Remember to keep reading to the end for your free short storyWRITING: AN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARD
Are you one of those who is at their best (and most creative) in the morning, and who resolves to do all those mundane household chores in the afternoon? Then, come the afternoon, you feel like a wrung-out rag; useless, leaden, and pretty much only fit for the bin? You are not alone… but science seems to have determined why this happens. Working on mentally taxing ‘stuff’ in the morning appears to raise the level of glutamate in the brain. Glutamate is a molecule that can disrupt brain function.
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Remember to keep reading to the end for your free short story WRITER'S BLOCK
Recently a self-confessed armchair psychiatrist commented on how no one seemed to like his answer to the question, how do I get past my writer’s block? Writing a book is hard work, and he claimed that, if we know something will be difficult and demand personal sacrifices, we develop excuses to avoid doing it. Suddenly, we’re not sure about our story idea or our abilities, and we start to think about all the projects around the house that are being neglected. And voila: writer’s block has set in. Remember to keep reading to the end for your free short story. DIALOGUE
The debate rages about whether to use single or double quotation marks around dialogue in a story. The oft-quoted answer to the question is to follow the house style guide. This might be apt if submitting an article to a magazine or a manuscript to a traditional publisher. But, when neither of those options is clear at the time of writing, a challenge could await further down the line when changes are required. Those of us of a certain vintage will remember being taught to use double quotes. Since then, like so much else, the American way of doing things has elbowed tradition to the side. Now most traditional publishers' style guides require single quotes. Vicki Laveau-Harvie solved the problem in her book The Erratics. She followed Cormac McCarthy’s example of not using any quotation marks at all to indicate dialogue. The Erratics doesn’t lose anything as a result. As a memoir, the reader feels the author is sitting opposite them and sharing her story in a normal chatty style, complete with everyday expressions. The story is all dialogue, so no quotation marks are required to separate dialogue from narrative. While unusual, it was an engaging read, not only due to the story itself, but also the way in which it was written. Remember to keep reading for your free short story at the end.
WHAT IS IT? The leading topic of discussion these days appears to be Artificial Intelligence (AI) and particularly ChatGPT. It is causing nervous twitches across wide sectors of the community, including amongst writers. Whatever else it might do, it appears capable of generating a strong negative emotional response. Comments flow freely both for and against this new technology and what it might mean for us mere mortals. As with any debate, both sides of the argument put forward impressive cases. Mostly the concern centres on people losing their livelihoods as a result of it. The only way to have an informed opinion about something is to know and understand it, So, that’s we set out to achieve. It is early days yet and the jury is still out, but there appear to be some aspects of writing that might benefit from the assistance of AI. But, no, it is unlikely to ‘scratch a writer’s itch’. And that informed opinion…? Watch this space. More of it’s potential benefits needs to be explored before any informed opinion is available. But, so far, there is little to suggest a writer’s creativity is under threat or the need for it is about to become redundant any time soon. Remember to keep reading for your free short story at the end.
TO PARTICIPATE OR NOT? People join clubs to participate in whatever that club’s activities are, and because of a shared interest or enjoyment. That holds true for book clubs as well. A Book club tends to introduce its members to books they otherwise might not read, and exposes them to authors they might not have encountered in the past. What happens when a member finds the book selected for the month so unpalatable they can’t persist with it? Or, when they know they do not enjoy a particular author’s work? The obvious answer is not to read that book. But, what happens then when the same situation is encountered over consecutive months? Should the member continue to attend and admit every month that they have not read the book? Some of us persist in the hope the next selection will be great, but it is difficult to persist when there is a pile of ‘to be read’ books waiting at home … books the member has selected for themselves according to their personal preferences. Don't forget your free short story at the end of this newsletter CREATIVITY...?
On a cool, grey, drizzly day, when I’m nursing a headache and completely devoid of inspiration, the Queensland Writers Centre's weekly newsletter tells me their magazine for the June quarter focuses on how writers think about and apply creativity in their lives. I can’t wait to read it. I’m hoping that somewhere in its pages it will tell me where I can obtain a supply of this creativity stuff. Even just a spoonful would be useful today. Then, instead of sitting on the deck listening to the waves breaking on the beach, I could go and sit in my office and be productive. Don't forget your free short story at the end of this newsletter
TOP MARKS It’s usually criticism and not congratulations voiced by residents about their local Council. On this occasion, it's top marks to the Mackay Regional Council. But the major prize goes to the library’s Community Outreach Team for their efforts in securing the Sydney Writer’s Festival sessions for local residents. All sessions will be live-streamed on roster at either of the two city libraries over the Festival from Thursday to Sunday at the end of May. One session is also scheduled for screening at Sarina Library. A special mention also goes out to the Sydney Writer’s Festival committee for allowing this to occur. Unlike the Melbourne Writer’s Festival which requires libraries to purchase a ticket for each person for each session attended at the library, the Sydney Writer’s Festival organisers make their program available free to libraries. A key speaker on the Thursday morning is Jane Harper, who will be discussing her latest book, Exiles, which is likely to be the final instalment in her recent series.. Remember to read on to the end for your free short story
TOOLS OF THE TRADE A statement borrowed from another writer claimed that writers have only three tools in their toolbox: grammar, punctuation and spelling. While there can be little argument with that, what if you don’t know, or are unsure about how to use those tools? As with any new tool or equipment, an initial learning period is involved – often accompanied by bad language – and in some instances, requiring the expertise of a teenage family member. Remember to read on to the end for your free short story
WHAT’S NEXT? Congratulations to the US publisher Penguin Random House for seeing the light following a major backlash in response to their publication of ‘amended’ versions of Roald Dahl’s books to render them more ‘acceptable’ to today’s readers. They now also will publish the books in their original unexpurgated form as the Classic Collection. The backlash such activity existed outside the US. Camilla, The Queen Consort, in a speech at Clarence House in recent days, spoke strongly in support of Freedom of Speech – and against messing with Roald Dahl’s books – forcing publisher Puffin UK (owned by Penguin Random House Children’s) to scrap its plans to ‘censor’ Dahl’s works. Remember to read on to the end for your free short story.
INSPIRATION While the gentle sound of a babbling brook is conducive to reflective and creative moments, the constant sound of rain on the roof is not so much. A few quotes from articles in a recent journal seem determined to encourage writers to plough on regardless: ‘Inspiration’ is just a posh word for ideas. You just need a couple of ideas each day to carry you through (Robert Harris). Remember you’re writing when you’re not writing – it has to happen in your imagination first (Joelle Taylor). I think fiction should be heard in those whispering little voices in the back of your mind, the ones you could never articulate out loud (Dominic Nolan). It’s a lot harder to keep going than give up. You’ll get a lot of knockbacks but if you believe in yourself and keep writing you’ll get there (Dorothy Koomson). |
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