‘So much of being able to weave humour and heart into our writing is learning how to become attuned. Attuned to the ridiculous, the bittersweet, and the uproarious moments of life.’

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

‘We are all used to sitting down at our own desks and fighting the urge to do other things, but in a classroom with ten other people writing beside you there is another energy that can deliver the seeds of new ideas.’

‘Never underrate the power of intuition when it comes to knowing what to write next. Trust in your subconscious and watch the magic unfold!’

‘We read non-fiction for information and also for emotional engagement. Does your topic have the potential to reach a wider audience because it has ‘big human issues’ to share? By this I mean issues about resilience, survival, love.’

‘The aim is to give the publisher as few reasons as possible to reject your manuscript, and if I could give one tip, it would be to work on your voice. Your voice is your own – it is your unique proposition. If your voice is unoriginal or lacklustre, it’s not going to stand out from the mountain of manuscripts vying for attention.’

‘It used to be that our biggest romance authors were huge overseas but not so much here, but I think audiences are changing and that will force publishing to change. The next thing I’d like to see changed is some of the snobbery that can follow commercial genres!’

‘Education writing is writing for children! It’s just that the sales channels are different, and the briefs more exacting.’

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