19 Dr Anita Heiss, Author - The Activity Pod, Where We Help You Get Stuff Done

In this episode we talk to Dr Anita Heiss. Dr Anita Heiss Dr Anita Heiss is the author of non-fiction, historical fiction, commercial women's fiction, poetry, social commentary and travel articles. She is a regular guest at writers' festivals and travels internationally performing her work and lecturing on Indigenous literature. She is a Lifetime Ambassador of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and a proud member of the Wiradjuri nation of central NSW. She is an Adjunct Professor with Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, UTS and currently divides her time between writing, public speaking, MCing, and being a 'creative disruptor'. Anita was a finalist in the 2012 Human Rights Awards and the 2013 Australian of the Year Awards. Her most recent novel is Harry's Secret, and she recently relocated to Brisbane to manage the Epic Good Foundation. You can find Anita at www.anitaheiss.com. You can connect with Anita via her blog, twitter @anitaheiss, Instagram @dranitaheiss or Facebook. You can find out more about Anita's September 2016 workshop in Dublin here. In this episode we discussed:

being an Australian of the Year Finalist

having a very structured approach to the day

having an element of health, fun, work and Anita time every day

the benefits of a life coach

getting started as a writer and releasing her 18th book

studying a PhD

being strategic as a writer and the process Anita uses to write a book

pansters vs plotters

tips for budding writers

being a member of a Writers' Centre

being a "creative disruptor"

writing Tiddas and living in Brisbane (and meeting Mel!)

meeting people via twitter

becoming the manager of the Epic Good Foundation and moving to Brisbane

asking for help

being an advocate for literacy and Indigenous literacy

the importance of knowing how to read

what success looks like to Anita

running meetings - or walking meetings!

changing values as we get older

importance of holidays

Resources discussed in the show:

Epic Good Foundation

The Writing Book by Kate Grenville

The Artists Way by Julia Cameron

CBA's Women in Focus

The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer

TED Talk by Amanda Palmer

Indigenous Literacy Foundation