Website: https://www.page-turners.info/getstarted
Social Media: Facebook
Dr Erina Reddan is a communication professional, executive coach, crime author, commentator and thinker. She has been a Television Producer, a Documentary Maker and a Foreign Correspondent where she was awarded Australia's top journalist award, the prestigious Walkley Award. Erina has been published in fiction and non-fiction and has a Masters and a PhD in Creative Writing. She has lectured and tutored in Political Science and Creative Writing at Universities. Using her decades of research in Story Telling and Communication, she is now launching into her next adventure, training people in how to write a fabulous novel readers will want to devour – using her proven Page Turners system based on the science and art of novel writing.
Q: How did you get into writing? Were you always writing stories as a child?
A: I've always believed in the magic of words and stories. Growing up, I escaped into books and writing, finding clarity and connection amidst a challenging home life.
As an adult, I worked as a foreign correspondent, but the dream of becoming a novelist never left me. Pregnant with my first child, I realized I couldn't keep putting off my dream of becoming a novelist, waiting for that mythical moment when I'd have time to write. I knew, as a young mother, I'd never have time again, so I had better just start. So, I began waking up at 5 a.m. every morning, before my baby awoke, to write.
Now, as a career author, I still cherish the creative rightness of writing and love the challenge of drawing readers so deeply into a story that they can't put it down.
Q: What do you feel is the #1 biggest "magic factor" that makes the difference between a book that's "good", and one that becomes wildly popular with everyone wanting to read it?
A: Putting aside external factors like marketing budget, zeitgeist timing, and sheer luck, let's focus on what you, as a writer, can do to turn a good book into a wildly successful one.
The key to any great story is transformation. Usually, writers are either great at writing or great at storytelling, but if you want to craft a fabulous page-turner, you need to excel at both. The way to achieve this is by using the "head, heart, and body scaffolding" framework.
- Head: Use your intellect to build your external story world. What genre are you working in? What obligatory scenes do you need? What's your big idea?
- Heart: Build out your internal story by getting to know your characters—their motivations, flaws, and conflicts. Most importantly, focus on how these flaws force your characters to grow.
- Body: Now that you have a brilliant idea and compelling characters, you need a transformative structure to take your readers on a journey they can't put down.
When you work with all three transformative elements, you'll have a surefire page-turner.
Q: If you could give 1 piece of advice to aspiring entrepreneurs or writers who are struggling to get started, what would it be?
A: You've got to believe, deep down, that you can do it. That belief will carry you through failures and setbacks. When my Master's supervisor told me I was so bad at writing she didn't know why I was in the program, I was devastated. But I chose to see myself as a learner, not a loser. I kept improving, and eventually, my novel Lilia's Secret was published by Penguin Random House, launching my career as a crime author.
As Thomas Edison said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." Trust the journey, seek help when needed, and take yourself seriously. You've got this.
