More Creative Business with Christos Tsiolkas
Your intrepid reporter Darvey is back! Last time you heard from me, Amelia and I were just about to head to a workshop run by Christos Tsiolkas. I'm pretty sure you should know him. If not, he's the author of Barracuda and The Slap. I was looking forward to this workshop, but there was a teensy-weeny bit of a problem.
Even though I gathered some helpful information from Tsiolkas' Creative Writing workshop (which I will share in a minute), I was kind of getting a bit sleepy. And no it wasn't my fault that I was watching Korean dramas late at night just because I couldn't sleep. It's rare for me to spazz out my feels while others are awake in my presence. Christos' rules of creative writing are simple. You need to have:Vocabulary — you can still build up your vocabulary even today by reading fiction and non-fiction pieces. Your useful tools are a dictionary and thesaurus (Tsiolkas recommends Oxford) along with a expensive yet exclusive Macmillan Visual Diary which he calls his 'happy accident'.Discipline — *Military commander voice* you want to be a writer? Then you need to know your limits! That means cutting your time away from the Internet! You are NOT going to spend 2 hours on YouTube watching viral nonsense! Use your time wisely with your writing and treat it like it's a vocation. I'm letting you off on your writing bootcamp, but if you start to slack you're coming back right here. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!? [Also he said that when you self doubt on your writing, keep going. You should be committed to your writing.]Imagination — get inspired by something, whether it's books, music, people or film, anything to get your creative vibes buzzing. Hear your characters' voices as you write your piece. If it helps you, get someone to interview you as the character to build up the character's personality. Write something you trust your voice in.[Unfortunately at 2:00pm, Amelia and I had to leave to head to 100 Story Building for a very special event.]At this time we caught up with Corey and walked to 100 Story Building for the 2014 Early Harvest launch! Merlin's beard, it was so crowded when we entered the building. Dom and Eleanor (who was hiding in the 100SB office the entire time) were there too. Dom reported back about the story walks, which he described as 'like a tourist walk'. Many happy parents and the young editors were buzzing to and fro around the room. Corey and I stuffed ourselves with free food (fruit, cakes and fairy bread) along with Dom, and shared the moment when Corey discovered what a passion fruit was. Claustrophobia and attention hit in once Lachlan started his speech about the Early Harvest team of 2014. The young editors shared their thanks and Lachlan introduced Andy Griffiths to say some things. Yes, you read correctly. Want me to re-type? Andy Griffths was at 100 Story Building. He has a story featured in the 2014 edition of Early Harvest. You thought the launch ended there?No, it didn't.
Lachlan brought me up the front to do a sort-of-interactive Choose Your Own Adventure story, which is an actual segment in the magazine. Imagine finding out your toaster turned into a black hole and coming face-to-face with an adorable rainbow unicorn trying to get out of pit lava...and you just watch it die? *le gasps* SHAME ON YOU. HOW COULD YOU!?With many laughs and many last photos with Griffiths, the 3rd edition of Early Harvest launch came to an end. So did the day. It was a total fun yet tiresome day that left my poor legs feel like sticks, my eyes drooping and wanting to curl up in a pillow fort to sleep. That is all I have to report to you on that day. I must get going for my tower of books have just grown and Christmas is so close! I need to make my Christmas list OUO. *rains it with books and Kpop*Adios, readers!
Darvey is a young writer-to-be and an active reader. She is currently a Year 9 student studying magic and dragons important high school stuff. Darvey was actually a member of the first edition of the Early Harvest team! How cool is that!? Her current interests are Harry Potter, books, writing and Korean related stuff.