Better Words
By Michelle Gately & Caitlin Toohey
Listen to a podcast, please open Podcast Republic app. Available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Image by Michelle Gately & Caitlin Toohey
Category: Books
Open in Apple Podcasts
Open RSS feed
Open Website
Rate for this podcast
Subscribers: 8
Reviews: 0
Episodes: 171
Description
A podcast for readers who want to know the stories behind the pages 📖 Join Caitlin and Michelle, two book nerds who bring you in-depth conversations about writing and publishing from those on the inside. Grab a cuppa and get ready to chat books.
| Episode | Date |
|---|---|
|
Book club: Future Boy by Michael J. Fox
|
Jan 22, 2026 |
|
Our 2025 favourites
|
Jan 05, 2026 |
|
Aussie rom-com recommendations bonanza and Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run
|
Nov 24, 2025 |
|
Reviews: Girl Dinner, Park Avenue, The Americans and The Buccaneers
|
Nov 13, 2025 |
|
Book Club: The Names by Florence Knapp
|
Oct 29, 2025 |
|
Seasonal reading recommendations (for summer or autumn)
|
Oct 23, 2025 |
|
Reviews: The Life of a Showgirl, Make Me a Monster and Love Overdue
|
Oct 08, 2025 |
|
Book club: Rytual by Chloe Elisabeth Wilson
|
Oct 01, 2025 |
|
Reviews: Lucy Jane Wood's cosy fantasy, The Book Thief, and The Newsreader
|
Sep 25, 2025 |
|
The Thursday Murder Club movie is finally out! Here's what we thought
|
Sep 15, 2025 |
|
Watching TV the Y2k way and the upcoming releases we're excited for
|
Sep 01, 2025 |
|
Our 2024 favourites
|
Mar 02, 2025 |
|
Childhood, community and bookselling with Jennie Godfrey
|
Jan 28, 2025 |
|
From a parenting email to being a US bestseller with Emma Grey
|
Dec 19, 2024 |
|
Behind the glamour of Hollywood and writing about writers with Pip Drysdale
|
Nov 25, 2024 |
|
How we can live in the wake of trauma with Melanie Cheng
|
Nov 11, 2024 |
|
From writers rooms to writing a novel with Steph Tisdell
|
Nov 02, 2024 |
|
What it means to be experienced with Kate Young
|
Oct 28, 2024 |
|
Telling authentic teenage stories with Gary Lonesborough
|
Oct 17, 2024 |
|
Celebrating Pride with inclusivity and platonic love stories with Anna Zoe Quirke
|
Oct 01, 2024 |
|
Recent reads and musical performances
|
Sep 27, 2024 |
|
The strange timing of stories and juggling creative careers with Sophie Green
|
Aug 23, 2024 |
|
Romance tropes and quitting TV production to become an author with Amy Hutton
|
Aug 08, 2024 |
|
Big love stories and being published in a foreign country first with Emma Steele
|
Jul 31, 2024 |
|
Forms of masculinity and coming of age with Avi Duckor-Jones
|
Jul 24, 2024 |
|
Inside East Berlin and never giving up on getting published with Josie Ferguson
|
Jul 16, 2024 |
|
The Re-Read: Lauren Draper
|
Jul 09, 2024 |
|
The Re-Read: Bri Lee
|
May 09, 2024 |
|
Ghostwriting, ego and art with Liam Pieper
|
May 02, 2024 |
|
The expat experience and TV writing with Brydie Lee-Kennedy
|
Apr 24, 2024 |
|
The Re-Read: Jodi McAlister
|
Apr 09, 2024 |
|
A novel in stories and exploring family dynamics with Emma Darragh
|
Apr 03, 2024 |
|
Food, family and expectation with Lottie Hazell
|
Mar 27, 2024 |
|
Career apathy and doomed affairs with Madeleine Gray
|
Mar 20, 2024 |
|
Teenage pregnancy and abortion in Northern Ireland with Kelly McCaughrain
|
Mar 13, 2024 |
|
The Re-Read: Libby Page
|
Mar 05, 2024 |
|
Welcome to Better Words Podcast
|
Mar 04, 2024 |
|
Our 2023 favourites
|
Jan 29, 2024 |
|
Fancying your friend, writing with heart, and publishing prejudice with Matt Cain
|
Dec 28, 2023 |
|
Telling uncomfortable stories about complicated people and with Huma Qureshi
|
Dec 21, 2023 |
|
Teenage friendship circles and writing processes as a new mum with Megan Williams
|
Dec 14, 2023 |
|
Adult work experience and lessons from a marathon with Michelle Upton
|
Dec 06, 2023 |
|
String Theory and writing rom-com as a straight man with Jonathon Shannon
|
Nov 22, 2023 |
|
Chaotic comedy and the scam of striving for success with Eleanor Elliott Thomas
|
Nov 16, 2023 |
|
An accidental bestseller and the life-changing world of amateur drama with Janice Hallett
|
Nov 08, 2023 |
|
Storytelling across generations and writing for all ages with Alice Pung
|
Nov 01, 2023 |
|
Inherited trauma and Australian Jewish culture with Elise Esther Hearst
|
Oct 25, 2023 |
|
The highs and lows of small town life and re-discovering sport with Clare Fletcher
|
Oct 17, 2023 |
|
Arthurian legend meets queer YA romance with Lex Croucher
|
May 25, 2023 |
|
Enduring mysteries, serial killers and the dark web with Ashley Kalagian Blunt
|
May 16, 2023 |
|
The romance of French cuisine with Karina May
|
May 09, 2023 |
|
Haunted houses and horrifying insects in Vietnam with Trang Thanh Tran
|
May 02, 2023 |
|
Authentic wish fulfilment and green flag romance with Claire Christian
|
Apr 26, 2023 |
|
Owning your sexuality and overcoming shame with Josh Silver
|
Apr 18, 2023 |
|
'Dumb bitch lit' and situationships with Genevieve Novak
|
Apr 11, 2023 |
|
Verse novels and accidentally writing a 'pandemic book' with Karen Comer
|
Apr 04, 2023 |
|
Romantic tropes and transitioning from publishing to writing with Jessica Dettmann
|
Mar 28, 2023 |
|
Playing games and solving puzzles with Leanne Yong
|
Mar 21, 2023 |
|
The Re-Read: Our 2022 favourites
|
Jan 25, 2023 |
|
The Re-Read: Gabrielle Tozer and Rhiannon Wilde
|
Jan 18, 2023 |
|
The Re-Read: Pip Harry and Ellie Marney
|
Jan 11, 2023 |
|
The Re-Read: Laura Kay and Danielle Wood (Minnie Darke)
|
Dec 28, 2022 |
|
The Re-Read: Tobias Madden and Nina Kenwood
|
Dec 21, 2022 |
|
The Re-Read: Michelle's wedding and what we read on our UK trip
|
Dec 07, 2022 |
|
Sketch comedy and owning our mistakes with Hayli Thomson
|
Jul 13, 2022 |
|
Theatre kids, reality TV and studying pop culture with Jodi McAlister
|
Jul 06, 2022 |
|
Liminal spaces, burnout and female friendship with Abigail Bergstrom
|
Jun 29, 2022 |
|
Writing a book about grief that isn't sad with Lauren Draper
|
Jun 22, 2022 |
|
Female anger and family curses with Mary Watson
|
Jun 15, 2022 |
|
Growing up Lebanese and writing for a new audience with Sarah Ayoub
|
Jun 08, 2022 |
|
Writing about tricky topics in romantic comedy with Mhairi McFarlane
|
May 11, 2022 |
|
Public speaking clubs and the process of writing a novel with Katherine Collette
|
May 04, 2022 |
|
Vampires with a twist and genre constructs with Claire Kohda
|
Apr 27, 2022 |
|
Diabetes and choosing words carefully with Carly Nugent
|
Apr 20, 2022 |
|
Joyful Black stories and turning a blog into a book with Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
|
Apr 12, 2022 |
|
Meet cutes, puzzles and publishing with Kimberley Allsopp
|
Apr 06, 2022 |
|
Our 2021 favourites
|
Feb 09, 2022 |
|
Festive recommendations for Christmas
|
Dec 15, 2021 |
|
Non-fiction November Recommendations
|
Nov 20, 2021 |
|
The future of dystopia and exploring the mother-daughter bond with Sara Foster
|
Oct 26, 2021 |
|
Gaming, esports and fanthropology with Alexis Nedd
|
Oct 19, 2021 |
|
The absurdity of the human body with Sarah Walker
|
Oct 12, 2021 |
|
Horror films, acting dynasties and the strange limbo of grief with Danielle Binks
|
Oct 05, 2021 |
|
Hybrid genre novels and the world of artificial intelligence with Eli Lee
|
Sep 28, 2021 |
|
Unlikely friendships, dads in YA and feedback from your favourite authors with Tobias Madden
|
Sep 21, 2021 |
|
Finding characters, PS I Love You and lessons from 18 novels with Cecelia Ahern
|
Sep 14, 2021 |
|
What makes a 'suspense' novel and leaving law for writing with Sonia Velton
|
Sep 07, 2021 |
|
Dramatic teen years and telling stories to find ourselves with Samera Kamaleddine
|
Aug 24, 2021 |
|
Millennial malaise, trivial grievances and what really matters in life with Bridie Jabour
|
Aug 17, 2021 |
|
Teenage male friendships, all-boys schools and peak-2000s culture with Rhiannon Wilde
|
Aug 10, 2021 |
|
Imagining alternate histories and fighting fascism through English literature with Jane Thynne
|
Aug 03, 2021 |
|
Life (and writing) after The Flatshare with Beth O'Leary
|
Apr 27, 2021 |
|
Feminism in a nuclear winter and anger as fuel for writing with Claire Zorn
|
Apr 20, 2021 |
|
Greek tragedies, feminist gothic literature and the power of teaching with Phoebe Wynne
|
Apr 15, 2021 |
|
Creating a music icon and oral history narratives with Dawnie Walton
|
Apr 07, 2021 |
|
Culturally diverse storytelling and the complexity of migrant experiences with Rebecca Lim
|
Mar 30, 2021 |
|
Violence against women, the 'perfect victim' myth and slow writing with Leanne Hall
|
Mar 23, 2021 |
|
Break-up revenge, queer friendships and anti-running propaganda with Laura Kay
|
Mar 16, 2021 |
|
Dating advice, queer rom-coms and writing for an American audience with Sophie Gonzales
|
Mar 10, 2021 |
|
Exploring abuse and trauma in children's fiction with Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
|
Mar 02, 2021 |
|
Writing funny and publishing in a pandemic with Abigail Mann
|
Feb 23, 2021 |
|
Our 2020 favourites
|
Dec 27, 2020 |
|
Celebrating your truth and pimping pain with Arvin Ahmadi
|
Dec 01, 2020 |
|
Fat acceptance and living life unapologetically with Stephanie Yeboah
|
Nov 24, 2020 |
|
Fame and music stardom in YA with Frances Chapman
|
Nov 18, 2020 |
|
The balance between history and fiction with Alison Booth
|
Nov 10, 2020 |
|
The fluidity of adolescence and reflections on life and success with Meg Rosoff
|
Nov 03, 2020 |
|
Fairytale retellings and creating new narratives with Kalynn Bayron
|
Oct 27, 2020 |
|
Nobel prize winners and the craft of short stories with Laura Elvery
|
Oct 20, 2020 |
|
Violence, isolation and a changing Ireland with Louise O'Neill
|
Oct 13, 2020 |
|
The sorrow and bliss of writing life with Meg Mason
|
Oct 06, 2020 |
|
Asexual pride and publishing as a teenager with Alice Oseman
|
Sep 30, 2020 |
|
Folklore and circus 'freaks' with Nydia Hetherington
|
Sep 22, 2020 |
|
Exploring autism through YA fiction with Kay Kerr
|
Sep 15, 2020 |
|
Writing romance and escapist fiction with Laura Jane Williams
|
Sep 08, 2020 |
|
Exploring culture and religion through memoir with Zoya Patel (recast from December 2018)
|
Sep 01, 2020 |
|
Queer meet-cutes & Kindred stories with Michael Earp (Recast from May 2019)
|
Aug 26, 2020 |
|
Body positivity & the power of pop culture with Jenna Guillaume (Recast from March 2019)
|
Aug 18, 2020 |
|
Art as activism with Renée Watson (Recast from June 2019)
|
Aug 11, 2020 |
|
From obsession to contemporary YA with Phil Stamper
|
Mar 17, 2020 |
|
Finding your own voice with Anna Whateley
|
Mar 03, 2020 |
|
Writing about the big questions with Emery Lord
|
Feb 11, 2020 |
|
A love letter to people watchers with Libby Page
|
Jan 28, 2020 |
|
New chapters and special places with Vanessa McCausland
|
Jan 14, 2020 |
|
Distance doesn't matter with Tara Eglington
|
Dec 22, 2019 |
|
Inside an indie publisher with Bella Pearson
|
Dec 10, 2019 |
|
The highs and lows of online life with Fiona Thomas
|
Nov 28, 2019 |
|
The vulnerability of life writing with Bri Lee
|
Nov 12, 2019 |
|
Writing the stories we needed with Nina Kenwood
|
Oct 29, 2019 |
|
Wielding our power with Julie Mayhew
|
Oct 15, 2019 |
|
While you were writing with Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus
|
Jul 23, 2019 |
|
Written in the stars with Danielle Wood
|
Jul 09, 2019 |
|
Learn, write and rise with Renee Watson
|
Jun 26, 2019 |
|
Grieving in words with Helena Fox
|
Jun 11, 2019 |
|
Embracing and loving YA with Michael Earp
|
May 28, 2019 |
|
Women make history with Clare Wright
|
May 14, 2019 |
|
Creating your authentic with Sara Tasker
|
Apr 30, 2019 |
|
Fairy tales and folklore with Kate Forsyth
|
Apr 21, 2019 |
|
An Underdog’s dream with Tobias Madden
|
Apr 02, 2019 |
|
Revisiting our yesterday with Karen Sepulveda
|
Mar 19, 2019 |
|
Body positive and pop culture obsessed with Jenna Guillaume
|
Mar 05, 2019 |
|
Life shaped by words with Angela Meyer
|
Feb 19, 2019 |
|
The winding road to publication with Carly Findlay
|
Feb 05, 2019 |
|
The universal language with Cristy Burne
|
Jan 22, 2019 |
|
I know what you read last summer
|
Jan 15, 2019 |
|
That's a wrap on 2018
|
Dec 18, 2018 |
|
Finding your place with Zoya Patel
|
Dec 04, 2018 |
|
Women in power with Jane Caro
|
Nov 20, 2018 |
|
Ideal timing with Karen Foxlee
|
Nov 06, 2018 |
|
'You're a collector, Harry!' with Peter Kenneth
|
Oct 27, 2018 |
|
Scarred not scared with Michelle Elman
|
Oct 09, 2018 |
|
Tropical vibes with Fiona Bell
|
Sep 25, 2018 |
|
Australian Reading Hour with Danielle Binks
|
Sep 19, 2018 |
|
Forces of nature with Sally Piper
|
Aug 28, 2018 |
|
Words spilling out with Nikki McWatters
|
Aug 07, 2018 |
|
When ideologies clash with Randa Abdel-Fattah
|
Jul 10, 2018 |
|
Lush histories with Julian Leatherdale
|
Jul 03, 2018 |
|
We're very jealous of The YA Room
|
Jun 19, 2018 |
|
Book ninjas unite with Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus
|
Jun 05, 2018 |
|
Behind the books
|
May 01, 2018 |
|
Let's talk about sex, baby with Gabrielle Reid
|
Apr 24, 2018 |
|
Weaving the tale with Lauren Chater
|
Apr 10, 2018 |
|
From screen to page with Fiona Wood
|
Mar 27, 2018 |
|
Write what you want to read with Jessica Walton
|
Mar 13, 2018 |
|
You don't need a plan with Kate O'Donnell
|
Feb 27, 2018 |
|
Standing up and speaking out with Carly Findlay
|
Jan 30, 2018 |
|
Staying #relevant with Gabrielle Williams
|
Jan 16, 2018 |
|
Write, write again with Margot McGovern
|
Dec 05, 2017 |
|
Killing your darlings with Caroline Graham
|
Oct 10, 2017 |
|
Reading hope with Pip Harry
|
Sep 27, 2017 |
|
Gone Bush with Anna Daniels
|
Aug 10, 2017 |