short story
Emerging Writers Festival
The Emerging Writers Festival is happening in Melbourne, Australia next month.
The Emerging Writers’ Festival is a not-for-profit organisation whose foundations are built on supporting emerging writers. They are a place where creativity and innovation is celebrated, where new talent is nurtured and where diverse voices from across Australia are represented.
For all sessions and workshops check out their website here:
What Inspires Me: Dali
This surrealist’s art has always made me wonder at the “characters” within his art. They speak to me of places I’m too wary to travel to, whilst giving me insight into the complex nature of his perception of life.
This is my favourite Dali piece which is titled “Woman Aflame” .
It helps me momentary escape and explore infinite possibilities as a woman as I compartmentalize my responsibilities and dreams…I might be held up to society’s standards but that is just a crutch which I use to propel myself forward.
What Inspires Me: Travelling
I’ve been away for a long vacation which I haven’t had in years. I travelled to some beautiful places filled with nature which always inspires me.
I wrote everyday and continue to do so, focusing on my fiction as well as non fiction.
Its triggered a new story in me which is a completely different genre and so I look forward to seeing it bloom.
What Inspires Me: Antiques
I have a slight obsession with some antiques – usually the ones which are from early to mid last century.
Looking and touching these items, I ponder who bought it, why they bought it and what they did with it.
It enables my imagination to run wild and imagine the various time periods and the kinds of lives these items touched.
What Inspires Me: Reading
Something which I have a great love for is: reading.
Being born to immigrant parents, I learned to speak English in school. I used reading anything I could get my hands on from the local library, to help me conquer the language.
My passion for reading increased as a teen, where I started to write my own stories, after being inspired by authors like Robin Klein, S.E. Hinton and Lucy Maud Montgomery. As I got older, my tastes broadened and I fell in love with classical literature, horror and science fiction. Authors like Steven King, Paulo Coelho, Christian Jacq, Anne Rice, Raymond E Feist and Janny Wurts encouraged me to get back to writing because their words touched me and reignited the creative spark I had been suppressing.
I’m always reading several books at a time and love to open my inspiration to new ideas whether they be fiction or non fiction. This is why I have been puzzled when I meet people who say they never read. I find that weird…mainly because I love to read for fun as well as for knowledge. I find reading a great self educator and feel it can help writers hone their craft or encourage them to try our new genres or styles of writing.
Whatever I am reading all I want is to get “something” out of it and even if I dislike the book itself – at least I learned that!
Feminist Fairy Tales
I am working on a short story retelling of a classic fairy-tale, but from an ancient world mythological point of view and a woman’s perspective.
Therefore, I have been re-familiarizing myself with Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales for inspiration.
After rereading a few volumes of said fairy tales I was reminded why I became a feminist at age 4.
Those tales are full of so much sexism that it hurts my brain.
If I was one of the female fairy tale characters set in the 17th -19th century I would of ended up like this:
Once upon a time in a land far far away there lived…
An outspoken girl with no titles yet was educated and self assured regarding her own opinion.
She didn’t live happily ever after, as she was promptly executed (or excommunicated) for being a feminist.
The End
Suffice to say my re imagined fairy tale is going to come from a feminist point of view…or so I envision it that way…lets see how she fairs 😉
Short Story Competition: Epic Worlds
Entered my “The Beginning and The End” short story at the Epic Worlds competition: http://www.inkitt.com/epicworlds
Perspective and my writing
The cliche which keeps running around my head at the moment is hindsight is always 20 20 (ironically its what has clouded my vision of late). Flashes of specific images of the past which tap into dark emotions have driven me to a standstill. I’ve had to turn that around and use it to propel me forward once again instead of making me feel like I am drowning in a sea of words which need to get out of my head.
What has helped me is that I have found myself drawn to photos which I have taken which stimulate my imagination. The more introspective I become with regards to my writing, the more I love looking at the beautiful places and people who have inspired me on this journey. This is what is helping me get the things I need to say out….this is what has helped me get on with it.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words….well I’m using that to my advantage. I am looking back but also looking forward. Not only am I looking at the photos which have inspired me but I am taking pictures of things which are inciting my creativity to move into the direction which feeds my story.
This post was inspired by my friend Michelle L…thanks for reminding me that I am an artist.
Sometimes mundane work brings benefits
Been working really long days in my day job at the university (I was seconded to the arts faculty publishing team). I spend my days reading journals and books and its opened my eyes up to all the associations out there for creative writers.
I have discovered and decided to join “Writers Victoria”. I hope it will bring new opportunities which include: competitions, submissions to member newsletter, access to various writers services, networking and commercial publishing opportunities.
Here is a list of some Australian associations I have discovered over the last few months which I have been perusing:
http://www.australianstories.com/australian-writers-organisations.html
tinaaltman.com 