Writing Blog
Second week of the NaNo writing marathon underway
I wouldn’t usually label myself as a Couch Potato, but when it comes to assessing my level of writing commitment during the crazed marathon month of November, I suppose it would be pretty apt. As NaNoers diligently tear through 50,000 words of their first draft of their novels, I’m enthusiastically waving them on. Tucked under…
Read MoreAre you NaNoing?
It’s that time of year again – when all you crazy writing marathoners take up the challenge to write a fifty-thousand word novel in just 30 days as part of the National Novel Writing Month challenge. Then there are the people like me, who stand on the side lines and cheer you on as you…
Read MoreAfter the hiatus
Hiatus – a break or gap. Since I returned from summer holidays, I have not been keeping up my blog. The return to work and kids’ school and daily life kept things more hectic than I anticipated, and then my trusty home laptop died … and I was super slow about replacing it. But I…
Read MoreWriters, stop making excuses …
“A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.” —E. B. White In the always brilliant words of author E.B. White – stop slacking off, and get writing! Not much to add to these perfect words of advice. I am certainly guilty of waiting for…
Read MoreBook review: The Stars are Fire
Author Anita Shreve is a master at penning realistic characters and delving deep into their psyches, and The Stars are Fire is a brilliant illustration of her significant talent in bringing her characters to life. Grace Holland is a young mother of two toddlers in post World War II Maine. Her husband, Gene, has retruned from…
Read MoreThe art of observation
“For me, silence had always been another form of communication. After all, you can tell so much just by looking at a person.” —Herta Müller I love this quote by contemporary Romanian-born German author Herta Müller. And it’s true that writers have to make an art of this, observing people and trying to glean from these…
Read MoreHe says, she says – and when. It’s all in the timing for a writer
“You must know all, then not tell it all, or not tell too much at once.” -Eudora Welty Excellent observation from American short story writer and novelist, Eudora Welty (1909-2001). This sums up the process of writing perfectly. A good novel offers a slow reveal, one of the joys of reading is slowly uncovering the…
Read MoreKnowing your local library
You all know the famous words about libraries from Albert Einstein. And if you don’t, you should: “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” -Albert Einstein When I travel back to New York, I’m always lugging books over with me. Then, of course, having so many English…
Read MoreCatherine McNamara’s reading of The Cartography of Others in Rome
Earlier this week, I went to the Otherwise bookstore in Rome to see Italy-based Australian author Catherine McNamara read from her new short story collection entitled The Cartography of Others. I met Catherine some years ago, and I’ve already blogged about her work. You can see my earlier post about her last collection, Pelt and Other…
Read MoreFor this playwright, the opinions of a select few are what count most
“I would like critics to like my plays because that is what makes plays successful. But a few people I respect are the only ones whose opinions I’ve worried about in the end.” -Lillian Hellman Wise words by American playwright and screenwriter Lillian Hellman (1905-1984). I love that Hellman admits that good reviews are crucial…
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