sarah ayoub, Freelance Writer

Interview: Erica Bartle, Freelance Magazine Writer, Blogger at Girlwithasatchel.blogspot.com, and all-round nice girl

I have a kind of girl-crush on Erica Bartle. I read her blog almost religiously (I check it morning and night, although now I am grateful that she has Twitter so I can find out when she’s posted to avoid checking in every 15 minutes), annoyingly probe her with emails and questions and feedback about her postings, and remind myself that contrary to what Andy Sachs (of Devil wears Prada fame) experienced, there are nice girls inhabiting the land of glossy. In fact, I don’t even need to check out her blog to be reminded of the last bit. I just think of the times she used to send me notices about junior editorial positions going at Pac Mags, even though we had never met. All she knew was that I was a 19 year old uni student who was doing work experience everywhere and who desperately wanted a job in magazines. These days, Ms Bartle blogs about glossies, media, books and girly things from her pretty and pink office in her home in Mount Tambourine, QLD. Her blog is a treasure trove of good reading that is wholesome but interesting, and endowed with an aesthetic quality of nice pages to look at, books that she is reading, blogs she loves to read and places she likes to shop. In fact, I actually find her so fascinating that I love it when she posts pictures of her office, or her breakfast, or tells a tale of her life. I love to know what she is reading and thinking because to me, she is a more real ‘celebrity’ (although you would not describe her as such) and someone worth aspiring to emulate. Erica Bartle is estremely deserving of the success that she has made her blog. For many young girls, she provides an sneak peek into accessing the glossy/media world, while divulging all its happenings and analysing its productions in a manner so detailed it actually becomes educational. Plus, for the likes of me, a self-confessed mag addict on a less-than-glossy budget, her blog is a reliable tool for choosing what mags on the stands are worth buying (her ratings and commentary are substantial enough to help formulate this decision). Any aspiring wordsmith ought to check out her blog, and just because she’s worth it, vote for her to win Cosmo’s Fun Fearless Female Award. Hope you enjoy this (detailed) interview!

You’ve gone from being deputy editor on a major teen magazine to full-time freelancing. How does a lifestyle of being your own boss compare to working for someone else? I really miss the frantic office environment at Girlfriend – the witty cross-cubicle banter, the celebrity chit-chat, the editorial meetings, the highly scientific cover surveys (who do you like best right now?), the positive feedback/encouragement, the “oohs” and “ahhs” expressed at the sight of a lunch-time purchase, the daily “where should we go for lunch?” dilemma… That sense of community and fellowship, of a shared passion for producing a quality publication, is just something you can’t emulate in a solo working environment.

I’m a tough task master, workaholic and perfectionist, so when I first went freelance, while also maintaining my blog, my husband literally had to pry me away from my laptop. I was consumed by an incessant need to be online. Now, I’m a little more easy-going and less tortured about my approach to work. There has to be a balance – and, if you’re going to work for yourself and not have all the benefits of superannuation, pay security and nice things like beauty sales in the office, why the heck not take the occasional afternoon off? Carrie Bradshaw certainly spent more time out and about than at her laptop – though, we all know she was HIGHLY FICTIONAL and glamourised the freelance/column writer’s life.

Twitter has been an absolute GOD SEND in terms of making me feel more like part of a work community: it’s the online equivalent to office chatter. Add to that a girlie office layout I adore, an intern who comes to help me out once a week or so and my husband co-piloting in the office (doing his own thing, mind you) and I’m much happier and more comfortable in my writing zone now than I’ve ever been. I’ve been lucky to have made some very excellent virtual friends (fellow bloggers and freelancers) and to have had the support of people in the media industry who I may have never had the chance to work with had I not struck it solo (Mia Freedman comes to mind). And when I do feel isolated and a bit stir-crazy, I head to my favourite coffee shop, Spice of Life, with my MacBook. Voila!

Freelancers tend to comment about being able to work their own hours, or write in their PJs all day long. Is that something that appeals to you, or do you tend to structure your day around a routine to keep you productive? I let my personal presentation slide when I first went freelance and moved to Mount Tamborine (Gold Coast hinterland). But I came to realise that part of my self-esteem is wound up in how I present myself, so I now rock out a cute outfit every day, put on makeup, do my hair and even pack a lunch in a lunchbox so I’m not frittering away time in front of the fridge… though that’s still my preferred way to procrastinate.

What is a typical day in the life of GWAS? I pray and journal to God first thing in the morning and meditate on a passage from Joyce Meyer’s Christian compendium, Starting The Day Right/Ending the Day Right (just like Kevin Rudd!). In the fast-paced, fickle media world, I find my faith gives me solid grounding. Then, it’s off to the shower, outfit editing, makeup and down the stairs (my painful commute to the office takes all of three seconds: can you believe I actually miss my 40-minute bus ride to McMahon’s Point?!). If it’s a Monday, Wednesday or Friday, I’ll go to my newsagent (hi, Gavan!) and purchase the latest glossies or newspapers containing the sections I like to read (The Australian and Fin Review on Mondays for their media sections; The Sydney Morning Herald for its Essential section on Thursdays).

I try to have my first blog post up by 9am, if not earlier, then I try to get on top of my inbox (no easy feat) and reply to emails. I try to post twice more on the blog throughout the day, usually before lunch and at around 4.30pm. Of course, I’ll approve and try to respond to comments, too. When I’m not blogging, scanning or uploading pictures, I’m pitching, researching, interviewing, transcribing or writing freelance stories, chatting to blog advertisers and Twittering. While I love the immediacy of the internet, I like the balance that freelancing gives me as a writer – allowing ideas to gestate, interviewing, structuring a story… feature writing is a real craft.

I try to get out of the home office at least once during the day, if not more often – to check the post (it’s 5-minute walk to our mailbox), play with my dog, Gus, or go into town for a coffee. Generally, I try to finish up my work by 6pm, but that easily turns into 8, 9, 10pm some days. I’m trying to get out of that habit: I sleep better if I’ve wound down properly and turned my laptop off. Terribly exciting, isn’t it?!

Did you find it difficult to establish contacts in the glossies that enabled you to get some freelance work, or do you think that your blog made things a little easier? If anything, the blog has made things harder – it’s not ideal to be critiquing glossies in a public forum if it’s your dream to write for them! Thankfully, I have been blessed with a few wonderful industry contacts who feed me the occasional story. To be honest, I don’t have a lot of time for pitching these days.

How did the idea for your blog come about? It was really an extension of the work I was doing as deputy editor on Girlfriend. I was editing sections like the pop-culture packed “Get It Guide” and “Girl Crush” pages, as well as looking after the Love 2 Shop fashion quarterly, penning features and working on the Self Respect campaign. I wanted to flex my writing muscle and creativity and blogging seemed like the way to go. Instant gratification! I have been a long-time subscriber of Daily Candy, really enjoyed Mediapost’s “magazine rack” reviews and Who What Wear Daily was taking off, so I thought I could meld the concepts into one blog. And so Girl With A Satchel was born.

What were some of the difficulties you first encountered swapping from a very senior editing role to blogging? Was it hard to establish an audience, build up the site, find your niche etc? GWAS has really only hit the ground running over the past 6-12 months. Before that, it was a real mag girl’s blog, growing organically through word-of-mouth, but now the readership has grown and widened and so has its credibility as a “media blog” (or so I’m told), thanks to links from other reputable sites and traditional media. The niche came easily – glossy mags are something I’ve always been passionate about. I dubbed myself “The Nation’s Number One Consumer of Glossy Magazines” on my post-uni CV. Thankfully, all that financial investment seems to be paying off!

Did you consult any mentors or guides to make the process a little easier? No, but I wish I had. Initially, I had terrible moments of insecurity about how the blog content would be received by those in the industry, though I was confident about my convictions. However, the support did come. Rebecca Lowrey-Boyd of Wee Birdy, Mia Freedman, Zoe Foster, Sarah Oakes… they’ve all been wonderful supporters, as have other glossy editors and writers, the gorgeously loyal readers and contributors who slip me the occasional “keep it up” email and, of course, my husband and family (dad writes a “Bloke With a Bag” column and my sister contributes the occasional book review!).

You’ve established a cute little niche for yourself. How does it feel to be called upon as a speaker/expert in the field of blogging and glossy magazines? Hilarious! Who would have thought? It’s very humbling. Particularly as a journalist who interviews “experts” in their respective fields. God works in mysterious ways.

Recently, you’ve had to implement commenting guidelines on your site in response to some ‘bitchy’ or ‘nasty’ comments. In both pop culture and reality, women’s mags are notorious for rumours of bitching and gossip. Do you think that implementing such guidelines inhibits free speech, and (apart from the personal attacks on you and your family) what made you decide that these guidelines were the way to go? I’ve obviously given this a lot of thought. I think instantaneous, open discourse is part of the appeal of blogs – essentially, I’m a conversation starter and critic – but, at the same time, the blog is my online home and I like people to be respectful of it. I don’t go to other people’s homes and tread dog poo through the carpet and tell them they stink. That’s just rude. I don’t mind criticism – I dish it out, after all – but there’s a pervasive culture of snark that’s erupted via blogging (and anonymous commenting) which I think diminishes us all: nothing good ever comes from negativity and encouraging, building up and celebrating women is something we should all strive towards. I encourage articulate, insightful, elaborative and witty comments; bitchiness for the sake of bringing someone down (and thereby the blog) I do not. If you want the freedom to be outlandishly bitchy.. .start your own blog!

One thing I find very unique, and extremely refreshing, about your blog is its Christian influences. In the modern day and age, a lot of traditional, organised religions are seen to be something to be hidden because of their conservative outlooks. Did you struggle with the decision to make something that is seen to be so private, public? Or do you think that these influences and overtones help keep your work and nice-girl attitudes in check? It’s been a very natural thing for me to discuss my faith on the blog, as the site’s launch coincided with me recommitting to Christianity after years of blowing about in the wind. My faith is intrinsic to who I am and, therefore, my perceptions and opinions of the world, including the media and popular culture. I like to think that this gives me a slightly different perspective. Just about all the big editorial decisions I’ve made with the blog have come about as a result of prayer and petition. I’m sure Anna Wintour would be terrifying to work for, but being accountable to God is about as big as it gets (eek!).

How do you think the pictures on the sides of the blog enhance the overall writing experience? Blogs, like magazines, are an aesthetic (though not tactile) experience. A visit to my blog is a visual entree to my life and loves and sponsors! I’ve been lucky in that most of my sponsors are online retailers who themselves take pride in their appearance: their ads complement my site.

You write about women’s magazines and their content, and obviously give them a critical rating. Does that make you question your ability to work with them in future? Through my reviews, what I hope to do is celebrate the good while shining a light on editorial which I think is morally questionable or detrimental to the wellbeing of female readers. I’d like to think I provide a complementary service to the glossy industry. Film directors, actors, singers/bands… they all endure critical reviews of their work. Magazines are consumed by just as many people – why should they be exempt?

Who are you writing for at the moment? Cosmopolitan and Cleo, mostly – to be honest, the blog consumes more of my time every week! Do you have a goals list of other publication’s you’d like to target? Right now I’m focusing my energies on the blog, so no. But I think every writer has their dream writing gig (if I say it out loud it might not come true!)

What advice would you offer to aspiring bloggers, freelancers and wordsmiths who want to follow a similar career path? If it’s blogging you want to do, find a niche area to cover. If you’re freelancing, stay on top of all media – particularly those you plan to pitch to! There’s nothing more annoying for editors than to be pitched stories that they’ve just run. Be a voracious media consumer, read outside the media-sphere, explore the world and write, write, write!

Ten in the Hot Seat:

1. Biggest accomplishment to date: Writing for The Walkley Magazine was a highlight, as is being nominated in Cosmo’s Fun Fearless Female awards!

2. You wish you wrote: The Shops by India Knight. It’s like my comfort food.

3. Can’t leave home without: My satchel, of course!

4. One thing you are currently writing: A piece about cyber stalking!

5. First thing you wrote: A two-sentence short story about bunnies diligently handed over to the library lady for typing…on a typewriter!

6. Addicted to reading: everything. I am a gluttonous pig when it comes to media/books/internet.

7. Top spot on your goals list: To be an excellent mother one day, not too far in the future.

8. If you were a character in a novel, you’d be: Anne of Green Gables.

9. The best thing about being a wordsmith: Speaking to lovely people like you, Sarah.

10. Describe yourself in one word: Grateful.

When I stopped working in good old Sydney town and started working from home, I was overjoyed. I no longer had to wrestle peak-hour commuters for a seat on the train, dodge slow walkers at the station, carry my lunch around in the same bag as my heels while I walked around in my ever-so-trendy sneakers -ith-pencil-skirt combo or basically, get out of my lazy girl outfit. It was a win on all counts, except one.

This is because I no longer had access to The Big Issue, on account of the fact that there are no friendly Big Issue vendors (or even non-friendly ones at that) on any street corners near my suburb/town. Nowadays, I take regular trips to the city or Newtown to get my hands on a copy as often as I can, and for good reason.

The whole point of Showcase on Wordsmith Lane is to expand my horizons (and of course, that of my readers) with regards to the many publications out there – publications which give us a chance to look at new forms and ways of writing, find out about great new writers, and explore new possibilities for our own writing. And for those who are just starting out in the writing game, The Big Issue is perfect for all of the above. Plus, it’s a real community magazine, on account of the fact that half the price of every issue sold goes to the vendor who has sold it (which is why you should never find it at a newsagent).

As such, you can imagine why I have a semi-crush on the mag. Not only does it constantly engage me with its great stories, but it’s also giving those less fortunate than myself a chance at earning a small income. In fact, I like to think of it as charity in more ways than one.

So what’s it all about? According to the inside front cover of the magazine, The Big Issue “is an independent current affairs and entertainment magazine sold in towns and cities throughout Australia by people experiencing homelessness  and/or long-term unemployment. It provides an opportunity for vendors tom positively change their lives by earning an income and interacting with the mainstream community”.

The Big Issue is made of regular sections that appear in each issue, plus a number of features ranging in various topics, but that are central in scope to a wide Australian audience. In fact, when I listened to what they look for in a pitch at the Emerging Writer’s Festival this year, I understood the magazine more – because what they are looking for is an issue that is going to be relevant to someone in Perth as well as someone in Sydney. It sounds pretty easy, but its not so simple when you think about certain stories, especially when you factor a whole load of news values into the mix.

What I really like about The Big Issue is that they profile on of their vendors in each issue, and that is something that always brings a warmth to my heart. But some of their other regular sections are also quite interesting, depending on what is being said and by whom. This is because the first few pages are opinion-type pieces and columns, as well as letters and other small bits and bobs from readers and contributors, and perspective is a thing I am really big on.

And often, they run certain special issues – recent ones include the Crime Time Issue, and an issue centred solely on creative writing. The essence of keeping things varied, which is a very good thing for the diverse audience and readership of the magazine. Which means you writers out there have a bigger chance at getting published, because there’s a lot more scope associated with the content. Plus, the fact that they pay their contributors (alberit at a non-commercial price, but hey, as an establishing writer, I am not complaining) so it’s great for new writers to start learning a little bit more about the career and money-making side to the job.

If you liked what you’ve read, I really recommend you check it out. Help yourself kickstart your writing career with a new mag on your target list, and help someone else out in the process. You know’s worth it.

The details you need:

• Head Office is located in Melbourne. See here for contact details
• The Editor is Alan Attwood
• Magazine archives are available here
• Read more about their history, funding and support, and what they do here
• Check out their Facebook page here
• See their contributor guidelines (and follow them to the letter) here
• Find out on how to tet involved with their feel-good stuff here 

Hey hey Wordsmith Laners,

Apologies for being over and out for much of last week. I was extremely sick and resorted to spending a little more time resting than usual (this winter has not been too good to my immune system – it was my fourth time sick since the last week of April). But now I am back to posting as per usual, and am very sorry to have been away for a little too long.

Anyway, today I was flicking through my notes regarding what I plan to cover for Skill Central over the next few weeks, so that I might choose a topic for today’s posting. As I looked over my notes, I got to thinking that I wanted Wordsmith Lane to cover a little bit more than just the tasks associated with writing, and delve a little bit more into the whole scheme of a career or hobby centred around words and writing.

I have long believed there is a lot more to writing and journalism than the physical and mental act of putting pen to paper (or in this day and age, fingers to keyboard). In fact, as a writer myself, I tend to be more inspired to write thanks to my personal motivations and feelings, and my encounters with my physical, cultural and social world. Recently, I started to realise that for me, writing is about emotion and need just as much as it is about a pay check. In fact, in many cases, its a cathartic process designed to heal a certain ache in my heart and investigate a certain thought on my mind.

Late yesterday afternoon, I received a call from one of the editor’s at the opinion website The Punch, which is owned by News Limited and run by a fantastic team of journalists. They wanted a piece of Gen Y-written commentary relating to Senator Mark Arbib’s recently-voiced opinions regarding Generation Y and their attitudes to work. Considering I have spent much of my recent weeks wallowing in my own self pity due to my redundancy and difficulty in scoring more freelance work, that article was a God-send, particularly because it was a massive dose of motivation that reminded me that A) someone knew I was a writer, and B) they actually wanted to channel my work into their projects and C) this meant that it was going to be read.

The thing is, when I write, I get personal, even when I am being objective. I have always believed in practising journalism ethically and it is first nature for me to step back when I write and make sure there are no subjective connotations in the piece that I am working on. So while the actual body of work is objective, the fact that I wrote it will always be a personal thing. And when you are writing in a widely-read format/punlication, that tends to get a little bit dangerous.

Today, I decided to publicise my piece from The Punch on Twitter and Facebook. I headed it up with the fact that my piece was generating a lot of comment, and not all positive. In fact, about 90% of it was negative. And I actually got offended. I thought these people’s comments were mean. Not because they disagreed with me, but because they actually voiced their disagreement and made it public.

And then I realised that my writer’s journey was far from over. Heck, it was not even half way. Sure, I could get all preachy about my objectivity when I was actually writing, but once the piece was filed and published, it belonged to the public, the news space, the institution which I devoted myself to – the media. And the fact that I was up in arms about some negative attitudes to my writing made me think that objectivity should not stop with a full stop, but it should revolve around a lot more than the putting of pen to paper.

I needed to accept that not all people were going to share my opinions, and face up to the disagreements they make. I knew that I would not be able to continue my career as a writer and journalist if I was going to let a couple of comments sway and shake me to my core. And I had to deal with it. After all, isn’t public response and gathaering comments and opinions what journalism is all about?

I realise this posting doesn’t exactly equip you with a skill that is going to take your writing career to the next level. But like I said, there is a lot more to learn than the art of putting pen to paper and putting yourself out there as a writer. Some of those lessons start with you and your own demons, and it’s always good to face them before you face the role itself. For me, it has been a long time coming and it’s gone a little backward, but I would not change a thing.

The fact that I am still learning lessons makes me a hell of a happy writer, and these realisations mgive me faith in the fact that although there are still many more skills to learn, getting a little bit more  personal about how and why I am doing this will help me handle everything that a writing career can throw my way.

So, how do you guys handle criticism of your work? Do you take it personally? And do you think that there’s a lot more to writing than writing itself, and devloping the personals associated with it will actually help you career-wise? I am very interested in  hearing your thoughts, especially because for me, the above looks a hell of a lot more like a rant than an actual constructive piece of work…

Hey Wordsmith Laners,

Apologies for two days of no posting – I am a little sick right now, and will get back to it as soon as possible. Stay tuned though – don’t want to miss you all too much!

Miss Wannabe Wordsmith xx

Tell us about your wordsmith career path so far:

I’ve published lots of articles on Australian Literature also two books (one a complete Bibliography) on Judith Wright’s poetry. After I retired I wrote my memoir, Roundabout at Bangalow, published in 2001 by the University of Queensland Press. The Ghost at the Wedding is the story, or stories, of my husband’s family through three genertions and two wars, with especial emphasis upon the experience of the women in the family.

Since finishing The Ghost at the Wedding, do you have any plans for new projects? Or are you going to rest easy for a while?

 I have another project, to be called The Disputed Plain. It deals with European myths of settlement in Australia. It’s centred on an English family, from Kent, who come as assisted migrants in the 1840s and live in a shepherd’s hut in a place which is in dispute between two powerful land-grabbing cattle barons. Neither has any concern for their indentured labourers or the indigenous people. The family’s hut is burned by one of these factions and the family is put out on the disputed plain to fend for themselves. I have lots of   research to do before I can confidently put pen to paper (or even open a Word document).

You are a retired academic and an honorary fellow of UNE. How has your background in academia helped your career as a writer? 

At least I know where to put the apostrophes! But, seriously, my study and teaching of the writing of others has hopefully taught me what works, what doesn’t. But it’s all trial and error, hard work, sorrow and disappointment, with occasional moments of rapture when you know immediately that, as a writer, you’ve managed to get it just right!

Your previous work was the memoir Roundabout at Bangalow. How was it writing your memoir, and then writing the tale of your mother in law Jessie? What did you prefer working on?

Writing a personal memoir is quite different to writing autobiography, especially when writing about one’s mother-in-law, a powerful family figure. My own memoir came straight from the heart and required little research, although I did carefully check my facts. Writing someone else’s story meant that I had to position myself emotionally and dramatically in that person’s consciousness. This was not easy, especially with someone who had been as reticent as Jessie. Descriptions of her paintings helped me to enter her mind, clarify her responses to her circumstances. Even a reticent, locked-in person can express her emotions in a different medium where even the colours, or the way the paint is slathered on, can be an expression of personality.

Which would you say was easier to work on and why?

Obviously the memoir Roundabout at Bangalow was easier. I had also, in writing The Ghost at the Wedding, to be careful about  invading the privacy of various family members. Not my immediate family, but perhaps distant relatives of Jessie. That is why I changed some of the names.

The Ghost at the Wedding manuscript won the inaugural Penguin/Varuna scholarship. What was it like winning, and what did the process of turning your manuscript into the finished product involve?

I was quite astonished to win this scholarship as I knew that quite a few manuscripts had been entered. Part of the award was the editing of the manuscript by Penguin’s senior literary editor, Meredith Rose. Her help was absolutely invaluable and it was not long after this editing process that Penguin decided to publish The Ghost at the Wedding. Things moved very quickly then, and the book came out some six months later.

Did you struggle in terms of finding a publisher when you first started writing? What was that like?

It’s always very difficult for beginning authors to have their manuscripts read, let alone have them published. There are apocryphal stories of piles of decaying manuscripts in publishers’ offices waiting to be dusted off and read. Because I had published academic books through the University of Queensland Press, I knew, when I sent the manuscript of  Roundabout at Bangalow to them, that it would be read, and read sympathetically. I would hate to have gone in cold. And similarly with The Ghost at the Wedding. The Penguin/Varuna Scholarship opened the door to the most prestigious publishing house in Australia. I have indeed been lucky.

What are some of the difficulties that you encounter when working on a big project such as a book?

The difficulty is in keeping the continuity and keeping the narrative flowing. Life keeps interrupting and it’s always hard to get back to the work and pick up where one left off. Because this book took a long time – five years – to write, I was concerned that my writing style had changed in that time. I certainly felt that, towards the end of the project, it was flowing much more easily. But I suppose that’s natural.

Were these difficulties maximised by the fact that you were writing history?

Yes, there was a considerable amount of historical research. I was writing about soldiers on various battlefields during two wars, and I had to make their experiences as authentic as possible, so you can see how much delving into historical records took place. I spent time in the research room of the Australian War Memorial and consulted their staff whenever I came across a problem. There are also wonderful historical accounts of both wars. For WWI there is Charles Bean’s many-volumed Official History; a copy is in most large libraries as well as online. Les Carlyon’s The Great War and Patsy Adam-Smith’s The Anzacs are accurate and detailed. For the New Guinea campaign Peter FitzSimons’ Kokoda and Peter Brune’s A Bastard of a Place were invaluable. I had to get each war episode absolutely correct and also try to capture the atmosphere of each battlefield. A visit to the battlefields of the Somme certainly helped to recreate the atmosphere.

As far as the home scene went, that was relatively easy. As well as Jessie’s stories my own parents’ memories are still with me. I’m also old enough to remember the ‘thirties and life in Australia during the second war.

 Apart from letters, what else did you consult for facts when writing about Jessie’s life?

I knew the facts of Jessie’s life from her many stories and family documents such as marriage, birth and death certificates. I also consulted material in the local historical societies. Jessie left not only bundles of letters to and from the various battle fronts but also carefully wrapped parcels containing the ‘effects’ of dead soldiers, sent back to the relatives when the war ended. These were often quite pathetic. Can you believe that all a young soldier owned in the world was a small diary, a razor, a wrist-watch with a broken strap and a holy medal? Imagine my feelings when I opened the diary 90 years after it was written and found pressed flowers from the battlefield between its pages? A 19-year-old soldier paused in the middle of the most horrible war in memory to pick flowers and press them? Unbelievable.

In 1918, as soon as she came home from her honeymoon Jessie wrote a long account of her wedding to her brother Joe who was with the AIF in France. He didn’t receive the letter. He was already dead. The letter was returned unopened, stamped DECEASED. In it I learned the facts of her marriage, but I had to imagine the shock and grief of receiving the letter back. 

Jessie lived in a time of hardship and suffering, but the fact that many emerged from it to go on with their daily lives is astonishing. Did you feel a sense of sadness when writing her tale? How did it feel to be writing about your own family, and then getting into your mother in law’s shoes through her paintings?

Whenever I think of what Jessie and her mother Janet went through I am overcome with pity and sadness. But stronger than that are my feelings of admiration for the strength of these two women.

There is always a distance between a mother-in-law and her son’s wife. It’s no wonder there are so many jokes on the subject. The younger woman has supplanted the mother and, according to the mother, doesn’t do anything nearly as well as she did. It wasn’t ever this difficult between Jessie and myself but I did find it very difficult to imagine her emotions, her inner feelings. I also had to overcome the feeling that I was treading on sacred ground in daring to imagine and describe her feelings. As I’ve said earlier the paintings helped.

What is a typical day in the life of Shirley Walker?

I am the full-time carer for a 90-year-old veteran of WW2, my husband and Jessie’s eldest son. This is quite a serious and time-consuming task but I feel honoured to do it. We have a big house and I have a large area in which to spread out the ‘mess’ of my writing. I try to spend at least three hours a day writing but much of this is re-writing. I’m a passionate and spontaneous writer but a compulsive re-writer. I try to get every word, every sentence, as perfect as I can. I envy writers who don’t need to revise so much but I don’t think there are many of them.

What are some of the perks associated with your job?

As I am retired on reasonable (but not too generous) superannuation I regard the rest of my life as one long (I hope) literary fellowship.

What are your writing goals now, in comparison to what they were before you were published?

Just more of the same. I’m very interested in history, the human aspects of history and hope, for as long as I am able, to continue interpreting history – especially from the point of view of the women involved.

What advice would you offer to aspiring writers and wordsmiths who want to follow a similar career path?

Read widely. Analyse good writing. Look at the way other successful writers have done it. Then write spontaneously and passionately. But don’t be afraid to re-write, again and again until you are completely satisfied. Good writing is never easy.

I would advise anyone seeking publication to work through an agent. If an agent likes your work she/he will push it with the publishers and hopefully find a home for it. Agents also know which publisher will be more likely to be interested in your kind of writing.

 Ten in the Hot Seat:

1.       Describe yourself in one word: passionate

2. Biggest accomplishment to date: My family

3.       You wish you wrote: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

4.       Can’t leave home without: Laptop           

 5.       One thing you are currently writing: Review for Australian Book Review

 6.       First thing you wrote: Poem for the Children’s Page in the Lismore Northern Star when I was seven.

 7.       Addicted to reading: Everything

8.       Top spot on your goals list: Next book: The Disputed Plain

9.       If you were a character in a novel, you’d be: Young, sexy, beautiful, smart and totally unbelievable

 10.   The best thing about being a wordsmith: Holding the new book in your hand for the very first time. Rapture!

Writing is about fun and games just as much as it is about work and making a living. And there’s no other way to put the fun and games into writing than by increasing your vocabulary, description skills and phrase know-how more through word-associated boardgames.

This came to me in a fit of madness a few weeks ago when I was introduced to the game TABOO. Every winter, I tend to hibernate to escape the cold. This winter, I am hibernating to both escape the cold and the opportunity to spend money (an opportunity that follows moi around everywhere). But my hibernation has served me well – I never knew getting back into boardgames could be so fun! And good for my writing too. So the next time you’re not too keen on getting dressed up and going out, call your mates in, order Thai takeout or pizza to keep costs low, and enjoy a bottle of red while you challenge your mind, improve your writing abilities, and of course- have fun! Here are some of my picks:

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Despite the fact that this writing business is my main source of income (or evidently, lack thereof) at the moment, it’s not exactly going smooth sailing for moi. And really, it’s because a lot of it is my fault. You see, I recently pitched this article idea (for a teeny, tiny section in a newspaper supplemented magazine), and because I had not really written for this editor, I was asked to write it on spec*. Truth be told, I’ve actually never had a problem writing on spec – because even if they reject the piece, I could re-send it whole to another publication (with a few minor edits of course) and even if nothing ever came of it, at least I would have had some more writing practice.

The problem with having a piece that is to be written on spec is thus – you don’t always have a solid deadline. Which means I keep passing on this little piece of writing in favour of something more ground-breaking, and that’s only because I don’t seem to be making a lot of ground while writing it. My problem of course, is not lack of motivation, or laziness, but the fact that every interview I have conducted has just not panned out with quotes that I felt were right enough to make a good article idea a great one, not to mention an article that is worth reading in its entirety.

So what’s the big deal with the interview? Well, considering its results become the spice of the story, its fair to say that an interview can make or break your piece. An interview with an expert/professional on your chosen topic will add credibility to your argument/discussion, providing you with a backdrop to explore issues further and to of course branch out into other bits of evidence that will solidifiy any claims that you are making. This is because your interview with an expert will always present you with trends or certain findings that you might then find in case studies in everyday life, giving your piece a personal touch that will actually resonate with your readers – because they see that people experiencing symptom X and feeling Y actually walk about in society, or whatever. That said, your case studies do not always have to support what the expert or study says – and that’s all the beauty of writing/journalism.

As such, it is important to ensure your interviews are the best that they can possibly be (especially so you dont end up in my sort of pickle). Some of my own tips for interviewing include:

• The most important thing to remember is that, even if it takes you a long time to get in touch, it is best to interview the best available person for the job. There’s no point in interviewing a dietician who specialises in the eating habits of newly-arrived migrants if you’re writing an article for Girlfriend mag on eating disorders prevalant among girls aged 13-17. This is something which is currently plaguing me now, because I just so happened to pick an essential-to-know topic, but which is limited in scope and not necessarily a matter of interest. I have held three interviews to date and none seem right – just because these people are experts in their field, doesn’t mean they are passionate about it. Said passion always brings a bit of flavour to the interview and thus your story. So even if you have to search far and wide, I suggest you do it [ pending time constraints of course].
• Always prepare yourself before conducting the interview. Read up on the issue and familarise yourself with matters of research, other case studies or people who have experienced it in some way or another. If you’re interviewing an expert, read up on their background, the studies they have conducted to bring them to this point of expertise, and check out where and how they have been quoted before.
• Arm yourself with a load of questions. More than you think you will have time to ask, because inevitably, they might answer something as they are going along anyway. That said, it’s also very likely that you’ll come up with more questions as they are responding to original ones, so ask those too. Go over your questions a few times before you conduct the interview as well – just to make sure some don’t sound similar to others etc.
• Give them a chance to talk. Always give them time to muse over the questions and answers, and always ask if they’d like to add anything before you leave.
• Be polite and professional. They are not your best mate, they do not owe you anything, and you are not on a criminal investigation. A little bit of R-E-S-P-E-C-T always goes a loooong way.
• Always double-check the name, spelling and title of the person you are interviewing. You can spell really basic names in a variety of ways, and it’s not cool crediting someone from the School of Technology in Art at the University of Sydney, when in fact they are from the Faculty of Arts at the University of Technology, Sydney. (I just made these schools and faculties up BTW).
• Get them to elaborate. Don’t accept yes or no answers – ask hows and whys. Better yet, stick to open-ended questions and you’ll have more room to move, not to mention the chance to venture off on tangents that might give you a better angle from which to write with.
• If you’re interviewing for a bio sort of piece, always take into account a person’s gestures, surroundings, clothes. Look at where their attention is focused. If you’re at their home/office, describe it. Make little notes about their belongings and assess them later. If you’re in a park, observe how they behave around birds or children. In a restaurant? Their comments on the menu, or better yet what they order and how (are they friendly?) will tell you a lot. Not to mention whether or not they leave a tip!
• Tools are just as important as questions. If it’s an in-person interview, have your phone, their contact details and the corrent instructions as to the meeting point on hand. Give them your phone number prior. Have your recording device ready, plus extra batteries. Have a spare pen/extra pencils to avoid any easy-to-arise issues.
• Interviewing over the phone? The same rules as above apply. And this might sound stupid, but make sure you have a sound connection, and do not eat while you are doing it.
• Via email? The thing that sucks about email interviews is that you can’t branch the interview off into a certain direction. This only happens in person. Plus via email, a person always has the opportunity to edit rtheir responses. It is so much better when they are tumbling out. Though that said, email interviews are already transribed. Easy option, but not exactly the most fruitful.
• Don’t get too caught up in the business. In Release the Hounds: A guide to research for journalists and writers (Christine Fogg, Allen & Unwin), Roger Patching says that you should never leave an interview with an unanswered question, that you should always listen to what you are being told instead of just asking away, and present all sides (essential objective of all good journalism, of course). Patching also advises against asking double-barelled questions, as these can often be confusing. (Note to self: Remember this point).

I think (and hope) that I have just about covered all bases – or ones that have come about in my short term experience. This week I will be writing a mini-profile on three books that have managed to make their way into my bookshelf courtesy of my desire to learn more about the job. Although I plan to cover a lot in skill cental posts, these will be more than useful to keep. After all I can only quote so much before making the purchase of the book redundant. And as you all know, redundancy is a thing I am not too particularly fond of.

Happy interviewing!  

* When you write something in its entirety before the publication actually agrees to publish it. Usually when you work with them for the first time, so they can suss out your style, capability etc.

Yesterday, as I was part-taking in my usual Sunday Morning ritual*, albeit a little more manically**, I spotted an ad for an advertising position at a well-known mag. After relegating myself to the freelance lifestyle, and deciding to pen this blog about said freelance lifestyle, I wondered why this job advert caught my eye. And propelled me to tear it out of the newspaper and stick it on my desk. To be persued a little later.

Now, I know that I obviously didn’t wind up in this freelancing position by choice given the GFC and redundancies left, right and centre. And although I was quite enjoying the freelancing, despite nothing coming to fruition as a result of it, I began to question my attitudes to full-time work, and wondering if I was still craving a full-time gig.

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Tell us about your wordsmith career path so far:

Starting as a 13 year old non-poet, shackled to his desk until he wrote a poem, I can definitely see why these days I am much freer with my approach. In my short time as what seems to resemble a career writer, I have been a finalist for National Youth Week’s writing competition twice, and won it once, I have been a judge for Pacific Opera’s Young Critics Award, and I have given numerous seminars to high school students on how to unleash their creativity in (sometimes) the most restricting of situations. The fun you get up to while studying a writing degree and waiting for the days to turn cold enough to style yourself in the latest pashmina configurations.

You wrote a suite of poetry, about the political interaction between Charlie Chaplin and Adolf Hitler, as part of your Honours Thesis at the University of Technology, Sydney. Tell us a little bit about that. Has it helped you to kind of carve out a niche in writing something different and unusual in a sense?

I wouldn’t say the subject matter of Crescendo was one that necessarily lead to a niche, stylistically, but working on such a complete project definitely honed my writing style down to something that hopefully I can predict, but my readers cannot. It certainly showed me that picking a topic you are endlessly interested in can be a blessing when the deadline looms. If I wasn’t intrigued by Chaplin’s whimsy and Hitler’s vulnerable side, I would never have gotten through the stress of a thesis.

You have also worked as a cultural studies tutor. Did this help you refine your interests and writing?

I have often remarked that teaching a class taught me more than being in that same classroom as a student. I’m only half serious on that one. Teaching requires a very in-depth knowledge of the limited material being dealt with. It’s all well and good having a Masters in a certain area, but if you’re teaching a separate area, you need to be able to grapple with that material on a weekly basis. Doing that cemented the theoretical ideas in my head. I LOVE being in front of a class. The right combination of students can lead to a lot of fun, the wrong combination can be like pulling teeth, but the performative aspect of my personality thrives on the characteristic weirdness of ‘Sam the tutor.’ My interests have been expanded rather than refined. I’ve certainly gone further down the cultural path, and my column on Trespass definitely is a result to the way that area of study has influenced my own thought patterns. The problem with teaching is every week you are caught with a new area to teach, and then the students throw back a billion questions you never thought of. It can be very hard to keep up.

Where do you draw inspiration to write from?

It really depends on what I’m writing… A column usually comes from ‘What do you want to tell the world?’, a short story might instead be ‘How can you tell this sequence of events in a unique’ way and a poem stems from something poet Robert Gray once told me, “A poem is a comment that the world cannot forget.”

That said, I believe waiting for inspiration is a pitfall of writing. Writer’s block is not necessarily a myth, but if your writing comes to a complete standstill because of a sense of writer’s block, waiting for inspiration will not solve it. There are creative methods to get around that feeling, from word association and continuous writing to simply reading someone else’s work. Deadlines don’t wait for inspiration.

You focus on a lot of music writing, and of course, creative fiction and short stories. Do you think you would like to explore a different genre?

All the writers I have met tend to focus on things that are close to them. You write what you know. I was brought up in an extremely musical family. Every one of the Websters has at some point played an instrument, I myself have three basses in my bedroom right now, waiting to be played. It’s not really conducive to the creativity for me to sit down and write about biochemistry, it’s not in my blood. I’ll explore a new genre the moment I feel that genre inside me. Anything less is an experiment, not really a personal creative exploration.

Are you able to live fully based on this career choice? Or do you find it really is the case, that as an establishing writer, you have to forego a lot of things that you might not necessarily have to if you were in a full-time job?

This question is a tricky one. If I’m not careful how I’ll answer, parents will be up in arms when their teenage boy says he wants to be a poet. There’s definitely that stigma about the arts that you can’t make a living. The truth is you can but it’s not as perfect as it seems. It’s a whole lot better than a desk job in my opinion, but sometimes freelancing in advertising is a necessary way to getting the novel complete. We all work towards the same dream of having our original work published, just as musicians dream of Wembley Stadium, but the fact that the dream doesn’t come within months shouldn’t be a deterrent from doing what you love. Yes, I’ve foregone a lot for some of the creative liberties I have (money being one of them, since I have tried my best to avoid a droning office job), but at the end of the day, it has been more than worth it.

Writers that work from home tend to comment about the merits of being able to work their own hours, or work in their PJs all day. Is that something that appeals to you, or do you tend to structure your day around a routine to keep you more productive?

I’m definitely free, but i’m also doing more than writing. I’m working on photography and design as well, and also just generally brainstorming on projects so my day tends to see me go through a number of different veins, and I let it take me. It’s not the most productive of methods but it keeps things fresh.

You are currently working on your first novel. How is that going?

My novel is currently on a slight hiatus for two reasons. First, I have been working more on smaller pieces, articles and short stories, while I try to further build my portfolio. Secondly, I like the idea of taking time from something so large and consuming. Whenever I’ve taken a break, the return has been extremely eye-opening. The novel itself is based on the lives of some fictional and non-fictional characters. Those who are non-fictional are still in constant contact with me, so the research continues even when the writing process is on hold.

What are some of the difficulties that you encounter working on such a big project?

Word count! I like to say things simply and beautifully, to the best of my ability. Novels require a certain level of detail, a certain length of story and a certain overall arc, which I am still working on. I’m constantly restructuring the novel to try and smooth out the bumps of what would otherwise be a collection of interesting anecdotes.

You also do a little bit of photography. Does this help in bringing a little more money while you do the more creative/free-falling parts of the job?

Photography helps financially, and creatively. Thinking about the way light hits an object definitely helps you describe that same occurrence, or even just thinking about subject matter in a completely different way can help things fall into place. My aim is to release the novel with a set of photos, or at the least an accompanying exhibition.

What is a typical day in the life of Samuel Webster, freelance writer?

I wake up early, my brain does not handle sleeping during the day time. I usually lie in bed for a few hours though, working on my laptop as I do. I am on twitter a lot and Facebook too much, promoting pieces I’ve written, talking to colleagues and friends, and just generally keeping connected while I go about my work. When I’m not at home I’ll be a favourite cafe. Some are chosen for their aesthetics, and some for their proximity to home. All of them become my work place for a few hours at a time as I tap out stories.

What are some of the perks associated with your job?

Absolute creativity and absolute power over the output of that creativity.

Have you consulted any mentors or guides to make the process of establishing writing career a little easier?

So many. Mark Mordue is a big inspiration, even though we don’t get a chance to speak as critically as we did when I first met him. Seeing that man’s work inspires me to write something new and strong.

What is the freelance feature writing like? Did you find it difficult to establish contacts that enabled you to get some freelance work?

I didn’t find it difficult because of the connections I already have. Liv Hambrett, who I see you spoke with last week, has been an incredible source of whip-cracking under the Trespass umbrella. Seeing Amelia Schmidt’s work with ymi magazine, and now with throw shapes has shown me the guts and determination it takes to see it through. My family, friends and partners over the years have always been very supportive of me so that’s given me the strength to push myself forward as a ‘creative entity.’ That’s a really narcissistic way to look at it, but it’s necessary sometimes to be the personality, or the image of your writing.

Who are you writing for at the moment? / What are some of your current projects?

I’m writing for Trespass Magazine, Channel V and I’ve just been added to the writer’s list over at RHUM and Onya Magazine. A lot of online work, which is the sphere I’ve always been interested. Thinking a lot about ways to use the online medium; a much fresher publishing stage than print. The other projects are top secrets, all I can say is look out for an online/real world pastiche called Use Your Words and at least one photo exhibition in the next 12 months.

Let us in on your goals list?

• Finish Masters in Creative Writing (I start in August)
• Teach more Seminars and keep improving on the depth of the information I present
• Take more classes at university, learning more myself.
• Expand my writing output to at least two columns a week plus features.
• Expand my review output from 4 albums a week to 10.
• Finish my novel and publish it with a live Big Band and photo exhibition.
• Finish my novella and publish it in a second hand book store with tea.

What advice would you offer to aspiring novelists, freelancers and wordsmiths who want to follow a similar career path?

• Push yourself, no matter what level you’re at. First year writing students have the capacity to join small publications and hone their skills. That’s the one mistake I wish I hadn’t made, thinking that your age and experience automatically excludes you from the industry is the number one thing that holds you back.
• Be a writer, don’t just say you are one. A brick layer doesn’t collect the doll. A doctor doesn’t just muse about medicine. If you say you are a writer, you better be writing.
• Don’t be afraid to be seen. A lot of writers hide behind their work. That’s fine at a blockbuster level, but in the early stages, the only thing separating your work from anyone else’s is the source. Be yourself and write what you feel. People will be drawn to your work if they like you, because they know it respects you. If they don’t like you, don’t be disheartened; do you like everyone you ever met?
• Don’t worry about rejection. Take what you can from it, constructively. If there is nothing to learn from it, forget it. It happens to everyone. You can’t win every game.

Ten in the Hot Seat:

1. Describe yourself in one word: Tangential (verbally… start a conversation with me and see where we end up…I dare you.)
2. Biggest accomplishment to date: Finishing my Thesis. It was a hard year but I learnt more in that one year than I did in the first three years of my undergraduate degree.
3. You wish you wrote: The Possibility of an Island by Michel Houellebecq, but it would be way less racy then so maybe I should leave it to him.
4. Can’t leave home without: My iPhone. These days my headphones too. I have to have music or speaking in my ears at all time or I get bored.
5. One thing you are currently writing: My Novel, tentatively titled Supposing I Dreamed This
6. First thing you wrote:  “Cold, White Snow” when I was thirteen. A sad poem about loneliness, the first poem I ever wrote, possibly the best one I wrote that entire year though.
7. Addicted to reading: Donald Barthelme short stories, and Kurt Vonnegut Novels.
8. Top spot on your goals list: Publishing S.I.D.T. with a Big Band, I think that’d be pretty cool.
9. If you were a character in a classic, you’d be: edited out. My personality doesn’t suit classic novels.
10. The best thing about being a wordsmith: It’s cleaner than being a blacksmith (boom-ching!)

***Re-published news from the land of the Emerging Writer’s Festival***

The Emerging Writers’ Festival is looking for two highly motivated people to join their board of directors. Board members are volunteers and serve a renewable two-year term. The minimum anticipated time commitment is twelve hours per month including board meetings. The purpose of the festival is to promote the interests of emerging writers – to improve their opportunities for professional development as well as their engagement with the broader public.

The Emerging Writers’ Festival stages events for emerging writers, editors, publishers, literary professionals and members of the broader community, culminating in a major ten-day Festival in May. Our aim is to foster a community of writers whose primary concerns are creativity, originality, expression and innovation; and to encourage the broader Australian public to engage critically with their work.Being on the board is an exhilarating experience for anyone who is interested not only in supporting the Emerging Writers’ Festival but in shaping its future direction. It gives you an opportunity to sharpen your governance, leadership and management skills while also engaging with a huge range of issues. Members of the board recruit staff, formulate financial and marketing strategies, monitor budgets, champion new programs to support emerging writers, identify and pursue sponsorship and fundraising opportunities, participate in the literary community and advocate for the Festival across a range of contexts. Above and beyond these activities, working with a talented group of board members and staff, and attending Festival events, is a richly rewarding personal experience. The board meets at
7.30am on the last Tuesday of every month. In addition to attending meetings, each board member will spend on average an additional ten hours per month in other activities – whether through membership of a sub-committee or working group, or through ad hoc work in direct support of the Director and staff.

So, who are they looking for?
For governance to be effective, it is vital to build a board whose members have a diversity of skills drawn from a variety of professional backgrounds. The EWF Board is currently looking for people who have at least two of the following qualities:

 ·       professional experience in writing, editing, publishing or the ‘literary industry’

·       strong professional or personal networks in these areas

·       a familiarity and/or past engagement with the Emerging Writers’ Festival

·       experience of tertiary creative writing programs

·       an engagement with and commitment to related art forms

·       experience in a board role and demonstrated understanding of governance

Perhaps most importantly, they need passionate,  highly-skilled people who have the time and motivation to make a real difference to the future of the organisation.

If you would like to express your interest, please send a cover letter and your CV to the Chair of the Board, Angela Woods (amwoods@unimelb.edu.au) by Monday 20 July. In your letter, please address the following:

• Why you are interested in joining the Festival board,
• The time you have available,
• What contribution you think you could make to the Board, and
• A short statement about what you think makes a good festival (We promise it’s not a trick question)

Good Luck!