Uni news contribution!

In August La Trobe offered new subject Writers in Action (WiA) for students to gain insiders experience at the Bendigo Writers Festival.  Sixty-five students from across the state travelled to Bendigo for the five day intensive course.  Students participated in writing workshops, interviewed Australia’s finest writers such as Jackie French, Michael Robotham, Charles Jenkins and Raimond Gaita.  They essentially ‘wrote’ the festival.

Lecturer for WiA Dr Sue Gillett was overwhelmed by the student response, and was proud of what they achieved.

“They threw themselves into the festival with great gusto, packing in an enormous amount of writing, and it doesn’t look like slowing.  In fact I think we may have grown into a writers club as a result of the subject.  I’m already planning our first joint publication – Writers in Action: a True Story!” said Dr Gillett.

Prior to the festival students were connected by Dr Gillett through various means, including a ‘home’ blog, and social media.  The clever use of social media allowed students the opportunity to ‘virtually’ get to know one another, and exchange ideas prior to the event.  Some students credited this to their feeling welcome within the class and event.

A number of students volunteered to work on their writing portfolios prior to the Festival. They assisted in writing material about both the Writers Festival and the Write on the Fringe Festival, as well as discussing WiA’s role. This was a great way to gain insight into the process of interviewing and writing for journalistic purposes.

“We saw an opportunity to create a buzz prior to the festival so a group of us started writing and we were published in regional papers and many local blogs.’ said WiA student Willa Whitewolf.

The event itself was quite a whirlwind, and students chose which presentations to see based on their own interests.  Although not many students knew each other prior to class starting, they easily identified one another wearing official ‘Writers in Action’ t-shirts.

“The BWF was fantastic”, said WiA student Gena McLean “Not just because of who I saw, but who I was with – the Writers in Action!  They brought fun, meaning and purpose to this event.  I really enjoyed sharing it with them.”

By the end of the festival the 65 students could boast of listening to and meeting with some of Bendigo’s and Australia’s finest writers, all of which contributed to their own writing.

Five writers talk shop

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The five leading ladies talk shop.

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Five of Bendigo’s best female writers will be on show tonight, discussing their careers, writing styles and passion for the written word.The Young Professionals Network will present the free Five x 5 x Five panel tonight from 5pm to 6pm at the Bendigo Library.
WIN news reporter Sarah Lawrence, The Nerdy Birdy author Danielle Wheeldon, Tough Cookie Marketing chief inspiration artist Kathie Bolitho, Country Racing Victoria fashion blogger Penny Holloway, and Bendigo Weekly journalist Christine McGinn will share their experiences in a free panel event.
As part of the Write on Fringe festival, the women will share their work experiences, give insight into the industry and role model who have shaped their career.They will explore various topics such as how they approach their writing and why they are passionate about their work.
These women come from a diverse background of writing platforms from blogging, journalism to writing books.Students and aspiring writers can gain an insight into how varied vocational writing can be, and find out what makes these women tick.
Bendigo Business Council events and marketing coordinator Jacinta Mangan will host the event, posing five questions to our writers about how and why they write.“This is a wonderful opportunity to hear from five successful women and gain insight into their different styles of writing,” Ms Mangan said.
Locals are invited to come armed with questions, be prepared to learn from these successful women, in what is sure to be a fun and informative discussion.To download the festival program, visit www.ypn.net.au.

Blanche d'Alpuget

For the uninitiated there is more Ms. d'Alpuget than that biography and that relationship. She is an accomplished and award winning author, who writes not only biographies but novels.  She is billed as the keynote to open the festival on the Friday night, to talk women and power.  I assume that the talk will be about her novels, and the role of women in writing and in public life.  The talk certainly does go there, but unfortunately it wasn't where the conversation stayed.

As d'Alpuget walked onto the stage with Hilary Harper, she was well dressed, neat and poised.  I won't discuss her looks further and Blanche herself sums up why.  She says that it is a "pain in the arse" that appearance is commented on in the Australian media.  "It has no impact of my writing."  She has a relevant  point - the media is at times ravenous in its need to document and comment on the appearance of any woman of note,  and not only Blanche - think also our first female prime minister whose appearance was commented on ad nauseam.  It is a distraction from real issues, and the real work of women. Men certainly are not subject to this kind of scrutiny, and it is really time to make a stand and move on from this type of commentary.

The talk opens discussing her historical novels, and I am very taken in by her passion and knowledge of history, and writing it into her novels.  As Blanche documents her research and many interesting facts gleaned for her stories I am finding myself feel enthused and wanting to read these novels.  After all, history of the time that The Young Lion and The Lion Rampant is set is interesting.  It would seem that the public would agree, with historical fiction having somewhat of a renaissance itself. The popularity of books such as A Song of Ice and Fire (popularly known as Game of Thrones) demonstrates this. When asked why the interest may be Blanche replies "we are currently approaching a time of incoherent violence", just as in the 12th century, and as demonstrated by George R.R. Martin and many other authors.  The violence we witness in our current news feeds can be distressing, but to read it in a historical context makes it palatable and intriguing.

What d'Alpuget manages to insert into her writing is the power that women held, stating how women could in fact choose not to live under the 'thumb of man', but mostly 'wielded' their power through family - namely through the control or influence of their children.  Some would argue that this is true of today, however I think that the power that women of today can wield can be any of their choosing. The restrictiveness of the last couple of centuries of patriarchy is slowly being stripped away, giving the space for women to once again have power.  

d'Alpuget's says that her latests writings include the powerful Eleanor of Aquitaine, whom she describes as a blend of three modern powerful women, who show their own power in different ways.  

"If you can imagine Gina Rinehart looking like Marilyn Monroe and with Margaret Thatcher’s brain, you’ve got Eleanor.’’  It's an interesting thought that as women we can demonstrate our power through beauty, brains and sheer determinism, perhaps even at the same time.  Does this make us dangerous?  Perhaps, but it is probably time for us to see more of feminine power in all its forms.

d'Alpuget had a tumultuous life of hardship and tragedy, at times abusive, and it is difficult to not have sympathy for the difficulties she has faced, despite the way Australian media often portrays her.  Indeed issues that she has faced have been the end of many people.  It is a testament to her own strength that she has not only survived, but in turn revealed her own power, shown in the written word.  It seems then unfair that she is so often only discussed as an aside to our former Prime Minister, Bob Hawke.  It does a terrible injustice to any person to qualify them through their association with other people, rather than as a person in their own right.  It is due to this that I am disappointed when Ms Harper steers the conversation to discussion of power wielded by men and the political climate, and her association not only with Mr Hawke but Bill Clinton, and the power that other men have had over her in her life.  One cannot deny the rich tapestry of experiences that shapes our lives, but surely we get to a point where what we ourselves do, or have done, counts for more than the people we know, or have met.

In all I found d'Alpuget to be an articulate and surprisingly entertaining speaker.  It was easy to be caught up in her enthusiasm for writing and I look forward to reading her work.  I will leave d'Alpuget with the last word on writing and power, for what she says I hope to be true for the times to come...

"Writers have the power for doing good".

Sue Woolfe, unlocking my creativity since 2014

This workshop may just be one of the most valuable sessions I have been involved in at this festival.  Sue Woolfe created a safe place for us to open our creative minds and I think that she tapped into at least something in all of us that attended.

Firstly, to create this 'safe place' Ms Woolfe made it clear that no-one, not even herself, was going to read what we wrote.  Nothing was to be shared, and personally I found that the most freeing thing.  So freeing that I could almost have happily shared what I did write.

I enjoyed learning that the whole right brain/left brain idea that has been the norm in explaining creative and non creative types for years is not necessarily correct.  To understand creativity is to understand that there is more than one way of thinking and engaging our brain.

My takeaways from the workshop?

* I am not going to write my masterpiece for another 5, 10 or 20 years.  (Well that eases some pressure!)  I am still learning.

* Write with a dialogue first with self, not the audience.  The rest will come with later drafts.

* Find the thing that you almost dare not say, the unsayable thing that no-one else can say like you, and say it.

* De-focus your attention, other wise known as find the lull in your brain.  Creativity comes from "nowhere" so let yourself go there.

* Two ways of thinking: "Tight construing", our regular state of thinking, linear and controlled

                                     "Loose construing", creativity gold, that comes from the 'lull'

               *Ms Woolfe explains that loose construing is where you make your medium, tight construing where you mould or sculpt it.

* If you worry about the purpose, you worry about the outcome - take the pressure off!

* Let all your writing be disconnected, you can connect it all later.

Ms Woolfe gave us the tools for connecting, and in all it was a great practical extension of the just write advice.

In ten or so years time I just may have my masterpiece. Now is the time to go forth and put this into practice, to find my lull, write from my nothing, then create my something.  

Photo: Helen Konstan

What I got out of this years festival

This was my first ever writers festival.  I had no idea what I was getting into, yet I was still excited.  I assumed that I would learn, not sure about what, but learn I would.  I got more out of the festival than that though.

Motivation, togetherness, encouragement, community and a sense of place were the most surprising things that I got out of the festival.  It was exhilarating being around so many talented and enthusiastic people.  I'm not only talking about the presenters and authors but my fellow class mates.  A bunch of really great people with similar purposes, which made for such a supportive environment.  I also felt really supported by the Festival committee, even though they mostly didn't know us by name.  If we were seen around by the committee it was like we were 'in' on this fabulous event.  Amazing!

I loved the fact the no matter who you were at the festival  - from published writer to attendee it was a given that you were one of them.  A writer, a creative person and someone who belonged.  And I believed it too, which is quite something for me.  I was amongst my 'people'.  This allowed me to think creatively in a manner I have never done before, without the shackles of self doubt.  I have been given the tools to write better for university and for other projects.  I have been given the ability to really write for an audience, and for more purpose than I have to.  Now I not only want to write, but I am feeling the need to write.  It's a feeling almost like falling in love, an insatiable need to be near the words, that they have to flow out of me.  Inspiration is striking at many moments and I need to carry around a pen and notepad to write as the words come.

I enjoyed hearing the crowd discuss the sessions they have been to, debating the merits of panels and what was said, what worked and what didn't, discussions fanned from what had been heard within, then further from what others had taken from it.  The whole event was thought provoking, exciting.

From a learning point of view I got some excellent information of crafting the written word, from accessing my creativity to the bones of writing in many different genres.  I was even persuaded that the 'rules' of writing are constantly shifting and changing and to not be a grammar nazi!

I have now a sense of joy that I can associate with writing, a special thing that not everyone can do.  I have a new found respect for those who are lucky enough to write for a living, and an appreciation of how much they share of themselves and their writing at an event such as this.

I am already looking forward to next years event, where I will again be immersed in my 'people'.  Creative types who write, and listen to those who write.  The place where I too am a creative person who writes.

Pinch me

I have to say I am thrilled, the article I wrote made it, complete with that byline that had seemed impossible to get.  

I have been given another lesson in the way journalism and newspapers work.  Unfortunately another story came up, which forced my little piece out of the print verson.  I was just quietly a little devastated when I couldn't find it in the print copy that I almost ripped out of Sue's hands in my eagerness to see my name and words in print.  Luckily it still warranted a spot on the website, and on the homepage no less, and that's quite cool.

Here it is, my first article, complete with byline, as is on todays Bendigo Weekly website.

http://www.bendigoweekly.com/news/five-writers-talk-shop

What an experience!

I have been lucky enough to be asked to write an article to create buzz for a Write on the Fringe event, which is coincinding with the BWF.  This opportunity developed organically through WiA, but it came as a surprise that I would get my first crack at writing an article for a newspaper.  Real life print!  That real life people read!

Monday I sat in on a meeting with the 6 women participating in the Five x 5 x Five event, all about five writers chatting about their careers in writing.  What an amazing bunch of women, and I came out feeling encouraged, motivated and raring to get into more writing - just from the meeting.  I can then only imagine how great their event is going to be.  A bunch of successful women talking about how they got their jobs, varied roles that all involve writing and what makes them tick.  And all of this locally.  Bendigo really does have a lot to offer!

Writing an article on the event and the women is a little daunting, not least due to there being two journalists on the panel, and I really want to do all these women justice.  And get a whole bunch of people there to take all their advice and ideas in, to walk away just as motivated as I have.

I have learnt a great deal from this experience, in interviewing/observing, and in writing articles for print.  I wish I could say that I wrote a perfect article but I did not. That's okay though, as I have been recieving some great targeted advice.  I have had the privilege of gaining experience. I am after all still playing a learning role here, and I am grateful  that my lack of experience is not closing doors. If anything I feel incredibly lucky that I am meeting people who are willing to take me under their wing, to "show me the ropes" in this writing gig.

The mark of every great career beginning, as far as I can glean, is the mentors you find along the way.  Those people who give a chance to the unproven, the learner.  The people who generously share their experience and advice.  These people mould you, and without them a career may not develop at all.

In a couple of days time I get to say- I am published! With a byline! And as so often is the case, the story goes far deeper, and cannot be told on its own. Credit where credit is due to those who help us along our way.