We've all done it. Experienced buyer's remorse, that is. That pair of '70s bell bottoms you thought you looked so good in, but rarely fitted into. The gifts you've stored for years for which you've never found a suitable recipient. A life - maybe - you've bought into, but since wondered about. What about when … Continue reading Buy Now, Regret Later – a literary contest
Tag: Fiction
Reading for Radio
At Elwood Writers we are preparing our stories for Cover to Cover, a literary program broadcast on Vision Australia Radio. On this occasion Helen, Barry and I are choosing a selection of our pieces, including past favourites. 'The Writers' Choice', as we've named it, has no set theme, although one does inevitably emerge. A hint: … Continue reading Reading for Radio
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 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
Elwood Writers on the Radio
Elwood Writers ‘Adelaide’ stories will re-air in late December on Vision Australia Radio (VAR). While not definite, we believe they will feature on Thursday 29 December. VAR's Cover to Cover.(CTC) program is showcasing its 'best of ...' from Boxing Day 2022 until 6 January 2023. Elwood Writers feature-program has something for everybody: poetry, sci-fi, dream-fiction … Continue reading Elwood Writers on the Radio
The Writing Group
As you might know, my writing group Elwood Writers is an active and committed cohort of four. Member, Barry Lee Thompson, recently wrote about the group on The Writing Life, a blog hosted by Lee Kofman, author of fiction and non-fiction books. She is a superlative teacher - among her other talents - to both … Continue reading The Writing Group
Slow Writing
Wiradjuri writer, Tara June Winch, gave this advice to entrants for Australia's SBS Emerging Writers' Competition in which she is a judge:"When you read your story aloud, when you edit and read it again and again, your work becomes the fire pit reflected in your eyes.' To read more about the competition, View here. The … Continue reading Slow Writing
The Inciting Incident
What is the inciting incident that sparks a memoir? This question might apply to fiction writers too. It is any turning point in a life. For memoirists, teacher Kaylie Jones says, it's the moment 'the rock came through the window’; the day one's life went ‘careening out of control’. The inciting incident is a great … Continue reading The Inciting Incident
Reading for Writers
Before I began writing myself, I read novels primarily for the story. In fact, I revelled in the tale. Even after dissecting themes for my studies in ‘great’ literature, I still craved a good story. Later, while studying creative writing, I heard another student declare that she only reads these days to see how the … Continue reading Reading for Writers
The Interface between Memoir and Fiction
At the launch of Every Second Tuesday, author Lee Kofman observed that certain of the Elwood Writers stories in the anthology exhibited a ‘fascinating’ interface between memoir and fiction. This reflects, I believe, a growing field of writers who are mixing the two genres. Blending them, however, can be a challenge. Debate rages about where … Continue reading The Interface between Memoir and Fiction
WRITINGS AND MUSINGS OF MARGARET MCCAFFREY 