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Oliver Phisher
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Sam Bowring
Sam Bowring is a stand-up comedian and author living in Sydney, Australia. As well as the acclaimed Broken Well Trilogy and the Strange Threads Duology, he has also written children's books, plays, and for a number of television shows.
He writes for children, with titles such as THE LITTLE BAD WOLF and SAM THE CAT.
Sam Bowring has been writing and performing stand-up comedy since he was 16 and since then has been on ABC 702 with Richard Glover, and on Triple J, including a regular spot on the breakfast show with Wil Anderson and Adam Spencer in 2004. In 2006 Sam was nominated for Best Emerging Comic at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, and for Best Newcomer at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Sam's television writing includes The Big Bite (Channel 7), Ronnie Johns Half Hour (Channel 10), The Mansion (Comedy Channel) and Rove Live (Channel 10). He has also written several plays.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
My dad read me the Hobbit when I was small, which imbued me with a love of the fantastical that has lasted ever since. After that we went through an awful lot of Pratchett.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
Hmm, tricky one. I am greatly enjoying a game called Pistol Whip on my VR headset, it cost something like $30. It gets me stretching and leaping about shooting bad guys to music, getting an aerobic workout that is actually fun. I feel less tightly wound when I sit back down for countless hours at the desk. Does the increasing popularity of VR mean we going to see a generation of accidentally ultra-fit nerds?
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
I’ll let you know when I experience the success bit.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
Absolutely not. Okay fine, I have one that I made up myself, does that count? ‘As long as the books get written’. It basically means that, no matter what else is going on in life, I must always remember to write.
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
An ergonomic chair. For a person who sits all day, this is a must!
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
Don’t start each session re-reading what you already wrote. You are chipping away at a chunk of marble, it’s not going to look like David right away, so don’t dispirit yourself by examining his misshapen head the day after you begin, and thinking ‘this isn’t exactly what I wanted it to look like’. It is easier to work with an entire imperfect object than to try and carve the perfect finger first and then everything else around it. Finish your book, then spend as much time polishing as you need. You don’t have to show it to anyone until you’re ready! But if you never finish, then all you’ll wind up with is a drawer full of fingers. This metaphor is getting confusing.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
I immediately lose interest when people start recommending proscribed structures and writing rules, i.e. the Hero’s Journey, three acts, ‘Save the Cat’ and all of that. By all means understand these things, but also, meh.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
Freelance work. It’s tempting to always say yes, because ‘make hay while the sun shines’, right? But if the sun shines too bright for too long, all of sudden you’re not writing anything of your own, but instead rephrasing ‘the stakes could not be higher’ a dozen different ways for an episode for some dumb reality talent show.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
I heard about a guy who would go into bookstores and sneakily place glowing ‘staff review’ signs under his books. When he was found out, he got banned, although his books did not. I would not recommend this tactic.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
These interview questions have a very positive spin to them, and that’s not really my vibe.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
I clear the decks of immediate natty tasks as quickly as possible, so there aren’t noises come at me from a dozen directions.
Any other tips?
When you start thinking of them as ‘bed rags’, it’s time to buy new pajamas.
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
source https://www.thecommunitywriter.com/blog/sam-bowring
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Sam Bowring
Sam Bowring is a stand-up comedian and author living in Sydney, Australia. As well as the acclaimed Broken Well Trilogy and the Strange Threads Duology, he has also written children's books, plays, and for a number of television shows.
He writes for children, with titles such as THE LITTLE BAD WOLF and SAM THE CAT.
Sam Bowring has been writing and performing stand-up comedy since he was 16 and since then has been on ABC 702 with Richard Glover, and on Triple J, including a regular spot on the breakfast show with Wil Anderson and Adam Spencer in 2004. In 2006 Sam was nominated for Best Emerging Comic at the Adelaide Fringe Festival, and for Best Newcomer at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Sam's television writing includes The Big Bite (Channel 7), Ronnie Johns Half Hour (Channel 10), The Mansion (Comedy Channel) and Rove Live (Channel 10). He has also written several plays.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
My dad read me the Hobbit when I was small, which imbued me with a love of the fantastical that has lasted ever since. After that we went through an awful lot of Pratchett.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
Hmm, tricky one. I am greatly enjoying a game called Pistol Whip on my VR headset, it cost something like $30. It gets me stretching and leaping about shooting bad guys to music, getting an aerobic workout that is actually fun. I feel less tightly wound when I sit back down for countless hours at the desk. Does the increasing popularity of VR mean we going to see a generation of accidentally ultra-fit nerds?
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
I’ll let you know when I experience the success bit.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
Absolutely not. Okay fine, I have one that I made up myself, does that count? ‘As long as the books get written’. It basically means that, no matter what else is going on in life, I must always remember to write.
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
An ergonomic chair. For a person who sits all day, this is a must!
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
Don’t start each session re-reading what you already wrote. You are chipping away at a chunk of marble, it’s not going to look like David right away, so don’t dispirit yourself by examining his misshapen head the day after you begin, and thinking ‘this isn’t exactly what I wanted it to look like’. It is easier to work with an entire imperfect object than to try and carve the perfect finger first and then everything else around it. Finish your book, then spend as much time polishing as you need. You don’t have to show it to anyone until you’re ready! But if you never finish, then all you’ll wind up with is a drawer full of fingers. This metaphor is getting confusing.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
I immediately lose interest when people start recommending proscribed structures and writing rules, i.e. the Hero’s Journey, three acts, ‘Save the Cat’ and all of that. By all means understand these things, but also, meh.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
Freelance work. It’s tempting to always say yes, because ‘make hay while the sun shines’, right? But if the sun shines too bright for too long, all of sudden you’re not writing anything of your own, but instead rephrasing ‘the stakes could not be higher’ a dozen different ways for an episode for some dumb reality talent show.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
I heard about a guy who would go into bookstores and sneakily place glowing ‘staff review’ signs under his books. When he was found out, he got banned, although his books did not. I would not recommend this tactic.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
These interview questions have a very positive spin to them, and that’s not really my vibe.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
I clear the decks of immediate natty tasks as quickly as possible, so there aren’t noises come at me from a dozen directions.
Any other tips?
When you start thinking of them as ‘bed rags’, it’s time to buy new pajamas.
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
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Shannon Horsfall
Shannon Horsfall is an author and illustrator based in Australia but living in fairyland.
Her head is a mess of stories, pictures and the occasional cake recipe.
She loves to draw, doodle, dream, design, imagine, write, dance, sing (badly), scribble, splatter & cook.
Although she is not young, she is very much a child. (Or immature, depending on how you look at it.)
She has published a number of picture books including Was Not Me, published by HarperCollins in July 2016, and shortlisted for Speech Pathology Australia's Book of the Year, Nomax, published by HarperCollins in June 2017 - a CBCA Notable Book for 2017 and illustrated Dear Santa, published by Scholastic in 2018, and another, My Unicorn Farts Glitter by Hachette published in July 2019. Her adult fiction short story Doomed was published in the University of the Sunshine Coast anthology Unravel in 2018 and she illustrated Issue 259 of WQ Magazine for Writers Queensland in 2017-2018. In 2020, Shannon published the poem Blight(y) and flash fiction Go Fish in the University of Sunshine Coast anthologies First You Get Hurt and Here Be Monsters.
Her awards also include BAD and AGDA awards for both her graphic design work and illustrations.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King. I never realised you could write in this way, with so many layers and ambiguities.
Life after Life by Kate Atkinson. The premise of this story is incredible.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. No explanation needed.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
Any one of the books I buy regularly. Books are an escape, a way of understanding, a crow-bar into changing hard held opinions.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
Failure is a way to improve. It forces me to take another look, question what I thought was true, find an alternative that may be confronting, but will result in something better, more imaginative, something that expands my mind.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
'You only die once, you live every day.’ - not sure who said that. And by Mark Twain: ‘Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to.'
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
After I had two picture books published, I commenced a Creative Writing/English Literature double major degree at university. It is the best decision I have ever made. I am now undertaking my Honours degree and writing a Middle Grade fiction as part of it.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
I adore children’s books. I really, truly do. They can challenge me even more than adult fiction at times. And I love that.
I have an unusual habit, in these modern times, of handwriting all my narratives. I cannot face a blank page on a computer screen.
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
Endeavouring to write every single day. Although this does not always happen. I spend an inordinate amount of time staring out the window.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
Write every day. Don’t edit as you go (advice I should listen to myself). And write your own unique voice - it is easy to fall into the trap of emulating writers you admire. Trust in your own talent and ability.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
There are many people and organisations that want to make money off aspiring authors. They will prey on your passion and desire to be published. Make sure you research anyone recommended to you in this regard.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
I am better at thinking I need to find time to keep everyone happy. Since going back to university full time I have had to time-manage myself down to the millisecond (or so it seems, at times).
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
Avoid being shy about what you do. You do, unfortunately (because I know creatives often find it difficult) need to shout about your successes and talents.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
That I am actually pretty good at what I do. My writing, when I trust in my own self, surprises me with just how good it can be. University has helped me see that. Achieving my goals, though? Ironically, university has also meant I have very little time to write to my publishing goals.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
Sometimes I need to step away from what I am working on. If I feel it is going nowhere, or I have lost my way, or I am drowning in creative self-loathing, I put it away and come back to it later.
Any other tips?
If a manuscript isn’t working, don’t try to force it. And sometimes, if a manuscript isn’t working, try writing it from a different perspective - change the narrator’s point of view.
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
source https://www.thecommunitywriter.com/blog/shannon-horsfall
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Text
Shannon Horsfall
Shannon Horsfall is an author and illustrator based in Australia but living in fairyland.
Her head is a mess of stories, pictures and the occasional cake recipe.
She loves to draw, doodle, dream, design, imagine, write, dance, sing (badly), scribble, splatter & cook.
Although she is not young, she is very much a child. (Or immature, depending on how you look at it.)
She has published a number of picture books including Was Not Me, published by HarperCollins in July 2016, and shortlisted for Speech Pathology Australia's Book of the Year, Nomax, published by HarperCollins in June 2017 - a CBCA Notable Book for 2017 and illustrated Dear Santa, published by Scholastic in 2018, and another, My Unicorn Farts Glitter by Hachette published in July 2019. Her adult fiction short story Doomed was published in the University of the Sunshine Coast anthology Unravel in 2018 and she illustrated Issue 259 of WQ Magazine for Writers Queensland in 2017-2018. In 2020, Shannon published the poem Blight(y) and flash fiction Go Fish in the University of Sunshine Coast anthologies First You Get Hurt and Here Be Monsters.
Her awards also include BAD and AGDA awards for both her graphic design work and illustrations.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King. I never realised you could write in this way, with so many layers and ambiguities.
Life after Life by Kate Atkinson. The premise of this story is incredible.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. No explanation needed.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
Any one of the books I buy regularly. Books are an escape, a way of understanding, a crow-bar into changing hard held opinions.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
Failure is a way to improve. It forces me to take another look, question what I thought was true, find an alternative that may be confronting, but will result in something better, more imaginative, something that expands my mind.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
'You only die once, you live every day.’ - not sure who said that. And by Mark Twain: ‘Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to.'
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
After I had two picture books published, I commenced a Creative Writing/English Literature double major degree at university. It is the best decision I have ever made. I am now undertaking my Honours degree and writing a Middle Grade fiction as part of it.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
I adore children’s books. I really, truly do. They can challenge me even more than adult fiction at times. And I love that.
I have an unusual habit, in these modern times, of handwriting all my narratives. I cannot face a blank page on a computer screen.
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
Endeavouring to write every single day. Although this does not always happen. I spend an inordinate amount of time staring out the window.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
Write every day. Don’t edit as you go (advice I should listen to myself). And write your own unique voice - it is easy to fall into the trap of emulating writers you admire. Trust in your own talent and ability.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
There are many people and organisations that want to make money off aspiring authors. They will prey on your passion and desire to be published. Make sure you research anyone recommended to you in this regard.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
I am better at thinking I need to find time to keep everyone happy. Since going back to university full time I have had to time-manage myself down to the millisecond (or so it seems, at times).
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
Avoid being shy about what you do. You do, unfortunately (because I know creatives often find it difficult) need to shout about your successes and talents.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
That I am actually pretty good at what I do. My writing, when I trust in my own self, surprises me with just how good it can be. University has helped me see that. Achieving my goals, though? Ironically, university has also meant I have very little time to write to my publishing goals.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
Sometimes I need to step away from what I am working on. If I feel it is going nowhere, or I have lost my way, or I am drowning in creative self-loathing, I put it away and come back to it later.
Any other tips?
If a manuscript isn’t working, don’t try to force it. And sometimes, if a manuscript isn’t working, try writing it from a different perspective - change the narrator’s point of view.
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
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Text
Christopher Currie
Christopher Currie is a writer and bookseller from Brisbane, whose fiction has appeared in anthologies and journals internationally. His first book, a novel for adults called The Ottoman Motel, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize and the Queensland Literary Awards in 2012. Clancy of the Undertow is his first novel for young adults.
Clancy of the Undertow By Christopher Currie Buy on Amazon
He has proven himself to be one of the brightest young novelists in Australia, his writing having been short listed for The Commonwealth Book Prize, Pacific Region and The Queensland Literary Awards.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More By Roald Dahl
1) The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More by Roald Dahl - This was the book that made me think I want to be a writer. Like so many other books, I read them when I was likely too young, but I was floored by the way Dahl switched tone, time and humour, and I suddenly saw what was possible when you wrote.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
I bought a two metre long phone charger to put by my bed, which is something everyone should do.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
I've been very fortunate throughout my writing career, and part of this I think was a decision very early on to tell myself that writing is a long term thing, and that it will very likely not be my sole source of income, and to be realistic about it being anything other than a hobby which brings me joy (all of which turned out 100% true!).
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
My favourite quote is something of an attribution turducken: a paraphrasing of Theodor Adorno embedding a quote attributed to Samuel Beckett
Art is a desecration of silence, wishing it were possible to restore that silence.
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
Join your local library!
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
I love the eternal argument that the book is "dead", as if it hasn't already lived thousands of lives and will live thousands more.
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
It's taken a decline in my creative output, starting a family and facing my own impending midlife to realise that you should find your happiness where you can and don't beat yourself up for not "achieving". Every day you're alive is pretty great.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
Be nice to other people. Practice daily. Enjoy yourself.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
Anyone who professes to know the "secret" to writing is not a writer. Read and talk and listen but what you write and how you write is up to you. I said it before, but just write as much as you can. Don't do it for validation (even though we all do, I suppose), do it because you enjoy it.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
It's a cliche, I guess, but having kids has really given me perspective on what is and isn't important. When this tiny person appears in your universe and you suddenly realise you would give up your life for them in an instant, much else seems irrelevant.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
I suppose be authentic to who you are. Many authors are really great at promoting themselves over multiple platforms, but your heart has to be in it. Unfortunately as an author you're going to have to do a lot of public speaking, so practice up!
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
I've probably covered a lot of this, but I've found my goals changing as my life has. And that's okay!
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
I've recently started a notebook dedicated to daily lists, which has helped me immeasurably in my work life. I'm the type of person who can instantly forget things, so having a list to check off really helps.
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
source https://www.thecommunitywriter.com/blog/christopher-currie
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Text
Christopher Currie
Christopher Currie is a writer and bookseller from Brisbane, whose fiction has appeared in anthologies and journals internationally. His first book, a novel for adults called The Ottoman Motel, was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize and the Queensland Literary Awards in 2012. Clancy of the Undertow is his first novel for young adults.
He has proven himself to be one of the brightest young novelists in Australia, his writing having been short listed for The Commonwealth Book Prize, Pacific Region and The Queensland Literary Awards.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
1) The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More by Roald Dahl - This was the book that made me think I want to be a writer. Like so many other books, I read them when I was likely too young, but I was floored by the way Dahl switched tone, time and humour, and I suddenly saw what was possible when you wrote.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
I bought a two metre long phone charger to put by my bed, which is something everyone should do.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
I've been very fortunate throughout my writing career, and part of this I think was a decision very early on to tell myself that writing is a long term thing, and that it will very likely not be my sole source of income, and to be realistic about it being anything other than a hobby which brings me joy (all of which turned out 100% true!).
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
My favourite quote is something of an attribution turducken: a paraphrasing of Theodor Adorno embedding a quote attributed to Samuel Beckett
Art is a desecration of silence, wishing it were possible to restore that silence.
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
Join your local library!
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
I love the eternal argument that the book is "dead", as if it hasn't already lived thousands of lives and will live thousands more.
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
It's taken a decline in my creative output, starting a family and facing my own impending midlife to realise that you should find your happiness where you can and don't beat yourself up for not "achieving". Every day you're alive is pretty great.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
Be nice to other people. Practice daily. Enjoy yourself.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
Anyone who professes to know the "secret" to writing is not a writer. Read and talk and listen but what you write and how you write is up to you. I said it before, but just write as much as you can. Don't do it for validation (even though we all do, I suppose), do it because you enjoy it.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
It's a cliche, I guess, but having kids has really given me perspective on what is and isn't important. When this tiny person appears in your universe and you suddenly realise you would give up your life for them in an instant, much else seems irrelevant.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
I suppose be authentic to who you are. Many authors are really great at promoting themselves over multiple platforms, but your heart has to be in it. Unfortunately as an author you're going to have to do a lot of public speaking, so practice up!
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
I've probably covered a lot of this, but I've found my goals changing as my life has. And that's okay!
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
I've recently started a notebook dedicated to daily lists, which has helped me immeasurably in my work life. I'm the type of person who can instantly forget things, so having a list to check off really helps.
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
0 notes
Text
Graeme Simsion
Graeme C. Simsion is an Australian author, screenwriter, playwright and data modeller. Prior to becoming an author, Simsion was an information systems consultant, co-authoring the book Data Modelling Essentials, and worked in wine distribution.
Graeme Simsion is the internationally bestselling author of The Rosie Project, The Rosie Effect and The Best of Adam Sharp. He also co-authored Two Steps Forward with Anne Buist.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
I’ve long forgotten the name and author of a book about career planning I read more than forty years ago when I was at university. The author spent all but one chapter describing in painstaking detail how to build and execute a career plan, and how to stay on track in the face of setbacks and changes. The last chapter was written by someone else: an alternative approach, based on opportunism. ‘Winging it,’ he called It and it was the first time I’d heard the expression: have broad goals, but be prepared to change the plan as opportunities arise; be willing to take on something for which you’re unprepared and learn as you go; invest in new skills as they’re needed. It was a revelation—and the philosophy has defined my professional life.
I was running a thriving consultancy business when I read film critic Joe Queenan’s The Unkindest Cut, his often hilarious account of his attempt to make an ultra low budget movie. I was hooked, and followed in his footsteps, dragging my partner and friends with me, undeterred by my utter lack of experience in any facet of filmmaking. The movie was forgettable (and best forgotten) but the screenwriting seed was planted. Within a year I had sold my business, and went on to enrol in a screenwriting course while I supported myself with freelance consulting work. That was the beginning of my transition from consultant and business owner to full-time writer.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
The answer’s always going to be a book; I’ll try to look beyond that. So…a backup battery for my phone. I’ve hardly ever used it, but it’s eliminated low-battery anxiety.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
I spent five years studying screenwriting and—throughout that time—working on a screenplay for a romantic comedy. It won a prize but the step to production for an unknown screenwriter with an original script was just not going to happen. I should have realised that from the start: most mainstream movies are adaptations of novels—generally bestselling novels. The studios let the publishers and public sort out the winners before they invest.
So I re-wrote The Rosie Project screenplay as a novel. At first it was a means to get the screenplay noticed, but I quickly became immersed in the novel as a work in itself (which was surely necessary if it was going to be successful). And now I’m a novelist first and only an occasional screenwriter.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
Pay it forward. It’s the social contract, a basic principle to live by. In the context of writing, I’ve had a great deal of luck, and I do what I can to help others who are trying to break in. So teaching, talks, mentorship, endorsement, contributing to blogs... I encourage those who might benefit from such help to do the same for others in turn. I have a book on novel writing underway—I doubt it’ll make me money, but hope it’ll be helpful to at least some aspiring authors.
You never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it. – Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. In other words, practise empathy. I taught consulting skills for many years, and if consultants could do this with their clients, most of their problems would disappear. In writing, you need to be able to do it for all of your characters—if you can’t answer the character’s question ‘What’s my motivation?’ with something deeper than a stereotype (‘he’s just a boss’) or a label (‘she’s a histrionic’) he or she has no substance. That said, when I’m writing, I don’t explicitly think about my readers!
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
I bought my first computer in 1984, and since then I’ve always typed; I can barely hand-write. You write differently when you use a word processor—and, unlike some of my generation, I’m well used to it. And I learned to touch-type—an undervalued skill.
Right now, I’m beginning a 10-day hike, and my i-Pad (with keyboard) will repay the weight it adds to my backpack: writing tool, research tool, communication tool (plus all the non-writing-related functions). For writers seeking the lightest computing solution, at present what I’m using seems to be it.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
I still buy CDs and have a pretty big collection of them. I’ve got a bit of vinyl too, and that’s probably even more absurd but more fashionable. Plus the high-end turntable. I suspect it’s about being able to afford things that I couldn’t when I was younger. Our kids find my consumerism pretty distasteful, but they’re reacting against growing up with it, whereas I grew up having to save for that 7-inch single of Hey Jude…
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
A year ago, my partner bought me an Apple Watch (I’m sounding like a shill for Apple here, with the iPad and all). I set the ‘move’ goal (calories / kilojoules burned each day) to the highest setting and aim to hit it every day. I feel better; I’ve lost weight; I’ve been motivated to get back to the gym. I’m sure it won’t work for everyone, but so far it’s worked for me.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
Get published. As you’re starting out, write a few short stories. Get them into competitions, submit for magazines, anthologies, whatever. Agents will be less quick to dismiss you if someone has rated your work. And it’ll improve your writing. That final look at the manuscript before it goes in the envelope frequently prompts another improvement.
Join a class and / or writing group. I’m a supporter of creative writing classes: there’s a body of knowledge relevant to writing and you should know it. Why should writing be different from every other trade or profession in this regard? Plus, you need feedback—and to get used to dealing with it. Critiquing others’ writing will improve your understanding of what works and what doesn’t. And the group or class will help you keep to deadlines and connect with the industry.
Plan. OK, some writers write by the seat of their pants, but if it’s not working for you, plan. If it is working for you, meaning that you’re finishing novels, not just getting a great 30,000 words down, keep doing what you’re doing. Otherwise, do what just about every other profession does and introduce an element of top-down development i.e. plan.
Draft like it doesn’t matter. Don’t get it right, get it done. If you’ve a plan to follow, it’ll make sense, it just may not be pretty. But you’ll have a massive sense of progress and of satisfaction in getting it done. You can then come back and apply your creativity to the sentence level.
Rewrite. You should know that, but in the euphoria that accompanies the completion of a first draft, it’s easy to forget and to start sharing your work of genius. Don’t. Let it sit. Rewrite. Repeat until satisfied. I always go over what I’ve written the previous day before starting on the fresh work of the day. I can always improve it.
The best way for most of us to deal with rejection is to have more irons in the fire—another publisher to send to; another short story in competition; the new novel we’re working on.
Ignore, or take with a big grain of salt, advice on writing from anyone who isn’t a successful writer (defining ‘successful’ in the way that you yourself define success).
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
Write every day. I don’t. But I work on my novel or other work-in-progress almost every day. That work may be writing, but it could be research, planning, editing, thinking about the opening sentence, solving a plot problem, reflecting on the writing process. And yes, promotion. If you’re down to participate in a public debate in the evening, don’t expect to get a lot of writing done during the day. If you want to write every day, do it, but it’s not for everyone.
Build your presence on social media (see below). I mean, sure, if you want to, but it’s got nothing to do with being a good or successful writer.
Read this book – or movie or TV series that’s in the same space as what you’re writing. You’ll be intimidated (you’re comparing a final product with a first draft), feel you’re not original and become paranoid about stealing ideas. I’ve never watched The Big Bang Theory – any overlap between Sheldon Cooper and Don Tillman is entirely coincidental.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
I’ve become slightly better at saying no to requests for endorsements. I’ve had to. I feel a responsibility to read new books (especially by debut authors) but it’s easy to become overwhelmed. If I don’t write myself, a blurb from me won’t have much cred anyway!
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
‘Buy my book’ messages on social media. In fact, with a few exceptions, using social media as a marketing tool at all. I’m an old data guy, and I’m here to tell you that Twitter doesn’t sell books. Your time will be much better spent writing a better book. In fact most ‘marketing’ effort on the part of authors would be better devoted to writing. Even book tours (especially in the US which is massively over-serviced by touring authors) generally have little impact.
Broadcast media is a different thing. If you get a chance to be on radio or TV, drop the computer and grab the microphone with both hands.
I know I’m out on a limb here, but I challenge any marketing people reading this to show me figures to disprove it.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
It’s human, and often helpful, to be unsatisfied, to want to stretch further. We dream of being published, but when it happens we want to be a bestseller. Then we’re not happy until we’re number one on the NYT bestseller list. And then, what about the Pulitzer? Yes, this sort of thinking will drive us onwards, but it can also drive us nuts. When I was offered a publishing contract, I reminded myself that I had achieved my goal. Anything more was gravy. There’s been a lot of gravy, and as The Rosie Project sat at no. 2 on the NYT bestseller list, I was dreaming of that ‘No 1 NYT bestseller’ blaze on the cover. It didn’t happen (The Goldfinch kept me out) and I was disappointed, but only for about ten minutes. How lucky was I? So I’ve learned to enjoy the roller coaster ride (notably with movie adaptations) and not to pin too much on external achievements.
And, perhaps paradoxically, being sanguine about success has helped me achieve it; by not dwelling on failures, but moving forward with what I want to do.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
I don’t often feel overwhelmed. I spent a long time running a business, and you learn how to deal with overload: in my case, make a list and (in order) dump; delegate; defer; do.
And focus…hold on. I’m probably one of the more goal-driven, businesslike, organised writers around, but I’m hesitant to apply the rather American motivational model to what I do—and especially to recommend it to others. I lose my focus, I do something else. That’s a little glib, but I’m not driven by writing goals; I’m driven by a desire to write. There’s a huge difference.
That said, and being practical, I frequently find I have to force myself to sit down to the day’s writing (editing and planning are not so hard for me) but I’m soon into it. It gets easier the more you do it and have the feedback of it working. And ‘do something else’ can mean research or that blog that someone’s asked you to contribute to. It’s not an excuse for going to the pub.
Any other tips?
My most important advice to aspiring writers is that it’s a profession. Approach it as you would any other profession in terms of the amount of learning you’ll need to do and how long it will take to become expert. If you’ve worked in another profession, there’s your benchmark; if not, look to that friend who wants to be a neurosurgeon. There are more jobs for neurosurgeons than novelists. But if you have a modicum of ability and put in that level of work, you have a very good chance of success.
________
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David Stavanger
David Stavanger is an Australian poet, performer, cultural producer, editor and lapsed psychologist. His first full-length poetry collection The Special (UQP, 2014) was awarded the Arts Queensland Thomas Shapcott Poetry Prize and the Wesley Michel Wright Poetry Prize. David co-directed Queensland Poetry Festival (2015-2017) and is a Senior Project Manager at Red Room Poetry.
The Special (UQP Poetry Series) By David Stavanger Buy on Amazon
He is the co-editor of Australian Poetry Journal 8.2 Spoken, Rabbit 27 Tense and SOLID AIR: Collected Australian & New Zealand Spoken Word (UQP, 2019.) His new collection is Case Notes (UWAP, 2020). David is also sometimes known as Green Room-nominated spoken weird artist Ghostboy. These days he lives between the stage and the page.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
The Picture of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
It: A Novel By Stephen King
IT by Stephen King
The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry Thunder's Mouth Press
The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry Edited by Alan Kaufman, S.A. Griffin
Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings: Poems By Joy Harjo
Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings by Joy Harjo
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
25 Almond Croissants. A Soda Stream. Actually, an $89 white panama hat I bought in Fitzroy last October.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
Having my new book Case Notes rejected by my previous publisher. It made me push the work out into wider stranger places then tighten it back in, and reinforced the need to publish my work with people who are willing to back the work I'm called to make.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
“If you feel safe in the area you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.” David Bowie
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
Buying poetry books. Lots of poetry books, across the form. And decolonising my bookshelf, buying more First Nation writers.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
I like armpits.
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
To try and not pursue a victim narrative (on the page, in life.) Lived mental heath experiences and services tend to reinforce that idea. So does much of white culture. Realising there are far more important stories than mine that need to be heard, and trying to do the best i can to help elevate them (still got a long way to go with both.)
And - that swimming in the ocean all year round is the best thing for the body, mind and soul.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
They don't need advice from me. And, ignore that advice.
The only advice I ever really absorbed was from my mentor Emily XYZ who told me we all have to be a servant to our art form - in some way, at some stage. Give back to the art you claim to love.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
Spoken word doesn't work on the page.
You have to do a Creative Writing degree to write.
You should be focused on your legacy as an artist.
Once your published everything will change for the better.
Fiction editors know how to edit poetry.
Awards and reviews matter.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
Full-time work. Underpaid work. Work that doesn't bring me or others some form of joy or insight.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
Doing online interviews for writers blogs.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
Actively seeking out key mentors in other writers - not just within my main medium - whose work I respect and who I know will extend and challenge my practice. I'm very lucky with this new book Case Notes to have worked with poet/playwright Jennifer Compton and author Laura Jean McKay because they care enough about what I'm trying to do to ask so much more from it when I'd decided 'that will do'.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
Take beta blockers. Swim in the ocean. Masturbate. Hide.
Any other tips?
Connect with other artists who walk the edge but don't fall off it. Beware the view from the middle.
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
source https://www.thecommunitywriter.com/blog/david-stavanger-1
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David Stavanger
David Stavanger is an Australian poet, performer, cultural producer, editor and lapsed psychologist. His first full-length poetry collection The Special (UQP, 2014) was awarded the Arts Queensland Thomas Shapcott Poetry Prize and the Wesley Michel Wright Poetry Prize. David co-directed Queensland Poetry Festival (2015-2017) and is a Senior Project Manager at Red Room Poetry.
He is the co-editor of Australian Poetry Journal 8.2 Spoken, Rabbit 27 Tense and SOLID AIR: Collected Australian & New Zealand Spoken Word (UQP, 2019.) His new collection is Case Notes (UWAP, 2020). David is also sometimes known as Green Room-nominated spoken weird artist Ghostboy. These days he lives between the stage and the page.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
IT by Stephen King
The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry Edited by Alan Kaufman, S.A. Griffin
Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings by Joy Harjo
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
25 Almond Croissants. A Soda Stream. Actually, an $89 white panama hat I bought in Fitzroy last October.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
Having my new book Case Notes rejected by my previous publisher. It made me push the work out into wider stranger places then tighten it back in, and reinforced the need to publish my work with people who are willing to back the work I'm called to make.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
“If you feel safe in the area you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth. And when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.” David Bowie
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
Buying poetry books. Lots of poetry books, across the form. And decolonising my bookshelf, buying more First Nation writers.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
I like armpits.
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
To try and not pursue a victim narrative (on the page, in life.) Lived mental heath experiences and services tend to reinforce that idea. So does much of white culture. Realising there are far more important stories than mine that need to be heard, and trying to do the best i can to help elevate them (still got a long way to go with both.)
And - that swimming in the ocean all year round is the best thing for the body, mind and soul.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
They don't need advice from me. And, ignore that advice.
The only advice I ever really absorbed was from my mentor Emily XYZ who told me we all have to be a servant to our art form - in some way, at some stage. Give back to the art you claim to love.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
Spoken word doesn't work on the page.
You have to do a Creative Writing degree to write.
You should be focused on your legacy as an artist.
Once your published everything will change for the better.
Fiction editors know how to edit poetry.
Awards and reviews matter.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
Full-time work. Underpaid work. Work that doesn't bring me or others some form of joy or insight.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
Doing online interviews for writers blogs.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
Actively seeking out key mentors in other writers - not just within my main medium - whose work I respect and who I know will extend and challenge my practice. I'm very lucky with this new book Case Notes to have worked with poet/playwright Jennifer Compton and author Laura Jean McKay because they care enough about what I'm trying to do to ask so much more from it when I'd decided 'that will do'.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
Take beta blockers. Swim in the ocean. Masturbate. Hide.
Any other tips?
Connect with other artists who walk the edge but don't fall off it. Beware the view from the middle.
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
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Aleesah Darlison
Aleesah Darlison is a multi-published Australian children's author. She writes picture books and novels, both in the contemporary fiction and fantasy genres. She also works as a book reviewer for The Sun Herald. She is the author of Our Class Tiger which made the Wilderness Society 2015 children¿s book award shortlist in the category of Nonfiction.
Quinn's Riddles (Unicorn Riders Book 1) By Aleesah Darlison Buy on Amazon
Aleesah's picture books include Bearly There, Puggle's Problem (NSW PRC) and Warambi (2012 CBCA Notable Book Eve Pownall Award, 2012 Wilderness Society Award for Children's Literature - Shortlist). Her chapter books include Fangs and Little Good Wolf. Her novels and popular series are I Dare You, Unicorn Riders and Totally Twins.
Aleesah has won numerous awards for her writing including an ASA mentorship. Aleesah's short stories have appeared in the black dog books Short and Scary Anthology, Chicken Soup for the Soul, The School Magazine and Little Ears Magazine. She is a founding director of Literature Live! an organisation delivering literary content to schools through video conferencing technology.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia) By C. S. Lewis
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Wuthering Heights (Penguin Classics) By Emily Brontë, Pauline Nestor
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
The Mortymer Trilogy By Alexander Cordell
The Mortymer Trilogy by Alexander Cordell
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
I signed up for a 30 day home workout challenge through Betty Rocker. The challenge was free, but I paid for Betty’s meal plan AND converted to a plant based diet.
Without sounding like a weight loss advertisement, focusing on getting fit and healthy has had THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT on my life. My husband has joined in too so we do the exercises together.
As an author, I sit at my desk A LOT, and I travel A LOT so I’m often sitting to drive or fly. Moving more and taking care of my health has been the best thing I’ve done for myself in a long, long while.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
Failure and rejection as an author (on so many manuscripts!) has given me a thick skin to make me more resilient and better able to cope with the writing life’s ups and downs.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
I’ve had this quote beside my desk for at least ten years, funny how it mentions failure…
If you have made mistakes … there is always another chance for you … you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.
Mary Pickford (1893 – 1979), American actress
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
Workshops and courses through Writing NSW. Invaluable workshops that set me on the path to publication. Several were run by Di Bates. Learning from established, experienced authors set you up for life.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
Salt and vinegar chips. Salt and vinegar with oranges and lemons. Salt and vinegar with most things, really1
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
Yoga and the exercise I’ve been doing lately. A little ‘me’ time and fitness to feel good about yourself go a long way.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
Know the rules of the author game, but make sure you play your own game when it comes to writing. Don’t worry about what everyone else is out there doing – you’ll be eaten alive by self-doubt and worry otherwise. After all, it’s a competitive market. Just write the best story you can then submit to publishers only when the story is ready. And advice to ignore? That being an author will make you mega-rich like JK. Those successes are incredibly rare, so be happy with your success.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
Probably the worst is: Don’t read other books in your genre because it will adversely affect your writing. This is so not true! Reading can only ever engage and enlighten the mind.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
Nothing! I’m terrible at saying no.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
Shamelessly and clumsily talking about their books ALL THE TIME. Sometimes listening is a better marketing tool than forcing yourself (or your book) on someone.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
Using Skype or Zoom and other online platforms to communicate with and teach other authors in the various writing workshops and mentorships that I run. It’s been a huge time saving advice but still allows for a one-to-one personal interaction.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
Take the dog for a walk. Vacuum. Play with my kids. Read a book. All of the above if necessary!
Any other tips?
Write what you know, write what you love. Find happiness in your writing, even if you’re not aiming for publication, because writing is one of the greatest joys we humans have … and it’s all literally right at our fingertips!
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
source https://www.thecommunitywriter.com/blog/aleesah-darlison
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Aleesah Darlison
Aleesah Darlison is a multi-published Australian children's author. She writes picture books and novels, both in the contemporary fiction and fantasy genres. She also works as a book reviewer for The Sun Herald. She is the author of Our Class Tiger which made the Wilderness Society 2015 children¿s book award shortlist in the category of Nonfiction.
Aleesah's picture books include Bearly There, Puggle's Problem (NSW PRC) and Warambi (2012 CBCA Notable Book Eve Pownall Award, 2012 Wilderness Society Award for Children's Literature - Shortlist). Her chapter books include Fangs and Little Good Wolf. Her novels and popular series are I Dare You, Unicorn Riders and Totally Twins.
Aleesah has won numerous awards for her writing including an ASA mentorship. Aleesah's short stories have appeared in the black dog books Short and Scary Anthology, Chicken Soup for the Soul, The School Magazine and Little Ears Magazine. She is a founding director of Literature Live! an organisation delivering literary content to schools through video conferencing technology.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
The Mortymer Trilogy by Alexander Cordell
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
I signed up for a 30 day home workout challenge through Betty Rocker. The challenge was free, but I paid for Betty’s meal plan AND converted to a plant based diet.
Without sounding like a weight loss advertisement, focusing on getting fit and healthy has had THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT on my life. My husband has joined in too so we do the exercises together.
As an author, I sit at my desk A LOT, and I travel A LOT so I’m often sitting to drive or fly. Moving more and taking care of my health has been the best thing I’ve done for myself in a long, long while.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
Failure and rejection as an author (on so many manuscripts!) has given me a thick skin to make me more resilient and better able to cope with the writing life’s ups and downs.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
I’ve had this quote beside my desk for at least ten years, funny how it mentions failure…
If you have made mistakes … there is always another chance for you … you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.
Mary Pickford (1893 – 1979), American actress
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
Workshops and courses through Writing NSW. Invaluable workshops that set me on the path to publication. Several were run by Di Bates. Learning from established, experienced authors set you up for life.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
Salt and vinegar chips. Salt and vinegar with oranges and lemons. Salt and vinegar with most things, really1
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
Yoga and the exercise I’ve been doing lately. A little ‘me’ time and fitness to feel good about yourself go a long way.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
Know the rules of the author game, but make sure you play your own game when it comes to writing. Don’t worry about what everyone else is out there doing – you’ll be eaten alive by self-doubt and worry otherwise. After all, it’s a competitive market. Just write the best story you can then submit to publishers only when the story is ready. And advice to ignore? That being an author will make you mega-rich like JK. Those successes are incredibly rare, so be happy with your success.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
Probably the worst is: Don’t read other books in your genre because it will adversely affect your writing. This is so not true! Reading can only ever engage and enlighten the mind.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
Nothing! I’m terrible at saying no.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
Shamelessly and clumsily talking about their books ALL THE TIME. Sometimes listening is a better marketing tool than forcing yourself (or your book) on someone.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
Using Skype or Zoom and other online platforms to communicate with and teach other authors in the various writing workshops and mentorships that I run. It’s been a huge time saving advice but still allows for a one-to-one personal interaction.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
Take the dog for a walk. Vacuum. Play with my kids. Read a book. All of the above if necessary!
Any other tips?
Write what you know, write what you love. Find happiness in your writing, even if you’re not aiming for publication, because writing is one of the greatest joys we humans have … and it’s all literally right at our fingertips!
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
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Donna Maree Hanson
Donna Maree Hanson is a traditionally and independently published author of fantasy, science fiction and horror. She also writes paranormal romance under the pseudonym of Dani Kristoff. Her dark fantasy series (which some reviewers have called ‘grim dark’), Dragon Wine, was published by Momentum Books (Pan Macmillan digital imprint). Book 1: Shatterwing and Book 2: Skywatcher are out now in digital and print on demand. In April 2015, she was awarded the A. Bertram Chandler Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Australian Science Fiction’ for her work in running science fiction conventions, publishing and broader SF community contribution. Donna also writes young adult science fiction, with Rayessa and the Space Pirates and Rae and Essa’s Space Adventures were published by Escape Publishing.
Ruby Heart: Cry Havoc Book 1 By Donna Maree Hanson Buy on Amazon
In 2016, Donna commenced her PhD candidature researching Feminism in Popular Romance at the University of Canberra. Her first Indie published book, Argenterra, was published in late April 2016. Argenterra is the first in an epic fantasy series (the Silverlands) suitable for adult and young adult readers. This series is now complete. In 2018, Donna published Ruby Heart, the first book in the Cry Havoc series, which is steampunk fantasy, with Gothic horror and romance. Donna lives in Canberra with her partner and fellow writer Matthew Farrer.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
The Last Dark (Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant) By Stephen R. Donaldson
Stephen Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant books were my first real foray into fantasy. I hadn’t read Tolkein at the time so that was it. I was transported and I find that and the Mordant’s Need duology are a great influence on me.
The Ancient Future: The Dark Age (Ancient Future Trilogy Book 1) By Traci Harding
Later, I discovered Sara Douglass and Traci Harding and realized that Australians could write fantasy too and since then I’ve been writing. I was older of course.
Caliban's War (The Expanse Book 2) By James S. A. Corey
More recently the books of the Expanse series by James S A Corey have blown me away and created a new love of science fiction. They are so beautifully written.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
We have had lots of bushfire smoke in Canberra where I live. I bought this foam stuff for sealing the doors. It had been on my ‘meaning to list’ for years and in the end it was cheap and easy. Under $11 for the two doors. Now we don’t have as much smoke leaking inside or wind for that matter.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
For over thirteen years I was trying to get traditionally published. I kept persevering even with rejections. Eventually, I did get published and it was a great feeling. But that’s only a first step and success isn’t guaranteed. I think those early years helped me now and I really understood that I loved writing and that was why I was doing it. Now I mostly indie publish and I understand that a book can be good and not be a best seller and I can be proud of what I write even if I’m not raking in lots of money.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
I made one up for myself in my early years. When life kicks you down, you get up and kick it right back.
I’ve lived by that as much as possible. It’s kept me going through tough times.
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
This had to be Vellum for formatting ebook and print books. It had saved me so much time and RSI aches. It’s so easy to do. Life changing.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
I like watching reruns of Star Trek. Previous boyfriends thought that strange. My partner totally gets it that’s one of the reasons we get on so well.
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
I think it is the understanding about the publishing industry. Rejection from an agent or publisher does not mean your work sucks. It might do when you are starting out, but after ten years writing, it shouldn’t. I’ve had books get to acquisitions and not get published because there are decisions about market and so on that don’t reflect on your work. I figured if they were good enough to go to acquisitions then they were good enough to publish. So this belief made my life so much more livable. With Indie publishing, I don’t have that end of year dismals of ‘you failed to publish a book’ again.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
Keep going. Persevere. Don’t give up. Research your market and write and write.
Also, don’t let people tell you, you aren’t a writer because you don’t write everyday. Don’t let others define you at all.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
I’ve not heard too much bad advice. Don’t get conned. Be smart with your money. If you are going to get traditionally published the money comes to you. If someone wants to publish you and asks for money that’s a con. You can do it yourself and have all the profits and all the control.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
No. Not all all. When I first started writing, I was so keen it was like finding religion. I lost a relationship and my family were angry. I’ve tried to balance life more. I used to do a lot of writing related stuff, you know, running SF conventions etc but then I realised I needed to keep time for writing and make writing my focus.
I find committing to projects the best way for me to focus. Like a month on a schedule with goals rather than just a blanket you must write everyday. I have more periods of where I don’t want to write and I make deals with myself. Just half an hour I say but once I’m there at my desk, I keep writing. I think you need space so you can create.
I think you have to work out a routine that works. Writing everyday was great. Now I write when I can and I really commit to projects. This month is writing this book. I set goals and I have also had coaches who check up on me. I get breaks to do other things, like craft or be with family or travel.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
Advertising to your author friends. They aren’t your audience so friending them on Facebook and then asking them to like your author page is annoying. Don’t be annoying.
Also being a dick on Twitter. Don’t be a dick. Think about your brand.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
I’ve being undertaking a PhD in creative writing. One big lesson, research can help fuel your writing. Also, you get better the more your write and the more fiction and non-fiction you expose yourself to. I think I am writing better now but we will have to see when I finish this damn PhD.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
Read, walk, binge watch something on Netflix. And if that doesn’t work I talk to my partner who is also a writer and that generally helps no end.
If I am having trouble focussing and that’s usually because I have another idea in my head, I’ll jot down notes for the new idea and then keep going with my project.
Any other tips?
Work out when it is the best time for you to write. Are you a morning person or a night person? What do you like most about writing and what do you like least? Concentrate on liking the bits you like least. Me, it’s revision. First draft a fun. Revision is work.
Get feedback on your work, it can give you better ideas and make a better story.
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
source https://www.thecommunitywriter.com/blog/donna-maree-hanson
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Donna Maree Hanson
Donna Maree Hanson is a traditionally and independently published author of fantasy, science fiction and horror. She also writes paranormal romance under the pseudonym of Dani Kristoff. Her dark fantasy series (which some reviewers have called ‘grim dark’), Dragon Wine, was published by Momentum Books (Pan Macmillan digital imprint). Book 1: Shatterwing and Book 2: Skywatcher are out now in digital and print on demand. In April 2015, she was awarded the A. Bertram Chandler Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Australian Science Fiction’ for her work in running science fiction conventions, publishing and broader SF community contribution. Donna also writes young adult science fiction, with Rayessa and the Space Pirates and Rae and Essa’s Space Adventures were published by Escape Publishing.
In 2016, Donna commenced her PhD candidature researching Feminism in Popular Romance at the University of Canberra. Her first Indie published book, Argenterra, was published in late April 2016. Argenterra is the first in an epic fantasy series (the Silverlands) suitable for adult and young adult readers. This series is now complete. In 2018, Donna published Ruby Heart, the first book in the Cry Havoc series, which is steampunk fantasy, with Gothic horror and romance. Donna lives in Canberra with her partner and fellow writer Matthew Farrer.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
Stephen Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant books were my first real foray into fantasy. I hadn’t read Tolkein at the time so that was it. I was transported and I find that and the Mordant’s Need duology are a great influence on me.
Later, I discovered Sara Douglass and Traci Harding and realized that Australians could write fantasy too and since then I’ve been writing. I was older of course.
More recently the books of the Expanse series by James S A Corey have blown me away and created a new love of science fiction. They are so beautifully written.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
We have had lots of bushfire smoke in Canberra where I live. I bought this foam stuff for sealing the doors. It had been on my ‘meaning to list’ for years and in the end it was cheap and easy. Under $11 for the two doors. Now we don’t have as much smoke leaking inside or wind for that matter.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
For over thirteen years I was trying to get traditionally published. I kept persevering even with rejections. Eventually, I did get published and it was a great feeling. But that’s only a first step and success isn’t guaranteed. I think those early years helped me now and I really understood that I loved writing and that was why I was doing it. Now I mostly indie publish and I understand that a book can be good and not be a best seller and I can be proud of what I write even if I’m not raking in lots of money.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
I made one up for myself in my early years. When life kicks you down, you get up and kick it right back.
I’ve lived by that as much as possible. It’s kept me going through tough times.
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
This had to be Vellum for formatting ebook and print books. It had saved me so much time and RSI aches. It’s so easy to do. Life changing.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
I like watching reruns of Star Trek. Previous boyfriends thought that strange. My partner totally gets it that’s one of the reasons we get on so well.
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
I think it is the understanding about the publishing industry. Rejection from an agent or publisher does not mean your work sucks. It might do when you are starting out, but after ten years writing, it shouldn’t. I’ve had books get to acquisitions and not get published because there are decisions about market and so on that don’t reflect on your work. I figured if they were good enough to go to acquisitions then they were good enough to publish. So this belief made my life so much more livable. With Indie publishing, I don’t have that end of year dismals of ‘you failed to publish a book’ again.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
Keep going. Persevere. Don’t give up. Research your market and write and write.
Also, don’t let people tell you, you aren’t a writer because you don’t write everyday. Don’t let others define you at all.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
I’ve not heard too much bad advice. Don’t get conned. Be smart with your money. If you are going to get traditionally published the money comes to you. If someone wants to publish you and asks for money that’s a con. You can do it yourself and have all the profits and all the control.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
No. Not all all. When I first started writing, I was so keen it was like finding religion. I lost a relationship and my family were angry. I’ve tried to balance life more. I used to do a lot of writing related stuff, you know, running SF conventions etc but then I realised I needed to keep time for writing and make writing my focus.
I find committing to projects the best way for me to focus. Like a month on a schedule with goals rather than just a blanket you must write everyday. I have more periods of where I don’t want to write and I make deals with myself. Just half an hour I say but once I’m there at my desk, I keep writing. I think you need space so you can create.
I think you have to work out a routine that works. Writing everyday was great. Now I write when I can and I really commit to projects. This month is writing this book. I set goals and I have also had coaches who check up on me. I get breaks to do other things, like craft or be with family or travel.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
Advertising to your author friends. They aren’t your audience so friending them on Facebook and then asking them to like your author page is annoying. Don’t be annoying.
Also being a dick on Twitter. Don’t be a dick. Think about your brand.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
I’ve being undertaking a PhD in creative writing. One big lesson, research can help fuel your writing. Also, you get better the more your write and the more fiction and non-fiction you expose yourself to. I think I am writing better now but we will have to see when I finish this damn PhD.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
Read, walk, binge watch something on Netflix. And if that doesn’t work I talk to my partner who is also a writer and that generally helps no end.
If I am having trouble focussing and that’s usually because I have another idea in my head, I’ll jot down notes for the new idea and then keep going with my project.
Any other tips?
Work out when it is the best time for you to write. Are you a morning person or a night person? What do you like most about writing and what do you like least? Concentrate on liking the bits you like least. Me, it’s revision. First draft a fun. Revision is work.
Get feedback on your work, it can give you better ideas and make a better story.
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
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Emma Viskic
Emma Viskic’s critically acclaimed Caleb Zelic series has been published worldwide and won numerous awards. RESURRECTION BAY won the 2016 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction and an unprecedented three Davitt Awards. It was shortlisted for the UK’s prestigious Gold Dagger and New Blood Awards, and was iBooks Australia’s Crime Novel of the Year.
Darkness for Light (A Caleb Zelic thriller) By Emma Viskic Buy on Amazon
AND FIRE CAME DOWN won the 2018 Davitt Award for Best Novel and was long listed for the Dublin International Literary Award. DARKNESS FOR LIGHT is out now. Emma is currently working on the fourth novel in the series.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee
To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. Mocking Bird is a master class in how to combine character, social issues and story. Plus, I identified heavily with Scout as a child, and longed to be as gutsy as her.
Red Dragon (Hannibal Lecter Series) By Thomas Harris
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. I’m not a fan of the psychotic killer trope, but Thomas Harris manages to paint a picture of tortured mind that is at once insightful, repellent and – dare I say it? – sympathetic.
The Golden Gate By Vikram Seth
The Golden Gate, by Vikram Seth. I was lucky enough to be given this novel in verse in my early twenties and fell in love with its delightful rhythms, wit and sorrow.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
After putting it off for months I recently got my bike serviced. It’s a small thing, but I’d stopped riding to my studio because the gears weren’t working. Apart from the obvious health benefits, riding really clears my head and helps the ideas flow.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
I wrote two full-length manuscripts before my debut novel, Resurrection Bay. Some people are appalled that I ‘wasted’ that much time, but I learned more from writing them than anything else I’ve done.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
Embarrassingly enough ‘Just Do It’ springs to mind.
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
I don’t need much in terms of equipment or space. (I wrote Resurrection Bay on a Dell notebook computer without Word or spellcheck) I do, however, read a lot of books. In the past I’ve mainly borrowed them from the library. I still use the library a lot, but I buy a lot more of them now.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
It’s not unusual for a writer, but I love spending time alone with my thoughts.
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
Netflix! I’ve got a puritan work-ethic, and never used to watch daytime TV, but last year I took to bribing myself with bad renovation shows and they kept me going through a difficult patch of writing.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
First drafts are always terrible; the beauty comes in the rewriting.
If anything purports to be a writing ‘rule’ ignore it.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
The instruction to ‘write what you know’ is one of the worst. It leaves no room for imagination, empathy or exploration. I like to flip the idea and think ‘know what you write’. That is, talk to people, listen, read, research, and be empathetic. And, most importantly, if you’re writing from a cultural identity outside your own, do the work.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
I’m slowly learning to say no to extra work. I also keep the all-important morning hours free to write whenever possible.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
Avoid spending your own money. Also, social media isn’t a great tool for selling books. It can be a great way of connecting with readers and writers, but any sales that come out of it are a bonus.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
My first career was as a classical musician and I think that helped set me up for life as a writer. I write like I used to practise – writing and rewriting over and over again until the piece is as good as I can make it.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
Step away from the computer and get some exercise, watch Netflix, or sob quietly into my whisky.
Any other tips?
Try not to compare your journey with other people’s.
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
source https://www.thecommunitywriter.com/blog/emma-viskic
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Text
Emma Viskic
Emma Viskic’s critically acclaimed Caleb Zelic series has been published worldwide and won numerous awards. RESURRECTION BAY won the 2016 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction and an unprecedented three Davitt Awards. It was shortlisted for the UK’s prestigious Gold Dagger and New Blood Awards, and was iBooks Australia’s Crime Novel of the Year.
AND FIRE CAME DOWN won the 2018 Davitt Award for Best Novel and was long listed for the Dublin International Literary Award. DARKNESS FOR LIGHT is out now. Emma is currently working on the fourth novel in the series.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. Mocking Bird is a master class in how to combine character, social issues and story. Plus, I identified heavily with Scout as a child, and longed to be as gutsy as her.
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. I’m not a fan of the psychotic killer trope, but Thomas Harris manages to paint a picture of tortured mind that is at once insightful, repellent and – dare I say it? – sympathetic.
The Golden Gate, by Vikram Seth. I was lucky enough to be given this novel in verse in my early twenties and fell in love with its delightful rhythms, wit and sorrow.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
After putting it off for months I recently got my bike serviced. It’s a small thing, but I’d stopped riding to my studio because the gears weren’t working. Apart from the obvious health benefits, riding really clears my head and helps the ideas flow.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
I wrote two full-length manuscripts before my debut novel, Resurrection Bay. Some people are appalled that I ‘wasted’ that much time, but I learned more from writing them than anything else I’ve done.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
Embarrassingly enough ‘Just Do It’ springs to mind.
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
I don’t need much in terms of equipment or space. (I wrote Resurrection Bay on a Dell notebook computer without Word or spellcheck) I do, however, read a lot of books. In the past I’ve mainly borrowed them from the library. I still use the library a lot, but I buy a lot more of them now.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
It’s not unusual for a writer, but I love spending time alone with my thoughts.
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
Netflix! I’ve got a puritan work-ethic, and never used to watch daytime TV, but last year I took to bribing myself with bad renovation shows and they kept me going through a difficult patch of writing.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
First drafts are always terrible; the beauty comes in the rewriting.
If anything purports to be a writing ‘rule’ ignore it.
What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession often?
The instruction to ‘write what you know’ is one of the worst. It leaves no room for imagination, empathy or exploration. I like to flip the idea and think ‘know what you write’. That is, talk to people, listen, read, research, and be empathetic. And, most importantly, if you’re writing from a cultural identity outside your own, do the work.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
I’m slowly learning to say no to extra work. I also keep the all-important morning hours free to write whenever possible.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
Avoid spending your own money. Also, social media isn’t a great tool for selling books. It can be a great way of connecting with readers and writers, but any sales that come out of it are a bonus.
What new realizations and/or approaches have helped you achieve your goals?
My first career was as a classical musician and I think that helped set me up for life as a writer. I write like I used to practise – writing and rewriting over and over again until the piece is as good as I can make it.
When you feel overwhelmed or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
Step away from the computer and get some exercise, watch Netflix, or sob quietly into my whisky.
Any other tips?
Try not to compare your journey with other people’s.
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
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Text
Will Kostakis
Will Kostakis is a writer of all things, from celebrity news stories that score cease and desist letters, to tweets for professional wrestlers. That said, he’s best known for his award-winning YA novels. His first novel, Loathing Lola, was released when he was just nineteen. His second, The First Third, won the 2014 Gold Inky Award. It was also shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year and Australian Prime Minister’s Literary awards, among others. The Sidekicks was his third novel for young adults, and his American debut. It went on the win the IBBY Australia Ena Noel Award.
The First Third By Will Kostakis Buy on Amazon
As a high school student, Will won Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year for a collection of short stories. He has since contributed to numerous anthologies, including Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
The Whole Business with Kiffo & the Pitbull By Barry Jonsberg
The Whole Business With Kiffo And The Pitbull by Barry Jonsberg. I read this when I was in high school. The voice was so authentic I thought an Australian teenager was talking directly to me. I knew that if I was going to be a YA author, I wanted to write a book like it.
Notes from the Teenage Underground By Simmone Howell
Notes From The Teenage Underground by Simmone Howell. After first meeting my publisher, I was given a stack of books to read. This was one of them. From the first page, I knew I was going to be a life-long fan of Simmone's writing. She gets straight to the point, and her prose is so sharp it cuts to the truth of everything.
Witches Abroad (Discworld) By Terry Pratchett
Any Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett featuring the witches. I've read Pratchett since I was 12, and he is the benchmark. If I become half the writer he was, then I'll be content with a life well spent.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
A subscription to Audible (which might add up to more than $100 over 6 months, but if I ignore my credit card statement, it doesn't). The time I used to waste listening to political podcasts is now spent immersing myself in worlds that inspire me to create.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
My first book underwhelmed commercially, and after it disappeared from store shelves within months, I set out on the road with a box of books to connect with prospective readers myself. It was a baptism by fire, but I came out the end of it with so many skills that still help me to this day.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
Julia Cameron's concept of "filling the well" (via YA author Dhonielle Clayton) is something that I've come to live by recently as I try to write more often:Art is an image-using system. In order to create, we draw from our inner well. This inner well, an artistic reservoir, is ideally like a well-stocked trout pond. We've got big fish, little fish, fat fish, skinny fish-- an abundance of artistic fish to fry. As artists, we must realize that we have to maintain this artistic ecosystem.If we don't give some attention to upkeep, our well is apt to become depleted, stagnant, or blocked. Any extended period of piece of work draws heavily on our artistic well. As artists we must learn to be self-nourishing. We must become alert enough to consciously replenish our creative resources as we draw on them-- to restock the trout pond, so to speak. I call this process filling the well. (https://ift.tt/3hq6Meg)
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
Nothing beats the trusty pen and pad that I keep in my bag. Sure, sending emails to yourself from your phone is a great way to jot ideas down anywhere, anytime, but nothing beats what I produce when writing by hand. It sounds weird, but my brain just works differently when I do.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
My unusual habit is, when I don't feel like I understand my character well enough, I record audio with my phone and waltz around the apartment, talking in character about my wants. I discard 90 per cent of it, but I almost always discover something about them.
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
One new belief: 'Your prose doesn't have to be perfect, it has to connect.' Sometimes, a grammatically perfect sentence isn't what you need.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
As somebody who was intent on publication at 12, driven to send novels to publishers way before I was ready, I would tell them to wait. I know the desire to be an author can feel all-consuming, but having the desire doesn't mean you're ready. I wasn't ready when I signed a book deal at 17, I wasn't ready when that book was released when I was 19, and it showed in my work, I think. Take the time to find your voice and what you want to use it for. Achieving your dream sooner isn't necessarily better.
They should ignore any advice that doesn't work for them. The wonderful and frustrating thing about creative writing advice is, what works for one person might not work for another. Accept every piece of advice, trial it, but if it doesn't work for you, it's okay to discard it.
What are bad recommendations for aspiring authors, that you hear in your often?
It isn't really a bad recommendation but ... there's an entire industry built around aspiring authors. Just know that you don't need to pay to get published. You don't pay a publisher to consider or publish your work. You don't need to have your work professionally edited before you submit. Join a critique group! Swap manuscripts with a friend! Read a lot! Download free podcasts! You. Don't. Need. To. Pay. To. Be. Qualified. To. Create. Art.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
Unpaid labour in all its forms. I am still open to providing my services for free for deserving causes, and I still do, but there's nothing like having to pay rent in Sydney to force you to stop seeing payment in exposure as anything other than exploitation.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
"Buy my book, buy my book, buy my book!" on social media. It doesn't work. Never has. Use social media to connect with your readers personally. The hard sell is irritating. If you don't like it when someone does it to you, don't do it to others.
What new approach helped you achieve your goals?
Setting realistic goals. No longer setting the massive "write 2000 words today" and then feeling disappointed. Aiming to write 300 and being satisfied and inspired to write more ... usually results in writing more.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
Whenever I'm blocked creatively, even if under an intense deadline, I walk away and go do something (usually gym or play Pokemon Go), something that forces me to have some distance from my work, so when I return, I'm better able to tackle the problem.
Any other tips?
Read! Read! Read! Read! Be an active member of the literary community. Go to book launches. Listen to authors speak. Read! Read! Read! Read! Recommend books to others. Buy books for others. Fill your well!
________
Enjoyed this Q&A? Want to discuss in more depth? Join Community Writers. You'll get access to 100+ exclusive writing tips. Q&As with successful authors, an exclusive ebook on building an audience and much more. Sign-up for free as a community writer here
source https://www.thecommunitywriter.com/blog/will-kostakis
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Text
Will Kostakis
Will Kostakis is a writer of all things, from celebrity news stories that score cease and desist letters, to tweets for professional wrestlers. That said, he’s best known for his award-winning YA novels. His first novel, Loathing Lola, was released when he was just nineteen. His second, The First Third, won the 2014 Gold Inky Award. It was also shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year and Australian Prime Minister’s Literary awards, among others. The Sidekicks was his third novel for young adults, and his American debut. It went on the win the IBBY Australia Ena Noel Award.
As a high school student, Will won Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year for a collection of short stories. He has since contributed to numerous anthologies, including Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
The Whole Business With Kiffo And The Pitbull by Barry Jonsberg. I read this when I was in high school. The voice was so authentic I thought an Australian teenager was talking directly to me. I knew that if I was going to be a YA author, I wanted to write a book like it.
Notes From The Teenage Underground by Simmone Howell. After first meeting my publisher, I was given a stack of books to read. This was one of them. From the first page, I knew I was going to be a life-long fan of Simmone's writing. She gets straight to the point, and her prose is so sharp it cuts to the truth of everything.
Any Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett featuring the witches. I've read Pratchett since I was 12, and he is the benchmark. If I become half the writer he was, then I'll be content with a life well spent.
What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months (or in recent memory)?
A subscription to Audible (which might add up to more than $100 over 6 months, but if I ignore my credit card statement, it doesn't). The time I used to waste listening to political podcasts is now spent immersing myself in worlds that inspire me to create.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
My first book underwhelmed commercially, and after it disappeared from store shelves within months, I set out on the road with a box of books to connect with prospective readers myself. It was a baptism by fire, but I came out the end of it with so many skills that still help me to this day.
Are there any quotes you think of often or live your life by?
Julia Cameron's concept of "filling the well" (via YA author Dhonielle Clayton) is something that I've come to live by recently as I try to write more often:Art is an image-using system. In order to create, we draw from our inner well. This inner well, an artistic reservoir, is ideally like a well-stocked trout pond. We've got big fish, little fish, fat fish, skinny fish-- an abundance of artistic fish to fry. As artists, we must realize that we have to maintain this artistic ecosystem.If we don't give some attention to upkeep, our well is apt to become depleted, stagnant, or blocked. Any extended period of piece of work draws heavily on our artistic well. As artists we must learn to be self-nourishing. We must become alert enough to consciously replenish our creative resources as we draw on them-- to restock the trout pond, so to speak. I call this process filling the well. (https://juliacameronlive.com/2012/08/17/filling-the-well/)
What is one of the best investment in a writing resource you’ve ever made?
Nothing beats the trusty pen and pad that I keep in my bag. Sure, sending emails to yourself from your phone is a great way to jot ideas down anywhere, anytime, but nothing beats what I produce when writing by hand. It sounds weird, but my brain just works differently when I do.
What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
My unusual habit is, when I don't feel like I understand my character well enough, I record audio with my phone and waltz around the apartment, talking in character about my wants. I discard 90 per cent of it, but I almost always discover something about them.
In the last five years, what new belief, behaviour, or habit has most improved your life?
One new belief: 'Your prose doesn't have to be perfect, it has to connect.' Sometimes, a grammatically perfect sentence isn't what you need.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven aspiring author? What advice should they ignore?
As somebody who was intent on publication at 12, driven to send novels to publishers way before I was ready, I would tell them to wait. I know the desire to be an author can feel all-consuming, but having the desire doesn't mean you're ready. I wasn't ready when I signed a book deal at 17, I wasn't ready when that book was released when I was 19, and it showed in my work, I think. Take the time to find your voice and what you want to use it for. Achieving your dream sooner isn't necessarily better.
They should ignore any advice that doesn't work for them. The wonderful and frustrating thing about creative writing advice is, what works for one person might not work for another. Accept every piece of advice, trial it, but if it doesn't work for you, it's okay to discard it.
What are bad recommendations for aspiring authors, that you hear in your often?
It isn't really a bad recommendation but ... there's an entire industry built around aspiring authors. Just know that you don't need to pay to get published. You don't pay a publisher to consider or publish your work. You don't need to have your work professionally edited before you submit. Join a critique group! Swap manuscripts with a friend! Read a lot! Download free podcasts! You. Don't. Need. To. Pay. To. Be. Qualified. To. Create. Art.
In the last five years, what have you become better at saying no to (distractions, invitations, etc.)?
Unpaid labour in all its forms. I am still open to providing my services for free for deserving causes, and I still do, but there's nothing like having to pay rent in Sydney to force you to stop seeing payment in exposure as anything other than exploitation.
What marketing tactics should authors avoid?
"Buy my book, buy my book, buy my book!" on social media. It doesn't work. Never has. Use social media to connect with your readers personally. The hard sell is irritating. If you don't like it when someone does it to you, don't do it to others.
What new approach helped you achieve your goals?
Setting realistic goals. No longer setting the massive "write 2000 words today" and then feeling disappointed. Aiming to write 300 and being satisfied and inspired to write more ... usually results in writing more.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do?
Whenever I'm blocked creatively, even if under an intense deadline, I walk away and go do something (usually gym or play Pokemon Go), something that forces me to have some distance from my work, so when I return, I'm better able to tackle the problem.
Any other tips?
Read! Read! Read! Read! Be an active member of the literary community. Go to book launches. Listen to authors speak. Read! Read! Read! Read! Recommend books to others. Buy books for others. Fill your well!
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