29-Writing Historical Fiction in a Changing Publishing Industry, interviewing Alison Stuart25/5/2026  Show notes The conversation delves into the challenges of sustaining a long-term writing career, the transition to indie writing, the financial realities of publishing, the persistence and joy of writing, balancing writing with work, and the allure of historical fiction and costumes. The conversation delves into the challenges of writing historical fiction, the impact of historical accuracy, and readers' preference for escapism. Alison Stuart shares insights on the decline of historical romance, the influence of education on historical interest, and the changing reading patterns. The discussion also explores the impact of feminism on historical romance, the challenges of historical representation, and the perception of historical fiction by readers. Additionally, the conversation touches on the balance between historical realism and fantasy, the writing of uncomfortable truths, and the transition to a new series. Finally, Alison provides advice for writers, emphasizing the importance of learning the craft and seeking professional editing. Takeaways
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Connect with Alison Stuart Alison Stuart is an Australian author of historical fiction whose work spans centuries—from medieval England to colonial Australia. Her novels dig into power, politics, and the personal cost of history, but what stands out is her persistence. This is someone who built a writing career alongside a full professional life, adapted to a changing publishing landscape, and kept going when plenty of people would have quietly stopped. Website: https://www.alisonstuart.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alison_stuart14/
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Really enjoyed spending the evening at Darebin Libraries speaking about amplifying voices often missing from the Australian literary landscape through editing *Growing Up Muslim in Australia*. It was wonderful discussing representation, identity, belonging, and the power of storytelling to challenge stereotypes and create space for more authentic voices in Australian literature. Thank you to everyone who came along, listened, shared reflections, and engaged so thoughtfully with the conversation. Nights like this remind me why these stories matter.     My husband and I haven’t shared a bed in years. Not because we hate each other. Not because our marriage failed. Not because we’re secretly miserable. It started when I was pregnant and vomiting through the night. Then came breastfeeding, insomnia, snoring, mismatched body temperatures, middle age, and the slow realisation that sleep deprivation is not actually romantic. Somewhere along the way, we accidentally discovered that separate bedrooms made us kinder to each other. This new essay explores the rise of “sleep divorce,” the research around couples sleeping apart, and why the shared bed has somehow become the gold standard of intimacy—even when nobody is actually sleeping. After 29 years of marriage, I’ve come to believe romance is not lying awake resenting someone in the dark. Romance is letting them sleep. https://open.substack.com/pub/amrasarmchairanecdotes/p/the-most-romantic-thing-my-husband?r=i0jxk&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true   Some stories don’t just become books. They crack something open inside you. In my latest episode of Amra’s Armchair Anecdotes, I speak with author and writing coach Violeta Matijevic-Bagia about writing trauma, carrying secrets for years, and how storytelling can force you to confront the parts of yourself you thought you’d already survived. One moment from our conversation hit me hard: “It helped me write the book, but it also sent me to therapy.” We spoke about: ✨ writing through trauma ✨ loneliness and silence in families ✨ the emotional cost of telling the truth ✨ the complicated healing that comes after finally speaking This conversation is raw, honest, and deeply human. If you’ve ever written from pain—or carried a story you thought was safer buried—you’ll feel this one. 🎧 Listen now to Amra’s Armchair Anecdotes featuring Violeta Matijevic-Bagia. https://www.amrapajalic.com/podcast.html Compressing seven years of PhD research into just three minutes was one of the hardest things I’ve done as a writer and researcher. My latest article for the La Trobe RED blog explores the challenge of the Three Minute Thesis competition, what it taught me about clarity, storytelling, and why research only matters if people can actually understand it. As a Bosnian-Australian researcher exploring representations of the Srebrenica genocide in fiction, I had to learn how to strip away academic language and speak with urgency, humanity, and purpose. Winning the La Trobe University 3MT competition was incredible — but the real lesson was discovering how powerful storytelling can be within academia. Read the article here: Compressing a Doctorate: The 3MT Challenge https://red.blogs.latrobe.edu.au/2026/05/06/compressing-a-doctorate-the-3mt-challenge-amra-pajalic/  There’s a moment every writer reaches. You wrap up your manuscript, lean back, and think, “ This is it— I’m ready.” But here’s the hard truth: you probably aren’t. I’m not trying to be harsh; this insight comes straight from my recent podcast with Les Zig, a writer, editor, and publisher who has seen hundreds of manuscripts from both sides of the desk. What he said confirmed lessons I’ve learned the hard way. Article based on Amra's Armchair Anecdotes episode 27-Why most writers aren’t ready to publish (according to a publisher), interviewing Les Zig https://open.substack.com/pub/amrasarmchairanecdotes/p/why-most-writers-arent-ready-to-publish  Amra Pajalić Author Talk Preston Library, Preston, VIC Thursday, May 21 • 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Overview Join author Amra Pajalić for an inspiring conversation about amplifying voices often missing from the Australian literary landscape. Amra Pajalić is an award-winning author, editor, and educator whose work draws deeply from her Bosnian heritage and lived experience. She has published nine books spanning memoir, fiction, and non-fiction, and co-edited Growing Up Muslim in Australia. Amra is a passionate advocate for own-voices storytelling and underrepresented perspectives. Image: Author Amra Pajalić and book covers of Time Kneels Between Mountains and Growing up Muslim in Australia. https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/amra-pajalic-author-talk-tickets-1981983188069  |
AuthorAmra Pajalić is an award-winning author, an editor and teacher who draws on her Bosnian cultural heritage to write own voices stories for young people, who like her, are searching to mediate their identity and take pride in their diverse culture. She writes memoir, young adult and romance under the pen name Mae Archer. newsletterSign up and receive free books.
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