhood, careers and her path to becoming a much loved author of children's books. About Neridah Neridah loves history and true stories. An author of eight books for children, Neridah is also an award winning short story writer and poet. Her latest picture book, …

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Ep 055 Morning Pages 16:18

10M ago16:18

16:18

Do you do Morning Pages? Do I do Morning Pages? Sometimes. I used to do them religiously. Like, for years… In this ep I chat about my history with ‘the pages’, the impact they’ve had on my creativity and my life and how the pages can help you, too. Books mentioned: The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron Steal Like An Artist, by Austin Kleon ► About Jen…

1
Ep 054 Word of the Year and Effortless Being 16:18

10M ago16:18

16:18

As we head into the big adventure that is 2024, it can be helpful to select a word of the year to inspire, energise or even challenge you. Your word companion can act as your muse. Your word might inspire art and journal prompts or encourage you to make longed for changes. It might even challenge you to find your courage or to live and create more …

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[177] The power of your vote – with William Eccles from The Commitment 1:07:16

11M ago1:07:16

1:07:16

In this week's episode I'm chatting to William Eccles from The Commitment. The Commitment is a campaign asking us to commit to voting for a healthy planet. You do this by heading to their website, hitting the "make the commitment" button, and ticking the box that says “ I commit to vote only for politicians who work for urgent action on the climate…

1
Ep 053 Final Thoughts for '23 32:40

11M ago32:40

32:40

Final thoughts for 2023, dear listener. I’ll be back in 24, for sure. (I like that rhyme!) Three things that might be of interest to you in this ep (another ep inspired by a lovely Duck Pond member). My favourite book on spirituality and why. My favourite book on creativity and why. The oracle decks I use in my Full Moon readings in the Duck Pond. …

1
[176] Badvertising – with Leo Murray 1:10:15

11M ago1:10:15

1:10:15

Advertising. It's all around us. Persuading us to buy stuff we didn't know we wanted, telling us how much happier/more popular/better our lives will be with the latest/newest whatever it is. Most of think that we're immune to it, but studies show just how insidious and manipulative it is, and how it influences our brains at a deep level. Which perh…

1
Ep 052 Rambling Writer: Arts Funding 20:00

11M ago20:00

20:00

Let me tell you a little story about the time I got a substantial Australia Council grant (so exciting!) but didn’t write the book (so frustrating!) and how that felt and how that evolved and how I finally, years later, have figured out how to write said book. Ramblings about patience, perseverance and passion, today, dear author. ► About Jen & Gir…

1
[175] Climate play – with Lucy Hawthorne 1:04:59

11M ago1:04:59

1:04:59

Climate and play might not be two things that we naturally put together. And even less so, climate and 'playfulness'. Climate change is a huge, overwhelming, complext issue and i couldn't be more important. So we need to take this seriously and absolutely need to be bringing our best game, there's no room for messing around, right? Maybe not! I lov…

1
Ep 051 Tense About Tense? 16:52

12M ago16:52

16:52

You’d be surprised how many developing (and established) authors trip when it comes to tense. But never fear. Gaining confidence in your ‘weaker’ areas just takes practice and self-awareness. The art of tweaking, rewriting and self-editing can be learned and honed over time. Hang in there, dear author, keep doing the verk, keep asking questions and…

1
[174] Climate action help (and hand holding!)for schools – with Jo Pettifer from Let’s Go Zero 1:04:29

12M ago1:04:29

1:04:29

This week we're talking schools and climate action! I'm chatting to Jo Pettifer who part of a growing team of Climate Action Advisors from climate charity Let's Go Zero, which is working to help schools in the UK to take climate action, with the ambitious goal of becoming carbon zero by 2030. Jo shares in our chat that apparently around 45% of UK h…

1
[173] Digital footprints and carbon fingerprints – with Matt and Will from Carbon Fingerprint 1:13:05

12M ago1:13:05

1:13:05

This week we’re diving into all things digital with Matt and Will from an organisation called Carbon Fingerprint. For many of us, the planetary impact of our online lives maybe isn’t something that we give much thought to – the cloud is this ethereal thing that none of us quite understand, and I personally can’t even begin to get my head around how…

1
[172] The forgotten joy of sharing – with Rebecca Heaps from Tentshare 1:13:46

1y ago1:13:46

1:13:46

"If you own a tent you can be a member of Tentshare. If you don't own a tent, you can be a member of Tentshare." Love this quote from Rebecca Heaps, founder of Tentshare -'the Air BnB for tents'! On the surface, camping feels like a pretty eco-friendly option for a cheaper holiday. And it is. However it does involved quite a lot of 'stuff' - the te…

1
Ep 050 When It’s All Too Much 21:47

1y ago21:47

21:47

Every now and then I receive a letter that’s frank and raw but oh so common. What happens when you feel fed up with striving? When the dream to become a published/successful author has taken its toll on you and your family? If you’re questioning your choices, wondering if it’s all worth it, our 50th episode might be the balm you need. This is not a…

1
[171] Your Council and Climate Action – an update! With Annie Pickering from Climate Emergency UK 1:04:57

1y ago1:04:57

1:04:57

Podcast episode wise it was only 7 episodes ago, but time wise, almost a year has passed since I chatted to Annie Pickering from Climate Emergency UK about their Council Climate Scorecards. In that chat we talked about why climate action from Local Authorities are important,. The operational carbon footprint of most local authroties might not be hu…

1
[170] Active(ish) for Earth – With Tash Acres from Earth Runs 1:09:24

1y ago1:09:24

1:09:24

Tash Acres is the founder of Earth Runs, an organistaion that rewards activity by planting trees! As you will hear, Tash’s approach to running and physical activity is so similar to my approach to sustainability – anything is better than nothing, it all counts, celebrating the successes no matter how small, and so much more! Now if you're sat there…

1
Ep 049 Springtime Creativity 24:43

1y ago24:43

24:43

Thoughts from my yoga class. What’s blossoming in you and your creative life? Let’s honour that, dear listener. Also, how I organise my notes, manuscripts, research, WIPs and whatnot. A few practical ideas to help you get on top of your ideas and files. ► About Jen & Girl and Duck: If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cl…

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[169] How Green is Your Money? With Dan Sherrard-Smith from MotherTree 1:04:27

1y ago1:04:27

1:04:27

In this episode we’re talking money, and how we can make our money a bit greener. I’m chatting to Dan Sherrard-Smith, who is the founder and CEO of MotherTree – a platform that helps us all to get better informed about the impact of our money when it’s in our current accounts, savings, and pensions, and even when it comes to things like mortgages, …

1
[168] Keeping outdoor kit in action for longer with Re-action 1:17:20

1y ago1:17:20

1:17:20

This week’s episode starts with a confession! This episode was recorded a whole year ago, it was edited, intros were put onto it, it was all ready to go, and I somehow failed miserably to hit publish! I genuinely even thought I had published it until I had an e-mail from Heather earlier on this year asking when I thought it might be published. And …

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[167] Debunking (some) climate myths with Dr Ella Gilbert 1:11:28

1y ago1:11:28

1:11:28

Following on from last week's episode looking into some of the basics of climate science with Dr Adam Levy, this week I'm chatting to another climate scientist, Dr Ella Gilbert, and this time we're diving into the murky world of climate denial! Here's some of the misinformation that Ella addresses for us, using actual science: Climate scientists ch…

1
[166] Climate science 101 with Dr Adam Levy (aka Climate Adam) 58:17

1y ago58:17

58:17

It's only taken 165 episodes, but I decided that it was about time we did a climate change back to basics type episode, going over the basic science of climate change. Talking about climate change is one of the most important things we can do (check out the brilliant Katharine Hayhoe for a great TED talk around this!) but many of us hold back due t…

1
[165] The podcast is back! 11:51

1y ago11:51

11:51

After a *slightly* longer (9 months..!) than intended break, the podcast is back! No guest today - just a short solo episode to say hello, apologise for my absence and let you know to stand by your beds ready for some new episodes with some fabulous guests! GOOD NEWS! There's also a new Good News section, sharing some of the good climate news happe…

1
Ep 048 When Your Dialogue is a Bit Off 21:49

1y ago21:49

21:49

What to do when you haven’t yet mastered dialogue. Let’s talk about that! Let’s also talk about art and drawing and John Cleese and creativity and comfort zones and coffee and, yes, there is a kitty meowing in this episode. Everyone has something to say. The main thing is to remain loyal to our characters and our own unique approach to creative exp…

1
Ep 047 Editing Your Discovery Draft 25:25

1+ y ago25:25

25:25

Reflections on Refuse to Be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts, by Matt Bell Some ideas on how you might go about editing (and polishing) your novel or picture book. I also discuss the danger of overworking a PB. ► About Jen & Girl and Duck: If you'd like to subscribe to my museletters, yay! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. F…

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Ep 046 Rambling Writer 17:24

1+ y ago17:24

17:24

In his book, The Anatomy of Story, in the section on Story Movement, John Truby, talks about the Meandering Story. ‘The meandering story follows a winding path without apparent direction…’ Indeed. This episode is something like that. It meanders along with nary a hint of purpose. Topics I wander through: What makes me a buy a book Why I don’t read …

1
Ep 045 A Deep Dive into Voice 18:47

1+ y ago18:47

18:47

As writers, voice is wildly important to the success of our work. But what exactly is voice and why is it so important? When I teach creative writing IRL, I often start by asking students to define voice for me. This always leads to a robust conversation (and lots of head scratching). Most of us know instinctively what voice is but we find it trick…

1
Ep 044 Only Men Can Write Action Scenes. EFT for Creatives. 11:26

1+ y ago11:26

11:26

Latest discovery? EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) can be super helpful when it comes to our creativity blocks or hurdles. What I discovered this week is that you can use EFT to go deep, get specific, with what’s holding you back in your creative process. This week, I got specific. I ‘tapped’ on my belief that writing action scenes does my head in…

1
Ep 043 Let ‘someone else’ do the scary work 14:04

1+ y ago14:04

14:04

It the world of online biz, we’re encouraged to separate ourselves from our business. Your business is not you. Your business has its own energetic imprint, an identity that’s quite separate from you personally. GirlandDuck is not me. My biz is like a token, a piece I circulate and move around on the boardgame of life. As creatives we can do the sa…

1
Ep 042 Follow the Niggle: Intuitive Creativity 13:27

1+ y ago13:27

13:27

I’ve been reading The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. An elegant parable all about finding one’s destiny while also uncovering the treasure within. When we tap into the ‘language of the universe’ and learn to read signs and omens, we actually tap into our intuition. When I had a major ‘tower moment’ in my thirties, I turned my back on common-sense and …

1
Ep 041 Need Shoring Up? A g&d Pep Talk 10:54

1+ y ago10:54

10:54

I once heard it said that ‘Writers are like old houses, they need a lot of shoring up.’ It’s a lovely quote (which I have randomly attributed to Ann Tyler). In today’s episode, I explore this notion more deeply. Why do writers (and illustrators) need shoring up? What makes us so… wonky? No doubt you have your own views—and probably more to add! But…

1
Ep 040 Four Creativity Tips That Might Be New to You 19:09

1+ y ago19:09

19:09

Okay, I’ve got four tips for you again today. I’m obsessed with four, aren’t !? I think it’s my brain’s favourite number. Anything more than four and my brain drifts away. La la la… BUT. Having said that. There is one EXTRA tip in this week’s ep. EXTRA TIP: If you’re new around here, get yee to the girlandduck website! Check out all the freebies (I…

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Ep 039 Creative Writing: There Will be Surprises! 15:47

1+ y ago15:47

15:47

I’ve had a topsy turvy relationship with writing and I’ve witnessed this in my community too. We come to writing with a vision of how it’s all going to be then, surprise, surprise, we discover we have talents in completely unexpected areas. Want to write a picture book but end up writing a novel? Want to write poetry but end up writing a lifestyle …

1
Ep 038 Four Ways to Combat Rewriting Fears 16:42

1+ y ago16:42

16:42

Last night we wrapped up the rewriting course with a scrumptious live coaching call. (Don’t you bloody LOVE sitting around talking about writing??) We explored many of the challenges and fears rewriting can present and I offered four ways I use to handle such fears. In particular, I was looking at that ‘pull the thread’ fear. If you’ve done a rewri…

1
Ep 037 Four Rewriting Questions 11:25

1+ y ago11:25

11:25

A g&d quick chat! Four questions to help you with a rewrite: 1. Is the narrative arc strong? 2. Is the resolution satisfying? 3. Are the kids proactive? 4. Is there a lovely twist? Apply these questions to your current WIP and see if they help strengthen your story or give it that extra oomph! (Works great for picture books) ► About Jen & Girl and …

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Special Ep 036 - Jen Storer In Conversation with Fiona Lloyd 42:12

1+ y ago42:12

42:12

A very special edition with Fiona Lloyd, a girl&duck alumni. Fiona was born in the beautiful North-East of England near picturesque countryside, windswept beaches and the vibrant cultural city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She dreamed of writing in a cosy country cottage and of life as a theatre actress but, as it often does, life got in the way. Working…

1
Ep 035 The Four Key Elements of Successful Rewriting 12:07

1+ y ago12:07

12:07

A common misconception is that rewriting is simply substituting one word for another. That’s not rewriting. That’s tinkering. Tinkering can be fun. And satisfying. But there’s a danger. It can go on ad nauseum. And it can ruin your work. In my new e-course, I’ve chunked down rewriting into four key elements: fine tuning language, making cuts, flesh…

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