‘I see my non-fiction work as often being more advocacy-driven, often motivated by increasing understanding of particular issues or experiences, or trying to connect people through common experiences.’

‘Reading a story for discussion helps us to consider and better understand how the writing is working effectively to absorb the reader, to hold their attention and to create a rich reading experience… Reading short fiction by masterful writers can also be inspiring and encourage us to try out their approaches.’

‘Publishing is like any other industry where trends change over time, genres come in and out of fashion and kids are looking for different kinds of stories…most importantly, it is writing books which kids love to read.’

‘It can be difficult to disentangle ourselves from our own stories, or stories we’ve heard from those close to us. I always find it useful when writing something inspired by real life, to focus on the feelings involved; that means using my lived experience as a jumping-off point.’

Check out some of the wonderful literary events happening in Sydney and around NSW (and online) this May!

Anne-Marie Te Whiu joined First Friday to speak about her background as a writer, editor and festival director, the state of poetry publication in Australia, and how to make a career as a poet in Australia.

‘Some people use the term gatekeepers to describe publishers, but in my experience, publishers are eager for great stories that will connect with readers.’

Check out some of the wonderful literary events happening in Sydney and around NSW (and online) this April!

“The most common mistake, by far, is not reading enough contemporary short fiction and equal first place with that is not reading the journal you’re submitting your work to…If you don’t read much contemporary short fiction, your work will likely have a kind of stale air to it; it will draw on work that was popular decades ago.”