Writing Else'Where

Where the bloody hell are you?

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Wed, 19 May 2010 02:15:00 +0000

I've been getting a lot of comments lately asking where I am and why I'm not posting. Basically, I've been busy. Really busy. And it's been ages since I've had a chance to sit down and write anything. My main reason for being so busy is my part-time baking business Pink Lily Cupcakes. All my spare time goes into making fondant decorations, baking cupcakes, whipping up buttercream frosting, and of course, taste-testing any new recipes that I try.
I promise that when life settles down I'll get back into my writing. But for now, I'm content to read the brilliant work of other writers during my lunchbreaks and in bed at night.

Late nights ahead

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 06:57:00 +0000

An Echo in the Bone is on bookshelves NOW! My local bookshop is all sold out [sniffle] so I will have to wait for their next order to come in before I can start reading.

Please, please, please let it be as good as the others in the Outlander/Cross Stitch series!

UPDATE: So now I have my very own copy and it's sitting all shiny and new on my bedside table. I'm saving it though; for my trip to Tasmania in 11 days. Will I be able to hold out until then?

Fantasy Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:34:00 +0000

Oooh, I really like this site. I found it while following links on Australian author Trudi Canavan's blog and now I'm so very glad that I did.
This site is a mecca for lovers of good fantasy and includes an extensive bibliography of published fantasy authors, author interviews, lots of great reviews, 'Young Adult' and 'Children' sections and my favourite bit of all - the Top 100 Fantasy Books of all time. This list includes cover art, prices (from Amazon), a brief synopsis, full reviews, reader reviews and the opportunity to post your own review. I love it! Next time I'm looking for something to read this is where I'll be heading.

Serendipity

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:19:00 +0000

Purely by chance, I came across this lovely interview with Isobelle Carmody on the UK site Fantasy Book Review.
She confirms that the final Obernewtyn book will be out at the beginning of 2010 and that she will soon begin writing The Beforetime Chronicles. This series will be set in the lead up to 'the Great White' and will feature the beforetime woman Cassandra/Cassie/Kasanda who we already know from Obernewtyn. This is really exciting news!
I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that Isobelle began writing Obernewtyn when she was just 14; around the same age that I was when I first read it.

Don't you hate it?

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:48:00 +0000

As a keen reader of all things fantasy, I find myself tucking into trilogies, quadrilogies and sometimes seven or eight book series on a regular basis. I love that once you have seen a character live and grow and overcome adversity you can go on to another book, another story and continue the journey. What I don't like is when you read an amazing book and discover that while it's part of a series (yay!), the others aren't written yet (awww, man!).

My favourite series of all time is Isobelle Carmody's The Obernewtyn Chronicles. I read Obernewtyn (book 1) in primary school and have eagerly awaited every book since. The second-to-last book came out last year and I devoured it's 496 pages almost overnight. The seventh and final instalment is due out next year and by the time I've read it I will have re-read the first 6 books countless times. Not that I'm complaining, I love love love them. My complaint is that I have to wait literally years between fixes. And I do mean years. I was 13 when I began reading the Chronicles; I'm now 26.

Oh well, if that's the price I have to pay to read such a great story. But don't you hate it?

Firefox vs. Explorer

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:20:00 +0000

It turns out that not everyone on the planet uses Mozilla Firefox as their preferred Internet browser and thus had problems viewing my old blog. So for those who are, as yet, uninitiated to the wonders of Firefox, I have updated my blog template to one that works better in IE. I'm still working out some glitches but hopefully it should all be working okay soon.

It's pretty, don't you think?

For the love of writing

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:41:00 +0000

I love writing workshops. I really, really do.

Living in an isolated and sparsely populated place like the Northern Territory means that when the opportunity comes along to participate in a literary event or writers workshop of any kind, you jump in and make the most of it.

Tomorrow I'll be attending two workshops ('Writing Historical Fiction' and 'Come to your Senses: The art of sensory writing') presented by internationally published, Australian author, Linda Jaivin and hosted by the NT Writers Centre.

I'm looking forward to these workshops like you wouldn't believe. Spending six hours with like-minded people, learning from an accomplished author and getting to do that thing that I like most (writing that is); what better way to spend a Saturday?

The Twilight craze

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:24:00 +0000

About two months ago I picked up Twilight, the first book in the four book series by Stephenie Meyer. The craze surrounding this series put me off reading it for a long time, besides which I've never been into vampirish or werewolvish books before.
The first book was on sale and I needed something to read on the long drive between Townsville and Darwin. (For anyone who has ever driven the Barkly Highway you will understand my need for a boredom buster.)

I had read about a third of the book before I was finally able to look past what I had first taken for plain language and amateurish style and see what a clever writer Stephenie Meyer really is. It hasn't been that long since I was a teenager and I was impressed with how the author was able to so skilfully recreate the angst and the confusion and the obsession that comes with those years. This book made me feel like I was seventeen again. It was brilliant.

I finished Twilight and the next three books within two weeks.

This got me thinking. Does complexity of language compare to complexity of story and emotion? Does it matter what style a book is written in when it has you turning pages and keeps you up past midnight finishing 'just another chapter'? Isn't that what storytelling is all about? Enthralling your readers and keeping them wanting more? I think so.

I'm not saying that the two are mutually exclusive. Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris had me hooked and was also filled with some of the most beautifully descriptive, emotive language that I have ever read. I've read the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon countless times and never get tired of how well crafted each sentence is, how perfectly each word is placed amongst it's brethren. Superb.

There are so many different stories to tell, in so many different ways. It makes my heart glad to know that I will have an entire lifetime to read as many as humanly possible.

Thank goodness for writers.

A note from a disheartened writer

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Oh the tragedy of it all! It's been months now since I last put pen to paper and although the words are clammering in my head to be strung into sentences I've been unable to maintain enough focus or motivation to do so. I've lost faith in my ability as a writer. I read back on those pieces that are completed or are awaiting editing and I shudder at the poor grammar, the depthless characters, the lack of complexity and interest.

I want to write, I feel the need for it every day. It's all I've wanted to do since I was in primary school and used to write stories and make books during the holidays. It's what I invisage myself doing when I'm old and grey and barely able to see past the end of my nose.

So why this sudden inability to actually write?

Most likely it has something to do with recent heartbreak and shattered dreams. But surely even this should inspire me to create a masterpiece, an epic tale of love and loss, rather than leaving me feeling unable to do the thing that I enjoy so much.

Well, I suppose I shall just have to keep plugging away at it, putting a few lines on paper each day until I begin to see the point of it all again. Let's hope it happens soon.

All is quiet...

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:13:00 +0000

Yes, I know. Today is the 18th of April and that makes it exactly 69 days since I last wrote a post. I won't apologise, because although I've been slack in posting, I've been busy in writing, looking after the WITS blog and being a part of the wonderful WITS management committee. (As well as working full-time, walking my dog and trying - and I emphasise trying - to keep a clean house and tidy yard.)

The Fabulous February Fantasy Writing workshop with Sylvia Kelso was, well... fabulous. Two days of inspiration, good company and excellent guidance on writing fantasy fiction. I loved it. The format of the workshop also helped me to develop a really great idea for a young adult novel that is set in the same world as Else'Where, but which uses new characters and events. I can't wait to get started on it.

I've completed the first draft of a short story for the Historical Undone line of e-Harlequin and I had so much fun writing it. The plan is now to put it aside for a few weeks before going back for a second draft. Let's hope I still like it then and don't burn it in horror. I'm still hoping to finish my Mills & Boon experiment some day; I just keep getting side-tracked by other ideas.

I will be re-locating back to the Northern Territory in a weeks time and if I can't get a job straight away I will have plenty of time for writing. I'm secretly pleased at this prospect, despite the lack of money that goes with it.

My next step is to find a writers group in Darwin that will give me as much enjoyment and motivation as WITS. Anyone know of such a group?

Oven timers and productivity

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 06:42:00 +0000

Dr. Wicked's Write or Die newsletter for February suggests writing in 48 minute bursts for maximum productivity. He says you should remove all possible distractions, set a timer and write until the alarm goes off. Then have a 12 minute break to do chores, visit the loo, make a phone call etc. Once your 12 minutes is up, set that timer again and get back to it.

His theory is that by planning that 12 minute break, you can put off those things that you would normally interrupt your writing time for and do them in your break. I thought this was quite a valid idea and decided to give it a go over my three day weekend; the only difference was that I did 45minutes of writing and 15minutes of rest (also timed so that I didn't go over).

Lacking an alarm clock or an egg timer, I used the timer on my oven instead; loud but effective. Success! I managed to write almost two-thirds of the novella I'm working on at the moment. I think part of the reason this method worked so well for me is that by breaking my writing time down into smaller chunks it doesn't feel so daunting. It also meant that when I only had an hour to spare for writing on Saturday afternoon, after setting the timer for 45minutes I still felt like I had accomplished something for the day.

It won't work for everyone, but it's worth giving a go.

Okay, this is interesting, I think

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 04:51:00 +0000

Why, Mr. Darcy, you seem to have eaten my family!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

On Writing

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:21:00 +0000

I've just finished reading Stephen Kings' On Writing and although I don't read his work, I found this book full of many words of wisdom and some excellent techniques for the writer. After all, even if I'm not really into the supernatural, science fiction or horror, I can't dispute that the man is a genius and obviously knows what he's doing with a pen! Here are the main points that I took away from this novel:

Give yourself permission to be bad in the 1st draft
Watch your adverbs!
If you don't have time to read, you don't have time to write
Turn off the TV
Write every day
Tell the truth
Steer clear of cliched similes
Show don't tell
Murder your darlings
Rest your 1st draft for six weeks before reading or re-writing
2nd draft = 1st draft - 10%
The story comes first
Omit needless words

I'd definitely recommend reading this book; it's interesting and inspiring and even if you're not a writer I'm sure you will enjoy reading about the life of one of the worlds most popular authors.

Another blog to play with

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:38:00 +0000

Woo-hoo! I've taken up the post of News Editor for my writers group WITS which means I now have another blog to play with. Make sure you check it out (and definitely read that incredible post titled 'A'Mhara Contibutes') and if you are a writer in Townsville please come along!

A little something...

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 04:22:00 +0000

This is a very short piece that I wrote as part of a visualisation exercise in a writing class last year. Just thought I'd share.

She watched as her children burst forth from the earth, leaving behind their warm beds and reaching towards the cold, dark stars above. The pulse of new life reverberated around her, echoing in her bones and making her teeth ache in her jaw. She sighed as tender new branches uncurled and stretched like a child waking from sleep, and the intoxicating scent of blossoms filled her nostrils and left their sweet taste on her tongue. The ground shook beneath her feet and the heavens rumbled; warm rain fell in a gentle greeting. She breathed deeply of the wet earth and closed her eyes in bliss. She who is called Spring smiled and called to the plants and the creatures of the land, wishing them awake from their long, cold slumber.

Writing in North Queensland

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 02:17:00 +0000

In the 'real world' I'm a librarian, and in a recent post on the Queensland Writers Centre blog The Empty Page, I put on my librarians hat (and blogger ID) to let the QLD writers community know about the great resources that are held in the James Cook University Library Special Collections. I've always been a great lover of history and in particular the stories of early Australian pioneers trying to set up an existence in a land that could be harsh on those from European climes. One story that really fascinated me, was that of an unknown English lady who travelled to Australia in the late 1800's. During her voyage she drew and painted the most glorious depictions of plant life and landscapes, which survive to this day in the form of a small sketchbook held at JCU. Wouldn't the tale of her travels and her art make such a lovely story? There are so many great ideas out there and I feel very lucky to work so closely with the records and photographs of our history.

Varuna Longlines Program

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 04:30:00 +0000

At the beginning of February I'll be attending a consultation with Peter Bishop - creative director at Varuna - for a place in the Macquarie Group Foundation Longlines Program. I've been dreaming for years for the chance to attend a residency at Varuna the writers house, and now that I've completed my studies and have fewer demands on my time I feel like I can give it a real go.
I have to get 20 pages of my ms in to Peter by next Wednesday, so I'm frantically trying to polish it up and get it to the point where I would feel happy sharing it. It's quite terrifying actually! There's a big difference between sharing your work with your writers group and putting it up for close analysis by someone as highly respected as Peter Bishop. Part of that fear perhaps comes from that nasty inner-critic that insists on whispering in my ear that I'm really not a good enough writer. Damn that horrible little voice! It's so hard to ignore, but ignore it I shall try. After all, what is the point of being a writer if you are forever too afraid to put it out there?

UPDATE - I've sent off my 20 pages (after completely rewriting them 3 times!) and now have to wait until my consultation with Peter next week to hear what he thinks. Scary!

1,000 words a day

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 06:09:00 +0000

I know it's well past New Years, but I've finally come up with my resolutions for 2009.
I'm sick and tired of making promises such as 'I will lose weight' or 'I will write a novel' and other wishy-washy type things, so this year I've given myself four easy goals that I feel like I can achieve.
The one that I want to share is 'Write 1,000 words a day'. Yep, nothing earth shattering, but a goal nonetheless and one that I feel like I can stick to. It doesn't even have to be 1,000 words on the same project every day, so long as I'm writing and getting into the habit. Write or Die should come in handy for this! I only made it to 960 words today, but I think I can forgive myself, especially as it was 960 words towards my favourite project Else'Where. It's so satisfying to watch my progress-o-metre moving across millimetre by millimetre, percent by percent. I'll get there one day.

UPDATE - I've been smashing my 1,000 word goal everyday and I'm loving it. I'm also reading Stephen Kings 'On Writing' at the moment, in which he says that writing every day helps to keep the characters alive in your mind and on the page; how right he is! Well, what did I expect really, the man's written a gazillion books and made about the same amount of money so he must have some idea what he's doing.

For the love of money

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 23:54:00 +0000

My hubbie and I are planning a trip to Europe at the end of this year, while at the same time building our first house; end result is that we inevitably need more money despite the fact that we each have excellent jobs with good pay.
That got me thinking; how can I make some extra cash on the side without resorting to walking the streets or knocking off some rich rellie? I didn't want to have to take up extra work as I already work full-time, and I certainly don't have any of the artistic creative skills that see my Mum making a whole lot of spending money from her art hobby.
So I thought why not try selling some of my short stories to magazines? Not a whole lot of cash in it, but at least I would get to write regularly and perhaps see some of my work in print somewhere. I'm going to give it a go anyway. Fingers crossed!

The Mills & Boon Experiment

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:41:00 +0000

You're probably wondering what my Mills & Boon Experiment is all about. Well it all came about during a discussion with my co-workers about the value of romantic fiction and in particular Mills & Boon romantic fiction.
I have to be honest; my initial reaction was that it was just trash read by desperate housewives and old ladies. But then I went and read a couple and realised that some of the stories are actually really good. They have all the aspects of a good book with the addition of a whole lot of romance and - depending which line - sex.
Anyway, the result of this discussion was that we made a pact that we would each write a Mills & Boon novel by the end of the year. By the end of the year I had managed about 17,000 words before grinding to a standstill; I didn't feel too bad however, as the others didn't even get started! Romantic fiction is completely out of my comfort zone as I normally write fantasy, however I've found the change of scene to be really fun and I'm going to try to get at least a first draft completed before I go back to writing Else'Where.

Write or Die

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 10:59:00 +0000

I've been working on the first instalment of The Else'Where Trilogy for nearly 8 years, off and on. Mainly off. My problem is, that apart from procrastination, I tend to edit my work until it's within an inch of it's life, which leads to many re-writes of the first couple of chapters and never getting anything finished.
To push myself to get down some words without the temptation of editing - or those hugely distracting little squiggly lines - I've decided to give a free program called Write or Die a go.
I came across this website while surfing the blog of my local writers group WITS; they have the Write or Die website bookmarked as one of their links and I thought 'why not?'
Keep an eye on the progress-o-metre for my Mills & Boon Experiment and I'll let you know how I went in my next post.

UPDATE - Here's the results: 317 words in the 10 minutes I set the timer for; if I give myself a bit longer that could be 1000 words in 30 minutes, 2000 words in an hour. Not bad.

Procrastination, I call thee friend!

noreply@blogger.com (A'Mhara) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 06:08:00 +0000

So this is my first post and as you can probably tell by its title, I'm a terrible procrastinator. Even this blog was just another excuse not to get on with writing my bloody novel!
Not that I don't love writing, quite the contrary in fact, but until I actually put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard then even doing the dishes or hanging out the washing can seem more enticing. Let's hope that the progress-o-meters will keep me writing; at the very least they will keep me honest!