My writing journey has been a series of hurdles. After each jump, I learn something I wish I’d known years ago. I’ve finally landed a publishing deal for my debut novel The Godfather of Dance. Here are some tips based on my experience, some short fiction and the story of my writing journey.
My most popular writing blogs are The Book Publishing Flowchart and The Pros and Cons of Writing Memoir. And did you know that the best way to help authors is by writing a book review? Check out How to Write a Book Review.
Find out about a Facebook group dedicated to writing about places away from home, Calling Expat Writers.
And here’s a fabulous review of my debut novel, The Godfather of Dance, from Dark Fantasy Reviews
On Writing a Mystery Novel
Meet the protagonist of my mystery novel, The Godfather of Dance, in Writing a Mystery: Introducing Jade Riley
Writing Tips
Some of these posts have been written to help authors wishing to submit a manuscript to an agent or publisher. If this is you, please read My Top Four Editing Tips and How to Format a Manuscript in Word. If you’re sending memoir, please read How to Write a Nonfiction Book Proposal.
Here’s more …
Some thoughts for authors starting out on a project, The Why, What and How of Storytelling
Research is important for writing fiction, see Five Learnings from Firing a Shotgun
How to convert from Australian English to US English
Yasmin A. McClinton on Being a Sensitivity Reader (note, this is cross-posted from interviews, as it is highly relevant to writing.)
The Importance of Understanding Novel Genres
A Guide to Social Media for Writers
A Guide to Websites and Blogs for Writers
Engineering the Story—How to Write a Novel in 80 Days
Australian Society of Author’s Literary Speed dating event is a wonderful opportunity to meet agents and publishers face to face. Learn from my mistakes in A Rookie’s Guide to Literary Speed Dating.
Have a laugh about My Top Three Editing Disasters and explore the challenges of finding The Perfect Time to Write.
To celebrate signing with Michael Cybulski of NAC, I wrote Five Reasons to Sign With a Literary Agent.
I began The Winding Narrative in part because the protagonist in my novel was a blogger. Here’s what I learnt: Real Versus Fictional Blogs.
To Be Oneself Or To Be Someone Else – the pros and cons of using a pseudonym.
Two fellow-students and I share the experience of Curtis Brown Creative six-month online novel writing course, Curtis Brown Creative Guest Blog.
Short Fiction
Short Fiction: Checkmate
Entries that short listed in AWC’s Furious Fiction: That Moment When, Santa’s Suitcase
My entries for the 2022 Writers Victoria flash fiction competition: Writers Victoria Flash Fiction 2022 – Part One, Part Two, Part Three
Short Fiction: The Hit
About The Cellist Stalker has links to Fenechty Publishing’s Anthology of Short Stories: Autumn 2021, and gives some background to my story in the collection.
My entries for the 2021 Writers Victoria flash fiction competition: Writers Victoria Flash Fiction 2021 – Part One, Part Two, Part Three.
Short Fiction: The End of the Line, a short story about the Sandringham train line.
Short Fiction: His Frosty Companion
My entries for the 2020 Writers Victoria flash fiction competition: Writers Victoria Flash Fiction 2020 – Part One, Part Two and Part Three
My entries for the 2019 Writers Victoria flash fiction competition: Writers Victoria Flash Fiction 2019 – Part One, Part Two and Part Three
Short Fiction: Blood Orange
Short Fiction: The Search Warrant
My Writing Journey
To read about landing my publishing contract, see: The Enormous Difference Between BUT and AND
To celebrate milestones of this blog, see: The Winding Narrative Turns Six, Five, Four, Three, Two and One.
For Christmas wishes: Happy Holidays 2021
The Writer’s Hour is a humorous account of an hour in a writer’s life.
29 Brown St was my first attempt at writing a novel.
The Adventures of Sexy Legs and Pipsqueak is about my first writing endeavors in primary school.
In The Value of Failure I discuss the inevitable rejections in the journey to publication.
Baby Steps, my first blog, set up the beginning of my writing journey.