new habits

Sooo... a week back in Canberra and I'm still waking up at 5 or 6 in morning.

I've always thought about waking earlier to write but old habits die hard. Until now...

I like the quiet time, before the rest of the world wakes. The last couple of nights, I slept at 10.30 and 8.30. Jet-lag: a blessing in disguise... I hope this resetting of my body clock lasts.

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Words published last week:

1. Review of Catherine Deveny's Use Your Words

Anyone can be a writer, if they really, truly want to be: ‘the ‘talent’ is to know it’s not talent that matters, but commitment, effort, application, persistence and working hard.’ Complementing Deveny’s practical tips are several inspirational stories, which lend Use Your Words an unmistakeable self-help tone. A lot of Deveny’s lessons can be applied to life and achieving goals more generally, which makes sense. Writing doesn’t happen in isolation from the rest of one’s life.

You can read the rest here.

2. What We've Been Reading: May for Voiceworks

Every once in a while you come across a writer you wish you’d known about earlier. Elizabeth Caplice is one such writer. ‘Photos – Bodies that Matter – Images’ caught my attention in February with its unshakeable grace and resolve so this month, I’ve been reading more of her work here.

‘Our terminal bodies are not supposed to be sexy, but frail and breaking to pieces this close to death. My terminal body wants and needs more than that though. I want it to be outside that framework that seems to hover around the word terminal.’

Diagnosed with stage IV rectal cancer in June 2014, Caplice’s willingness to let us into her vulnerability is what makes her writing – ‘about cancer, craft, bipolar, and how these things intersect with other stuff’ – so powerful. To describe such writing as ‘honest’ doesn’t quite go far enough to capture its incredible depth; it’s unflinchingly visceral, with a touch of poetry and brutal icky-ness.

Admittedly, I know very little about cancer or illness and would ideally keep it this way. To remain ignorant however seems selfish. As this recent conversation between Ginger Gorman and Caplice shows, cancer is neither brave nor inspirational. But it can be eye-opening.

You can read the rest here.

Ellen Cregan (VIC) and Nina Carter (QLD) share gems from their respective states.

If you're under 25 and Australian, we'd LOVE to see your fiction, nonfiction, poetry, artwork and/or comics. Submissions for issue #105 'Nerve' close 19 June (writing) and 17 July (art) here.

Oh, and we launch issue #104 'Cake' in Melbourne at Emerging Writers' Festival Wed 22 June, Brisbane Thu 23 June and Canberra Sat 25 June. Hope to see you there xo