Five questions to ask yourself I recently taught a mini workshop at the Terror Australis Readers and Writers Festival called ‘Is your manuscript ready to submit to publishers?’ Some of you may be at the stage of wondering this, or will be after you’ve given your manuscript another draft during the holidays. …

Finding our place amid the crisis Last month, I kicked off a journey I’ve intended to take for a long time: becoming more involved and more active in working towards mitigating the climate crisis. I did some fundraising for Climate for Change, a great organisation that facilitates conversations around climate change. (Thanks to those who chipped…

Which publishing models can thrive in these uneasy times? Compared to arts industries such as live music and theatre, the book industry has fared well so far during the pandemic. But that doesn’t mean that the distribution of profits is as it was before, nor that the industry looks the same. …

How to build to satisfying crises and conclusions To foreshadow in a narrative is to introduce an idea, character, object or piece of information that will become significant to your story later on. …

How to handle this excruciating interlude Finishing a novel brings an unparalleled feeling of satisfaction. You’ve worked so hard, and there it sits, glowing with potential. Hold on to that feeling for a moment. Because if you’re seeking traditional publication, life is about to get frustrating. Agents and publishers are overwhelmed with submissions, all around the…

How many trial runs are required? Your first attempt at writing a novel will be just that: an attempt. Well, more than likely… Most published authors I know have several manuscripts languishing on hard drives or getting dusty in a drawer. Manuscripts they spent years on. I wrote three full manuscripts before A Superior Spectre. The…

On tension in MJ Hyland’s works I have a new essay in Reading Like an Australian Writer, an anthology of writers examining the techniques, storytelling ways, and sometimes strange magic of other writers via a range of styles: personal, responsive, academic, analytical. It’s aimed at emerging writers, writing students, but also fans of Australian literature and…

Get your manuscript up to scratch Here are three tips to keep in mind when editing your own novel. Rest your manuscript Once you’ve finished a draft of your manuscript, put it down and walk away from it for several months. For some writers, this is very hard. Life is short, I know! But continually tinkering…

Which elements of your story will attract potential readers? If you are wanting to publish your book, a strong ‘hook’ may be necessary to get the attention of an agent, publisher, and end reader. The hook is a distillation of your book, but it is also a formula to attract the interest of potential readers. It may include elements…