Writing

I went to the 10th anniversary of lyrikline, an on line repository of poetry from 50 countries. Had the pleasure of hearing a speech from the President of Germany. More interesting was a speech and poetry by Lebogang Mashile from South Africa who talked about how poetry for black South Africans was an accessible living form- oral history and family poems are part of their culture which was devalued by the coloniser (I’m paraphrasing). She said its the voice of black women, and her stories and privilege is to be on TV or on radio so people can hear her words. It was truly inspiring.  I also got to hear Aki Takase play who is a brilliant Japanese improviser and prepared piano player who is 60 and has the vigour and energy of someone much much younger.

In other networking news- myself, Archana Prassad, and Lady Gaby will be trialling a three way poetry reading in Australia, Berlin and India on December 6 (unfortunately midnight Australian time).  Archana is the co-ordinator of Jaaga an artist collective gallery space in India which has its own portable building. I will be visiting Archana and Jaaga on my way to Dublin next year for my next residency in June 2010.

I did a reading at Wunderbar- Lady Gaby’s studio space which went down well. A good warmup for my Literaturwerkstatt reading on November 4 in Berlin.

Peril Issue 7 is being launched by Annette Shun Wah at the Sydney Writers Festival on Saturday 23rd of May and at the Emerging Writers Festival in Melbourne on Thursday 28th May.

I’m speaking with Chi Vu, Nathalie Nguyen and Khoa Do at Casula Powerhouse on Sunday 24th May.

My short play “I could be you” is part of the Melbournalia 2 season which is at 45downstairs from mid May to early June.

I took a break at Varuna Writers Centre in the Blue Mountains recently to finish the second draft of “The Other Shore”. It’s taken me a while to realise that the pleasure in writing is the writing itself, and publication though nice cannot be the driving force for me. I also bought a book “Writing for your life” by Deena Metzger which explores writing as a form of spiritual practice and a process of inner work. Through that I’ve discovered I’m still guided by the vixen to reach my current muse Avoliketera herself. My other source of inspiration comes from John Gardiner whose book “On becoming a novelist” encapsulates the novel writing process as one of imagining a fictional world with all other factors such as plot character etc tools to achieve that world. Highly recommended.

I have been writing productively at my weekly residency at Footscray Community Arts Centre.  Which may be why I haven’t been blogging at all! For my birthday I was given a book “Writing from the inside Out” which talks about writer’s block as something to work with rather than something to get over. I also read Jane Smiley’s 13 ways to read a novel which has sections on how to write a novel. What I took away from the craft section of the book was her guidance on editing, how often you have to smooth out the climax and restructure with an eye on pacing during the redrafting process. Which is what I’m doing now with my new novel “The Other Shore”. I also handed in my masters thesis which has really set me free. Being aware of a supervisor or a publisher reading my work makes me constipated creatively I think. I like writing because you do it in the privacy of your own mind. Having said that my next public outing is at the Melbourne International Arts Festival from Oct 22-25 as part of the Go Show in Footscray. I will be workshopping “I could be you” the commissioned play by White Whale Theatre with Diana Nguyen and Ai Diem Le as my actors as part of a series of community experiences in the west.

It’s been a while since I posted- so here is a brief run down of what I’ve been up to:

Silence was sold out 4 shows out of 5. Unfortunately it did not get regional arts victoria funding to tour. Currently I’m putting this show on hold- I have two other exciting projects I want to get my teeth into.

White Whale Theatre have commissioned me and 4 other writers to write a short play on a Melbourne suburb for their Melbournalia 2 season.

I’m currently writing a new novel! Tentatively titled “I could be you” it is a culmination of the past three years of ideas that have gestated and finally sprung into life. I am much indebted to the Footscray Community Arts Centre for giving me a desk and a space to write in, close to one of the best views of Melbourne from the Maribrynong River.

I have cut down my counselling days from 4 to 3 which has restored my sense of balance. And I am a fortnight off from handing in my masters work- which I am happy to leave behind me. I have learnt a lot from Kathleen Fallon and Jennifer Rutherford and I achieved two of my aims- to become better read and get kickstarted writing again- but the two and half year process felt rather constipated.

Last week saw Nam Le in conversation with Cate Kennedy. He gave a very intelligent answer to the oft asked question of ethnic writers- what does your cultural community think of your writing- and he said it ranged like any other part of the community. He also talked abouit the perils of being boxed in as an ethnic writer and how his collection of which only two draw on his Vietnamese background explodes expectations and the possibilities.

I see his success as a great gate opener for the rest of us- and shows Vietnamese writers can do anything!