I've just come back from a mini writers' retreat at Varuna the Writers' House in the Blue Mountains. This time I was staying in the actual studio where Australian writer, Eleanor Dark, wrote her books (you can see a photo with her and one of her manuscripts...
The holiday season has begun and it's time to choose a Christmas present for the writer in your life or even for yourself! Check out the following suggestions: 1. Yoga or Gym Membership. It’s not only the mind that needs to stretch – but also the...
On this historic day in Zimbabwe, as President Mugabe resigns after 37 long (and often tyrannical) years, it seems fitting to announce that ‘A Baboon in the Bedroom’ is now available for sale via Amazon. In my mum's book, she describes their journey through Zimbabwe and...
I’ve been in London for the past two weeks. In this newsletter I’m reporting back from the rather grand-sounding Youpreneur Summit where I spent two intense days with 347 entrepreneurs from all industries. I heard about the conference when listening to The Creative Penn podcast with...
First off, no-one likes a bad review. It makes us feel sensitive and vulnerable about our writing. Just remember all writers have had their fair share of bad reviews but what you do next separates the successful from the unsuccessful. Consider the following: It’s very...
I promised I’d write about all aspects of the creative process and these past weeks I’ve been dealing with a rush of insecurities about my writing. I think we’ve all been there. Those days when self-doubt and overwhelm take over. When you’re afraid about rejection or negative...
On 09 November, I'm doing a Book Discussion about Lost Artistry, Lost Humanity and a Collision of Cultures in 18th Century India with author and renowned journalist Mick Brown at the Nehru Centre in London from 6.30 - 7.30pm. The event is FREE admission so please RSVP by sending me an email at claire@wordstruck.com.au so I can get an idea of...
I'll be having a live Twitter Q&A on 01 November at 7 pm UK time (02 November 6am AEST) with The Reading Agency @readingagency & Unbound @unbounders. You can ask me @clairescobie anything about the book and I'll live tweet back! Go on… would love to hear from you....
Answer: I wish this was straight forward but it’s not. The most important thing about indie publishing is to think about the overall strategy for your book promotion. This should focus on understanding your audience and getting people to find your book. The more specific...
Last week my mum gave her first talk at the Thame Arts and Literature Festival in the UK. People laughed at her jokes, asked interesting questions and she sold 10 copies of her memoir A Baboon in the Bedroom. At 79 years old she’s finding...