From writers rooms to writing a novel with Steph Tisdell

Steph Tisdell is a rising star of the comedy scene in Australia. Her acting credits include Class of ’07, Total Control, Bump and Netflix Original Love is in the Air, while her writing credits include Fisk, Bump and Rosehaven. Steph lives in Meanjin with her pet parrots, Parky and Eddie. Today we're delighted to discuss her first novel, The Skin I'm In.

*There is a lot of swearing in this ep*

Our interview begins at  27.00

We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. Come say hi!

Caitlin recommends: Taylor Swift Style by Sarah Chapelle

Recommended by a Swiftie! This book is a beautiful journey through the eras of Taylor's style, analysing how they work in with her songs. The perfect treat for Swifties.

Michelle recommends: The Crow Road by Iain Banks

An all-time favourite book. This is the story of a family, focusing on 20-year-old Prentice, his dad and uncle. It's beautiful, darkly comic and the kind of character-driven story you'll get something new out of every time.

In this interview, we chat about:

• Why Steph wanted to tell this story in novel format
• Confronting the dark parts of Australian history in schools and everyday racism
• Steph's writing process for the book and how it differed from other projects, plus where she struggled versus where she thrived
• The best advice about taking risks in life and creativity (and how this has paid off for Steph)
• How Steph connected with Layla's voice

Books and other things mentioned:

• Brooklyn by Colm Toíbín

Follow @stephtisdellcomedy on Instagram

The Skin I'm In is available now. Thank you to the publishers for providing us copies of the book to prepare for the interview.

Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod