Writers on Writing is our regular conversation with a writer or industry professional about the writing craft, industry insights, and their own practice. This week, we spoke to Monikka Eliah about giving ourselves permission to write ‘badly’, what writer’s block means to her, and keeping ourselves creatively engaged with the world. 

What does your daily writing routine look like? 

My writing routine varies depending on the day. Sometimes little lines slip into my head, and I have to jot them down on a sticky note, paper corner or into my phone. I have jacket pockets stuffed with scraps of writing.

For external projects, my method depends on the project requirements and the time I have available. 

If I have an immediate deadline, I’m committing as much time as possible to getting it done.

I let myself write it badly and then come back to refine things. 

If it’s a longer project, I will sit down and think about what’s needed. Research the subject matter or read how other writers have approached similar forms or topics. I don’t write in a linear way. I think a lot about the elements that I want to exist in the piece and ask questions around them until something feels right or exciting or curious, then I write. 

 What does ‘writer’s block’ mean to you? 

I think the experience presents itself differently for each person. 

Sometimes it’s not making progress on a project, sometimes it’s feeling uninspired, sometimes it’s wrangling with a lack of confidence, and sometimes it’s feeling burnt out. 

For me, it’s a feeling of being terribly unmotivated. Like trying to jump into a swimming pool in winter. I have this fantasy of swimming, I might have even done it before, but I know the water will be cold, and I just can’t bring myself to get in. 

What are some techniques you use to generate creative energy when you feel stuck?

I don’t think creativity comes from nowhere. I think it’s a response to living and engaging with the world. 

I read, I go to galleries, I listen to music. I make art in other forms. I try to follow the energy, collecting things that make me excited or curious or even angry. 

I also see myself as part of a community and try to actively engage with the work other artists are making around me.

How do you generate inspiration for your writing?

For me, writing is part of a bigger mechanism of creativity. I try to keep myself creatively engaged by reading, cooking, gardening, drawing, or taking photos of things I like. 

I also like to collect things from all around: fabric, thread, photographs, stickers, colour tiles, stories, jokes, conversations, etc. They don’t have to be unique or exciting; they just have to hold some interest for me. All of this helps to fuel my writing.

Monikka Eliah is an Assyrian writer and performer from Fairfield. She has participated in National Theatre of Parramatta’s Page to Stage program, CuriousWorks Breakthrough Screen Writing Program, Netflix and Co-curious’ On The Brightside Screenwriting Program and STC’s Rough Draft. Her work has been published in SBS Voices, Runway Journal, Southerly, Kill Your Darlings, The Lifted Brow, Meanjin and The Saturday Paper. She has also published work in a number of anthologies. She received Southlands Breakthrough Award 2018, Wheeler Centre Playwright Hot Desk Fellowship 2020, Ausco Resilience Grant 2021, Wheeler Center Next Chapter Award 2022 and was runner up in the SBS Emerging Writers Competition 2022. She has presented work at the Writing NSW, Studio Stories, Wollongong Writers Festival, Sydney Writers Festival, NYW Festival, National Play Festival, WITS Festival Fatale and Sydney Festival. In 2024, Monikka received a grant from Creative Australia to work on her debut novel.

Join Small Magic: Kindle Your Creativity with Monikka Eliah, Saturday 1 August 2026, 10am-4pm at Writing NSW, Lilyfield. 

If you want to be the first to read great advice, prompts and inspiration from our incredible tutors, subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter Newsbite. 

More from Writing NSW

Check out our full range of writing courses in Sydney, our online writing courses and our feedback programs to see how we can help you on your creative writing journey. Find out about our competitions and opportunities, as well as writing groups across NSW, and sign up to our weekly newsletter for writing events, opportunities and giveaways.