First of all, I should add a caveat… the title should actually read: How to write and publish three poetry books in five years. I have no experience writing book-length fiction or non-fiction–nor do I have any inclination to pursue …
Events
Imagining Characters Unlike Me: A Guest Post by Silvia Kwon
For as long as I can remember my fascination with the lives of others surpassed the usual level of curiosity. This need to understand other subjectivities struck me early and, since it was not shared by my friends in quite …
My 5 tips for plotting a compelling mystery novel: A Guest Post by Andrea Barton
I love nothing more than curling up with a murder mystery, racing through the pages to unveil the killer. When I became serious about writing a novel, I longed to create that read-until-the-wee-hours experience for others. It took me over …
Writing at the Crack of Dawn: A Guest Post by Julia Levitina
Why do I do this? What motivates my writing and makes it a necessity? Why do I not only expose myself, my inner-workings, but dream of my work to be read and appreciated?
I ask myself these questions when I …
Why Funny Writing Matters: A Guest Post by Bynny Banyai
There is writing that changes the world, or at least changes the world of the person who reads it. Then there’s writing like mine, which, I would hazard, has never prompted any of the above. Before you brace yourself for …
The Mother/Writer Conundrum: A Guest Post by Nina Wan
Recently I was on a panel at the Berri Writers Festival where the discussion turned on Cyril Connolly’s famous quote, ‘There is no more sombre enemy of good art than the pram in the hall.’ As someone who wrote her …
On Being an Israeli-Australian Writer
A slightly modified version of this post was published in The Jewish Independent
Several years ago, way before October 7 and the ensuing Israel-Hamas war, I was having lunch with colleagues from the writing and publishing universe. We …
Writing About Trauma: A Guest Post by Roz Bellamy
I’m magnetised by sad stories, and collect them the way I imagine a comedian gathers humorous anecdotes. I offer them up like a depressing form of stand-up to loved ones, who aren’t always appreciative.
In my memoir, Mood: A Memoir …
Why Write Autofiction: A Guest Post by Rochelle Siemienowicz
‘You might get some bloke at a writers’ festival who stands up in the audience and asks: “In your “research” (titter, titter) for this book, did you really have two dicks in your mouth?” – but that’s out of everyone’s hands, and you’ll …
The challenges of whipping up a cookbook: A Guest Post by Elana Benjamin
Psychologists say it takes us only one-tenth of a second to form an impression of a stranger. While I couldn’t find any research as to how long it takes to form a first impression of a cookbook, my experience is …