We read because we want to feel what it’s like to be another person and experience another reality. We watch films for the same reason. When a movie or a story is gripping it is because the emotions that we’re seeing on the page or...
Overlooking the town of Laurieton is a mountain called ‘Big Brother’. The day after my workshops there I went to the top and there was a parasailer preparing to jump off. I could never do that. I’m scared of heights and the thought of taking a...
Last week I ran two special workshops in the small coastal town of Laurieton on the mid-north coast of NSW. They were held in the old boat shed of the pilot station at Camden Haven. The doors were wide open and we could hear the sound...
I can’t help myself. I’m already plotting my next two big writing projects even though I’ve hardly recovered from my launch last week of The Pagoda Tree. In this week’s post I’m focusing on non-fiction. So where to start? Spend time thinking about your project … When you’re...
If you have one of those days when you sit down and don’t know what to write, then find an object and write about that. Ideally choose something meaningful. Or quirky. Or precious. This exercise works for non-fiction and fiction. For travel memoir, pick an object that...
There are lots of things that stop us writing. A common one is fear. How much do we hold ourselves back as writers? What are we most afraid of? Here are some common responses: Rejection Condemnation from others Being judged Putting yourself out there Not getting the story right. Last weekend I...
Hello everyone, I’ve been quiet for a while. After working on my novel for two years, I’m excited to announce that it’s nearly ready for publication. The Pagoda Tree will be published on 26th June 2013 by Penguin. As I needed to create space for the...