Tag Archives: Writing process

To the Lighthouse: Week 3

Posted on November 24, 2021 by Karen Whitelaw

Dredging up Ideas I spent a lot of time in the morning looking out of my window. If I hadn’t been so stuck with the next scene of my novel, I wouldn’t have noticed how many times the dredge left … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts, Writing, writing process | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Newcastle Writers Festival

Posted on April 4, 2018 by Karen Whitelaw

April 6-8, 2018  Newcastle Writers Festival is becoming one of the most dynamic and friendly festivals in Australia for both writers and readers. It attracts big names in the world of writing and ideas: Robert Drewe, Jimmy Barnes, Kitty Flanagan, … Continue reading →

Posted in Newcastle Writers Festival, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Writing Colour

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

This week I watched my friend Virginia, an intuitive painter, throw aquamarine and cobalt blue onto a green, purple and vermilion background, and then spray on water so the gleaming paint dripped down the canvas like rain. I could drown in … Continue reading →

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In Defense of Procrastination

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

Some writers think procrastination is the same as being blocked. Some call procrastination thinking. I’ve just watched a Ted Talk by Adam Grant called ‘Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers.’ He conducted a study which makes a strong case for the procrastination-as-thinking camp. Grant is … Continue reading →

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The Joy of Writing

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

A writer friend who is also doing the challenge of observing and writing down the details every day sent me this email, ‘It is quite  incredible the wandering paths my mind has taken just by writing in the moment like this.Today … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing, writing process | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

Love the Details

Posted on January 5, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

Details should be more than a writer’s friend; details should be our lover. Get intimate, close up. Slow down. Examine him/her with intense and specific attentiveness. Details make the place in our writing real. Whether it’s travel, memoir, stories or … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Writing, writing process | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Living a Dream – Day 19

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Karen Whitelaw

If you’re living a dream, is it supposed to storm? With no lightning, just thunder that goes on for so long you wonder if Thor’s record got stuck? And rain clouds you’ve been keeping an eye on sneak down off … Continue reading →

Posted in fiction, Travel, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

Living a Dream – Day 16

Posted on October 26, 2015 by Karen Whitelaw

Even dreams can turn nightmarish. For the past fifteen days the words have been in flood. My pens keep running out of ink and my second notebook is almost full. The images, metaphors and scenes are damming up, coming so … Continue reading →

Posted in dream, Travel, writing process | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Living a Dream – Day 7

Posted on October 17, 2015 by Karen Whitelaw

When the normal life you’ve made for yourself is on hold, when its day to day living can’t intrude, distract or make demands, or if it does you can’t do anything anyway, writing is easy. Time is what I’m giving … Continue reading →

Posted in lifestyle change, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Living a Dream – Day 5

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Karen Whitelaw

The temperature reached 12 degrees celsius today and this morning a chill wind followed us around the markets at St-Remy-de-Provence. Now that was a market! Go if you have the chance. When we came home this afternoon the sun streamed … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments