In the lead-up to my 'Blogging for Beginners' course this weekend for the NSW Writers' Centre, I answer some common questions I get asked about my blogging life...
blogging
Blogging for beginners: a short course at the NSW Writers’ Centre
Are you keen to give blogging a go but don't know where to start? I'm teaching a short course at the NSW Writers' Centre in March. The full description is here. I must stress that this is definitely a beginner's course and if you're already blogging you might get a bit bored in the first … Continue reading Blogging for beginners: a short course at the NSW Writers’ Centre
Some notes on the 'new world' of publishing
On the weekend I was a guest of the Write Around the Murray Festival in Albury. Besides giving a blogging/social media workshop, I was on a panel called The New World of Publishing alongside author Cate Kennedy, zinester Anna Poletti, self-published memoirist Melinda Marengo, and Barry Dorr and Jo Costello from JoJo Publishing. I thought I'd … Continue reading Some notes on the 'new world' of publishing
Byron Bay Writers Festival 2010 diary, part 1
A sun-drenched and possibly superficial series of blog posts Around 9pm on Wednesday night I rolled into Gold Coast airport. My talented friend Omar Musa was on the same bus into Byron and we decided we should go out and wreak some havoc. Havoc was kebabs and a quiet pub where a young blonde man by … Continue reading Byron Bay Writers Festival 2010 diary, part 1
Last weekend’s literary connectivity, and what I’ve been reading lately
On the weekend I was up in sunny Brisbane for the Australian Booksellers Association 2010 conference. It’s a conference for members and friends of the ABA – so, booksellers, publishers, and some librarians and media. I was officially there as a ‘blogger’ – on a panel called ‘Customers, Connections and Communities’, with Andrew McDonald from … Continue reading Last weekend’s literary connectivity, and what I’ve been reading lately
On writing, blogging and social media: an interview from Victorian Writer
After reading A.S. Patric's thoughts on blogging, in an interview he did for Nigel Featherstone at the Canberra Times, I thought I'd reprint a recent interview I did for Victorian Writer, the Victorian Writers' Centre magazine, to add to the conversation. Enjoy! And please share your thoughts in the comments, or via the Facebook fan page, Twitter, your own blogs, … Continue reading On writing, blogging and social media: an interview from Victorian Writer
Avatar: a mash-up
This piece is a mash-up of an undergrad essay from a couple of years ago, plus present thoughts, imaginings and speculation on the narrative of self in a virtual environment. Storytelling is as old as humanity. The human has always actively projected him/herself into realms of fantasy (through song, art, drama, writing). Modernity advanced the visual aspect … Continue reading Avatar: a mash-up
Melbourne Writers Festival 2009 diary part four: finding meaning in the media
...in which the audience gasps audibly at the mention of Twitter! Official festival blogger Estelle and I are aptly blogging this morning's session laptop by laptop, sandwich by sandwich, in a cafe overlooking one of the festival venues. Jeff Sparrow spoke to Margaret Simons about Finding Meaning in the Media. Simons is a fellow Crikey blogger, and … Continue reading Melbourne Writers Festival 2009 diary part four: finding meaning in the media
The inability to relax (an experiment in the confessional)
It's not often that I feel calm. I have supernovas going off in my head, squirmy things in my muscles and fingertips. I'm sore all the time because I exercise so much. It's one of the only ways to expend the energy, wear me down, expend the effort effort effort. And I love the zing … Continue reading The inability to relax (an experiment in the confessional)
Embracing the medium: what makes a successful cultural blog?
The following article is a slightly amended version of the speech I gave during the Emerging Writers' Festival panel The Revolution Will Be Downloaded, May 2009. In my reading of cultural blogs (particularly literary blogs), and through a growing audience for LiteraryMinded, I have found that some recurring elements exist in blogs which could be deemed successful. My measure of … Continue reading Embracing the medium: what makes a successful cultural blog?
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