writing space

It seems like everyone is posting pictures of their writing spaces online at the moment. Usually I wouldn't be tempted to follow trends, but it strikes me that posting an image of my study might shame me into cleaning the damn thing.

Sure, this area is not my current writing space, but it used to be and it will be again just as soon as I actually find the space.

following up on guidelines

I always look forward to receiving my copy of Victorian Writer (The Victorian Writers' Centre's member magazine) and usually rush home to make a cuppa to sip while I read. This month, I looked forward to it just a little more than usual, because I have an article in there that deals with something that really irritates me (during the page seventeen submission period at least).

Yes, submission guidelines and whether or not writers follow them.

Last year I had a little rant about it after I received one too many that didn't conform and then asked you what you thought. The general consensus seemed to be that everyone agreed that all writers should follow them or expect not to have their work considered.

That got me thinking. If everyone agrees, why are so many non-conforming submissions received or, are we the only magazine receiving enough to drive us to rant in public? So, I asked around, collated responses and wrote about it for the members of the Victorian Writers' Centre.

But it isn't something that only members of the Victorian Writers' Centre should have the opportunity to read about. After all, I approached editors and competition administrators from other states too. So, next week, I'll be posting the article here too, so you can all work out for yourselves whether sending work that doesn't meet a publication's guidelines will even be read, let alone shine through as the piece they just have to have (and therefore overlook your inability to do what they asked).

Now I'll have to stick to 'em

Now that 2010 is well established, I thought I'd share some of my writing goals, like I promised.

When I summed up my efforts last year, it became apparent that I needed to change the structure of my goal-setting, and to include shorter term goals, or maybe even to focus on short term goals. Which is what I've done. Although I do have one big goal for the year.

Which is to participate in, and win, NaNoWriMo again.

Even though this is my big goal for the year, I'm breaking it down into smaller goals. For instance, until the end of June, I plan only to research and make journal notes. I've already assigned this novel its own notebook/journal and yesterday wrote the first notes in it, filling a page. The research is mostly in the form of reading, so manageable as well as fun. From July to October, I'll be making more structured notes that will act as my outline so I'll be ready to dive into the actual writing come November 1.

For other writing, I've taken a completely different approach to what I used to do, which was to designate a number of poems and/or short stories, etc I'd hope to knock off for the year. This year, I decided I want to get out more.

Not the kind of getting out I did lots of last year (although I still plan to go to a variety of events), but the kind of getting out where I go out TO write. Where there is no Facebook, no Twitter, no telephone and no housework. I've set my goal for this in hours, starting smallish, and will revise it at the end of March. Of course I'll continue to write at home as well.

Having a fairly good idea of how I tend to work, I'm going to trust that whatever's going on around me will guide me as to what to write and/or how to spend my time. For instance, when I'm planning to go to a few poetry nights, I seem to have energy (and ideas) for writing poetry and when I'm exhausted I find that outlining a piece or brainstorming an idea is the best use of time. Of course, if it turns out this isn't a disciplined enough approach for me, I'll be making changes.

I have a few other little things noted in my journal under the goals heading, like to write more non-fiction and to make sure I don't miss too many submission deadlines, but these are the main things I hope to achieve this year. And now I've shared them with you, I feel accountable.

Miscellaneous Voices: Australian Blog Writing

Now it's time to get back into some good routines, I'm going to start by sharing some good news.

You may remember that, a while back, I mentioned Miscellaneous Press were seeking submissions of blog posts for their first issue of Miscellanous Voices: Australian Blog Writing.

Well, the good news is that my piece titled Structure has been accepted. Acceptances are always good news, but starting the year with one is just the best.

Here's a bit more about Miscellaneous Voices (from their website):

Inside Miscellaneous Voices: Australian Blog Writing you will find reflections on love, loss, literature, and how our lives are being affected by the shifting methods of communication in this digital age.

Featuring the work of James Bradley, Lisa Dempster, Angela Meyer, Jennifer Mills, A. S. Patric, Penni Russon, and many others.

The book launch date is Wednesday 14th April, at Readings, Carlton, Melbourne from 6-8pm.

Novels by Australian women: my 2010 reading challenge.

Shortly after my previous post, the following appeared in my Twitter feed:

EmergingWriters: Will @tiggyjohnson spend a whole year reading only novels by Australian women? That would be interesting! http://bit.ly/8NhLnR

Well, I've decided to take this on as a challenge so will only read novels by Australian women this year. Sorry to all you blokes with fabulous books, or to the non-Aussies, but it is just one year.

And it is just for novels. I'll still be reading whatever poetry or short stories happen to take my fancy, as well as being indiscriminatory as far as non-fiction goes.

I probably won't really discuss the works I'm reading, because reviewing just isn't my thing. Although I will say that so far, of the five titles I've finished thus far, my favourite has been 'The Ghost's Child' by Sonya Hartnett. A truly beautiful tale.

I'm sure too there's no chance I'll be able to maintain the pace I've set so far, but I'll see how I go. And I'm sure I'll enjoy coming across new authors as the months roll past. Actually, all five so far, as well as the two in-waiting, are by authors I haven't previously read. I'm sure this won't remain the case by the end of the year, as I'm sure to search for more from Hartnett, at the very least.

Anyone else set any reading goals for 2010?

2 more hours of freedom

I have just a couple of hours left of peace and quiet before my time to relax is all but over and Bryden and the kids return home from a camping trip.

The last few days have been exactly what I needed, time out to just sit back and do nothing much. At first I thought I'd use the time to do a little writing, including to finish a story I began in October. But I changed my mind and figured that next week, once school starts, I will be thrown back into routine whether I like it or not and that this was my only/last chance to unwind.

I know many writers think it's necessary to write every day, but I disagree. I figure that if I'm going to treat writing as a job, as work, then it's a healthy thing to take a month off every year or so. And I must say that since I decided not to get back to it until February, I'm becoming more eager to finish my October story, as well as to make a start on a new one brewing in the depths of my mind.

Which reminds me of one of the reasons I love to write in the first place, the excitement that comes with knowing stories and characters are coming to life, and the anticipation of putting them into words. But I am determined to hold out until next week before getting back into it.

On the plus side, I've been reading a lot, and I realised that all the books I've read thus far in 2010 (I'm on my 5th) are by Australian women. I might see how long I can keep that up, if I can get through the entire year reading novels by only Australian women.

Now though, I'd better go check on the banana cake in the oven that will be ready to greet the kids with when they get back.

I do... or do I?

I've been thinking about getting married for some time. At least six months. I'm no closer to a decision than I was back then. Except that it seemed radically exciting for the first fortnight or so.

Sure, I'm already married, and later this year, we'll make it to double figures, which I suppose is something to celebrate in itself. But it isn't about that. In fact, it has nothing to do with romance. Nothing. A lot to do with bureaucratic red tape, nothing to do with romance. (Come on, I have three kids, romance shromance.) I'm assuming by now you realise I'm talking about marrying the same person, remarrying him.

All those years ago, we got married in the Cook Islands. Yes, we eloped.

Before you ask, technically we didn't get married on the beach, but in a gorgeous garden area of the resort we stayed at. We had many photos taken on the beach, and the restaurant staff even set up a special table on the sand for us. Our waitress took this photo with our camera. It was lovely, although I never thought I'd be doing it again.

Except that I have a slight problem with getting a passport and remarrying was Bryden's solution. One friend thinks it's adorable that he would want to marry me again, let alone suggest it. Anyway, I digress.

Because we were married overseas, the Australian Goverment, well at least the office that does passports, doesn't recognise us as married. I found this out when I went to renew my passport and asked about required documentation. After a longish session with them and later some Internet research on their appropriate websites, it seemed I had two choices.

One: To have my name changed by deed poll to my married name and then proceed with getting a passport in that name. It is worth noting that my drivers licence and bank documentation is all in my married name.

Two: Change back to my maiden name, officially, go through the rigmarole of changing licence, bank, etc and then get a passport.

I quickly decided option one is not an option. It might sound crazy, but I like using both names, and perhaps other parents might understand that using my maiden name for my individual pursuits, like writing, helps me 'be' the person I need to on the right occasion. Anyway, I was writing before I got married. And I'm not okay with letting go of that name.

Option two sounds doable, I guess, but I'd kind of feel like I was betraying my husband and the kids if I didn't share their name: it's the reason I wanted to change my name when I got married in the first place. And I'm not keen on the idea of having a new licence photo (not that I'm suggesting I like my current one).

Then Bryden suggested we get married. At first this sounded like a fabulous idea and we had grand plans of filling the backyard with friends and family and wondering how we'd choose a date: would we remarry on an anniversary or an arbitrary date? Did I need a passport in any great rush or could we wait?

While holding off until our tenth anniversary seemed odd in some ways, I haven't been able to come to terms with it being on an arbitary date. Again, this has little to do with romance, and much to do with my desire for order, structure (read being anally retentive).

Then I remembered another good reason not to have a big fat bush wedding: we eloped in the first place because we didn't want a big fat any-kind-of wedding.

Friends have suggested we just go to the registry office but this seems even more meaningless than me reverting to my maiden name.

Maybe having it out there will help me sort it in my head and come to a solution, or maybe someone will suggest something I haven't thought of yet that is totally the right thing to do. Or perhaps I'll discover I'm really just overthinking it and it doesn't really matter what I/we do. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Oh, and in some ways, there's no rush, we have until December 21.