A publisher cancelled their open call. They only open for unsolicited manuscripts four times a year, and I had all my submission documents ready for their date in May. But two days out, they cancelled that submission date due to a backlog they still had to get through. What enticed me to them is that …
Author etiquette
None of us are perfect. I was part of an interstate literary festival once just after I had a major operation on my arm. A day or so in, it was clear my sling needed a wash. It smelled. But I had to be on panels and run a workshop at this two day event, …
Writing trends come and go
This blog is inspired by a recent conversation with a writer friend. He told me of an editor who believes all works should be third person and past tense. She says first person is an unreliable subjective narrative, while past tense gives the advantage of reflection. Yet Invisible Boys by Holden Sheppard is a critically …
How not to write a novel.
This blog is a reflection on books I've read and events I've attended. And while I know I've made similar mistakes on my writing journey, when I see new writers go down the same path, I hold my tongue as critique can go one of two ways. It can be welcomed by someone keen to …
Book Tours and the Indie author
My first novel, Drama Queens with Love Scenes, was published by a small indie press over a decade ago. Little did I know back then it would be up to me to promote it and I stumbled in the dark to find information on just how to go about it. One thing we all value …
Developing a novel with my Writing Group
I have a date every Thursday evening. My writing group meets do read, dissect, critique and applaud our works in progress. Each member has their own unique strengths which I'm finding really helpful with my work in progress. In the past I have used beta readers and professional assessors. Some have been good, others not …
My writing group
I'm part of a novelist writing group. Every Thursday evening we meet with copies of the next scene from our manuscript. We read it out loud while our fellow writers follow along, making corrections and notes. Then we workshop, and sometimes debate, certain aspects of that chapter. While I'm no spring chicken, three of the …
I’m about to read gay sex scenes to straight older men
I'm part of a cool writers' group. Each week we read and review the next scene of each other's projects. Some feedback is relevant. Some is not. And we all have our quirks when we receive critique. Although I'm not exactly young, three of this group of five men are older than me. And unlike …
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I’m writing Romance
This is new to me. Well, almost. I have written two Romance novellas before (see images below), which were guided by a couple of years of binging Sex and the City. There were mixed reviews, making it clear the Romance purists weren't impressed. But at least those who loved them, really loved them. This time …
Acknowledging your Writing Journey
I don't remember the first time I heard this phrase. But it's the way I viewed my writing life ever since. When I first began this journey over a decade ago, a representative at the Australian Society of Authors told me how many new releases flooded the market that year. The amount was staggering. It …
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