Gratitude for Millie and Stella (kids lit, middle grade)
The Sunshine Coast Hinterland Writers Festival (my workshop for kids)
Write Your Novel (hybrid course – 2 for 1 deal! Bring a friend free!
The Artist’s Way (creative recovery for all, 12 week course, live)
Sometimes, stories and characters take many drafts and years to come to fruition. They’re like a friend you’ve had for 10 years who finally shows you themself in their ‘natural’ state — dressed in medieval role playing outfits. Other times, though, characters turn up like they opened the door, walked in, sat down and told you their life’s story. Millie is one of those.
Roughly 15 or so years ago, I had a dream in which I was in labour and gave birth. I reached down and picked up a little girl who (in perfect dreamlike fashion), was about the size of doll, with long dark hair. She smiled at me and said, ‘Hi, my name’s Millie’, and I remember it clearly to this day.
Fast forward a couple of years and I was pregnant. Millie! It must be Millie! But my little Millie wasn’t destined to stay. It was early in the pregnancy and I knew something had changed before the bleeding started. I lived in a tiny rural town and as it was still early enough (and, presumably, services were limited) I was sent home by myself to deal with the lengthy, unsupported and agonising passing. Time moved on, I had a baby boy, I got a book deal, I relocated to the coast. When my son, Flynn, was four-years-old, I was already contracted and scheduled to write big, adult fiction books, for years into the future. But I’d had a long-held dream to write children’s books, and I especially wanted to be able to get one out into the world while my son was still small enough to sit in my lap while I read it to him.
I committed to writing a terrible first draft (because you must allow yourself to write a terrible draft if you want to get to the good draft) and I would do it in 20-30 minute stints first thing in the morning. (I adapted practices from The Artist’s Way which I’d completed with a group of creatives 25 years prior.) They weren’t ideal writing conditions, but I had to do it anyway.
The summary is that over the next eight years the story went through multiple upgrades, variations, re-writes and changes in the cracks of time between my big book commitments. Now, to my rather excessive delight, I can share that IT IS FINALLY coming out into the world bigger, better and brighter than I had initially imagined it, and I couldn’t love it more!
Additionally, I can’t tell you how much deep joy it has brought me to ‘see’ my little Millie running around on the page, hanging out with ponies and puppies and chickens and her best friend, Stella, and dancing and drawing and reading and loving cheese and paella with her loving family. I truly feel like she has indeed come through me and now lives very much in these stories, right where she’s meant to be. I hope you love her as much as I do. And I hope you love her best friend, Stella, just as much, because it was actually Stella’s character’s energy that got this series up and off the ground in the first place. And when you meet both Millie and Stella, you’ll understand why. 🙂
P.S. I’ve told my now 12-year-old that he still needs to sit in my lap while I read him this story… Stay tuned for those pics!
Have you always wanted to write a novel, but just haven’t found the right time or motivation? Maybe you’ve tried before and found it too daunting or you’ve got so many ideas, you don’t know where to start. If this sounds like you, then I invite you to Join Me on Sunday, 18th May, 2025, for a transformative journey where we’ll take your ideas and bring them to life.
I’m Here to Guide You Through the Process
Writing a novel can be a challenging task. It’s not just about stringing words together, it’s about creating a world, developing characters, and weaving a story that engages and captivates readers. It’s a craft that requires skill, patience, and a whole lot of creativity.
That’s where I come in. With years of experience in the world of fiction writing, I can guide you through the process of turning your ideas into a compelling novel. Whether you’re a first-time writer or a seasoned veteran looking for a fresh perspective, I’m here to provide the guidance, feedback, and support you need to bring your novel to life.
And…
Over the course of our journey together, we’ll explore the fundamentals of novel writing, from character development and plot structure to pacing and dialogue. You’ll learn how to craft a narrative that not only tells a story but also resonates with readers. By the end of our time together, you’ll have a solid foundation in the craft of novel writing and the confidence to take your work to the next level.
Book now! Places are limited, so be sure to secure yours early. I can’t wait to see what stories we’ll bring to life together.
What a delight to have met you and participated in your wonderful course. It was so helpful in many ways, and seeing the other participants once a month, hearing about their stories and nutting out our ideas and processes together was really special.
JK – Write Your Novel participant
Writing a novel is a journey that requires passion, commitment and, importantly, guidance from an experienced author. Don’t put it off for another year! Let’s embark on this adventure together and make 2024 the year you write your novel. I look forward to meeting you and helping you achieve your writing dreams.
Jo x
Join Me on Feb 18th, 2024
Have you always wanted to write a novel, but just haven’t found the right time or motivation? Maybe you’ve tried before and found it too daunting or you’ve got so many ideas, you don’t know where to start. If this sounds like you, then I invite you to join me on February 18th, 2024, for a transformative journey where we’ll take your ideas and bring them to life.
I’m Here to Guide You Through the Process
Writing a novel can be a challenging task. It’s not just about stringing words together, it’s about creating a world, developing characters, and weaving a story that engages and captivates readers. It’s a craft that requires skill, patience, and a whole lot of creativity.
That’s where I come in. With years of experience in the world of fiction writing, I can guide you through the process of turning your ideas into a compelling novel. Whether you’re a first-time writer or a seasoned veteran looking for a fresh perspective, I’m here to provide the guidance, feedback, and support you need to bring your novel to life.
And…
Over the course of our journey together, we’ll explore the fundamentals of novel writing, from character development and plot structure to pacing and dialogue. You’ll learn how to craft a narrative that not only tells a story but also resonates with readers. By the end of our time together, you’ll have a solid foundation in the craft of novel writing and the confidence to take your work to the next level.
Ready to Join?
Are you ready to bring your novel to life? To join me on this exciting journey, all you need to do is book your spot via https://josephinemoon.com/write-a-novel-in-a-year/ Places are limited, so be sure to secure yours early. I can’t wait to see what stories we’ll bring to life together.
Lastly…
Writing a novel is a journey that requires passion, commitment and, importantly, guidance from an experienced author. Don’t put it off for another year! Let’s embark on this adventure together and make 2024 the year you write your novel. I look forward to meeting you and helping you achieve your writing dreams.
Jo x
Reposted from 18th November, 2015 … but still seems relevant 🙂
Consider this post both a gentle, supportive hug, and also a loving butt kick. I’ve had too many conversations in the past month with beautiful, talented, creative women that go something like this:
Look, to be blunt, none of this is new. All of this has been said before, by me and every other person with a creative wish. As Elizabeth Gilbert says, “your fears are boring”. (Ouch! Hurts just a bit, doesn’t it?)
People get so messed up in their heads thinking about the outcome of their creative project that they fail to even start it.
And in my experience, what happens to your book after it is finished is largely out of your hands. You have very little control over it after it leaves your laptop and flies off into the world.
Maybe it will sell, maybe it won’t. Maybe it will start a revolution across the world, or maybe it will change a single person’s life and help them through a difficult time. Maybe it will make you really rich, or maybe it will pay a phone bill, or maybe you’ll end up in debt.
Like bringing a child into the world, there is only so much you can do to protect, shepherd and guide her where you want her to go. She has her own journey.
Is this poking at your deepest fears? Can you feel your stomach knotting and your breathing constrict?
Here is something terrifying.
That fear never goes away.
I emailed my lovely fairy godmother, Monica McInerney, not long after getting my contract for The Tea Chest and The Chocolate Promise and asked her how to deal with the paralysing fear that was stopping me writing. She laughed (lovingly) and told me it wouldn’t ever go away and she was going through it right then too, on her tenth novel.
Julia Cameron, master of living a creative life (and famed author of The Artist’s Way) confesses in her book, The Creative Life, that as time goes on, the mind’s tricks, which it plays to stop us from writing, only get trickier.
Please, beautiful people with creative dreams, don’t be a slave to the ego’s fear.
You are stronger than that. You are wiser.
Name it, if you like. (My creative monster, my ever present fear, is called Maureen. Julia Cameron’s is called Nigel.) It is like an unwanted relative. You can’t get rid of it. It will always be at the table, eating your food.
Give it a job if you like. Many years ago, I listened to my saboteur tell me that everything I wrote was crap, turned to the corner of the room and said, ‘Really? Thanks for that feedback. Now go do something useful and find me a book contract.’ (Well… I got a contract!)
But please, write.
Please write.
Write.
Write for the sake of writing. Write because you want to. Write because in this hour, this day, that is what your soul calls you do to. Write because you love it. Write because you have something to say.
What happens to it after that?
It’s irrelevant. The important thing is that you wrote.
Much love,
Jo x
Subscribers to my LOVE LETTERS are getting a free thing I made (with doodling illustrations, too… it’s my new thing… I’m crediting my new ADHD medication).
Anyway…. I’ve made a guide of 23 things you can do after closing the book to keep the love going. Perfect if you have a book hangover and you just aren’t ready to let the story go.
Sign up now to make sure you get yours! Hurry! I’ll be sending it out soon!
A writer’s “voice” is a difficult thing to explain but you know it when you hear it / read it. Compare the voices of Jane Austen, Anh Do, Liane Moriarty and James Herriot: all of them are very distinctive. They’re the kind of voices you might guess easily if you started a new book with no author name on the jacket.
So what is it?
The voice is the way the words are constructed (syntax). It’s the words that are chosen or left out. It’s the tone, it’s the style, it’s the dialogue, it’s the humour (or not), it’s the spareness or the abundance of words, it’s the details that are fixated on or overlooked. It’s the content, too. It’s the themes, pace, punctuation, familiarity or formality, local/regional dialect and so much more.
It’s very much about authenticity. It’s also a big part of your ‘band’; it’s that thing that will shape your reading audience (draw people to you or not). A consistent voice allows a reader to trust you and relax into a story with a feeling of trust in you. Your subject matter can change, of course, but your voice will carry through across the body of your work.
The voice is the thing that makes you the writer YOU are and it takes time to develop. You find it by writing a lot of words. Short stories are a perfect place to practise your voice. Your voice might change over time, even after you’re published, and that is normal too, though it would be unusual, I think, to have vast variation in voice. But if that was the case, you would probably choose to write under a different pen name so as not to alienate your dedicated audience.
These days, I have a pretty good instinct about when I have slipped out of my voice, when the words just aren’t hitting the page in a very ‘Jo Moon’ way. The voice is the thing I’ve come to trust, even if it’s taking me to places in the story that scare me. I’ve come to know that if I follow my voice, I’ll be okay.
I often get asked how to get an ADHD diagnosis in Australia so I put some info together here that might be helpful. Firstly, this is serious stuff. It needs attention. And you deserve help. You do not need to struggle every day, wondering how you can be so well educated and capable in some ways, and yet able to roll over in bed, pulling up the blankets, only to lose your grip and punch yourself in the face, making your lip bleed. Yes, I’m just that talented. (Just wait till you get to the bit about my car.)
Honestly, after my identification as Autistic I really didn’t think I could be taken by surprise again but then along came an ADHD diagnosis. Never in a million years would I have thought I was ADHD because, just like with Autism, we’ve all been fed a narrow stereotype of what ADHD looks look. You know, the kid (a boy) in the classroom that can’t sit still, can’t stop talking, causes trouble, gets suspended etc. But as one of my diagnosticians said to me, if you think of the cast of Winnie the Pooh, everyone can recognise Tigger as the ADHD one, yet it’s more helpful if you realise that EVERY character in Winnie the Pooh is ADHD… yes, even Eeyore.
The medical community is playing a massive game of catch up right now. For nearly a century, the narrow view of what ADHD looks like has left behind girls and women, people of colour and gender diverse individuals. This is why we are now seeing a sharp rise in ADHD (and Autism) diagnoses: there is a huge backlog of work to get through. As an aside, there is a HUGE overlap between Autism and ADHD. You might like to check out the rather fabulous Megan Neff’s posts on Instagram. She shares a ton of info that you will likely find helpful if you’re querying your neurodivergence.
I shared a post a while back on SOME of the ways ADHD was playing out in my life, without me or anyone else realising it (until my husband started saying, ‘I think you’re ADHD’, and I was like… What? No, I’m not! You are! LOL. That’s funny because he is ADHD. He got his diagnosis first and after many months of getting treatment and learning about it he was able to recognise it in me. (And I am SO grateful.) But as is so common, he presents in a very classic (i.e. stereotypical) ADHD way: he talks fast and all the time, he has energy to burn, he loses his keys almost every day, he cannot sit still… etc. As for me, I wasn’t so obvious. However, after my hubby started telling me that fatigue could well be my signature feature of ADHD, I sat up and listened. Fatigue?! Isn’t that the opposite of what ADHD looks like? And there’s the problem. The stereotypes of Tigger have left everyone else behind, especially those of us who might look like more like Eeyore.
ADHD can look very different on different people. The way it looks on me is very different to my husband and could be very different on you too. It’s tricky!
Okay, so you’re thinking you might be ADHD. What do you do? Here are some things to know.
My Tips for an ADHD Diagnosis Pathway
Okay, I hope this post has been helpful. For me, my advice is that if you think you might be ADHD, do not ignore that. (Did you read the bit about my car?!) It could save your life. I know it’s a long process: it’s worth it. I know it’s expensive (but so are panel beaters).
Jo x
Lovelies, do you dream of writing a novel or maybe a memoir? A children’s book or fantasy trilogy? Is finding the TIME the thing that is holding you back?
TIME is a writer’s greatest resource yet I find few of us really have a handle on how to work in harmony with it. If you are doing the ‘life juggle’ and trying to find the time to get to your passion project, then this four-week e-course might just be the thing you need to break through your time blocks.
I know what it’s like to write with an array of competing deadlines and priorities and I’ve done it badly and I’ve done it well. If you want to learn how to find the time to write your own book, I’m delighted to share with you the techniques, wisdom and strategies I’ve developed over the years. To find out more about this e-course I created just for you–the time-challenged writer–head on over to this link.
If you already know this course is right for you, you can enrol now!
