Recently I attended the Global Anti-apartheid Conference for Palestine (10-12 May) in Johannesburg, South Africa, as part of a delegation from our local writers association. There was a workshop dedicated to the topic “changing the narrative”, a subject deemed necessary because negative stories were circulating about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, for example, that the Palestinians were … Continue reading The Power of Story II
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“Voice” in writing
During the MA Creative Writing degree at Rhodes University a few years ago they asked us to read widely. The aim of it, the lecturers explained, was to identify where your interest and talent lay as a writer. Ideally you would discover what type of fiction you wanted to write in order to find your … Continue reading “Voice” in writing
Show and tell
Recently my old supervisor asked me to look at a collection of short stories. The student had been deemed to be “weak”, and asking an outside reader was an attempt to get a fresh insight. I read the student’s portfolio and right from the start his work had garnered comments like “too much explanation”, etc. … Continue reading Show and tell
Almost accepted
Earlier this week I received news that I had been shortlisted for a residency I applied for last year. The email was from the Executive Director. He said that even though I wasn’t chosen he wanted to forward my proposal to the next upcoming residency programme at their venue. I was so tickled at being … Continue reading Almost accepted
Celebrate normality
Do you sometimes think, “Oh I’m so bored. Nothing ever happens. Please, someone, rescue me from this boring life!”If that is your reality then you have what is called a normal life - sometimes good, sometimes bad, sometimes mediocre. Welcome to normality with its ups and downs. Which leads me to my catch phrase or … Continue reading Celebrate normality
Remembering a traumatic past
In my reading of slavery I came across an initiative called The Slave Dwelling Project where they provide prospective clients with an overnight stay in accommodation previously occupied by slaves. Founded by Joseph McGill who wanted to feel closer to his past, the initiative has grown into presentations at universities and a yearly conference. McGill … Continue reading Remembering a traumatic past
The power of story
I’m currently reading Patric Tariq Mellet’s The Lie of 1652: A Decolonised History of Land. Near the beginning of his tome of 429 pages the following caught my attention: the “imposed ideological framework” of apartheid’s strategy of divide and rule was bolstered and carried by the "narratives" chosen to underpin it. One of the myths … Continue reading The power of story
Plan to write a trilogy
I’ve been doing a great deal of thinking around the topic of what I really want to do with my life. What do I want to accomplish or achieve? Thus far my goal has been quite vague: to be a successful writer. Okay. But what does that mean for me? Money? Fame? I won’t lie, … Continue reading Plan to write a trilogy
Finding readers
Most writers struggle to find their readers and I'm one of them. Now, I'm not going to make a passionate speech of 'pick me' as Meredith does in Grey's Anatomy (quoted below) but maybe a consistent effort will net me more readers. So, in my list of new year resolutions I promise to write regular … Continue reading Finding readers
After blues
After finishing my thesis I feel a bit lost. It took up so much of my time: I didn’t read newspapers or watch the news, I didn’t read for leisure (a loved past-time), I didn’t watch my favourite television programmes and I didn’t participate in the skinnering and fighting so prevalent in a big family … Continue reading After blues
Cornelia Smith Fick 