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Writers Residency – Michael King Writers Centre – New Zealand

On May 5, 2024

In craft, my writing life, writers, writing

I’ve been lucky enough to spend the last week at the Michael King Writers Centre in Auckland, squirrelling away on a psychological thriller manuscript.

The MKWC offers residential stays for ‘writers-in-residence’ and international ‘visiting writers’ in the old Signalman’s House on slopes of Takarunga Mt Victoria in Devonport, Auckland.

The Centre is halfway up the hill in the background.

The Centre offers peace and quiet, a beautiful natural setting with lots of walks nearby, as well as close proximity to shops, supermarkets and all that stuff. But remember it is NZ, so there are hills.

I’ve had a wonderful time concentrating solely on my writing and feel like I’ve got right into the depth of the story. One day, I hope to share it with you all.

But if you’re a writer looking for a residential getaway, check out the Michael King Writers Centre in Auckland.

Finding Creativity Through Folklore

By Madeleine D'Este

On June 5, 2020

In craft, creative outlets, folklore, poetry, Uncategorized, writing

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been taking a course run by the fabulous Sandra Ireland – Finding Creativity Through Folklore.

Ordinarily, Sandra’s courses are run face-to-face out of Dundee but due to the COVID-19 crisis, the course has moved online. Which is brilliant for me on the other side of the world, because now I can participate.

Each week, Sandra circulates materials on a folklore theme with prompts for creative projects. The themes to date have included water, trees and family stories.

Rather than writing novels or novellas (which is my usual comfy place), I’ve been playing with visuals and poetry.

In addition to the prompts, we have a weekly Zoom where the group discusses folklore and creativity. I’ve been blown away by the stories and creativity of my course-mates and look forward to the call each week.

#55 – Orna Ross – Write Through The Roof

By Madeleine D'Este

On February 10, 2019

In craft, creative outlets, interview, non fiction, podcast, poetry, publishing, write through the roof, writers, writing, writing tips

Welcome to Write Through The Roof, the podcast for writers who want to improve their craft.

Episode 55 – Orna Ross – poet, novelist & non-fiction writer

“Formally practising with free writing gives you all sort of training as a writer but also as a human being.”

Episode 55 – Orna Ross – Show Notes

Wanting to write fiction when writing non-fiction and vice versa
Write for the first couple of hours each day
Writing full time led to procrastination
Coffee. Never tea.
Themes of conversations around difference.
Self-awareness – free writing – writing fast, raw, exact & easy with no end-game
Meditate for 15 minutes, then free writing for 15 minutes, review once a week
Closed Facebook group
Creatives need to stay open to change
There are no short cuts to becoming a good writer
Ezra Pound, Yeats, George Eliot – Middlemarch, modern poetry movement – rap, performance, slams, in the pub & in the street, Instagram poetry
Keepers – inspirational poetry collection. Self-published as a low-risk experiment but began to question assumptions
Non-fiction project – Go Creative nine book series for creative business people
Trying a different approach to launch – once target for pre-orders is reached, the book is launched
Agility in independent publishing

“Writing as a stolen pleasure.”

“Coffee is the fluid of the devil.”

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#47 – Grant Faulkner – Write Through The Roof

By Madeleine D'Este

On October 14, 2018

In challenge, characters, craft, creative outlets, editing, interview, nanowrimo, podcast, reading, write through the roof, writers, writing, writing tips

Welcome to Write Through The Roof, the podcast for writers who want to improve their craft.

Episode 47 with Grant Faulkner – NaNoWrimo Executive Director & writer

“One part writing boot camp, one part rollicking party”

Episode 47 – Grant Faulkner – Show Notes

Length of project depends on the story idea. Balancing fiction and non-fiction to better inform both styles of writing
Plantser
Writing most days – experimenting with 15 minutes per day
Themes – trying to look behind the veil and transgressions
Writing regularly – showing up and writing every day is the key
Active reading
Discipline, creative momentum, confidence
Trying something new by telling a story through unsent letters
Lydia Davis, James Salter, Denis Johnson, Elena Ferrante, Leonard Cohen, Roland Barthes
Pep Talks for Writer – 52 Insights and Actions to Boost Your Creative Mojo
Vulnerability, Creative Community, Writers Block, Playfulness, Improvisation
Vomit versus Gush
Grant issues Madeleine a challenge

“Every writer should experiment with their creative process.”

“A goal and a deadline is a creative midwife.”

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#42 – Valerie Stivers – Write Through The Roof

By Madeleine D'Este

On August 18, 2018

In craft, food writing, interview, journalism, non fiction, podcast, write through the roof, writers, writing, writing tips

Welcome to Write Through The Roof, the podcast for writers who want to improve their craft.

Episode 42 with Valerie Stivers – writer, editor & journalist

“The spirit of the book comes alive when you’re cooking from it.”

Episode 42 – Valerie Stivers – Show Notes

Personal non-fiction is the favourite or novels if the words are flowing
The Muse has to know where to find you
Afternoon tea and scones
Connections between people – both non-fiction and fiction
Training in an old-school newsroom – learning to write concise & communicative copy
Time pressure of modern newsroom – erosion of standards in journalism
Cooking along with writing
“Outrun your inner critic” – from Pat Barker
Food styling – the skill of the photographer
Ivan Doig, George RR Martin
Eat Your Words – The Paris Review Daily

“I want to show other people what’s inside my head.”

“Those years I spent getting yelled at by old newspaper guys were priceless.”

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#30 – Angela Savage – Write Through The Roof

By Madeleine D'Este

On May 13, 2018

In craft, historical fiction, interview, melbourne, music, mystery, podcast, reading, write through the roof, writers, writing, writing tips

Welcome to Write Through The Roof, the podcast for writers who want to improve their craft.

Episode 30 with Angela Savage – award winning writer & Director of Writers Victoria

“Good strong writing comes from using simple words in a compelling way”

Episode 30 – Angela Savage – Show Notes

Writing on the train and “the work of the couch”
Inspired by songwriters like Springsteen, Waits and Earl
Wine for writing like drinking when playing pool
South East Asia, reproductive health, kinship, culture and human nature
“Just get the story down”
Reading, study the craft, learning, playing with verbs, mentoring
Critical reading – underlining and making notes in books
Why crime fiction is so pleasurable for some readers
Overdoing the research in historical fiction
Inspired by Emma Viskic, Julie Koh, Barbara Kingsolver, Christos Tsiolkas
Deadlier – 100 of the best crime stories written by women
Daughter as sensitivity reader

“My writing was inspired by the fact no one wanted to hear my travel stories.”

“You need to know how it ends to know how it begins.”

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Cross-Stitch, Jekyll and Manila – other creative outlets

By Madeleine D'Este

On July 2, 2016

In craft, creative outlets, melbourne, movies, not writing, steven pressfield, stuff about me

I can be a bit single-minded. All work and no play makes Madeleine super freakin’ boring. I have to remember to stick my head out of the writing cave and do other stuff, like talk to people and put shoes on. Today I’m going to talk about stuff other than writing and Evangeline.

Writing is not my only creative outlet. I like to make tangible stuff. After spending all day in my mind, it’s fun to make stuff with my hands – cook or craft.

At the moment I seem to be obsessed with cross stitch patterns. My mum used to be an avid cross stitcher and has some beautiful framed work around her house. For some reason in the past week, I’ve been drawn to the world of cross-stitching and I’m stalking various patterns and kits on Etsy. Maybe I’ve also been inspired by the cover of the Steven Pressfield’s new book on writing (Nobody Wants to read your sh*t). I’m seeing some cross-stitch action in the near future.

Category: craft

Writers Residency – Michael King Writers Centre – New Zealand

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Finding Creativity Through Folklore

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