Rollcall: writers on BB

[Jennifer13]

I write all the time for work. Most of what I do involves writing that is published, but it's not necessarily interesting or creative (or attributed to me)! I do writing for annual reports, sustainability reports, websites, corporate brochures, newsletters, the list goes on and on.

Needless to say, my urge to write more creatively at the end of the day is all but dead. I used to be a member of the Writers' Society in NSW, but never got beyond submitting a piece or two for comps. Doing my Masters sort of killed that, because then I had essays to write and no more time!

One day I'll write something more meaningful and moving. Right around the time I get to finish the odd painting and take up theatre acting once again!

The good news is now I get to read more often, so the creative juices will be flowing eventually.

[spiceoflife]

Spiceoflife - wow what a challenge. Do you mind me asking what type of course you're doing at Uni?

Sure. It was an interesting decision. I couldn't find any courses In Australia that really grabbed me, and I'm so nervous about writing (not having a lit background) that I didn't want to risk my stuff in the marketplace straight up.

But, I'm a Christian, and even though I never wanted to go to bible college, I decided to start a Masters in Christian Studies at Regent College, Vancouver BC (Regent College :: An International Graduate School of Christian Studies) all because they offered a concentration in the arts - essentially I could write a novel as my thesis. And that's what I'm doing!

Allycat - lol at the bits of paper with half-finished ideas!

Jennifer - yeah, I enjoyed the Writers' Centre once upon a time, too. Funny how life so easily swamps creativity. I really hope to keep making writing a priority, but it's going to be hard.

[AnyDream]

Just wondering if there's been any activity in the writer's corner of late?

I've written stuff recently. What else have ppl been up to?

[Sopdet]

I'm back writing, at the moment just scribbling ideas down. Up until recently I had a job that I wrote every day and since finishing that job, I have missed that side of things, so I'm back pushing my creative side again.

[angelaartsstudent]

I freelance as a non fiction writer but havent had anything published for a while. Last thing published was an article on GLBT indentities in virtual worlds and last writing job was for a women's health organisation here in Perth. Worked as an editor for a few local magazines years ago. Also write horror fiction...published in zines, but nothing else yet.

[PollyA]

I've always fancied myself as a writer, Started a Bachelor of Arts at uni when I was 17, Majored in Journalism and Film and Television for 2 weeks, (Hated journalism) so then I swapped to Creative Writing...LOVED IT! Had a very grey Elizabeth Jolley as my tutor which was an exrtaordinary experience and one I am very thankful for, and shared a class with people 20-30 years older than me, They wrote such rich I wonderful stuff that I decided to go away and live, and come back and finish my arts degree when i had some grey hairs and wrinkles
Now I am living... a grand adventure.
Lately I have been craving a creative outlet so I am going to do some local "Life Writing" classes.
Recently I have been inspired my some poetry written by a kiwi doctor. I am so privileged to hear amazing stories every day in my work, I might be ready to start writing again, and I am starting to collect some wrinkles and some experiences of varied, powerful emotion

I have been involved in an internet activity called 6 word friday at Making Things Up: A woman with a husband, five kids, and the occasional witty anecdote and my latest contribution is about being a working mum (The idea is you write about a topic in 6 word lines- this week was "For the Record"
its not my most creative but defiitely passionate...

I go to work. Most days.
I like my job. A lot.
My overwhleming passion is at home.
My babies. Part of me, us.
The love I have for them
Is bigger than anything I know
Mum's can work, and love BIG
I am a great, present, Mum
For the record, working and mothering,
Great mothering, are not mutually exclusive

[Early Kids]

I don't classify myself as a writer, but I guess I technically am!

I blog, I currently run 4 blogs. One is for the kids photography (Photography by Toddlers), so not much writing there. One is their premmie journey (Parenting Premmies) I have another for my own diary, it's locked and for invited members only (there's just some things that you don't need the whole world to know!) and the other is a parenting related blog. I used to blog for a premmie related parenting blog but haven't done in sooo long.

With exception to the parenting one, the rest are all done for myself. I don't write for an audience. I do have premmie related info on my prem blog along with some special needs related stuff, but it's all mostly for my own reference to look back on and if I help just one more parent out then it's totally worth it.

I have written a few articles for people too.

I usually do it in my free time (HAHA)

[Smoke Jaguar]

I'm published, wa-hey! I wrote an article for a friend's little magazine and there I am, on page 5! Unfortunately, in some kind of oversight, I wasn't listed as a contributer...but clearly, I am I'm flexing my writing muscle, once again

[PollyA]

Way to go mayaness. Awesome. I had a column in a journal once. About 4 articles. It wasn't meant to be creative in particular more newsy but I morphed it a bit. I'd think all the time about how to word the next column. There's something about the published word... It's pretty awesome.

[Mum2Romone]

Hi ladies

I've always consider myself to be a writer of sorts.

I always knew that's all I wanted to do other than be a mother

At 19 I went to college. Studied Journalism , loved it

At 22 I finally got a couple of freelance jobs editing and had one article published in Cosmopolitan ( Sydney) though they only had a small byline for my article and gave most of the credit to their staff writer.

I have written advertisements for Real Estate agencies too and that's what gave me the idea to try and branch into advertising as I wasn't having much luck with freelance ( I felt my age was a factor )

I began writing small advertisements for the local paper ( starfish will know the Torch )
Then became the advertising clerk ( I would put all the advertisements in the paper and edit any mistakes.

I tried to move over to the editorial department but sort of clashed with the editor ( I picked up ALOT of mistakes that he kept missing ) over time I became pregnant and left work to eventually take up freelancing again

when DS has been sleeping I have been writing a book , it's part fiction part non fiction, very tricky to keep going , and has definitely turned into part erotica ( as starfish said ) lol probably not getting enough here either !!!

I posted a thread on here before, sort of wanting some interest and therefore feedback but was sort of told this wasnt the place like I was trying to write a sex book lol

Oh well

I'll always be a writer regardless of what I'm doing, it's who you are, well who I am.
I will always pick every newspaper , magazine and written word for mistakes, sometimes I make my own but it's because I'm a busy mum not illiterate

I am a member of the Australian news and Feature Service
it's a database for writers, editors etc and you are entitled to a MEDIA PASS which can get you exclusive access. Lol
hubby always asks me to flick it out at clubs or places we see celebs to get a closer look. I'm sure it will come in handy when I really get back to it.

I plan to keep writing my book when DS starts preschool next week

[Mum2Romone]

Just bumping a great thread

[peanutter]

pick me! pick me!

I am a writer. I have written maybe 30 freelance articles, plus reviews over the years, mostly for two independent newspapers (one weekly, one monthly) and have done various reviews, photography and the occasional cartoon.

Those publications have changed hands recently, and I don't get any work from them anymore (not that I would have time to do it anyway, with a full time job and a four month old baby, and some semblance of a social life...)

My main projects are two books I'm working on - one novel, and a non fiction.

I also love poetry, but haven't had the guts to send any out for consideration for publication since highschool... wouldn't even know where to start, these days.

My writing these days is strictly business - but it does help

But I did NaNoWriMo in 2008, and am definately doing it again this year.

I would also love to start a blog, but am not sure how to make it cover its own costs, and am not really tech savvy.

I write primarily for me, but would love to make something more of it, so that I could have more time doing things that I love (like being at home with my bub and my man, and, well, writing more!)

hello, fellow writers!!

[PollyA]

Hey Peanutter,
What costs do you mean for a blog?
Mine's completely free, Once you get a but of a readership you even get offered $$ to have adds on your blog
But it is just on blogspot.
I think most blogs are pretty user friendly and free....maybe its closer than you think

[AnyDream]

I am soooo stoked at all the replies since I bumped the thread! It's past my bedtime (naughty me - up late to write - because the house is quiet for the first time all day) - but I promise i will come back and reply in more detail.

[Jennifer13]

I've always fancied myself as a writer, Started a Bachelor of Arts at uni when I was 17, Majored in Journalism and Film and Television for 2 weeks, (Hated journalism) so then I swapped to Creative Writing...LOVED IT! Had a very grey Elizabeth Jolley as my tutor which was an exrtaordinary experience and one I am very thankful for, and shared a class with people 20-30 years older than me, They wrote such rich I wonderful stuff that I decided to go away and live, and come back and finish my arts degree when i had some grey hairs and wrinkles
Now I am living... a grand adventure.

Polly - are you sure you aren't my long lost twin?

I had a very similar BA experience (jealous about Elizabeth Jolley *green*), did film studies, Aust and English lit, theatre (great tie-in to lit) and comms. I had a professor who was semi-retired and studied at Oxford under Tolkien. He was awesome! Tried to convince me to go down an academic path with literature and put me forward for a position at a WA uni, but I went a different way instead. I did my BA externally through UNE and got to go along to residential schools with a lot of older students who were fabulous in a literature course - brought along life experience that you just don't get when you're studying with a bunch of other teenagers.

I'm just about to have my latest reporting efforts published by two companies. But you won't find my name in any contributing section! Probably best not to, more of you would probably be falling asleep as you read about efforts to rehabilitate water courses in South Africa!

[AnyDream]

Just bumping this thread again as I have loved reading it, and would like to hear what everyone has been up to since.

I'm stretching myself with a few short pieces for my local writer's group. Also turns out I have stumbled into a writing position at work, hoping to hang onto that role even though there is a restructure in the wind.

I would love to read any links, blogs etc that anyone is working on (feel free to PM me if you're wary about posting here).

[AnyDream]

Bumpsy

[Yeddi]

I consider myself a writer, although most of my writing of late has been assignments. I do poetry, short stories, I'm half way through a novel that is also a finished script, I've also written short and feature scripts.

A few of my short scripts have been made, one did well at the International night of horror in Sydney about 3 years ago, and was a finalist for best short script. I was also a semi-finalist for a film making comp very similar to Project Green Light in America, but had to pull out because I got UTD and wouldn't have been able to fulfil my commitment if I won - one of those horrible I wonder if situations... *sigh*