Anne Freeman: Writing Through Perfectionism, Motherhood, and the Journey to The Time After Now

In this episode of *Beyond the Plot*, I sits down with author Anne Freeman to talk about the winding path from lifelong reader and reluctant beginner to published novelist. Anne shares how motherhood, perfectionism, accountability, and one pivotal writing craft book helped her stop waiting for the “right” time and start writing. She takes us behind the scenes of drafting her first novel on her phone while breastfeeding, setting a simple 400-word-a-day goal, and discovering that finishing a novel might be less about confidence and more about simply starting. Me and Anne also explore Anne’s latest novel, *The Time After Now* — a dual-timeline story inspired by the idea of resurfaced intimate photos and shaped by Anne’s own experience with type 1 diabetes. We talk about writing invisible disability, motherhood and identity, creating messy and believable characters, and the courage it takes to put your inner world on the page. In the episode: - Anne shares how books became a refuge for her as a quirky kid who found it difficult to make friends — and how writing was part of her life long before she thought of herself as a writer. - She recalls the moment after the birth of her second child in 2018 when she decided to finally “have a go” at writing fiction. - A conversation about psychology and accountability prompted her to ask: **“What can I do today in service of that dream?”** - Anne talks about discovering perfectionist block and recognising how it had been keeping her from starting. - She explains how *Save the Cat Writes a Novel* demystified the novel-writing process and finally gave her a way in. - Her first novel, *Returning to Adelaide*, was drafted on her phone in Google Docs while she was breastfeeding her daughter. - She set herself a daily goal of 400 words and completed the first draft in around four and a half months. - Contest submissions led to recognition in the Romance Writers of Australia Valerie Parv Award and the Hawkeye Prize — opportunities that ultimately helped lead to a publishing deal. - Anne reflects on the reality of being an author today: part writer, part marketer, part event host and part community builder. - She shares how Instagram, book events and simply asking for help helped her build a supportive network of writer friends. - Anne reveals how *The Time After Now* grew from an idea about resurfaced intimate photos into a story shaped by her own experience with type 1 diabetes. - We discuss the emotional truth of motherhood, identity shifts and why readers connect so strongly with messy, believable characters. - Anne talks about the vulnerability of writing invisible disability and putting parts of your own “inner weirdness” onto the page. - They explore perfectionism, creative courage and why sometimes the best thing you can do is write the imperfect first draft. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to *Beyond the Plot* on YouTube or follow the podcast on Spotify, and share the episode with a writer who might need the reminder that the first draft doesn't have to be perfect.