Writers’ Q&A – Amelia Walker

How would you describe your work to someone new to it?

I mainly write poetry, though I do play around with short stories, articles and occasionally other forms. With my poetry I am always trying to explore different styles and voices, so it’s hard to pinpoint any overall defining characteristics.

In my most recent book, ‘Sound and Bundy’, I created four characters and wrote poems in their voices. They all had very distinct styles. The first wrote social realist poetry, the second wrote very formal poetry (sonnets, villanelles, etc.), the third wrote slam performance-style poetry and the fourth wrote experimental poetry in the style of Ern Malley.

What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine?

My one rule is that each day from Monday to Friday I always do something related to writing. This can mean writing, but it can also mean reading. I read poems by other poets, articles about poetry and writing, books about culture and philosophy, current affairs articles, and sometimes I treat myself to some fiction. Reading gives me ideas for writing and I also learn a lot by reflecting on what I like (and don’t like) about other writers’ styles.

What is the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome as a writer?

Two years ago I lost all movement and sensation in my thumbs and forefingers because of RSI from too much typing! I had to see a physio and take a lot of time off writing. It was very frustrating – a bit like the equivalent of when a sportsperson gets injured. Coming back to writing was a slow process and I had to develop new work habits to prevent the injury recurring. It’s really hard to make yourself take a break when you’ve got an idea you’re really excited about and you’re worried you’ll forget it if you don’t write the whole thing straight away in one hit… But I’ve had to learn that those breaks are important if I want to keep working. I still get trouble with the RSI from time to time (usually when deadlines are approaching and I try to push too hard), but I’m more aware of the early warning signs now so I tend to stay on top of things.

What was one of the most surprising things you have learnt from writing?

I do a lot of visits to schools where I run workshops or talk to students about writing. The questions they ask are always challenging yet reinvigorating. They help me to see new possibilities, new reasons to keep writing. (I think I have probably learned a lot more from students than I have taught them!)

What was the book that most influenced your life — and why?

A Penguin Modern Poets collection containing work by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Allen Ginsberg and Gregory Corso. I read it when I was fourteen and it was the first poetry I ever read and liked. (Before then I thought that poetry had to rhyme and be about flowers.) It made me want to write poetry too.

What are you reading now?

I just finished ‘The Savage Detectives’ by Roberto Bolano, a Chilean writer. It’s a novel about a group of avant-garde poets and it made me laugh out loud at several points.

E-book v paper book? Why?

I bought an e-reader for the first time about six months ago. I bought it because I wanted to download e-books in Dutch (which is much cheaper than having books posted from overseas). I wasn’t sure how much I would like reading on a screen, but I found that it’s really not much different, and I have wound up using it to read stuff in English as well. The big advantage of the e-reader is that it doesn’t take up space and you can easily take hundreds of books with you when you’re travelling. The downside is that it sometimes plays up or runs out of battery when you’ve just gotten to an exciting part of the story. Also you can’t get your copy of the book signed by the writer. At this stage I still opt for paper books more often than e-books.

What is your favourite writing quote?

“Bring me penguin dust, I want penguin dust” – Gregory Corso

What is the best writing advice you have received?

Be thick skinned and just keep going.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I work part-time as a group fitness instructor and I love riding my bike. I also enjoy just relaxing with friends with some nice food and drinks (like most people I suppose!)

Amelia is an Adelaide based poet and spoken word performer. She has published two books and performed at festivals including the Big Day Out (Adelaide 2003), the Queensland Poetry Festival, Overload (VIC), the WA Spring Poetry Festival, This Is Not Art (NSW) and the 2008 World Poetry Festival in Kolkata, India. Amelia also runs workshops in writing and public speaking for schools and community groups and currently holds an Australian Poetry Centre Cafe Poet Residency at Higher Ground (Light Square, Adelaide).

For more information on Amelia’s work & workshops, visit her website at http://www.freewebs.com/ameliawalker/

My creative self, in writing.

Yesterday was Mother’s Day, and as I struggled to reconcile the conflicting emotions I encounter on this day, I searched for a connection to my mum and found it in an unexpected place – her handwriting.

Mum's Fruit Ball recipe

My mum had beautiful handwriting. It was elegant and graceful and it was (& still is) like no other. With it she wrote Happy Birthday wishes in my birthday cards, and responded to teacher queries in my diary. It was the only form of written communication she used. Now all I have of it is tattered recipes and a list she wrote in hospital of who to send thank-you cards to when she was better. There are no journals, no letters and no insight into what she thought or felt.

But looking through her recipes, often written on the back of an old envelope or scrap of butter stained paper, I realised that the insight to some of those thoughts and feelings was right there. My mum believed (& shared the belief) that food (and a cup of tea) could fix anything. That the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach & that baking was the best way to show someone that you cared. In fact most of my fondest memories of my childhood involve being in the kitchen with mum, or being the recipient of that special home-cooked loved she dished out so well. (How all that relates to my relationship with food is another post entirely!). So in a way, it’s fitting that her recipes are all that remains of her handwriting. A connective link to a part of her life she was so passionate about.

For me though, and for the writing legacy I will leave behind, it’s different. I don’t write out recipes. I search, print and stick them in a book, or rely on the numerous cookbooks I’ve accumulated over the years. I don’t sit on the phone to a friend and jot down their recipe for lemon biscuits. But cooking isn’t my passion. For me, it’s writing, and it’s more an exploration. A way of working out what I really think and feel about things. Lately a lot of that thinking and feeling has related to being a mum and losing my own, and I wonder how much of that is worth keeping. It’s also the random ramblings of free-writing sessions or my ideas for writing projects, many of which never gather any real steam. It’s my creative self on paper, just as mum’s recipes were her’s.

I often find the answers on the page, even when I didn’t know the question & this, like so many posts delivers the answer before I reach the end. One day, hopefully before I die, my children will come across my mountains of notebooks and will dive in, finding some gems (& a lot of dirt) along the way.  After I’m gone, my handwriting, and what it represents, will connect them to me in the same way as mum’s recipes connect me to her.

Writers’ Q&A – Allayne Webster

How would you describe your work to someone new to it?

Mildly intelligent hopefully not sinkable without a trace teenage chic-lit.

What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine?

I once attended a writer’s event where the male guest speaker said, ‘You’re not a writer if you don’t crave to put the kids to bed at 8.00pm and sit down for the next two hours to write every single night.’ I had to muster all my inner strength not to get up and beat him over the head with the microphone. Personally, my writing process is to chuck a big ‘I need time alone’ tanty at my husband, off-load the kid, swindle valuable hours by hiring a house cleaner, drink Bird in Hand Sem.Sav.Blanc by the bucket load and scrape in a few moments at the laptop typing side-saddle whilst folding the washing.  I’m unfortunately still waiting for my J.K.Rowling lifestyle to kick in.  Until that day comes, I still have a day job, family obligations, etc.  (I know JK wrote in a cafe because she had no electricity….bla, bla, bla…..I’m not quite ready to sacrifice my wine and Haighs habit yet. I need something that pays the bills…..)

So overall, a ‘regular routine’ is a foreign concept as far as I’m concerned. Do what works for you.  If it’s not working, go to Dan Murphy’s and stock up.  You’ll be amazed at the stuff you can dribble.

What is the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome as a writer?

Clearly I haven’t as yet overcome the biggest obstacle….financing my writing.   I hope to overcome it by writing the next Hunger Games or Twilight.  Failing that, selling a kidney is always a possibility – (if I don’t ruin my chances with the Bird in Hand in the meantime….)  Hey, do you think Bird in Hand might sponsor me??  Actually, Gloria Jeans might also be a goer….coffee helps.  I’m starting to notice a trend here…..wine, coffee, chocolate.  Is this helping anyone?

Money is a big obstacle for most authors.  Apply for grants (*I’ve won two….they helped a bit).  Do gigs/appearances if you can.  If you can’t get a bookings agent to represent you, go direct to the venue – an agent takes a cut of your hard work anyway – their loss.) Stalk retirement homes in rich suburbs and marry a sugar-daddy/sugar-mummy.

What was one of the most surprising things you have learnt from writing?

Coming into the writing game, it surprised me that some people think because they have qualifications (be it in teaching, early childhood – if publishing for children – or a PhD in Creative Writing….etc) that they have a right to publish and are somehow exalted on high….  I think anyone with a voice should be able to publish.  Society would have missed out on some of the most amazing works in history if writing qualifications were required.  Any writing related study should be about honing an existing talent and not about obtaining a piece of paper that somehow validates what you do.

Also, I’ve encountered censorship issues.  Even though Australia (unlike America) doesn’t have a ‘Banned or Challenged Books list’ – I’ve certainly seen ‘unofficial’ lists.  Many children’s books are ‘managed’ by librarians. At the whim of whoever is in charge, a book might be kept under the counter and only handed out on special request.  As if a child experiencing sexual abuse is going to approach the desk and ASK for a book that deals with that very topic!!!…..which is exactly how my first novel Our Little Secret (about a teen rape) was reportedly handled by some schools.  I also once visited a religious school (that shall remain nameless) who were sending back a recent book order to the supplier because of the ‘content’. (The book featured a gay relationship.)  I mean…..urgh!!!! As a teen, if I knew this kind of thing was going on in relation to what I  read, I’d be pretty peeved.

What was the book that most influenced your life — and why?

Growing up, pretty much all of the books written by Judy Blume.  Because she told it straight with zero BS. She wrote about the stuff that turned my dad’s face red and made my mum duck for cover.  Also, I grew up in a rural country town, so stories about New York and New Jersey seemed glamorous.

What are you reading now?

Crossed by Ally Condie. (Sequel to Matched.)  AND the second book in The Hunger Games  trilogy.  I keep getting them confused.  Not always good to read two books at once…..  Mostly, I read teen fiction.

E-book v paper book? Why?

Oh! Paper, paper, paper.  Because I’m old fashioned. Because I have to stare at a screen (like most office people) for 99% of my time and I want something I can touch and smell and admire and hold and throw at a wall without fear of insurance claims.  I like to gaze adoringly at the set of colourful spines filling my bookshelf……because you can get a book signed by the author….because books have been part of our lives forever and it’s hard to let go…

What is your favourite writing quote?

It’s actually a general quote…..’If you aren’t rich, you should always look useful.’  Hence, I write to look useful…..and I’m still not rich.  Damn!

What is the best writing advice you have received?

Shut up. Don’t whinge about it. Write it and Sell it. Simple. End of story.

(Courtesy of my author mate Fiona McIntosh….author of 26 books and counting…. What a woman.)

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Oh, that would mean in my FREE time, right?  I think free time occurs somewhere between cleaning my teeth and hitting the pillow.  Um….if I had free time…. occasionally I’d play my guitar, read more books, walk on the beach and suck my wine collection dry, replenish it and suck it dry again. (Wait a minute….I actually manage to achieve that last bit. Yah me!)

Allayne grew up in Kingston South East and now lives in Adelaide South Australia with her electrifying-electrician husband, a very cheeky son, a dog called Buddy and 5 goldfish. She writes whenever she can squeeze it in and hopes to eventually publish many, many stories.

Writing heroes from Allayne’s childhood include Judy Blume, Beatrix Potter and Enid Blyton. Today’s writing heroes are too numerous to mention.  In between writing, Allayne currently works at The University of Adelaide in a Research support role, interviewing and writing the stories of research staff.

Visit Allayne at www.allaynewebster.com.au for more.

Mother’s Day 2012

Image - pinterest.com

It’s Mother’s Day on Sunday. For me, this will hopefully result in a cup of tea in bed (at a reasonable hour) and spending the day with my beautiful little family. It won’t mean the empty sentiment of expensive gifts and Hallmark words, but it will be a celebration of the joy I feel as a mum.

It also won’t mean roast lamb at mum’s house and will bring with it a tinge of grief. It will be a day (one of many) that reinforces the gap left in my life when my mum died. It will magnify my grief and it will suck – big time. There is no avoiding it, and while I am reminded every time I see mothers with their daughters, no matter how old, the time around Mother’s Day is particularly tricky to navigate.

Losing your mother at any stage is life is heartbreaking. It’s hard to explain and even more difficult to overcome. I lost my mum after a short lived but spirited battle with Cancer nearly five years ago. It was extremely difficult on many levels and looking back, there are many things I wished I asked her, mostly about her experiences as a mum. I didn’t get the chance to talk to her about night-feeds, introducing solids or the best way to deal with toddler tantrums. Although there’s plenty of advice out there, nothing compares to that of your mum. My journey into motherhood has been that much more challenging without her.

But being the optimist that I am, forever searching for the silver lining – a positive in a sea of negatives surrounding the loss of my mum at such an early age – it would be this. I have adopted a mothering collective with whom to share the perils of motherhood, womanhood & life with. For the most part they represent no branches on my family tree, but they are vital pieces of my puzzle. They are the women on the other end of the line when I need a reality check, and the ones that will pop a cork (or two) on when I really need a drink. They are the ones who understand the loss and the ones that just get me, even when I don’t. They are, in their own way, just as important to me as Elizabeth Grace.

And because it would be completely remiss of me to glance over my mother’s continued influence on my life from beyond this world, here’s a couple of things she left me with;

* a love of Chanel No. 5,
* the ability to make kick arse scones,
* the inability to leave the house without makeup, and
* the belief that a cup of tea makes everything better.

And whilst her absence from my life is real and lasting, her presence is continued and the place in my heart she occupies still very much alive. I will miss her on Sunday, but that’s just life, and more importantly, death.

But this year, I’m dedicating Mother’s Day to my un-biological mothers, the women who challenge me, comfort me and love me, even though they don’t have to. I love you.

Writers’ Q&A – Rosemary Cadden

How would you describe your work to someone new to it?

Light but not fluffy: sounds like a well-made omelette rather than a book. With all my writing – such as travel pieces, theatre reviews and now the book Making a Meal of It –  I grapple to be light. As in not obvious, worthy or pompous.

Making a Meal of It has a serious motive – it’s a book of tips and ideas and sort-of recipes all about avoiding wasting food. But Jane Willcox and I have tried to produce a book that’s a good read. Maybe even make you smile at times.

What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine?

I can safely say that neither Jane nor I would have finished the book without each other’s help: goading, coaxing, guilt-creating… in fact, any tactic that got the other back on task.

A regular routine did evolve with the book which was fantastic: we would each set off to write a chapter: researching facts, interviewing growers and grandmothers, finding quirky info. We would then exchange our chapters for comment. As former journalists we had no problem giving or receiving fair criticism. We knew it would mean a tighter more interesting read.

What is the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome as a writer?

Ooops… why am I writing this? I’m not a writer…. Ah, but I do have business cards that have the printed words “Writer/Trainer”. Clearly a decision made in a confident moment.  I think many people who pay the bills with a job other than writing face the same dilemma.

What was one of the most surprising things you have learnt from writing?


I used to read quotes from authors saying that they had no idea where their writing was leading; that the characters in their books always took over and dictated the outcome. I could never quite understand that. But, in fact, I found something similar with this book. Even though it’s essentially a book of practical tips, not fiction or fantasy, the final book is not the one we set out to write. Those cranky carrots and sprouting onions took on a life of their own!  So maybe what I’ve learnt is that, to write, you have to relinquish control.

What was the book that most influenced your life — and why?

The Drifters by James A. Michener. I read it in the 70s and I keep meaning to read it again. It made me want to travel. And I did. Apparently, I’m not alone. Now and then, I’ll Google the title and read all these comments from others who report the very same reaction.

What are you reading now?

I am re-reading Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco. He’s coming back to Adelaide as a speaker at Writers’ Week and a few of us who worked with Miguel at the now-defunct Independent Weekly are having a reunion. Also reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, which I picked up in an Op Shop. I never did get around to reading it before. Also reading The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas. Loved the TV series and loved the author’s interview some time ago with Jennifer Byrne. As you can see, my reasons for doing anything is quite random.

E-book v paper book? Why?


I haven’t read an e-book as yet, so can’t comment on whether I would enjoy the experience. Each to his or her own I say.

What is your favourite writing quote?


Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.  ~Author Unknown
(I found this when I Googled for writing quotes and couldn’t resist.)

What is the best writing advice you have received?


Don’t write and edit at the same time. I’ve never been good at following good advice, however. I’m thinking of going back to the quill and ink to deal with my addiction to the ‘cut and paste’ and other dastardly editing functions on the computer!

Having said that, editing is so, so important.  So I love all those quotes that encourage people to rewrite and rewrite. I remember Mem Fox telling a group of us at Flinders University about how many times she had rewritten her children’s books. Books of around 200 words. But the best 200 words.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

What can I say… when I’m not writing or working or sleeping, I guess it’s the simple things involving spending time with family and friends.

Rosemary leads a double life as a freelance journalist/writer and as an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher and trainer. She has had numerous jobs over the years involving writing: journalist, media advisor and PR consultant. She was commissioned in 2009 to write Building South Australia – Celebrating 125 Years for the Master Builders Association. Making a Meal of It, written with Jane Willcox, was published by Wakefield Press in June 2011.