Season 3: Episode 32: Robbie Arnott

Secrets from the Green Room

Karen and Irma talk about presenting at sales conferences.
Then Irma chats with Robbie Arnott about his ‘chaotic’ writing process, how landscapes inspire him and how he approaches writing about climate change to avoid being preachy, why his first book rejection really knocked his confidence, the way he fictionalised family history to avoid friction with family members, how a background in advertising helps him with the editing process, the pressure he puts on himself to get the writing perfect, how his time as a bookseller has shaped his approach to publicity, and weird author interactions in bookshops.
About Robbie
Robbie Arnott’s acclaimed debut, Flames, won the Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Novelist award and a Tasmanian Premier’s Literary Prize, and was shortlisted for almost every prize going. His follow-up, The Rain Heron, won the Age Book of the Year award, and was shortlisted for another long list of awards, including the Miles Franklin Literary Award. His third and most recent book, Limberlost, has recently won the Age Book of the Year award again. He lives in Hobart.