First Steps
Jackie Hosking
The world of writing can be an overwhelming one - once
you step off the page. It's like being expected to
participate in a race when nobody has told you where the
venue is let alone the starting line.
Here's where I come in. Being the editor of PASS IT ON, I
cannot stress enough the benefit of networking. As children
we were taught to share, but in today's dog eat dog world
this simple lesson is often forgotten. We can all benefit
from sharing and through this column I hope to share with
you, my journey through the writing world. I have found the
venue, I may even have found the starting line - so come on,
let's jump the hurdles together!
Now before I get too carried away with analogies and
metaphors let me tell you a bit about myself. For a general
overview please see an article that I wrote for Writing for
Success Newsletter - Issue 22 / Dec 2004 - Jan 2005, titled
-
How I Became Editor of a Writers' Network Newsletter.
For a more detailed breakdown - please read on.
2002
- Enrolled in a creative writing course at my local
community house.
- Subscribed to "Write On" The Victorian Writers'
Centre monthly newsletter. A comprehensive list of your
state's writers' centres can be found at the ASA's
(Australian Society of Authors) website. Go to
http://www.asauthors.org/cgi-bin/asa/services.cgi/Resource?search=Writers
Centre
- Subscribed to my local writers' newsletter.
2003
- First publication (non-paying market found in the
Opportunities section of "Write On"). I read my piece at
the book launch - nerve wracking but very exciting.
- Second publication (same piece but I was paid this
time.) Very, very, exciting.
- Same paying market bought and published five other
pieces.
- Began to experiment with writing for children.
- Found Virginia Lowe's workshop in "Write On" then
signed up for her Bulletin. (March)
- Attended Virginia's workshop (July) and received
great feedback on a story I had written.
- Made contact with Dianne (Di) Bates via Virginia's
Bulletin, when she was soliciting poems for a project
she was working on.
- Subscribed to Writing for Success newsletter -
mentioned in Virginia's Bulletin. (August)
- Joined a number of online Yahoo writers groups
(August) - see below if you're unsure how to do this.
- Finished creative writing course. Started a
publishing course.
- Published "A House Full of Mirrors"
- Launched "A House Full of Mirrors" thrilling stuff.
2004
- Joined a couple of online critique groups. I will
talk about critique groups in more detail next month.
- Purchased The Australian Writer's Marketplace 2004 (QWC).
The 2005 edition is now available.
- Worked with Anita Bell (children's author)
researching web content for her Crusader Club
Newsletter. Also wrote four "Mad Scientist" articles for
the website.
- Made contact again with Di Bates after reading her
article:
How To Get Both Feet Past The Publisher's Locked Door
in Issue 18/May 2004 of the Writing for Success
newsletter.
- Worked with Di for a few months as a research
assistant and can I say that the relationship that has
developed between Di and myself has been invaluable.
There is nothing more reassuring, when crossing a busy
road, than having a firm hand to hold. Make friends with
an author - that's an order - but remember that this is
a two way street. You will find that, not only will your
career progress more smoothly but, and more importantly,
you'll make a great friend too!
- Subscribed to and enjoyed Di's free online
networking newsletter CAINON (Children's Author &
Illustrators' Network Online News)
- Volunteered to continue the newsletter under another
name, which saw the birth of PASS IT ON. You can
subscribe to this free online newsletter by emailing me
at
jacket@smartchat.net.au
Back issues can be found at
http://uk.geocities.com/daisydoright2003/wordsbyjackie.html
Today
So where am I today, exactly? Well thanks to my wonderful
husband I am in my office - my very own office! This is more
important than it sounds. To be a professional you must
firstly feel professional and I am feeling extremely
professional, which is a good start.
Okay, where am I really…I am a mother of three - 13, 11 &
4. I am the editor of PASS IT ON. I write children's stories
with one published online and one being held for
consideration. I write children's poetry with two published
and two accepted to be published. I write humorous poetry
with four published online. I write serious poetry with five
published in print and online. I write adult short fiction
with ten published, again in print and online. I have
participated in three readings of my own work, which was
both terrifying and exhilarating. Last, but by no means
least, I have been invited to contribute a regular column
(this column) for Marg McAlister's wonderful new website.
I mentioned Yahoo! groups before. So how exactly do you
join a Yahoo group?
- Go to
http://groups.yahoo.com
- Click on new user sign up.
- Sign up!
- Once you have registered you can browse through the
listed groups or search for specific ones.
- In the search box type - 'writers' or 'poetry' or
'children's writers' or whatever takes your fancy.
- Scroll through the groups offered to find one that
suits you. You can join more than one, of course but be
aware that some groups are very active and keeping up
with their emails can be time consuming. An option is to
choose 'digest' rather than 'individual emails'. That
way you receive one email that contains 25 messages or
less, every so often.
- Once you are signed up and receiving emails - ask
questions - lots of them.
Before I close may I suggest some homework - for all
of us.
I will create a Yahoo! group. It is your job to find this
group and join it. I will call the group The Writing Journey
- I hope that doesn't sound too corny!
I'll leave you with the three "P's" - Be Proactive. Be
Persistent. And as all writers know - Be Patient.
Till next time - enjoy the journey.
Your writing buddy
Jackie
© copyright Jackie
Hosking
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