A Writer By Any Other Name

Sometimes all a writer has is their name. And sometimes they don’t even have that. Words are intangible. When you speak them, they do not last. They can be misheard, or forgotten, or misquoted. They can be claimed by someone else. When you write online as I do, it is easy for your words toContinue reading "A Writer By Any Other Name"

Brown Eyes and Spaghetti (My Side of the Story)

The other day was Valentine’s Day. The day before that was my 14th wedding anniversary. And the day before that I spent an hour staring into the brown eyes of not one, but two lovely young men, neither of whom happened to be my husband. I’ll explain. In Perth, there are two main food critics.Continue reading "Brown Eyes and Spaghetti (My Side of the Story)"

The Importance of A Letter (Doing Your Research Properly)

Sometimes a single letter can mean the difference between strippers and the US consular general. One of the perks working for WeekendNotes is that writers are sometimes offered ‘invites’ (aka ‘freebies’). Just like anyone working in the media, you are given free tickets to an event or show and you are expected to write aboutContinue reading "The Importance of A Letter (Doing Your Research Properly)"

What I Have Learned from Writing for an Online Website

Recently I published my 250th article on WeekendNotes*. It’s quite a milestone for me, so today I thought I would write about what I have learned and achieved from writing for an online review website. Some statistics: -          WeekendNotes has articles published for 48 different countries with the majority of articles and writers in Australia,Continue reading "What I Have Learned from Writing for an Online Website"

A Whoop In The Dark

The year was 1994. The Wollemi fossil pine had been discovered, Australia experienced its first political assassination and the country had just moved to the eight digit telephone number. It was the year I attended my first – and last – music concert. For a girl who had a fear of large crowds and insufficientContinue reading "A Whoop In The Dark"

Your History for Sale: $15

Today I took my daughters to a swap meet in Nedlands.  There were the usual assortment of stalls selling the usual assortment of thing. But one lady’s stall in particular attracted all our eyes. My three year old went straight to the Dora doll, dressed in a tutu with articulated joints and wild hair. New,Continue reading "Your History for Sale: $15"

My Failures As a Writer

If you peruse a writer’s website – like this one – one thing strikes you. It is all about achievement. Writer’s websites – like this one – will detail the things that have been published, the successful pitches, the commissioned pieces. Very rarely do they talk about the failures. When I first decided to notContinue reading "My Failures As a Writer"

With The Flick of a Switch

I am completely and utterly dependent on my computer, and that terrifies me.I am at the pointy end of my university semester –the plan was to submit my final essay this morning, and then be free to do other exciting things. Like the washing.I had left the room briefly, but when I returned the internetContinue reading "With The Flick of a Switch"

Who The Bloody Hell Are You?*

Lately I have been thinking recently about nom de plume: pen names. When people write using a name other than their own. There can be many valid reasons to do this. Maybe you are afraid of being persecuted (such as Leon Trotsky). Maybe you were told your books would never sell if you used yourContinue reading "Who The Bloody Hell Are You?*"