“If it comes too easy, dig into it, find something else in it, go into a tangent, punch through the false bottom of your writing,” urged Nadine Davidoff in the recent manuscript masterclass I attended with her. Nadine challenged everything I’ve ever believed about writing and my approach to it. I was way out of my comfort zone and it resulted in a temporary crisis of confidence. “You need to be … [Read more...]
Finding Duende.
On Sunday, I discovered the word duende in a most exquisite essay by Tracy K Smith. It was required reading for students in the manuscript masterclass I’ve joined. (I highly recommend reading it. The link is below.) Duende (according to Wikipedia) is defined as the Spanish term for a heightened state of emotion, expression and authenticity often connected with flamenco. It’s the … [Read more...]
Why we must follow our bliss
“Follow your bliss.” Joseph Campbell Greetings from Boulder, Colorado! 56 days ago, I packed up my home, gave away most of my belongings and said goodbye to my loved ones. I left Melbourne with a carry-on bag and a backpack for a 10-week book tour to Sydney, Toronto, New York, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Boulder, Los Angeles, Sydney and Brisbane. So far I’ve visited 8 cities, slept … [Read more...]