Writing Around The Block

I have an article up at The Writer’s Bloc today, the first non-fiction piece I’ve written in a long time.

Editor, Samantha van Zweden asked me several months ago if I would be interested in writing about collaborative partnerships, given that not many authors did it and I’d been neck deep in them for a while.

I go through a little of what’s good, bad and potentially ugly. And there’s a couple of photos of what it looks like to work collaboratively (it’s all about the feet, hands and random bits of paper!)

Many thanks to Adam and Rus who helped me brain storm the initial dot points and looked over early drafts of it. Thanks also to Stacey who gave me the nod to talk about our work-in-progress.

Have you ever considered a collaborative writing partnership? If not, why not?

In Apology #fridayflash

Dear Jack,
I’m sorry you didn’t get laid for Valentines.

I’m sorry ‘Sexual Healing’ got stuck on your iPod, for two hours, without you knowing how to fix it. I’m sorry the champagne cork broke in the bottle. I’m sorry your elbow kissed my mouth when you tried to slip your arm around my shoulder and it interrupted your mojo.

I’m sorry you couldn’t get it up even though I tried every trick I knew to get you hard.

Most of all I am sorry your credit card was declined and my minder broke your leg. I did try to get him to go easy on you, after all it was Valentines Day and you hadn’t exactly got what you were paying for.

I hope Valentines Day is less painful next year.

Yours,
Susie

PS: I’m sorry for lying. Yes, Susie is a stage name. I’m sorry it’s also your mum’s.

Post It Note Poetry: Week One

Last year Adam and I dared each other to write a month of really bad poetry. Adam upped the ante by adding size parameters – the bad poetry needed to fit on a post it note. And #PostItNotePoetry was born, growing to a Facebook group of over 60 people by the end of the month. From the core group of scribblers, we formed a new writing group, The Post It Note Poet’s Society which, almost a year on, is as alive and vibrant as it was in the beginning.

Neither Adam or I committed to Post It Note Poetry in 2014 in an attempt to narrow our focus, resolve our steel to GSD (Get. Stuff. Done). On February 1st, Sean Wright put up his first poem and we were back in, pouncing on words and snippets of colours paper, like seagulls squabble over hot chips.

Here is my first week’s worth of poetry.

You can read Adam’s poetry here.

Sean’s poetic musings are best followed on Twitter @seandblogonaut

Welcome, Year of the Horse

We are a week into the Year of the Green Horse and I am only now returning to this half written blog post to complete it (before there is a total grid lock of blog ideas and posts lined up behind it). This time last week I was running around preparing the fire for the backyard and writing out all the things I was ready to let go off. The pile was impressive in breadth and in stature, and didn’t just focus on the Year of the Snake. It was an act of complete shedding.

The Year of the Green (Wood) Horse

The Chinese have a brilliant take on the horse. It is strong and magical. The magical elements include the ability to fly. In Chinese mythology Kwan Yin, goddess of compassion, flew through the heavens upon a cloud horse to bring peace and blessings.

The year of the Horse is a time of victory, adventure, exciting activities and surprising romances. Decisive action brings results. Energy is high and production is rewarded. Under Horse’s strong influence, there is no middle ground. ~ SUSAN LEVITT

The Horse Year is also the middle of the 12-brand cycle and is the culmination of the preceding six years.

The Year of Audacious

Every year I purchase a medallion to wear around my neck. I’m not much of a horse fan (I was never that little girl who dreamed of owning a pony, who wanted nothing more than to speed across the countryside on a horse. In fact, if I am honest, horses scare the shit out of me!) So the idea of wearing a horse around my neck all year… I was a bit meh about it. A thorough trawl of Etsy turned up a locket that gave me the final hint for what the theme would be.

With Lady Godiva around my neck, the theme for the year had to be: audacious. (No, not naked!)

A quick flick through the dictionary turns up the following definitions:

• Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks

• Extremely daring, fearless and brazen

• Extremely original or inventive; unrestrained by existing ideas, conventions or propriety

After a year of being pulled inward, both by thematic intent and every day circumstances, I feel the need to break out. **cue Swing Out Sister** Given two of the definitions include the word ‘extremely’ and Levitt says there is no middle ground, I’m preparing for one hell of a ride on the back of my words this year.

In Essence

I’m steeling my resolve to push the boundaries of my writing and myself, to be open to take risks small and large. In action it means chasing down the dream in reality: writing and submitting like a professional, securing an agent, promoting, communicating, getting books into the hands of readers (whether they be my books or those of my friends). I am committing to being brave and present and accountable for what I do (and for what I’m not doing). For the first time, I am giving myself an entire entire year to take my writing seriously. I will not allow my best efforts to be undermined by fear [insert any number of them here]. I am busting through everything that stands in the way of what I want to achieve.

In Business

It will be another year of hiatus for eMergent, (although there are two more books scheduled for release, but no new eP generated projects). While there is an itch to return to editing, it’s not strong and there remains a lot of uncertainty in the family realm. What extra time I do have at my disposal will be invested (at least in the next few months) in securing some freelance typesetting/ebook design work to help cover the cost of Mr D’s new schooling arrangements.

Slated Projects

A list of projects/goals is always a good start. While I know goals need to be SMART, for now I’m not attaching time frames on them other than to have Post Marked: Piper’s Reach ready for submission by the end of February and to have the second draft of my novel done by April, in time to swap with Dan.

• Complete, ready for submission, (still unnamed) gothic horror novel — including adjunct projects.

• Brainstorm stage play adaptation of novel.

• Shop Post Marked: Piper’s Reach to agents and publishers.

• Complete radio script and record the Piper’s Reach chapbook

• Complete, ready for submission, Encursion and first drafts of another two birthpunk novellas.

• Write and sub one short story and one poem every month.

• Make a pro short story sale.

• Get my first poem published.

• Complete first draft of Elyora screen play.

And the Year of Audacious begins with an invite to read at the Queensland Writer’s Centre’s first Whispers salon this weekend at the State Library. If you are looking for something to do Saturday afternoon, swing on by and listen to a bunch of super talented Queensland authors read. I’m sharing the stage and the theme of ‘false starts’ with Emily Craven, Lee McGowan, Kim Wilkins and Robert Morton. The event kicks off at 3pm at the State Library Café.