Here’s an article about ‘tense’ that I wrote for the Melbourne Age newspaper in 2008. Happy reading … Making Sense of Tense If you’re reading a story at the moment – and I really hope you are – it’s probably written in the past tense. Most stories are for very good reasons. However, experimenting with […]
Read More Making Sense of TenseThis is an article I wrote for Sydney’s Sun-Herald in late 2008. A Fraction of the Whole by Steve ToltzIt’s embarrasing to admit this as an author, but until I’d read this book, there was no way I’d trouble myself with a 700 page novel. I love reading, but there are limits to how much […]
Read More Four books that have changed my lifeDon’t forget that writing is fun. Writing’s not a job, it’s an art, like painting and acting and playing music. So, laugh while you write. Listen to music while you write. Cry while you write – if that makes you happy. Whatever you do, have fun while you write.
Read More Tips for Young Writers 27: Don’t forget that writing is fun.Understand that conflict is the writer’s best friend. Conflict, in life, is unpleasant (well, for most of us), but it’s brilliant in stories. Conflict brings a story to life. Try to include conflict in most parts of your story, whether it’s in the form of an argument, a fight, a war, a debate, a sporting […]
Read More Tips for Young Writers 25: Learn to enjoy conflict – in your writing, at least.Lead an interesting life. If you’re an interesting person, your writing will be interesting too. So, do scary things sometimes. And difficult things. And amazing things. And unexpected things. That way you’ll learn to understand yourself and other people much better. And that will not only make you a better writer, it will make you […]
Read More Tips for Young Writers 26: Lead an interesting life.There’s a time to write quickly, and there’s a time to write slowly. Write fast when you’re putting down the first draft – which some writers call the vomit draft. It’s important to write that draft quickly for a number of reasons: it’s fun to write without thinking (and writing should be fun) you need […]
Read More Tips for Young Writers 23: Write fast AND slowDon’t think, just write. Great stories are complex, beautiful, mysterious things, that touch us deeply. The desire to create something profound is what drives many writers. The funny thing is, however, the harder we try to write something amazing and deep, the less likely we are to achieve it. Very few of us can THINK […]
Read More Tips for Young Writers 24: Don’t think, just write.Try to a get a picture of the ending in your mind before you reach it. There’s nothing worse than reaching the end of a whole story then realising you don’t have a good enough finish. Basically, all the writing you’ve done could come to nothing! It’s only when I’ve got a little glimpse of […]
Read More Tips for Young Writers 20: Try to a get a picture of the ending in your mind before you reach it.Make writing a habit. Writing is like running. When you run, your legs get fitter and fitter. When you write your fingers and imagination get fitter and fitter. And when you’re fit, you can really fly. So, write a little bit every day and, before long, your writing will take off.
Read More Tips for Young Writers 21: Make writing a habit.
You know that super slow-motion they have during sporting broadcasts? That’s TV’s attempt to do what books do naturally. It’s their attempt to get you fully into every detail of the moment, so you can really feel it. Prose does that easily. So, make sure you do. Describe every single detail of the most exciting […]
Read More Tips for Young Writers 19: Write exciting moments as if they’re happening in slow-motion.