A couple of weeks ago, Australian speculative fiction author Deborah Biancotti shared some very wise insights while guest-posting on Lisa Hannett's blog: "... But here’s what you have to remember: You’re running your own race. "This means you set the pace & the direction. YOU do. Both. Pace AND direction. "... So when you find … Continue reading When you feel like you’re taking the hard path
Decluttering: creativity essential or shameless procrastination?
I wanted to work on my WIP today. We've had a public holiday and it seemed the ideal opportunity to get back into my novel after a few weeks of neglect. But, as it turned out, there was something else I had to do first. When my life gets crazy and starts to spin out … Continue reading Decluttering: creativity essential or shameless procrastination?
Character and conflict in The Liveship Traders
I’m currently reliving Robin Hobb’s Liveship Traders trilogy during my commute to and from work in the car. (Have I mentioned how much I love audiobooks?) I first read this amazing fantasy trilogy back in 2005 and it has since resided firmly near the top of my all-time favourite novels/series. Even so, I’ve previously read … Continue reading Character and conflict in The Liveship Traders
A timely reminder that creativity needs fuelling
Yesterday I took a walk with a friend in a local State Park called the You Yangs. The park comprises a series of about four modest granite peaks -- little more than hills, really -- surrounded by scrubby native Australian bush and grassland. Beyond, the land is relentlessly flat and cleared for farming, but within … Continue reading A timely reminder that creativity needs fuelling
Let’s talk about choices
Tonight I chose to watch Legally Blond on TV instead of working on my WIP. My plan was, of course, to write during the movie, which I’ve seen multiple times. I’d opened a bottle of wine and decided that a position stretched out on the sofa, laptop on knee, would be far more comfortable than … Continue reading Let’s talk about choices
Get over it: English is a living language
Recently, a press release from the Plain English Foundation crossed my desk at work and immediately snagged my attention. It was titled "Fugitive emissions" tops the list of 2011's worst words and highlighted such iniquities as Nicole Kidman's "gestational carrier" and the obfuscation "negative good" in relation to the effects of teeth whitening. Now, I would argue these are … Continue reading Get over it: English is a living language
The craziness of TWO careers
Over the past few weeks I have finally come to terms with something: I have two careers. There's the day-to-day salaried position as a marketing and communications specialist with a global organisation that brings in the dollars. And then there's my other writing career--my fiction-writing career (for many years my secret career)--that doesn't (yet) provide … Continue reading The craziness of TWO careers
The Versatile Blogger – a show of solidarity
A lovely thing happened to me this week: the Versatile Blogger recognition was bestowed on me not once, but twice. Massive thanks to my new cyberfriends Julie Kenner/J.K Beck and Carrie Daws for the honour. I think it's perhaps more a show of blogging solidarity and support as indication of any blogging genius on my … Continue reading The Versatile Blogger – a show of solidarity
In which I ramble
This is going to be a very rambly post, all haphazard and out-of-control, which is a bit like my life at the moment. I always knew that starting a new job was going to play havoc with my writing (and blogging, and . . .) routine -- well, let's face facts, my routine is completely … Continue reading In which I ramble
More on writers and platform pressure
Oh my, the debate about writers and platform expectations is still raging. Over the past couple of days I've spent hours knee-deep in blog posts and reader comments, my little introvert heart pounding with apprehension. (Hours not writing, I might add...) Rachelle Gardner's post on Wednesday talked about the need to quantify the size of … Continue reading More on writers and platform pressure
Ellen Gregory 