So, fun fact: when I was a journalism student at Griffith University, Frances Whiting was my writing idol. Her warmth, her humour and her focus on people’s stories was exactly the thing that attracted me to writing the most. I didn’t get to have a job or career that allowed me to write like that for newspapers, but it was those same qualities that I honed and carried over into my fiction works.
Years ago, Frances and I were once billeted into a home in north Queensland, where we’d gone to be part of a writers festival, and she gave me some awesome clothing advice. (Because, I most definitely AM the person who needs styling clarity.) And because she is Frances, it didn’t feel like a criticism, it felt like, oh, wow, I wish I’d known that before — thank you!
This week, I get to sit down and have a chat with her about my new book, about road trip stories and animals and neurodivergence, and it kind of makes me feel like, ten books down, I might finally be An Author…
I’m so looking forward to this. If you’re in Brisbane, you can come along too. It’s a free event but you must book online here.
Lovely ones, I am for the first time ever opening my doors to mentor, coach and assist developing writers. Why now? Maybe because The Wonderful Thing About Phoenix Rose is my 10th book, which has a nice feel to it. Maybe because I’ve been in this game for a long time now (with a string of bestsellers, international publications and never out of contract) and, ridiculously, it’s only just occurred to me that i could share my skills and knowledge and others might even appreciate it 🙂 (Yep, I’ve been the queen of imposter syndrome and have just realised how wrong I’ve been.)
(It’s also highly possible that the introduction of ADHD medication has finally given me the energy, focus and capacity to do a heap of things I am passionate about but never had the energy to do. But, I digress…)
It’s certainly because I remember how difficult it was when I was a writer who was past ‘the beginner’ stage but not yet at the ‘accomplished’ stage (a truly awkward and at times isolating experience). Maybe it’s because I am a homeschooler now and there’s something about homeschooling that makes you think differently about, well, everything. And it’s certainly because my ‘teacher genes’ have been re-activated over the past year. And as much as I remember that awkward ‘in between’ stage of writer development, I have huge passion for beginning writers too and in homeschooling I’ve become exceptionally sympathetic to the plight of writers who simply don’t believe they start, better their work, or finish a work. (Newsflash, you can.
If you’re a writer and would like some help, please do check out the four programs I have put together (just to get us started…. because spending weeks of website maintenance is really not my favourite thing to do and four was all I could manage right now!). And because I am committed to helping you long term, you’ll find I’ve built in long term support past your initial package. (See this example.)
If this is the year you want to write or you want to move to the next level of writing, I am here for it. I’d love nothing more.
Raw beginners through to published authors are welcome, as are all ages and abilities.
(Also, if you are an NDIS client, you may be able to claim your investment. Email me for more details on NDIS.)
