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How Collaboration Can Make You A Better Writer

Kylie Fennell

I don’t make a secret of the fact that I credit my writing group with making me a better writer. I’ve written and posted a lot about how other writers can provide invaluable critique and encouragement, but what about the idea of collaboration?

Can a truly collaborative project make you an even better writer? Can working together on one project bring out the best in each other’s work? Can collaboration kickstart your author platform and open publishing opportunities?

The short answer in my experience is: ‘Yes’ to all of the above.

Fifteen heads are better than…

Nearly twelve months ago, I attended GenreCon – a leading genre fiction conference held in Brisbane by the Queensland Writers Centre. A light-hearted dinner conversation about our different writing projects sparked an idea for a collaborative, multi-genre anthology. We chose the common setting of ‘lighthouses’ for our anthology after one writer mentioned her real-life interest in lighthouses.

We saw the anthology as an opportunity to get our work out into the world and have some fun.

Each member of the initial group invited at least one other genre writer they knew to join the project and in no time we had fifteen writers on board.

A ‘Collaborative’ Anthology

Most anthologies, writers are familiar with, have a submission or application process, driven by the person or organisation planning on publishing the anthology. Typically, writers are invited to submit their story for consideration, and their work may or may not be selected for inclusion.

The authors featured in this kind of anthology usually engage directly with the ‘publisher’ about their work. It’s not uncommon for the writer to be unaware of who the other featured writers are, or have any communication with them.

A collaborative anthology such as ‘Lighthouse’ employs a different approach.

It works on the assumption that everyone in the group will have their story published (as long as it meets agreed quality guidelines) and will work collaboratively with the group members to review and edit each other’s work.

In practical terms our collaboration consisted of:

  • A private Facebook group for discussion, information sharing and decision making
  • Assigned editing buddies (each writer had two buddies within the group who reviewed their work before it went to the Lead Editor). There were two rounds of editing buddy and Lead Editor feedback
  • Proofreaders (each writer was assigned two proofreaders who weren’t their buddies)
  • Final review/checks by Lead Editor and Project Team.

In total each story was reviewed by a minimum of six people within the group.

The Value of Multiple Sets of Eyes

Having multiple people review each story, meant there was a better chance of spotting any potential issues with a story, but more importantly it meant getting different perspectives.

Of the fifteen authors, we had crime, romance, sci-fi, fantasy, dystopian and speculative fiction writers. Each writer had their own individual strengths and brought something new to the stories they reviewed.

We had established rules of engagement at the beginning of the project, to ensure all feedback was given respectfully and was constructive. The result was that each writer and story evolved to be its best.

The collaborative editing process also saw writers hone their editing skills. I for one, recognised common issues with my own writing and learned, from other writers, how to avoid those same issues in the future.

Spur Each Other On

Our team approach to this project meant each person took on a role in marketing the anthology. Some writers who hadn’t had a chance to set up their author platforms yet, felt motivated to do it for the anthology, so they wouldn’t let the team down.

The group encouraged and supported each other’s marketing efforts, sharing and engaging with group member posts and content.

Being part of an anthology sees your core marketing team go from one person to the whole group – in our case we have fifteen people supporting and cheering the rest of the group on.

The Results Are In…

For me, collaborating with other authors has definitely been a rewarding experience. The proof, I believe, is in the final product – our anthology.

Lighthouse, published by Lorikeet Ink, is now available to purchase. To secure your copy go to www.lorikeetink.com/lighthouse

Lighthouse – An Anthology, is a unique collection of fantasy, sci-fi, romance, crime, historical fiction, dystopian and paranormal short stories from established and emerging Australian authors.

Each of the fifteen stories is set in a lighthouse – some real lighthouses readers will recognise, others imagined.

Feedback

The Biggest Thing Standing Between You and Writer Success

Kylie Fennell

Okay, you got me. There are actually many variables that determine whether you succeed as a writer – not just one thing. If there was an exact magic formula there wouldn’t be a need for anyone to blog about this stuff…but…there is, in fact, one critical factor that determines just how good you get as a writer. And that one thing is feedback.

Over the last twenty plus years, I have worked as a journalist and editor on daily newspapers and magazines. I have written all forms of marketing and communication content for globally listed companies, government, SMEs and not-for-profits.

The reason I tell you this is to demonstrate I’m no stranger to feedback. In my first gig as a cadet journalist in the 90s I quickly learned how to write better.

Pumping out half a dozen and more stories a day, I had to write fast but also well enough to avoid the sub-editor angrily stomping down to my desk and pulling apart my story line by line. I’m not sure about newsrooms these days but sub-editors back then didn’t mince their words when it came to feedback. If they knew about the feedback sandwich, they certainly didn’t subscribe to it.

I later worked for a head of a government department who was known for scribbling ‘What is this BS?’ in giant red letters across anything he didn’t like – fortunately I never received one of those.

Now I’m not saying these were great ways to get the best out of a writer or that everyone should have to experience this, but it definitely taught me a lot about the importance of feedback and how to deal with it. 

Specifically, here are the key things I’ve learned.

1. Be Open to Feedback

Everyone….I mean EVERYone needs some form of feedback and editing.

No matter how experienced you are as a writer, we can all do with a second pair of eyes.

Often as writers, we are so close to our work that we don’t notice things that might stand out to another person.

You may have read your work a hundred times (and sometimes it does feel like that) but completely missed a typo. As the writer you also have all the pieces of the puzzle in your mind, you know the background and whole plot, but you may not have translated enough of those puzzles onto the page for the story to make sense to the reader.

A good reader/editor will tell you which parts or syntax that weren’t clear to them. They may even make useful suggestions about how to improve a sentence, phrase or segue.

2. Be Brave

Presenting your work to others for feedback for the first time is a big step. Putting your precious words out to the world (even if it’s just to one other person) takes bravery.

I mentioned earlier that I was used to the idea of feedback…but that was in relation to my news and corporate writing.

When it came to my creative writing, it was a completely different matter.

For many years (nearly a decade) I tinkered away at my first novel – my first serious attempt at creative writing. Those years of writing and refining and attending courses were important to learn my craft but only up to a certain point.

The harsh reality was that my novel wasn’t going anywhere until I was prepared to share it with someone.

I was writing in a vacuum. I felt safe in my vacuum but it was a confined space. Nothing can truly grow in that kind of environment.

It was only when I was brave enough to share my novel that I was able to really improve my work – and the rate of improvement was rapid! Only after that point did I enjoy any form of success with my creative writing. I started entering competitions and submitting my work to industry professionals. 

My work started getting recognised and I took what feedback I was given and improved my work more.

3. Ask the Right People for Feedback

I tweeted recently about how my mum insisted on reading my draft YA fantasy novel, even though she doesn’t read YA and “hates” fantasy.
This is an example of someone I shouldn’t be asking for feedback.

The people you ask to review your work, will depend on what kind of feedback you’re looking for.

Here’s who you may like to ask for what.

  • Avid Readers of Your Genre – These readers can give you very useful feedback on whether your story and characters meet their expectations. They are more likely to be invested in your story so their feedback may go beyond structural feedback to character voice and line edits.
  • Family and friends – If your family and friends don’t read your genre, prepare yourself for the fact that they may not enjoy your story, regardless of how good it is. Unless they have a writing background their feedback may not be particularly useful. If they insist on reading your work, let them, but you can’t be sure of hearing what you want to hear. If you’re expecting a pat on the back and to be told how awesome you are, then you may be disappointed. For those of you whose family and friends are the cheer squad types, take the encouragement. Use it to boost and motivate you, but don’t kid yourself. This kind of feedback does little to make you a better writer.
  • Writing friends – People in your network or writing groups that are professional writers, or are on the same creative writing path as you, can provide really helpful feedback (as well as support and encouragement). Regardless of the genre they write in, writers “get” other writers. They can provide invaluable feedback at a structural and line edit level. Just make sure though you are working with people whose opinions you respect and trust.
  • Grammar police types – We all know those people – whether their friends, family or workmates – who know their em dashes from their en dashes. By all means ask these people for help once you’re ready for proofreading. 

4. Seriously Consider All Feedback

If you have asked someone for feedback and they have taken the time and effort to give it, then you should seriously consider all of their suggestions.

It’s completely natural to not agree with every piece of feedback you’re given but it’s important to take a beat and challenge your thinking when it comes to each and every suggestion…even if it means you have to do a lot of work.

Ask yourself, would their suggestion make the story better?

If you’re not completely sure, engage the person who gave you the feedback in a discussion about their suggestion or ask for a second opinion.

Generally, when I have ask a specific person for feedback (they will be someone I trust) I will take on board around 90% of their changes. 

Of course, if you’ve been given feedback that is not in keeping with your voice, story and characters, feel free to ignore it – perhaps even explain why to the person who gave the feedback.

5. Feedback You Must Take on Board 

There are some forms of feedback I believe you should always take on board. These have nothing to do with stylistic feedback or authorial voice, it is to do with clarity.

If a reader has flagged something that doesn’t make sense to them, or is unclear, then I personally believe you should listen to them.

The way I see it is that if one person didn’t understand something, there’s a good chance that others won’t.

Unclear writing jolts a reader out of a story, which is the last thing you want to happen.

While it is possible that your writing is clear and it was just one particular reader who had an issue, the fact they mentioned it is enough reason to check the section and/or get a second opinion.

Yes, feedback is tough. Feedback can hurt. But feedback is also the single most important tool for becoming a better writer.

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Writing Dialogue True to Each Character’s Voice

Kylie Fennell

Capturing a character’s unique voice is an ongoing challenge but I feel like I’m making real progress with my latest work-in-progress.

My main character is a 17-year-old girl and I was once that age so I figure I have a bit of a headstart. To get even further into my character’s head I dusted off diaries I had written as a teenager.

Reading your teenage words by the way is not for the faint-hearted. It took me weeks to get over the experience.

I apologised to my Mum for being a self-involved cow back then and reassured myself that I’ve (mostly) left those angsty teenage behaviours behind.  

Then after a recovery period I started writing in my character’s voice.

Overall I’d say the exercise was worthwhile as the voice is feeling true and real to my character but I’ve hit another snag.

I have at least four secondary or minor characters who are all men of a similar age.

Some only appear in one or two scenes so there isn’t much opportunity to introduce the characters in great detail, or otherwise distinguish them from each other. As a result, the characters are blending into each other a little.

With little space to work with, I’ve decided to try and work some dialogue magic so they don’t all sound the same.

Here is what I’ve learned about writing dialogue that is unique and true to each character.

Have a real person in mind

If you don’t have first-hand insight or experience as the character you are writing dialogue for, then try to picture someone in your broader network who does represent the same kind of character.

Is there someone from your school days, work, your wider family or circle of friends who reminds you of your character?

Maybe there’s a customer you’ve encountered through work or someone you’ve overheard on public transport, at the checkout or next to you at the hairdressers.

They may not be the exact same type of person but they may share some of your character’s key characteristics.

What struck you about how they spoke and expressed themselves? What kind of language did they use? Were there any words in particular they favoured?

Look for things such as:

  • Word choice
  • Formality
  • Length of their sentences
  • Rhythm
  • Feeling – the emotive effect of their words and the level of feeling in them.
  • Who are they talking to? Consider how they would speak differently depending on their audience.

Use all of this for inspiration for your character.

Have a favourite character in mind

Maybe you don’t know someone in your network but you have a favourite character from a book, film or TV who you can use for inspiration.

If you don’t already have a favourite character in mind, then read/watch/listen to something in the same genre you are writing in, or featuring characters of similar ages and backgrounds and identify common themes or language they use.

Write Through It

Sometimes the only way to truly get to know a character is to write your way through it.

Write dialogue for your character that you don’t even need for your book. Invent a scene in your head, something that’s completely out of context of what you’re writing and just start putting words on the page in their voice.

It may be them speaking about what they did on the weekend, or what their biggest fear is. Choose any topic that will get you starting to piece together how they would speak.

For my main character I conducted an ‘interview’ where I asked her twenty or so ‘getting to know you’ questions and then answered them in her voice. I haven’t used any of the content directly in my book but it heavily informed not only the character’s dialogue but also how she may act in particular situations.

Check Your Dialogue

There are a few ways to check whether your dialogue sounds natural and unique to each character.

First up, read your dialogue out loud.

The quickest way to find out if dialogue sounds like something a person would say is to actually say it out loud. DO NOT skip this step.

To check whether dialogue is unique to a character, take a section or sections of dialogue featuring different characters. Remove all dialogue tags and names, as well as anything else that would identify the characters, then try and identify the characters from the dialogue alone.

This may be seem easy for you since you wrote the dialogue. The ultimate test is giving it to someone familiar with your work and see if they can identify who said what, or even if they can identify if there are different speakers and accurately distinguish between each of the examples.

So what are you waiting for? Start a conversation with your characters today and you’ll be on your way to writing unique dialogue that is true to each of them.

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With a Little Help From My Friends

Kylie Fennell

Why every aspiring author needs a writing group

With everything going on in this crazy world right now, we can all appreciate how important it is to have good friends (albeit virtually) around us.

I’ve very fortunate to count among my friends an amazing group of writers who I’d be lost without.

Now I’ve been plugging away at this creative writing thing for more than a decade but it’s only been in the last couple of years of being in a writing group have I experienced some true wins.

Winning at Writing

What do I mean by true wins? Winning for a writer can mean a lot of things but these are just some of the wins I attribute to my writing group.

People who understand

It takes a writer to understand what it’s like to be a writer. Other people in your life may struggle to understand what you are doing and why on Earth you are bothering. I found my tribe in my writing group. People like me. People who just get it.

Pep talks

Every writer goes through moments of doubt, self-criticism and the dreaded imposter syndrome. Sometimes we get bad news about a writing opportunity or are rejected by an agent or publisher.

It doesn’t matter why I may need a pep talk, just that I know my writing group is right there to give me a much-needed boost.

Motivation

Creative writing isn’t a job for most of us. It’s not a thing where you “have to show up”. It is more likely to be something we squeeze in around our day job and all of the other commitments in our lives. And let’s face it, writing can be mentally exhausting at times so it’s not unusual to feel unmotivated every now and again.

With regular check-in and coordinated virtual write-ins we motivate each other to turn up and put the words on the page.

Accountability

Recently our writing group implemented ‘Monthly words’ where each of us has to submit a chapter or equivalent to the group for review and feedback.

We have a deadline and calendar reminders and it’s a way of forcing us to whip at least one thing into shape and get over the fear of sharing our work. It also helps us to identify and rectify potential plot issues before they get too big.

Partners in crime

Our writing group often shares and participates in writing opportunities and competitions.

Every month we all try to write and submit something for the Australian Writers Centre Furious Fiction competition as well as other contests.

We share our work among the group and cheer each other on right up until the last minute of the submission window.

Having someone right next to you in the trenches means you’re more likely to get the job done and have fun along the way!

Advice

Having a brainstrust of skilled writers with diverse professional and life experiences means you always have someone to ask for when it comes to writing advice.

Whether it’s about punctuation, structure, comparison titles, or something random like, ‘what do you think this character would be wearing?’, I know I can count on the group for stellar advice.

My writing group is particularly good also at helping with sanity checks.

Feedback

As hard as it can be getting and giving feedback on writing, it’s the only way to get better.

I appreciate the fact that our group members are not only generous in their feedback but they highlight things they loved as well as the potential areas for improvement.

The critique opportunity and the fact someone is looking at your work with fresh eyes is invaluable.

More than one typo has been picked up by the group which I never noticed despite reading the same page 100+ times.

Social opportunities

While we stay connected via text messages, social media, video calls, and email, our group also schedules regular in-person catch-ups (when not in social isolation).

The catch-ups might be a simple coffee, lunch or dinner. Sometimes we coordinate to go to an industry event, conference or writing retreat together.

We talk inevitably about writing but also anything and everything else going on in our lives.

We aren’t just writers, we’re friends!

Celebrate success

There’s nothing like having an in-house cheer squad especially when it comes to celebrating and sharing successes.

No writing achievement (big or small) goes by unacknowledged in our group.

Actual Writing Wins

The reason why most writers join writing groups is to get closer to individual writing goals.

All of the benefits outlined above are a massive bonus, but I can honestly say my writing group has helped me achieve several of my personal goals.

I believe my writing has significantly improved since being part of the group and with their encouragement and feedback, I have pursued many opportunities.

Thanks to my writing group I have been fortunate enough to have my work recognised via several awards, including Queensland Writers Centre Flash Fiction (winner), and Australian Writers Centre Furious Fiction (shortlisted out of 1300 entries), as well as second in GenreCon’s short story competition 2019. I was also shortlisted in The Long Way Home’s short story competition with the story published in their anthology. 

And I’m not the only one. Every member of our group is pursuing their writing goals and achieving success (and some award wins) along the way.

Finding a writing group

There are many ways to find a writing group such as:

Joining a writers centre – search for one in your state/territory/country. They often have listings of writing groups in your local area.

Look on social media – there are many writing groups set up on social media. Search for something in your genre or area of interest and join in the conversation.

Try your local library – your library may have a writers group that already meets there or can direct you to one they know of.

Make your own – this is what our writing group did. We met each other at an Australian Writers Centre (AWC) event and got chatting (with a little prompting from AWC National Director Valerie Khoo). We just clicked.

The most important thing about a writing group is finding writers who share the same goals as you. Whether you all write in the same genre is less important (I love the fact our group members all have different styles and can offer diverse views).

For example, if you are looking for a group to critique your work to get it ready for publishing, you may not want to join a group of retirees who are writing for a hobby only.

So go out there and meet other authors at events. Find someone you click with. Ask around about writing groups and if you can’t find your tribe, create it!

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Why I Have a Rejection Goal and You Need One Too

Kylie Fennell

Saved away in one of the files on my computer is a numbered list of names. There are names of writing competitions and opportunities, publishers and literary agents.

Each of the names has notes next to him. Dates of when something was sent or submitted. Some of the text is marked with strikethrough and details of a response received. Some of the text is marked as pending. The remaining items have no further updates next to them – the lack of detail is actually a telling feature of this list.

The list is a record of rejections. It records my progress towards my rejection goal.

Yes, you read that correctly. I have a rejection goal.

What is a rejection goal?

A rejection goal is the concept of setting a target number of rejections to achieve within a certain period eg. get 50 rejections by the end of this year.

The idea of setting out to be rejected may seem counterintuitive if your overarching goal is to be accepted in your chosen field. In the case of aspiring authors, it may be to get an agent or a publisher or win a writing competition. A goal to ultimately succeed which isn’t typically associated with being rejected.

So why bother having a rejection goal?

The motivation for having a rejection goal is not the desire to be rejected, but the actions you will have to take to get you to a point of possible rejection.

It comes down to one single truth. To be rejected, you have to put yourself out there. You have to take action with your creative work. You have to look for opportunities and go after them. Rejection is evidence that you are pursuing your overarching goal.

The benefits of rejection

For me, the biggest benefit of rejection is the feedback it provides.

The only way to improve your craft is through practise, feedback and refining your work. Having a rejection goal gives you all of these things.

Sometimes you get lucky and someone will give you specific feedback as to why your work wasn’t right for them. Some competitions you enter will offer detailed feedback you can use to improve your work. And of course, no feedback is feedback as well.

For instance, if I have sent a pitch package to a potential agent and I get a form response or no response, I take a moment to reflect whether there’s something in my pitch that could be refined.

Sure sometimes I find myself double-guessing myself, especially when you don’t know the real reason for your rejection, but every rejection is an opportunity to do a health check and improve what you’re putting out there.

Is my synopsis up to scratch? Does my first chapter grab the reader’s attention? Have I provided good comparison titles?

Every time I’m rejected I look for a chance to hone my work and craft. And guess what?

When you put yourself out there enough and use rejection as a learning experience you’re increasing your chances of succeeding.

You never know when you may just get the exact outcome you’re looking for. Maybe instead of being rejected you succeed!

So what are you waiting for? Set yourself a rejection goal, take action and don’t forget to congratulate yourself along the way, because every rejection takes you one step closer to your overall goal.

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Do You Need a Pen Name or a Pseudonym?

Kylie Fennell

The pros and cons of pen names with best-selling author Bren MacDibble/Cally Black, plus other expert tips.

I had never given much thought until recently about whether I needed a pen name for the books I’m writing.

You see I have been firmly planted in the one genre for a while, specifically YA fantasy, so I figured it made sense to stick with the one name. Also, as a practising marketer, I considered the time and effort I’d spent developing my ‘brand’ under my real name, so I decided to write and market myself under that name. But then something happened.

First, I got an idea for a middle-grade series that would be a spin-off from my YA trilogy. Since the two series were related to each other, and my YA content wasn’t overly graphic I reasoned they could all be written under the same name. But it did pose some risks and challenges trying to market to two completely different aged audiences.

Then the writing muse turned up and threw an idea for a historical fiction for adults into the mix and I knew I had to seriously consider using a pen name.

Naturally, I wanted expert advice so I turned to best-selling and award-winning author Bren MacDibble who also writes under the name of Cally Black. Here is what Bren/Cally had to say on the topic.

Why did you choose to write under a pen name?

I had been writing under Bren MacDibble for a while and had some magazine fiction and educational fiction under that name, so when I won the Ampersand Prize for my first trade novel (In the Dark Spaces) with Hardie Grant Egmont, and because it was definitely not a novel for the under 12s – it’s a young adult novel – we thought it would [make sense]…to launch a new YA career.

Soon after, Allen & Unwin picked up How to Bee and that was a children’s novel which fitted better with the educational fiction I’d been writing in the past, so it made sense then to have one name for children (Bren MacDibble) and one for YA (Cally Black).

What do you see as the pros and cons of using a pen name?

Separating my readership is good. I don’t mind the young adults reading down but those aspirational children reading How to Bee and The Dog Runner should not be moving onto In the Dark Spaces just yet.

The death scenes are a little graphically described. So the pen name keeps me from accidentally terrifying children. Which is good. It also allows a YA reader to pick up my YA book and know it’s written for their age group.

It can be a little difficult keeping those who would benefit from knowing I’m both Bren and Cally Black who could cross-recommend to older and adult readers, like booksellers, etc.

Also, [there is] the double expense in time running double social media accounts and setting up double websites.

What are the challenges you have faced using a pen name?

The biggest challenge is when festivals etc. book hotel rooms and flights. I have to make sure those are under the correct names, or I look really dodgy at check in.

Also if people pay in cheques, that can be awkward if they don’t use the same name as my bank account. My bank has put a note on my bank account about my pen names!

Also… and this is hardly a problem, but when I picked up the NZ Book Award for children’s books last year as Bren MacDibble, I’d just sat down when they called Cally Black to come up for the award for YA books. I jumped up, looked at the audience and I could tell they were way more confused than I was to be getting two awards! I had to do a hurried explanation.

In what circumstances do you think a writer may want to consider using a pen name?

Genre separation or age group separation is a good reason and I think this is the most common reason.

I think this is why Kate Griffin/Claire North/Catherine Webb changes names so often. You can see her site at www.kategriffin.net for how she handles her tri-pseudonyms on one webpage. I think she is keeping her YA separate from her adult novels and her high fantasy from her more realistic setting novels. I just have two websites: www.macdibble.com and www.callyblack.com

Also if you have a job that might be sensitive to your readership, as in if you worked in social work or as a judge or wrote government policies or articles for a leading newspaper, and people might hold up your books in judgement of your values.

In that case, it might be necessary to be even more secretive with a pen name to protect your day job or your reputation as an author. Or even maybe the job of your partner, parents or children…if they are high profile.

Sometimes if you write with a partner you might combine names to produce one simple name, but we’re used to seeing partnerships on book covers now, so that’s just aesthetics really.

If you want to write a true story and pretend it’s fiction, there’s probably no hiding behind a pen name. Apart from consent issues, I think the readers and the publisher would want to know if it was really true, and find it more appealing, because of the honesty that would bring to the story.

Other Pen Name Considerations

Best-selling Author, Joanna Penn from the Creative Penn also writes thrillers under J.F.Penn. She lists the following reasons you may wish to use a pen name.

  • To differentiate brands and write in different genres – as Bren does.
  • To protect privacy – Joanna gives writing erotica and sometimes romance as a common example.
  • To be non-gender-specific – some authors writing in genres that are heavily dominated by authors of the opposite sex, may choose a non-gender-specific name or use initials.
  • If the author’s name is hard to remember or is unusual.

Penn also suggests checking to see if the name you want to use is already taken by another writer. In this case, she suggests adding a middle initial or a middle name.

Regardless of your reasons, if you’re considering a pen name, then you’re definitely in good company.

To find out more about Bren’s children’s books go to www.macdibble.com. For more on her YA books go to www.callyblack.com

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Upcoming Marketing Workshops

Kylie Fennell

I’m super excited to be delivering more workshops over the next two months. One is a FREE Social Media for Writers workshop and the other is Build Your Author Website in a Day.

Social Media for Writers – FREE Workshop

On Saturday 4 May I will be at Helensvale Library on the Gold Coast facilitating a FREE 2 hour workshop on social media for writers.

Whether you’re an aspiring or established writer, this workshop will teach you how to use social media to enhance your writing career and/or author platform.

Discover the variety of platforms available, what type of content to post and when, how to create and schedule great content, and the secret to getting more followers and keeping them engaged. Find out more here.

Build Your Author Website in a Day

On Saturday 8 June I will be back at the Queensland Writers Centre delivering Build Your Author Website in a Day.

You will walk away from this workshop with a published website.
Create an online presence for your writing and author brand, whether you’re just starting out or already published. No technical or website experience needed. At the end of this workshop, you will have a live wordpress.com website. Find out more here. 

I look forward to seeing you there : )

Can’t Find Time for Writing? Then You’re Not Busy Enough

Kylie Fennell

You have probably heard the saying that if you want something done, you should ask someone who’s busy, and I have found this to be true when it comes to my creative writing.

The last couple of months have been some of the busiest of my life. I got two new clients for my business, which both involve steep learning curves and a lot more work. Plus I was offered two amazing speaking opportunities that involved a lot of workshop development and prep work.

At the same time, an idea for a new book started pestering me. This idea was very loud and persistent, demanding it be written. The problem was that I had three unrelated manuscripts in varying stages of completion – polishing, editing and revising.

There were no specific deadlines for these manuscripts so I was just chipping away at them when I ‘could’, while simultaneously lamenting that the process was taking forever.

Goals, Targets, and Deadlines

I wasn’t prepared to put the other manuscripts on hold, so instead I set myself some ambitious goals, which were realsitic if I buckled down.

I set myself word count targets and a deadline for completing the various stages of each work-in-progress book.

For my new ‘idea’ I set myself a goal of entering the completed manuscript in a specific competition in 12 months time. Working backward I laid out a plan and a timeline that started with research while I finished off the other books.

There was the tiny issue that I was incredibly busy with my business, as well as many other parts of everyday life which include being a mum to an 8-year-old boy.

The Difference Between Being Busy & Out of Control

It didn’t take long before I was feeling overwhelmed. I’m a trained journalist and the idea of missing deadlines (even if they are self-imposed), doesn’t sit well with me.

I’m also someone who likes to feel in control of most aspects of my life.

While I know I am way more productive when I’m busy, I don’t like being the kind of busy where you feel like you are spinning multiple plates and if just one of them falls, everything will come tumbling down.

I needed to put order into my life.

Order and Routine

Deciding to ‘Marie Kondo’ my whole house at the same time may seem counterintuitive to the idea of finding time to write. But doing a massive tidy up, starting with my desk, removed not just physical clutter but mental clutter from my life.

I created a space that I love turning up to every day and it has made a world of difference to my sense of calm and productivity.

I also put in place a routine to write every day (Monday to Friday). I know this isn’t practical for everyone but what I found was that my target word count became easier to achieve each day as I had momentum from the previous day.

In the past, I had only made time a couple of times or maybe even one day a week to write, and I found I wasted time having to catch up with where I had left off.

Why Busy Is Better

There have been periods when I wasn’t as busy with my client work and I could have spent more time on my writing but for some reason, I wasn’t motivated to get on with it.

At times I dreaded it because I had left it too long between drinks and not regularly immersing myself in my fictional world had dulled my enthusiasm.

The lack of a goal with a specific timeframe also affected my motivation.

Now with so much on my plate, I feel like I am kicking goals in several areas of my life. Having small wins in other activities, gives me the lift I need to write.

And even when something isn’t going right with my creative writing, I gain strength from other parts of my life – like Elizabeth Gilbert says in Big Magic, don’t put too much pressure on your writing by making it the only thing to focus on.

I counter my really busy periods by not working weekends and rarely working at night. This ensures I have time for family, friends and me.

So yes I am crazy busy during the limited hours I do work, but it seems to be working.

I have learnt how to be incredibly efficient with the time I have and am more productive than ever.

Don’t take my word for it though, the science agrees. Research has found that being busy can increase motivation and reduce the amount of time it takes to complete a task.

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to get busy.

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Flash fiction candle Kylie Fennell

KonMari, the Cabinet and the Cliché – Flash Fiction

Kylie Fennell

Another freakin’ candle. How many was that now? I’d lost count after the eleventh one. I read the embossed label. Leather and cedar infusion – what the…?  

“Okay, candle. Thank you for…I don’t know what, and goodbye.” I chuck the candle into the donation box.     

I was nearly finished with the fourth KonMari category, komono, or miscellaneous items.  

Now you won’t find any Instagram posts of my perfect rows of underwear and fitting sheets standing to attention in their origami-like forms, because that’s not why I’m doing this.  

The ‘clean-out’ had been a long time coming – my therapist will attest to that. Marie Kondo with her ‘Does it spark joy?’ test was just the final kick in the butt I needed. It gave me permission to move on and dispose of things that no longer served me.  

When I started with clothing, I shed rivers of tears farewelling the maternity clothes, a collection of the barely and never worn. Then there were the piles of T-shirts and shorts he hadn’t bothered to take with him. Next, were our shared mountains of books, paper, and endless komono. 

Then I got angry. Angry that I was left to clean out his…‘our’ crap, and that he’d been able to tap out when it had got too hard. He’d left his…‘our’ life behind. He’d got his clean slate with Lisa, sweet and uncomplicated Lisa, super-fertile Lisa. How many kids did they have now? That was another thing I’d lost count of.  

The anger had sustained me over the weeks. It had enabled me to deal with even the most sentimental items. Sorry, Marie, I jumped a step, but damn it felt good when I burnt that box filled with love letters he’d written me, the movie stubs from our first date and the wedding garter he’d insisted I wear.  

Now all that was left was the hall cabinet. I’d nearly forgotten about it. I walked past it dozens of times every day, but its shelves and drawers were nothing more than a catch-all for all forms of junk. It was where useless and half-broken items went to die – a shrine to things that had outlived their purpose. 

The ‘goodbyes’ came thick and fast as I tossed everything from loose screws and dried out tubes of super glue. In no time the cabinet was empty. It was completely bare and waiting to be refilled with new junk – junk from my new life. All of a sudden, I felt scared, terrified of the ‘what ifs’ that lay ahead. Would the new junk be any better than the old junk? Then it hit me.  

For the first time in my adult life, it would be ‘my’ junk and the ‘what ifs’ would all be of my own doing. I had chosen to live with the possibilities of ‘what if’ instead of surrounding myself with daily reminders of ‘if only’. I smiled stupidly to myself because as clichéd as it sounded, I had chosen joy.   

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The New Me – Flash Fiction

Kylie Fennell

New. “Today is the start of the new you.” My mother’s words are an earworm burrowing into my mind. What’s wrong with the old me?

In the mirror she stares at me, daring me to defy her. My inner voice screams to defend the current me. My mother flashes me a Sale of the Century model smile, and I stay silent. I’m 37 but the child in me is eager to please.

My mother had arrived on my doorstep an hour earlier after I had ignored her last nineteen messages. She had even taken to posting ‘there’s nothing as strong as a bond between a mother and daughter’ style posts on my Facebook timeline.

“I thought you were dead,” she had said.

“I’ve been busy with work.” I was a merger and acquisitions lawyer. I worked long hours but I loved my job. A point lost on my mother.

“If you didn’t work so much, Tom wouldn’t have escaped to the desert.”

I take a deep breath. “I’ve told you, Mum. The break-up was a mutual decision. Tom had a great job opportunity in Dubai.”

“Maybe if you made more of an effort…” Her eyes went to my unwashed hair, pulled into a low ponytail, before landing on my leggings and Ugg boots. “You could get some style tips from your sister.”

I groan, readying myself for the great list of achievements. A muscle under my mother’s eye twitches momentarily, and then the mask is back. “Married and two children, all before the age of 32.”

“There’s still time…” My voice is a strangled whisper. How is it that I can bring CEOs of multi-million dollar companies to their knees, yet this woman can still render me a self-doubting mess?

My mother’s eyes flash in triumph. “I have a present for you.”

The ‘present’ was an appointment with my mother’s hairdresser, Rhonda – a woman whose 80s poofed hair was reminiscent of Spike from Degrassi Junior High.

As Rhonda’s scissors hover, I open my mouth to protest, but my mother is prepared. After all, this was premeditated torture. 

“You do want to do something before it’s too late?”

I give a dutiful nod and in one fell swoop my ponytail is dropping to the floor. In no time Rhonda has transformed me into an eerie mash-up of Hillary Clinton and Sharyn Osbourne. It is my mother’s haircut.

My mother beams at me. “Much better.” She trots off to the counter to make a show of “treating my daughter – she’s had such troubles you know.”

I feel a fury buried deep within me begin to rise. I am watching myself from afar as I reach out for a set of clippers. My hands seem forged in steel as I run the clippers through the side of my hair, leaving a trail of bare scalp. I can see my mother in the mirror flapping like a dying fish, and I keep shaving. “You’re right, Mum. This is the start of the new me.”

Writer’s Note: This story is pure fiction. My mother is amazingly awesome – she told me to say that : )

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