Of course everything is easy. When you know how.

With two new batches of Writers in Action about to start wrting the festival there has been a lot of discussion on 'how to' blog.

It all seems rather easy now - just write.

Of course it if I stretch my mind back to just over a year ago I was feeling just the same as these students, and I know my class mates were too.

It can be difficult to know where to start. After all, there are many things we could write about. That's what is most paralysing when it comes to writing - how do you begin when you don't know where to start?

These days a post comes from one of two areas - because I have been given a task, or inspiration has struck and I can just write. 

Like any piece of writing it takes planning to write. A blog post is no different than writing an article or an assignment. It has a beginning, a middle and an end.

I put some thoughts down, word after word. Sometimes the words just flow, and sometimes they take some cobbling together. It also helps to let the words sleep. Let them rest, and come back to them with fresh eyes.

Writing takes practice, and the more practice you get the easier it becomes. A bit like riding a bike really.

So, for WiA of 2015, start off with small posts, even if they are only 100 words. Get a feel for it. Try different styles, keep practicing until you find your voice. Read each others blogs and see what makes each other tick. The words will come, your voice will get louder, and before you know it you will have a blog.

What is hard becomes easy. When you know how. All it takes is practice.

Inscriptions in books

I know not every one will agree with me, but I LOVE inscriptions in books. I love opening up a book and being reminded of when, why, where and from whom the book came. It is something I continue with my son, indeed whoever I gift a book to.  It's a beautiful reminder of our own good stories, our life, every time I see one.

I love opening books up in second hand stores to see if they have another story inside them, "To my wife I love you", "Congrats on your new job", "Happy cooking". It makes these books even more special. 

I have a copy of Jackie French's "Diary of a Wombat" which was given to my son by a friend of ours, which she left a message in.  She passed away a few years ago and apart from still just enjoying that book I always enjoy seeing her message.  It reminds me of happy times with her.
I am also a sucker for having an author signing their books.  In grade 5 (1990!) we had Ian Edwards come to our school to promote is book "The Money Eaters".  It was one of the few times I was given money to buy something of my choice, and I loved that he signed it for me.  I still look at that and smile (and still love reading that book!).  As an aside I was lucky enough to have Ian as my year 8 English teacher, a teacher whose efforts have remained with me all these years later.
I am going to be such a dag, but I won't be scared to ask authors to sign my books at the Bendigo Writers Festival, because in the years to come I am going to look back in those books and remember, and smile.

Blogging the Festival

Hi there.  I am a student at La Trobe University, and I am thrilled to be part of the subject "Writers in Action".  This subject is based entirely around the Bendigo Writers Festival, a weekend of writerly goodness.  I am going to be lucky enough to spend the whole weekend at the festival rubbing shoulders with amazing wordsmiths, those local and beyond.  This blog is dedicated to my experiences over the weekend of the festival, but I also plan to do some profiling of authors etc. present over the weekend, and with any luck find enough time to read and review some of the works by attendees.
Find out more on the Bendigo Writers Festival here
Discover Bendigo here 
And on La Trobe here