creative writing | creative life
When you run an online biz you have to get comfy with REJECTION. You say, I've created this amazing, creative writing community. People say, Maybe later. You say, I wrote this really cool book. People say, Whatevs. You say, I recorded a podcast. People say, I'd rather listen to Frank Sinatra. You say, I bought a new teapot. People say, Oo, pretty! …
This week in the Duck Pond, on my first live call for 2022, we will be chatting about our word of the year. Choosing a word of the year is like selecting your own little guiding star, a bright point to guide you through the travails of the coming year. Choosing a word makes me …
A few years ago (well into my career as a Children's Author and, um, Creative Writing Guru) I googled the term, How to Write a Picture Book. The results were kind of hilarious. And depressingly useless. Basically, I got articles such as: How to Write A Picture Book: Five Easy Steps or How to Write …
Oh dear reader. I'm tired. So I'm blogging. Why do I always want to blog when I'm tired? It's perverse, right? (Global comment. Expect more typos and grammatical faux pas than usual.) It's raining. Steady, soaking, let's-pretend-it's-winter rain. Somewhere it's a Cup Day. Melbourne? Bendigo? Kyneton? Moscow? Dunno. There are so many cups and so …
Last month in a Scribbles live call, we were discussing structure in storytelling. People often trip when it comes to structure (ahem). We tend to overthink it. We make it way more complex, more intimidating, than it needs to be. Sure, looking at story pyramids and narrative arcs and structural triangles and, erm, Jen Storer …
My Lockdown Letterbox. Or, what to do when there's nothin' to do. Pimp your letterbox!
Never forget how important freedom is to children. As a kidlit author you must consider this every time you write.
How successful authors handle rejection.
Creating great characters in fiction, flourishing in menopause, dealing with imposter syndrome.
Three common mistakes picture book authors make. How to write a picture book.