Writing Podcast Episode 711: Emma Styles dives into her new crime thriller, 'The Shark'

Australian noir has become a huge sub-genre in the world of fiction and UK-based author Emma Styles brings it to the beaches of Western Australia in her latest novel, The Shark . In this episode, Emma shares her inspiration for writing the book, the pressure of completing her latest adult novel and the process of putting the dual (sometimes unreliable, sometimes unlikeable) narratives together. She also explores the publishing journey and shares a top tip for writers. 00:00 Welcome 05:33 Writing tip: Don't put off your writing dream 08:28 WIN!: The Writers Retreat by Victoria Brownlee 11:15 Word of the week: 'Shallop' 13:04 Writer in residence: Emma Styles 14:42 Inspiration for the book 18:00 Crafting characters 21:21 Writing unlikable women 24:30 Complex crime characters 25:19 Why two young women? 28:02 Alternating POV method 29:22 Planning vs pantsing 32:22 Adult crime not YA 34:18 Landing The Shark book deal 36:11 The supportive publishing world 37:39 Writing about Australia from UK 40:38 The setting for her next book 43:10 Trusting your instincts 44:16 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com

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Writing Podcast Episode 711: Emma Styles dives into her new crime thriller, 'The Shark' is an episode from So You Want To Be A Writer with Valerie Khoo and Allison Tait: Australian Writers' Centre podcast by Australian Writers' Centre.

This episode is 47:29 long.

This episode was published on Apr 6, 2026.

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