Why Do You Write?
Plus Free Scene Writing Workshop Link & all the usual writing advice, retreat news and publishing opportunities
My latest collage, still sticky with glue from our Blissful Bali Retreat!
Hello dear writing friend,
I hope this message finds you well and enjoying life wherever you are. It’s been a busy time since I last wrote to you.
Why do you write? I’ve been asking myself this again lately as I move through my 23rd year of writing practice. Let’s face it, we’re not in this for the fame and fortune, unless you’re Liane Moriarty. We write, and continue to write, because we are called to do so.
I loved writing in childhood and had entire novel-length works stored in my head about characters my sister and I would draw. Then, as soon as my Nana told me about the man who killed her sister, I knew I wanted to write that story. That I had to tell it. And I tried. But it was going to take a lot of practice to get it right.
I’ve been practising ever since. The story that came, Dear Madman, is almost ready and will be published through AndAlso Books next year. Watch this space!
The stories I wrote first were those about my brother who killed himself at twenty after a furious war against the schizophrenia that claimed him in his mid-teens. Getting those stories out of my head and onto the page really helped. Those old stories of shame and blame and pain no longer rotate like a stuck record in my head.
I felt like I’d discovered a wonderful healing tool and since then, besides writing my own stories, I’ve helped others access this powerful method for reframing our pasts and reclaiming our futures.
I recently got my noggin in the news in this article about ‘Writing for Healing’ on the ABC.
For me, it’s not just about getting the story out in all its gory detail. The shaping of that story, creating a work of beauty and resonance, is where true healing begins. Because when we transform our painful experiences and declare our power over the way we view these events, by shaping them into a compelling narrative whether as a memoir or as autobiographical fiction, we are no longer victims, but active players in this game of life.
That’s why I write and encourage others to do the same.
Why do you write?
RETREAT NEWS
Blissful Bali Transformational Writing Retreat was a ball! Despite unseasonal pouring rain we had a wonderful, inspirational time with a fun group of writers who all hit it off, uplifting and encouraging each other. It’s not every final night reading that ends with a spontaneous singalong and dance party to ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’!
Here’s the rundown on all our shenanigans in Bali. Bookings are now open for Blissful Bali 2026 (26 June – 2 July 2026). Is it your turn to join us and write up a storm in the spiritual heart of Bali at Bali Ecostay? Places are already selling, so book in soon if you’d like to nab one of the private bungalows. All the info HERE.
Incredible Italy Writing Retreat is officially full and we’re getting super excited as we plan excursions and activities for this once in a lifetime experience. Check out the fabulous place we’re staying HERE.
My local August Feedback and Revision Relax and Write Retreat in Springbrook is also full to the brim with incredible writers. Not long now and we’ll all be up in the rainforest, getting our heads around tackling second drafts and sharing work with others in small, kind, feedback groups.
The beautiful folk at our last Springbrook retreat :)
If you’re interested in joining my local Springbrook Relax and Write Retreats next year, you can book in for the next Memoir/Beginners Writing Retreat – APRIL 10 – 12, 2026 NOW. If you’re keen on the next Feedback Writing Retreat, August 7 – 9, 2026 just drop me a line and I’ll add you to the waiting list.
Kerstin and I are busily planning our first Byron Bay Writing for Wellbeing Retreat for September 19 – 25 at Sangsurya Retreat Centre. More on this later. Drop me a line if you’d like to bags a spot!
WRITING ADVICE
Before we left for Bali, Kerstin and I ran a FREE WORKSHOP on writing in scenes. If you missed it live, here’s the workshop link. WRITE GOOD SCENES
While you’re there, hit subscribe and check out all the other free workshops, Let’s Talk Writing shorties and my guided meditation for writers to help quiet your inner critic and break through writers’ block.
Remember there’s lots more free help for your writing on my website. Just type an area of writing craft eg PLOT or CHARACTER, into the search button on my website and all related articles will show up. You’re welcome J
Here are some useful articles I’ve collected for you over the past months.
We all want our characters to be likeable or at least intriguing but what does it really mean? Ideas HERE from Phillip Womack
More on creating complex characters here with writer/psychologist Kingsley Pearson
Writing funny characters by K M Weiland
Use character, setting and dialogue to up the tension in your story by Graham Bartlett
Write what scares you! From Pipeline.
And here’s a video talking about how to WRITE GREAT DIALOGUE with Tucker Berke.
Hope you’ll get a lot out of these.
EDITING and MENTORING SLOTS AVAILABLE
If your manuscript is almost done, or you’re most of the way through your first draft, or even if you just really need assistance figuring out how to structure your book, or need some guidance tidying a story before you submit it to a publisher, I’m here to help!
Editing for a full manuscript covers both structural and line editing and takes about 2 weeks. I’ll give you advice on the big picture like characters and plot, and also tidy up your sentences as I go. I charge a flat rate of $85 an hour whatever I do. Full length manuscripts under 80 000 words usually come in under $1500. I have slots available from the start of November until the end of February.
Set yourself a deadline to have that draft finished and then send it to me. BOOK YOUR SLOT HERE.
If you just want to pop in now and then with short pieces or to have a zoom meeting to pump my brain, DROP ME A LINE HERE.
HORN TOOTING
I am super thrilled to announce that our lovely, Patty Sierra, Fairy Godmother fellowship winner, has just signed a contract with Revolutionaries to publish her brave and powerful memoir Fleeing Injustice about escaping her DV relationship with her young daughter through the underground railway in the US and around the world as her ex relentlessly pursued them. Couldn’t be prouder!!
Rod Davison’s new book One Choice Too Far has just been released and is available to purchase here. Cocky young doctor, Ric, has one small problem. He doesn't know who he is. And there's another thing. Why are weird thoughts and images invading his mind? Here is the link to buy.
Into the Mountains – Exploring China’s Sacred Daoist Peaks by Debra Liu
My friend, Debra Liu, an ordained Daoist in the Quanzhen Dragon Gate lineage, takes the reader on a journey of discovery through China’s sacred mountains. Daoist philosophy and contemporary practice combine in this fascinating account allowing the reader to ‘enter the mountains’ to find the beating heart of the Daoism, as a vibrant, modern practice with deep roots in antiquity.
Have you got a book coming out? Want some help spreading the word. Just reply to this email and I’ll toot that horn for you :)
WRITING BUDDIES. For those in need of other writers to provide feedback on your work, join our RELAX AND WRITE – WRITING BUDDY STARS FACEBOOK GROUP TO SHARE WORK – JOIN HERE. It’s up to you guys to share and be respectful with each other. Here are some guidelines on giving and receiving feedback on your creative work.
One of the stunning sunsets on Gilli Air, Lombok.
PUBLISHING OPPORTUNITIES
How’s your 10 point plan going? Remember you’ve got to be in it to win it!
1 August UQP Mentorship Prize for Under-represented Writers – 2 winners each receive $5000, a residency at UQP, professional mentoring, consideration of publication. Looking for diverse voices – open to fiction, non-fiction and children’s fiction (no picture books). Submit 5000 words of new work.
1 August Sydney Hammond Short Story Competition Short stories to 1000 words on Lost and Found. First prize $200 and CYA ticket. Top 40 stories published in an anthology
11 August Peter Blazey Fellowship for non-fiction writing – biography, autobiography and life writing. $20 000 fellowship up for grabs! Worth a shot – FREE to enter
11 August Blake Beckett ASA Scholarship Award First prize $35 000, runner up $15 000. Open to writers of adult fiction – any genre, and biography – NOT memoir. Must be an ASA members with 2 books traditionally published.
1 August: UQP Mentorship Prize for Under-represented Writers Submit 5000 words of a new work of fiction, non-fiction or children’s fiction. Two winners $5000 and a residency at UQP. For under-represented writers.
5 August: Pitchable
QWC welcomes entries of ideas, concepts and pitches for development and/or adaptation into fully-fledged works, open to all Australian writers, unpublished and emerging through to published and established. Shortlisted writers will prepare to make their pitch to a diverse panel of creative industry professionals in real-time, at an industry Market Day in Brisbane (October 2025). One winner will ultimately be selected for an incubator program, including mentorship with a professional writer.
5 August: Keesing Studio residency at the Cité internationale des arts
Creative Australia presents a residency opportunity for Australian writers in Paris of varying duration of three or six months. This is an opportunity for writers to direct their own program of activity and expand their practice and networks. There are three residencies on offer: 2 x three months (with $12,500 support) and 1 x six months (with $25,000 support).
5 August: BR Whiting Studio Residency
A residency opportunity for Australian writers in Rome of varying duration of one, three or six months. This is is an opportunity for writers to direct their own program of activity and expand their practice and networks. There are three residencies on offer of varying duration: 1 x one month (with $5,000 support), 1 x three months (with $12,500 support), and 1 x six months (with $25,000 support).
8 August: The Next Chapter
The Next Chapter program elevates Australian stories that aren’t being told and nurtures a new wave of writers to tell them. In 2025, The Next Chapter will select a group of ten writers and provide each of them with a stipend of $15,000, a handpicked mentor to work closely with them on bringing their writing to life.
11 August: Peter Blazey Fellowship
Worth $20,000, the Fellowship honours the larger-than-life figure of Peter Blazey — journalist, author and gay activist. This award is for a work-in-progress by writers with a publishing record. They’re calling for entries in the non-fiction fields of biography, autobiography, memoir and life writing.
14 August: 2025 Woollahra Digital Literary Award National Literary award supporting innovation in Aust literature and publishing for writers working in digital media. First prize $2500 in each category.
31 August 2025 FAW Marjorie Barnard Short Story Award Short stories to 3000 words. $15 to enter. $500 first prize.
13 October 2026 Peter Porter Poetry Prize First prise $6000, 4 shortlisted poets $1000. Poems to 60 lines. $30 to enter.
For a comprehensive list of writing competitions from novels to poetry ,see Christopher Fielden’s website HERE
GENERAL
UK journal publishers to try with your short pieces
ROMANCE WRITERS – this one’s for you! Try your luck. Romance is one of the hottest selling genres right now! Go for it! PUBLISHERS OPEN TO ROMANCE SUBMISSIONS
WRITING HORROR? Here are some places to try
MEMOIR PUBLISHERS THAT ACCEPT DIRECT SUBMISSIONS (no agent needed)
AUSTRALIAN PUBLISHERS OPEN TO DIRECT SUBMISSIONS (no agent required)
Black Inc is open to submissions of quality non-fiction projects including memoir and personal essays for the first seven days of each month. Non-fiction only. Open November 1-7
Allen and Unwin – The Friday Pitch – submit your pitch every Friday to the Allen and Unwin slush pile. Try your luck! They seem to be particularly interested in stories of unique Australian lives – so try your memoir!
Hachette Australia SUBMISSIONS looking for commercial fiction and creative non-fiction
Affirm Press – currently accepting direct submissions on the first Monday of every month
UQP SUBMISSIONS currently open to literary fiction and non-fiction and books advocating for environmental sustainability.
Pan Macmillan You can pitch to them anytime! Looking for most genres.
HQ Harlequin Australia full length fiction or memoir over 70 000 words.
Penguin Random House Australia open to submissions the first week of every month.
For comprehensive information on all Australian publishers, journals, prizes and competitions see the Australian Writers Marketplace.
Must say I love coming home. It was wonderful being in Indonesia, sweating and hot, but I’m most happy wandering in solitude by Urarra, the Bremer River, sitting on the rocks, listening to the twitter of wrens and the rattle of water over stones.
Off to Springbrook soon with another great bunch of writing folk – some retreataholics and some fresh faces in the mix. Looking forward to our weekend together getting our heads around the nitty gritty of rewriting. A long time ago someone once told me that writing IS rewriting. It’s true. Here’s a post about Rewriting and how to do it.
I hope you are well and that life is treating you gently. May the wheels of time slow so you have plenty of hours to devote to your writing projects. May great choirs of angels sing peace into the world and into our hearts and bless all writers with brilliant epiphanies and insights to share. May your words flow effortlessly and publishers come knocking.
With love from my house to yours,
Edwina :) xx
Flowers from my garden
I enjoyed your post. It reminded me of my late mentor, Louis DeSalvo, who wrote a book called “Writing as a Way of Healing.” If you’ve never read it, I highly recommend it and think you might like it. And, to answer your question, I write because it is an outlet, and a way to process things that have happened in my life and their meaning.