Elise Hawthorne
I never wanted to be one of those people who said, “one day I’m going to write a book,” and then didn’t get around to doing it – putting it off for some reason or another as one does. My dad was one of those people, and in life, I genuinely believe that one could learn by another’s regret, or at least try to.
For the past 30 plus years, I’ve been making my living as a writer, crafting media releases, TV ads, coffee table books, pamphlets of all shapes and sizes, advertising copy including giant billboards, ghost-writing for celebs supporting this cause or another, written talking points for pollies, created websites and social media content, produced documentaries and earned my stripes as a journalist and magazine editor. I’ve been a marketing/comms/PR/events chick for a very long time; always supporting initiatives that try and make the world a better place. I’m also a compulsive reader of fiction and non-fiction, which started when I was an only child growing up in the 1960s and continues to this day.
Secretly or now not so secretly, I’ve always wanted to be a writer of fiction. Expressing myself for the pure pleasure of it. In 2019 I got my wish…I made it happen with a little help from my wise writing tutors at the Writers’ Studio in downtown Bronte.
I kicked off 2019 by researching which writing (fiction) course to embark on. I knew I could write per se but was wise enough to know that I needed to learn more about the art of writing fiction. When asking around I was continually led back to the Writers’ Studio, so I enrolled in their online Unlocking Creativity 4 weeks course. Once I’d finished that little form of mental aerobics, I embarked on their 10-Month Novel & Script First Draft, which is a mixture of online tutorials and monthly all-day face-to-face sessions with my wonderful tutors and other like-minded would-be writers of fiction.
Ten months later, at 7.30am on 1 December 2019, I finished writing my first novel…well the first draft anyway. I can’t tell you how excited I was to finish writing my first book as it took a considerable amount of effort to complete my chick-lit political thriller. I learnt that the novel-writing process is one of dedication mixed with joy. The fun part is making up a compelling story/plot, infusing it with interesting characters whilst interweaving the story with themes/messages that I want to convey to whoever ends up reading it.
It turns out I’m one of those writers who gets up at 4am and begins. I love the pre-dawn silence. My characters talk to me, letting me know exactly what they want to say and do next. I enjoy the solitude of typing away on my computer sitting at my desk in my little white-walled writing nook – I’m off in another world of my making.
If you’ve ever wanted to flex your imagination muscle, I highly recommend the courses run by the Writers’ Studio. I’ve enrolled in their Second Draft course, and I can’t wait to begin.
This is how the course I undertook is described on the Writers’ Studio website and let me tell you it lived up to its hype plus some…
‘This highly creative, yet totally practical writing course provides you with a step-by-step process that breaks the writing of your novel or screenplay into manageable weekly tasks and is designed for people working full time. You will gain a deep understanding of classic story structure, enabling you to write a story that has your readers wanting to know what happens next, while taking your main character on an emotional and spiritual journey of change. The comprehensive course materials and interactive web-based applications, together with guidance from your tutors and input from your classmates will provide you with the structure, accountability, feedback and support you need to create the best first draft you are capable of writing. The tools, techniques and processes the course equips you with enable you to find the story that is unique to you, bring out the best in your writing and make your characters and story come alive on the page.’
The Writers’ Studio has been working with everyone from professional writers to complete beginners for over twenty-five years. I want to give a big loud shout out to my wonderful tutors, who taught me so much over the past 12 months, I truly don’t think I could have written a novel without their wise guidance.
Roland Fishman has been a professional writer since 1980 founded the Writers’ Studio in 1992, drawing on his own career as a writer, as well as his experiences travelling the world studying the art and craft of writing from bestselling authors and elite teachers. Kathleen Allen is the manager of the Writers’ Studio and runs Unlocking Creativity Live and the 10 Month Novel and Script First Draft Live course with Roland. Kathleen is a gifted tutor and in many ways is the heart of the Writers’ Studio. Richard Cornally is an actor, a director, a producer, a teacher and a writer. He loves a good story in all its forms and takes special pleasure in helping a writer find the best possible expression of the themes and character journey they want to explore.
For more information visit: www.writerstudio.com.au
Get Social