Tag Archives: Writing process

Writing is like loose pyjamas

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Karen Whitelaw

Julia Cameron said that writing should be like loose pyjamas. What she means is writing can be casual and comfortable. Cameron writes three ‘morning pages’ of longhand every day. Morning pages are stream-of-consciousness writing that have no restrictions and carry … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing, writing process | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Writing about Emotion

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Karen Whitelaw

William Faulkner knew it. Janette Turner Hospital, Kate Grenville, Julian Barnes know it. But studies are just starting to prove it. The more writers hold back on the effusive emoting of their characters, the more emotion their readers will feel. … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing, writing process | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Changing Negative Behavioural Patterns – Part II

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Karen Whitelaw

We often blame procrastination when it’s our behavioural patterns that stop us doing the things we genuinely want to do. My last post, Recognising Writing Behavioural Patterns, was all about mapping and recognising these patterns as a way to changing … Continue reading →

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Recognising Writing Behavioural Patterns

Posted on January 31, 2015 by Karen Whitelaw

Why, with all my good intentions, enthusiasm and motivation, do I fail to be as productive with my writing as I’d like? Why do I start exciting new writing projects and often find they peter out after a couple of … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 28 Comments

“The Blog Hop” & “My Writing Process Q & A Tour”

Posted on September 17, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

Marg from Marg’s Slices of Life passed The Blog Hop onto me. While I was thinking about the questions she sent, Joanna and Ron from The Lazuli Portals nominated me for My Writing Process Q & A Tour. As the … Continue reading →

Posted in Short stories, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Is There a Right Way to Write?

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

I was astounded recently when a former student, a woman whose work I admire, who has gone on to become a successful prize-winning writer, confessed she didn’t like to read, that she didn’t read. Until I heard this I believed … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged , , , | 20 Comments

David Malouf at Sydney Writers’ Festival

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

Sydney Theatre. 11.30 am. 22 May, 2014 The auditorium lights faded. Enter stage right, David Malouf. Australian Book Review’s first laureate. Multiple literary award winner, including the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. Man Booker short-lister. Enter Tegan Bennett Daylight. Interviewer. One of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

A Fresh Look at Verbs

Posted on March 3, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

Verbs provide the energy and action of our sentences. They can make our writing powerful and vibrant, or flat and ordinary. Considering how important they are we often don’t give them the attention they deserve. Here’s an exercise I found, … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Insight Begins with Sight

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Karen Whitelaw

“Your beliefs will be the light by which you see, but they will not be what you see and they will not be a substitute for seeing.” Flannery O’Connor We often think that to write about travel we have to … Continue reading →

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Is Writing a Waste of Time?

Posted on October 29, 2013 by Karen Whitelaw

New Australian research conducted by consultants Ernest & Young found the average employee wastes 50 minutes a day on work that will either be binned or not used. It obviously goes to show they didn’t survey many writers. After a … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments