Sydney-based writer sporadically blogging about writing, life, and dystopian moments.
Once I moved through the initial shock of the pandemic, I thought it would allow me to dedicate more time to my writing. At the beginning of 2020, I had my first short story published, and while an online anthology launch is a particular kind of awkward, I was on some level relieved to think that maybe this was it; maybe I was on a trajectory to become a ‘real writer’ now. Then the pandemic kept going.
The ASA provides advocacy, support and advice to Australian authors and illustrators. Once you're professionally involved in writing, this site is like a professional security blanket. If you want information specific to Australia, in regards to rates of pay, contracts, or copyright protections, this is the place to go. They also provide training opportunities for writers, and run awards and residency programs. If ever I have any legal concerns surrounding writing, this will be my first port of call.
Summer is officially over. There, I said it. Some part of me is devastated by this sentence, but the pale winter-baby half of me is secretly relieved... 1. Mistborn Trilogy: Book 2, The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
I really, really enjoy these books. I love the characters, and I love the world that has been created. I’ve always been a softie for a big cast, which is something I’ve been told you can only just get away with in a fantasy saga like this one, and isn’t suitable for other kinds of books. I’m not convinced. Maybe that’s because it doesn’t take much for me to empathise with a character.
Over the past several years, I’ve been lucky enough to explore quite a few different locales, all of which have inspired my writing in their own ways. Sometimes, it might just be an encounter on the street, other times a whole culture, a setting for a scene, a character’s backstory… so here are some places... Continue Reading →
Social media, in various forms, has been big since about 2005. Most social media pages have always required some kind of tagline or bio, to go with your profile. In these taglines, I’ve always made copious use of words like ‘aspiring’ ‘amateur’ and ‘wannabe’. While the Spice Girls’ song (yes, I’m a nineties kid) is... Continue Reading →
Samantha Todd 