Sometimes, weird shit happens when you write books and stories. Actually. Scrub that. Replace sometimes with all the time. When we write stories we tap into our subconscious. But, I believe we also tap into the collective unconscious. In my opinion, the collective unconscious informs and fuels the imagination. I see the imagination as a …
Part Three. My Year in Review: Work and biz, the flops and the favourites
Here's Part Three of the trilogy, my love! Talk about a saga. Let's start with This Writing Life. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly! The Good Truly Tan: Baffled! (that's book seven) came out in October (in paperback and in audio). The series continues to delight old fans and gather new recruits. This year …
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Three problems I see with backstory
Remember that song by The Waterboys? The Whole of the Moon. 'You know how it feels to get too high, too far, too soon... Whatevs I'm dickin' around. Here are three backstory problems as I see them: 1 Too much backstory Are you trying to tell your reader too much, too soon? Are your opening scenes …
The winning stories in our Scribbles Creative Writing Awards. A rundown on each!
What a finale! The judging in the Scribbles Creative Writing Awards is over and our beautiful certificates are winging their way to our winners and highly commended. Other prizes are also being dished out! Sheesh. We don't just give you a certificate and send you on your way! That is so NOT the Scribbly way! …
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Four ways to eat your writing
If your writing was a breakfast cereal, what would it be? No, seriously! Stick with me here! If you likened your writing (or your story) to a breakfast cereal, you might have some astonishing insights. You might even discover a fun and effective way to self-edit or rewrite. Step back from your work and try …
Why do we care so much about shortlists?
Someone recently asked, what’s the big deal about a shortlist? What’s the big deal? A shortlist groups together the best! It acknowledges the most accomplished of a long and always healthy collection of entries. It’s also how we make competitions like the Scribbles Creative Writing Awards, manageable — both for the judges and for the competitors. Imagine if we only …
Creative Writing Awards and a fantastic FLASH sale! (Plus Elsie’s ongoing makeover.)
Okay. So. I'm writing this while someone drills the outside walls of the studio. Not sure what they're doing. It's like there's a giant dentist outside trying to break in. A painting just fell off the wall, knocked a cup of tea flying and tipped over a Peace Lily. Aside from that, it's business as …
Scribbles Is On Sale. This Week Only!
This ducky is stuffed. She won't create nothin' this winter. But this doesn't have to be you! If you've been thinking of joining Scribbles, now's the time, pop tart! Starting today, Sunday June 10, we're having a super duper, once only, Scribbles Winter Warm-up Sale. Save big bucks, make new friends AND put some sparkle …
Creators! Are you feeling fragile? This might help
Melbourne, Australia. May 2018 Weather? Yeah, right. Big weekend for the children's book industry. Kid Lit Vic. Scribbles Masterclass. Book launches (Jess Racklyeft, Lucinda Gifford). I cooked roast lamb. Himself cooked parsnip soup. As I said, BIG. Following the ruckus, there have been heaps of posts and comments and ruminations flying around the Duck …
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Cottage news, awards and competitions (for you), film news and a studio that requires imagination
Blog time. Go, Jen, go. K. The hunt is over! We bought a cottage in the country! OMG! This Easter we got ten substandard Easter Eggs and a 1930s cottage with two big trees, a wasp nest and a headless statue. Exhibit A: We move in winter. Lots of time to declutter — the house, …