Sifting through my online lit newsletters, one writer’s anecdote caught my eye. An Australian magazine had invited authors to respond to the prompt: ‘What I Wish I’d Known about Writing’. Shirley Le, whose work I’m not yet familiar with, had a visceral response. When she first announced publicly that she wanted to write, her cousin … Continue reading Princess Diaries
Category: Craft of Writing
To Workshop or Not
Some people like to workshop their stories in formal classes, others do not. I personally hate it, but I do it anyway. Well, I don't hate it, but find it challenging. I’ve just returned from a writing excursion which took me far from my own country and way out of my comfort zone. At night, … Continue reading To Workshop or Not
Reading for Writers or for One Reader
When I first began teaching, my father told me that if I affected the life of just one child then it was worth it. That's what success was to him. He rarely gave advice. I was surprised he even knew what I was doing, so I nodded in agreement. It turned out that I needed … Continue reading Reading for Writers or for One Reader
The Tricks of Memory
Last month my second cousin, Eliza, died unexpectedly. I hadn’t known her well, but I cried at her funeral. My tears were not for her entirely, although she was too young to leave this earth and had lived a full and loving life. Photographs of Eliza, her husband, her children and grandchildren filled the middle … Continue reading The Tricks of Memory
The Synchronicity of Submissions
I’ve sent off quite a few submissions in my time. At least it feels that way. If there was a low strike rate during lockdown, I blame it on the growing number of people with more writing time on their hands, and them doing so. My preference for submitting is to non-fiction magazines whose work … Continue reading The Synchronicity of Submissions
Anzac Day for Writers
Poet and novelist, Ocean Vuong, whose mother was a child of the Vietnam War, has said that all literature is the history of war*. He need not be taken literally, although I tend to do so. More broadly though, we may agree that literature relies on conflict or inner tension for its existence. Sometimes with … Continue reading Anzac Day for Writers
A Tribute to Jennifer Bryce
On 27 April, our friend and colleague Jennifer Bryce from my writing group died peacefully in Melbourne, farewelled by family and friends. Jenny and Barry Lee Thompson co-founded Elwood Writers in 2007. Helen McDonald and I both joined two years later. I have written previously, both on my blog and for the online US newsletter … Continue reading A Tribute to Jennifer Bryce
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Writer*
Loneliness may be in vogue these days. In a rare interview given recently, actor Brad Pitt admitted to feeling lonely - ever since childhood it seems. If this is so, I wondered, what hope is there for the rest of us? The loneliness of the writer, though, has its own unique qualities; its benefits and … Continue reading The Loneliness of the Long Distance Writer*
What is a Favourite Story – of Yours?
The first of mine that comes to mind is ‘The Turf Club’. I had heard the story of my father drinking at a local pub since I was a girl But I wasn’t present at the event, so I had to rely on my imagination to structure it. I wrote it at Borgo San Fedele … Continue reading What is a Favourite Story – of Yours?
The Intimacy of Memoir
Author Lee Kofman says: ‘Memoirists write directly about what matters to them, whereas fiction writers may sublimate their experiences and passions.’ The first half is certainly true: memoirists are concerned with what matters to them. Whole books are devoted to the second part of Lee's hypothesis. But let’s look at memoir for a moment. Lately … Continue reading The Intimacy of Memoir
WRITINGS AND MUSINGS OF MARGARET MCCAFFREY 