By Vikki Wakefield One of the questions most commonly asked of a writer is: where do you get your ideas from? Short answer: ideas are everywhere. An idea is  the brilliant start to everything, a comet of the imagination, a blazing possibility that will fizzle and die if you don’t pay it some attention. The  […]

By Allayne Webster Listen up wannabe Teen-Queen Writers and Perfect-Prose Princes!  SAWC Teen Writers’ Bootcamp is just around the corner and I have been charged with the rocking task of whipping your writing-backside into trim, taut, and terrific shape. So! I have one thing to say to you. No, actually…sing to you! You’re the voice, […]

By Lia Weston As writers, one of the few statements we can probably all agree on is that art is subjective.  There’s wriggle room within that definition, too; you can appreciate (or learn to appreciate in some cases) the work that goes into a particular piece even if you can’t stand the end result. I, […]

Here is a Q&A with digital innovator, Emily Craven: Who should focus their professional development in interactivity and digital stories? Teachers, educators and anyone who wants to engage with children and young adults. The youth of today are immersed in digital culture, social media, video, audio and images captivating their attention and driving their imagination. […]

By Malcolm Walker Continued on from this previous post  …The psychological motivation of characters can also have a bearing when thinking up names. If a particular character is serious or frivolous, sensitive or uncaring, happy or sad, does the name you settle upon reflect or enhance these traits or does it work against the grain? […]

Book reviewing is a tricky business. As Kerryn Goldsworthy’s recent extended essay in Australian Book Review shows, knowing what a review’s purpose is (or should be), who it serves (or should serve), what its value is (or should be), are complicated and contested questions. I approach book reviewing with several anchoring principles, although these principles […]

By Donna Ward A poem is an epiphany in words, a journal note in the soul’s high adventure, a gem cut brillante so all life’s glory gleams through. In days filled with lists, and jobs, and deadlines we forget we are part of something intriguing and mysterious. Epiphanies remind us. Epiphanies occur when we are […]

By Victoria Purman Part of being a writer is talking about yourself and your writing. I know, I know, that idea scares the proverbial out of some people. If you write purely  for yourself, to experience the joys and heartbreaks and deliciousness of assembling words on the page just because you like the writing, all […]

By Libby Parker I’m a huge fan of Astrid’s work and her workshops so it was an easy decision to make to book her Write with Spice workshop on Sunday 18 August at SA Writers’ Centre. Astrid has an aura about her. She is warm, disarming, engaging and a wealth of knowledge! She gives practical advice to writers of all […]

By Malcolm Walker Shakespeare asks, ‘What’s in a name?’ and answers by telling us roses smell sweet whatever they are called. But Tim Winton’s character Rose Pickles out of Cloudstreet is anything but sweet: her character comes fully armed with thorns for most of the story – even though she softens towards the end of […]

In the middle of 2012, we ran a comprehensive survey with South Australian emerging writers to identify their needs and wants in the industry so we could better provide for their professional development and foster their writing journey. We received nearly a hundred responses and we celebrated the results at a well attended forum in […]

By Astrid Cooper Anyone can write erotica—it’s just sex scenes strung together. Right? W-R-O-N-G!  To be successful in the competitive erotic fiction market you need more than hot sex on every page. Sometimes you don’t even have to have that much sex in the story to sell like wildfire. What are some of the ingredients […]

By Malcolm Walker Believe it or not one of the books I find most useful is the Macquarie Dictionary. When looking for a spelling I’ll often come across a word I’ve never encountered before and that can begin the process of interrogating ideas and relationships I hadn’t thought about before. I usually just jot the […]

By Sarah Tooth An important part of SAWC’s mission is to help build a diverse literary culture, and to support voices that may not often be heard in the mainstream. To that end, we work hard to develop and support writers from a range of backgrounds, particularly those who may face barriers to cultural participation. […]

By Dorothy Shorne ‘How long had you known him?’  A common question I am asked after I have delivered a eulogy. In most cases I have not had the pleasure of meeting the deceased. What I have done is listened carefully to his nearest and dearest as they relate to me their memories and experiences. […]