#WritingTip – Page 7 – Brightside Story Studio

August 17, 2018May 7, 2021

Lisa Eskinazi, From High School Dropout to Author

It is my pleasure to introduce Lisa Eskinazi, author, poet & e-activist. Lisa has been writing since she could pick up a pen. Sharing her experience of bullying and mental health issues to bring comfort to others and advocate for justice is her dream come true. She lives in a cosy apartment in Melbourne, filled with as many baby pink and faux fur accessories as she can afford and battles bedtime procrastination. Continue reading Lisa Eskinazi, From High School Dropout to Author

August 10, 2018November 20, 2020

Gail Cleare, From Ad Executive to Novelist

I’m taking a break from the Lagos story to bring you the next in my interview series. Today’s winding narrative comes from Gail Cleare, whose love of writing has taken her from advertising to literature. We are excited to announce that her book, the USA Today bestseller The Taste of Air, has been just chosen for a … Continue reading Gail Cleare, From Ad Executive to Novelist

August 1, 2018May 2, 2020

Blame It On The Tango

(Part two of four in the Music & Dance on the Lagoon story. Photo: Ice Nweke and Andrea Barton.) In my last blog, I wrote about the myriad of problems we encountered setting up Music & Dance on the Lagoon. Many of those difficulties were beyond our control, but some were self-imposed. A more sensible person … Continue reading Blame It On The Tango

July 11, 2018June 6, 2026

To Be Oneself Or To Be Someone Else

(Updated June 6th, 2026) When I published Nigerian Gems, I used the pseudonym Jo Demmer. People often ask how I chose my pen name. Jo is my middle name, after my great-grandmother, Josephine. Demmer is my mother’s maiden name. The novel I was working on at the time, Sunrise Court, was rife with intrigue and … Continue reading To Be Oneself Or To Be Someone Else

June 28, 2018June 6, 2026

The Pros and Cons of Writing Memoir

What is the difference between memoir and autobiography? What is creative nonfiction? What are the advantages of writing memoir? These are just some of the questions tackled in The Pros and Cons of Writing Memoir. Continue reading The Pros and Cons of Writing Memoir

June 22, 2018February 16, 2024

A Rookie’s Guide to Literary Speed Dating

[Updated Feb 16, 2024, see notes in square brackets.] Authors have a tough time breaking into the traditional publishing world. We send our work via email or online submission portals and rarely meet an agent or publisher face-to-face. Literary Speed Dating is designed as an opportunity to pitch in person. The catch? We only have … Continue reading A Rookie’s Guide to Literary Speed Dating

May 24, 2018April 1, 2026

Nigerian Gems – In Print At Last

(Photo Nigerian Gems. Left, first mock up; right, the final product.) To pick up from where I left off in Tales from Lagos, the publication of Nigerian Gems had stalled because we didn’t have money to print it. The creative side had progressed quickly. Graphic designer Els Van Limberghen volunteered to do the layout and design. … Continue reading Nigerian Gems – In Print At Last

April 18, 2018December 1, 2020

My Top Four Editing Tips

Editing is both an art form and a numbers game. Writers are constrained by word count, so every phrase must be sharpened and polished like a jewel. My first editing job was Nigerian Gems. Since then, I’ve spent hours revising my own work, been mentored by Michele Rubin, head of Cornerstones US and had the opportunity … Continue reading My Top Four Editing Tips

April 11, 2018April 1, 2026

Tales from Lagos

(Photo : This is one of my original Lagos “blogs” (sent via email) back in 2004) The concept for Nigerian Gems, Expatriate Tales of Adventure was simple – to create a snapshot of our Lagos experience through stories, snippets and photos. Many expats had already written emails or blogs about quirky moments, outrageous anecdotes or … Continue reading Tales from Lagos

April 4, 2018January 8, 2019

Curtis Brown Creative Guest Blog

Something a bit different today. After I wrote about writing resources in The Adventures of Sexy Legs and Pipsqueak, I was invited to write a blog about my experiences on the Curtis Brown Creative Novel Writing Course. So, I teamed up with my Pen Pals, the marvelous Sarah Linhart and Sarah Hawthorn, and our thoughts were … Continue reading Curtis Brown Creative Guest Blog