Every writer likes to have a go at answering this (often personal) question at some point in their blogging career, and I suppose I’m no different. What brewing concoction of feelings and emotions do you experience when you put that marvellous brain to paper? And why on Earth do you keep writing, day after day, with no end in sight? I was recently catching up on Louise … Continue reading Why do you write?
You may remember I blogged about ‘The Cool Kids’ back in March of this year, which went on to spawn a terribly endearing group called the ‘Outcast’s Bloghouse’ created by my fellow Aussie writer, Jessica Bakkers, and of which I am a proud member. I could not help sharing this list with you again, especially as I’ve found a whole new collection of writing and author … Continue reading The Cool Kids of WordPress #2
Yes, of course I poached Chuck Wendig’s brilliance from his article of the exact same name. But, to my credit, I did change my title slightly to reflect my amazing originality. In a similar fashion to Wendig (God I am a poacher today), when I first came across the term ‘hybrid author’ I pictured something a little less than normal. For me, it was a science fiction writer with wings, … Continue reading What the hell is a ‘hybrid author’?
And yes I’m going to call it fan mail, because I’m gonna turn them trolls on their heads, and that’s alright with me. OK, I wouldn’t necessarily call them trolls, but people who have nothing better to do in their lives but waste 10 minutes typing a poorly worded message (and for heavens sake it’s ‘their’ not there’) that only ever ends up in the … Continue reading On getting fan mail from trolls
You’re watching your friend closely as surprise flirts across their features, the expression sinking into their eyes and the lines around their mouth. ‘You’re writing a book? Far out, I had no idea you were even a writer!’ You smile tentatively back, feeling naked under their blazing gaze. ‘Well you see… I’ve always been a writer, I’ve just never told anyone before. I mean, some … Continue reading Are you a ‘writer in the closet’?
The whole ‘Are Writers Born or Made’ debate is still very much alive, and I thought I’d have a go at unwrapping this onion from the perspective of a writer who believes they are very much not “naturally talented” at writing. I’m not saying this to be humble or self-depreciating – I really wasn’t very proficient at writing when I was little. I remember quite vividly … Continue reading Are writers born or made?
For years now I’ve been almost exclusively writing YA fantasy in all its various forms – paranormal, dystopian, urban, speculative, and even a bit of science fiction (but that was a mistake, a very big mistake) – all revolving around a central, incredibly clichéd angsty romance. But for the last few months I’ve been writing a contemporary novel on the other end of the spectrum, something so dark … Continue reading The nine stages of writing a psychological thriller
How many times have you plugged the question: ‘What are the odds of getting published?’ into google? Me – an innumerable amount. There is nothing more mesmeric than seeing that ‘magic’ number of new authors who manage to score a publishing deal or literary agent in any given year. And nothing gives more of a thrill of excitement than reading the Writer’s Digest ‘How I got My … Continue reading What are the odds of getting published?
It is a woeful tale, known the world over by every budding author out there who has ever experienced the pain of rejection, yet still retains some semblance of hope. There are thousands, if not millions of us out there who have already tasted that soul-destroying sting, yet still hunt down literary agents regardless, with a rosary bead in one hand, and a crucifix in … Continue reading Finding a literary agent in Australia
I’ve been collecting a list of WP bloggers with an insane amount of followers who focus primarily on writing. No doubt you’ve come across most, if not all of these writerly scholars who meander about WordPress, affecting us with their Hollywood connections, best seller success, dreamy wordiness or their delicately composed poems that touch on the otherworldly. The curiosity of cats dictates that we want … Continue reading The Cool Kids of WordPress
