Writing Podcast Episode 685: Tegan Bennett Daylight takes us back with her YA novel, How to Survive 1985

If there were ever a decade that evoked such a strong emotional resonance, the 1980s would surely be it! Author Tegan Bennett Daylight channels this in her new time-travelling YA novel, How to Survive 1985, in all its neon-coloured, acid-washed glory, and in this episode, she shares her experience bringing that time period to life and some tips for aspiring writers. 00:00 Welcome 06:52 Writing tip: Grounding details in world-building 09:31 WIN!: The Gifts of Reading for the Next Generation edited by Jennie Orchard 11:20 Word of the week: ‘Noisome’ 13:22 Writer in residence: Tegan Bennett Daylight 14:18 Describing her book How to Survive 1985 17:13 Research vs lived experience of the time period 20:00 Why 1985? 21:59 Writing about motherhood now and then 25:51 Navigating the publishing world 26:33 Early writing experiences 28:14 Tegan’s first children’s book 29:42 Challenges and successes in writing 31:49 The reality of being a writer and inspiring new writers 36:25 The appeal of writing for young adults 40:43 Tegan’s writing routine 43:10 An easy early morning tip for writers 44:38 Engaging with the writing community 45:45 Upcoming projects 47:40 Writing tip and the Spotify playlist 50:17 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.