Writing is easy
Came across this little gem in a literary magazine I am reading:
“Writing is easy. All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.”
Gene Fowler, American journalist and biographer, 1890-1960.
Useful writer’s newsletter
I’ve just finished reading this week’s edition of “Pass It On”. This is a weekly newsletter emailed to subscribers and covers many topics relevant to writers for children. It is packed full of interesting information, hints, tips, publishing needs and current trends. There is also the opportunity to contribute ideas for other authors to read as well as being able to ask questions of other writers, making it a very worthwhile forum. It is well worth the $2 per month subscription.
“Pass It On” is edited and published by Jackie Hosking (click here for details)
My Writing Credentials
No Comments »26th March, 2006; Category: General
I have just updated another page on this site. Previously titled “About Me” this is page is now called “My Writing Credentials”, with details about the types of things I write. I have also summerised my publication credits to date. More details of my publications will be listed soon.
Encouraging News
Writing Course
I am currently doing a writing course that concentrates on writing for children, my chosen area. After 35 years of teaching primary age children I have some insight into the types of stories children enjoy. This course is run by Adelaide author Robyn Opie who has over 60 published titles to her credit.
Mentorship
The writing course includes a series of writing exercises that are submitted to Robyn as my mentor for comment and suggestions for improvements. On Friday I received a reply from her on a manuscript I had sent to her earlier in the week. She said that my picture book manuscript was, with a few little changes, ready for submission to a publisher. Wow! That’s really encouraging.
Other Writing
I have so much writing that needs to be submitted to publishers that I will be busy in the coming months. Then I have many ideas for stories that need a great deal of planning and then hard work getting the stories written. Stay tuned for further news.
Writers’ Week in Adelaide
Eager Readers
Today I attended the last day of this year’s Writers’ Week in Adelaide, South Australia. This is part of the Adelaide Festival of Arts held every second year. Writers from all over Australia and many from overseas gather for a week long series of talks, panel discussions and book launches. Held in the beautiful parklands of the capital city of South Australia, this highly popular event attracts hundreds of authors and thousands of eager readers every day of the week long event. Many line up to buy the featured books in the Bookshop tent, and then line up again to have their new purchases autographed by the visiting authors.
Sonya Hartnett
One of the featured Australian writers at this year’s festival event was Sonya Hartnett. She spoke passionately about her books and the craft of writing, the influences on her writing and read passages from several of her books. She is also adamant – and quite outspoken on the topic – that far too many poorly written books are being published.
Author Highlight and Book Launch
Perhaps the highlight of the day was a book launch by a local author. Mary Gunther, an elderly Adelaide doctor, started her medical career in New Guinea working in a hospital run by the Lutheran Church. During her years there she experienced many difficulties living in a strange land with many frightening aspects, such as spiders i her shower, snakes in her toilet and ants that seemed to be able to eat anything.
Treasure Box
She gave an enthusiastic and graphic account of some of her adventures – and misadventures – and the MC eventually had to interrupt her account to say that her time was up. Since returning to various medical practices in Adelaide she has been asked numerous times to “write a book.” A few years ago her husband rediscovered a box in their shed left by her mother. It contained all of her letters written weekly from New Guinea to her family at home. This became the source material for her book, called “Doctors in Paradise.”