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The Writing Life

Information, inspiration and insights into the writing life

Write to the heart of your reader

Portrait of Kate Cuthbert

Great writing touches us, stirs something deep within and lingers. For this connection to take place, there needs to be a strong sense of emotional resonance for your reader. We chatted with Kate Cuthbert ahead of her Winter School workshop next week, Building Emotional Resonance. There are still some places available so book in and learn how to give your writing an injection of emotional spark that will reach right out of your pages and grab your reader by their hearts.

Writing the body, authentically

The body is the vessel through which we experience life. Through the body, we experience ourselves, our environment and other human beings. Our perception can be skewed by reflections, messages and stories in literature, the media and culture about what a ‘normal’ body is - stories that are often censored, biased and exclusive. We chatted to Quinn Eades ahead of his Winter School workshop, The Body, Writing, about his inspiration and passion for telling and portraying honest, authentic, raw and diverse...

2018 GMW Write-ability Fellows Announced

For six years Write-ability, in partnership with the Grace Marion Wilson Trust, has supported writers with disability through the Write-ability Fellowship program, giving five writers the opportunity to receive one-on-one support for their writing project through tailored professional development such as manuscript assessments, mentoring and curated programs of craft workshops. 

How to keep your book alive. Reluctantly.

I’ll begin with a disclaimer. I’ve always experienced considerable tension between my writer-self and my book-promoting self. However you approach the task, when you promote your books you inevitably take residence in the kingdom of niceness, where the drive to please prevails. I smile more when I promote my books. I seek agreement more. I often try to present as the kind of person whose company, and by inference whose book, will please you. Sometimes, if say I suggest myself for a public event, I even talk myself up a little.

Monday Mornings

It’s 8.45 on a Monday morning, and I’m in the car stopped at traffic lights. All around me people are on their way to work - walking, riding, driving. I notice a feeling creeping up on me, a sadness, like I’m missing something. The light turns green and I turn right, pulling into the carpark of the rehabilitation unit. I put my disability permit on the dashboard and get my walker from the back of the car. Slowly I make my way inside to reception. As I wait, my feeling of longing grows. Then it occurs to me: I miss Monday mornings and the start of the working week. 

Words from the Surf Coast Arts Trail

Emily Bitto seated

Writers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate in the second annual Words from the Surf Coast Arts Trail project, with a program of events featuring a workshop with award-winning writer Emily Bitto and a reading event curated by local award-winning authors Favel Parrett, Jock Serong and Mark Smith.

On the many ways of writing about loss

Eliza Henry Jones sitting in front of a window, smiling

Author and tutor Eliza Henry-Jones believes that writing about loss and grief can help us find meaning in overwhelming circumstances. Ahead of her upcoming workshop, we caught up with Eliza to find out what motivates writers to explore this difficult, yet necessary, terrain.

What children want to read

Sally Rippin headshot

Sally Rippin is a prolific author, with the highly popular Billie B Brown series and several novels to her name. In celebration of her upcoming workshop, we're re-publishing some of the insights she shared with Sharona Lin about children’s writing.

Drown in the idea

A portrait of Anna Krien

Literary journalism is fast finding its feet in the online era, with audiences hungry for nuanced, beautifully crafted non-fiction. Ahead of her workshop, Writing Long-Form Journalism, we talked to Anna Krien about her creative process, the importance of deep research and how to give new life to over-exposed subjects.

On memoir

Photo of Jo Case

Editor and ‘Boomer and Me’ author Jo Case shared her thoughts on the memoir genre with Writers Victoria.