While I wait for the next episode of Once Upon a Time at Bennington College to drop (it's due 20 October, but Donna Tartt's 'people' have sent cease and desist letters to podcaster Lili Anolik and her people, so I'm fossicking about and listening to other stuff. I'm also stalled in the last episode of [...]
Category: Writing process
Willy Literary Festival 2017
I've never been to this festival (talk about being a bad Melburnian writer) but it's on next weekend and I am doing two things and really excited about being there. First is The Age of Experience on Saturday 17 June, 3.30-4.30pm where Christy Collins, Paul Dalgarno and I talk to Jane Rawson about being debut [...]
2, 2 and 2 at Amanda Curtin’s blog
The lovely Amanda Curtin (who I met at the recent Ubud Writers Festival) asked me if I'd participate in a series she runs on her blog, looking up looking down. The idea is you write about 2 things that inspired your book, 2 places connected with the book (geographical or metaphysical) and 2 favourite 'anythings' somehow connected [...]
My first author Q&A for The Secret Son
My publicist at Allen & Unwin was approached by a reviewer, who'd read my book and reviewed it on her website. Would I consider answering some questions, about the book and how I wrote it? Oh, yes I would! The questions were fantastic, and it's made me realise that after so long with a book, so [...]
Things of interest (to me anyway)
Once more I have a raft of open browser windows across the top of my screen. I haven't made much progress on the footy scarf I'm knitting for my husband's boy. Luckily I told him it would probably be ready for next season. The reason why I'm going slowly with this project is mainly because [...]
Gone fishing
Leaving Friday for my trip but wanted to close the blog down now, as I have a lot to do before I go. Like googling directions and printing them out. Making sure I have enough boots packed. And hats. When I come back in mid Feb I have a first meeting with my new [...]
Qaisra Shahraz @ Readings Hawthorn PEN event
My friend Athi and I went along to see my twitter friend Qaisra earlier this month, to hear her speak about her work. Qaisra has been very warm and friendly on twitter, and when I read last year that she was Australia-bound for the Byron Bay Writers Festival, I thought I might make the trip [...]
Voice/POV workshop with Robert Gott
Yesterday I trammed up to the Wheeler Centre, for another Writers Victoria workshop. During the round-the-table intros, I described myself as a workshop junkie. It is true. But I find that it's interesting to meet other writers, to meet facilitators/teachers, to hear what people are working on (I made a note while listening to people's [...]
PWF14 catch-up post, Intelligent Design with Margaret Drabble, Eleanor Catton and Jeet Thayil
INSERT NOTE HERE: THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THE COMMENT SECTION NOW, ABOUT THE LUMINARIES. JUST SAYING. The first note I have written here is: 'Margaret Drabble's pearls.' They were beautiful. I'm noticing pearls, and wearing them a bit more this year. A writerly friend and I have decided 2014 is 'the year of the [...]
PWF14 catch-up: Intelligent Design with Eleanor Catton, Margaret Drabble and Jeet Thayil
The first note I have written here is: 'Margaret Drabble's pearls.' They were beautiful. I'm noticing pearls, and wearing them a bit more this year. A writerly friend and I have decided 2014 is 'the year of the pearls.' We are trying to bring them back, and it was good to see Drabble is on [...]
PWF2014 catch-up: The Luminaries, Eleanor Catton speaks with Susan Wyndham
On the Saturday (22 Feb) I went to listen to Eleanor Catton talk with Susan Wyndham about The Luminaries. I think this was the day I wore my new navy skirt I had bought in the op-shop at Freo the day before, when we went to find the Eyrie building. This is a skirt which [...]
A year later
Was just going through my old posts and came across this one from 21 December last year. Great things It interests me that a year ago I had my first draft completed of my second novel manuscript (labelled VERSION1) and that I was trying to come up with a structure for it. What I was [...]
Workshop with MJ Hyland at the Melbourne Writers Festival
MJ Hyland has written three novels and I enjoyed all of them, particularly the second (Carry Me Down) and third (This is How). Her stripped-back prose and clever, clever management of points of view I find exciting. In an earlier writing course I did, in 2009, in between meetings every two months we read books [...]
The Single Largest Cause of Writer’s Block–Might Not Be What You Believe
This is good, from Kirsten Lamb. Useful even for literary fiction writers, not just plotters & genre peeps.
Today, I’d like to talk about the single greatest reason for writer’s block (aside from laziness and fear, but we can chat about those another time). I spent years as an editor, and I believe I’m a pretty good one. I’ve taken stories that were train wrecks and helped the author create a best-seller. Just ask Piper Bayard about Firelands, LOL.
I had a unique ability to pull apart a story and locate what wasn’t working and why. Then I could guide that writer to the best book possible (without altering that writer’s voice). Editing is a skill, but it’s a different skill from creating. For instance, a person who restores historical houses isn’t necessarily someone who can draw a blueprint and build a new house. The restorer looks to the bones of the house and fixes what’s already standing to help create what the owner envisions.
Same with…
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My excuses and I do have several
Reasons why I have not yet posted on book reviewing: 1. I've been procrastinating 2. I've been writing (which is better, yes?)* 3. I've been teaching (a little bit) 4. I've been re-watching West Wing (a lot) 5. I've been reading heaps. Just finished abotu three in a row that didn't do it for me, [...]
While I’m cogitating on the next ‘How-to’ book review post…
I wanted to quickly list the books that I have on my shelves that I have found (variously) helpful in improving my writing skills but thought I'd also write a bit about my beliefs for revising work. Editing Knowing and clearly understanding what the different types of revision are is a first step and this [...]
Workshop in Brisbane – writing memoir
On Sunday I flew up to Brissy to attend a workshop at the Queensland State Library, run by the QWC. Facilitated by Patti Miller, it was on Writing the Real Story. While my focus is fiction, and novels (although am working on a novella en ce moment, god knows why, it seems from my reading [...]
Game of Thrones – Friday video
While I'm getting my act together to put up some more stuff about book reviewing, please enjoy the interview below with George RR Martin, creator of the Fire and Ice series (Game of Thrones). Even if you are not a GoT watcher/reader, or 'fantasy person' (I'm not ordinarily but I will confess to loving this [...]
Overnight successes
Here is an interesting article/interview with The Rosie Project author Graeme Simsion, on how his wildly-successful debut novel came into existence. For what seems like an overnight success, this project was years in the making. It gives those of us working hard at our 'things' hope and reassures us too (or me, anyway) that persistence [...]
Best one-stop (publishing info) shop I think I’ve seen
And that title is probably the worst I've ever seen. Never mind. I was googling around when I found Ian Irvine's website. He's a fantasy author and has most helpfully laid out, in order on one page virtually everything about the writing/publishing process, divided into three sections: Getting There, Surviving Publishing and Coping with Success. [...]
TED Talk 2 – Elizabeth Gilbert
I might not be the only person in the world who didn't read Eat, Pray, Love. Yes, I poo-poohed it at the time. When I was in Bali on a family holiday in 2011, my sister was reading it. It seemed everyone had been reading it for years. You know that response you have when [...]
Robert Gottlieb, The Art of Editing No. 1
The Paris Review interviews are just fantastic. This is No. 1 on the art of editing, with Robert Gottlieb, published in 1992, and despite my best efforts at finding others on editing, it seems to be the only interview on that topic (there are lots on The Art of Fiction, and Poetry, Biography, Non Fiction) [...]
Some snippets about On Writing Well
I'm reading through On Writing Well by William Zinssen. It's for non-fiction writers and journalists really but I think there are parallels and transferences to be made. I've probably broken several of his usage versus jargon 'rules' just in that one sentence (not sure if transference can be used in that way and as a [...]
All about the process
I'm all about the writing process at the moment and am working my way through the wonderful Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. Part memoir, part users-guide, it covers a lot of things including the shitty first draft and how to actually do it. With the internet these days, and articles linked all over the [...]
Scattered
I remember a few years ago feeling I had reached the point where I was so stuffed with fiction I couldn't read it anymore, and turned to NF. I am wondering whether it's not happening again. I feel like my reading is flighty, agitated and skittish. I can't commit, I flit around, looking for something [...]
First interview with Amanda Lohrey from The Writer’s Room
Writer Amanda LohreyIf you haven't already subscribed to this new publication, and you are a keen student of learning as much as possible about 'the craft' (and also if you are a nosy sticky-beak like me and love to read about writers and their writing processes) then get thee here and subscribe. If you do, [...]
First plot point, mid-point, second plot point. Etc.
I'm doing a bit of reading about screenwriting and how a person might apply structural and plotting strategies to novel writing. I've ordered a book about 'story engineering' because I want to learn how to be able to make conscious decisions about plot and structure while not losing my instinctive organic processes with characterisation and [...]
What is it about Helen?
I wanted to go to the Helen Garner talk at the NonFictioNow Conference in Melbourne last year, but couldn't, so was very pleased to see this video via Virginia Lloyd's twitter. I can't seem to embed the video, so here is the link to the Wheeler Centre website, which will take you directly to the [...]
Just like Eminem in 8 Mile
Finding the time to write can be difficult. If you're like me, sometimes it can take a full day or so to get 'into the zone.' This means trying to avoid the static of real life, which unfortunately can include interactions with other human beings including husbands and children and relatives and friends, as well [...]
Great things
Found $450 pushed up the back of my bedside drawer - excellent. This morning, I think I solved my structure question about the next thing I'm working on. It's another novel, it's the first of my Turkish stories. I have the first draft completed, it's rawther polished but still is really just the base now [...]
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