I came to writing late in life, partly motivated by increasing hearing loss which meant I could no longer have work or hobbies which involve a great deal of talking to other humans, as did my previous career as a lawyer.
A year after starting to write, I won, on my fourth attempt, the weekly Reedsy short story contest with "Come in Spinner" (contest 180), in 2023. Encouraged, stunned and fortified by the realisation that someone might enjoy my writing, I have completed a novel, which has taken two tortuous years. It is as yet unpublished, and I can only hope this is a temporary state. My grand ambition is historical fiction.
I am privileged to live on the beautiful and warm east coast of New South Wales, Australia, with three generations, including grandchildren, in a rambling home with views of the forest and sea. It’s wonderful to see something of a renaissance (or birth?) of Australian books and film “overseas”, which is what Australians call every other country in the world, and I hope I can add to it.
----- Interview by Angela Mackintosh
WOW: Congratulations on winning runner up with your story, "Solitude"! Your story is so beautifully written, meditative, and atmospheric. I loved it. What inspired you to write this story?
Marilyn: My local library formed a writers' group a couple of months ago. For our first exercise, we were given a photo prompt, a derelict stone building being overcome by sandy desert, so I wrote “Solitude” in response.
WOW: I love how you included dialogue of the prisoner speaking to the gecko, which shed some light on why the soldier was in prison. What made you choose a gecko as the soldier's companion?
Marilyn: I was going to have him befriend a snake, but decided that was a step too far. I wanted to try to show the possibility of "redemption" by the use of kindness. We have small geckos here, they are so cute. Also, recently I went to Namibia, and was amazed at how much life there is in the desert.
WOW: What was your revision process like for this piece?
Marilyn: I try to read something through and think if anything seems "ugly" or doesn't make sense. I found I had a habit of not explaining enough background; I try to make sure it's clear what's happening - but not TOO clear.
WOW: I read you won first place in Reedsy's short story contest with your story, "Come in Spinner." Congratulations! Your bio says you entered four times. What do you like most about their contests?
Marilyn: I love the fact that there is a lot of peer feedback in the Reedsy short story contest - but of course that's a two edged sword, if it's not very flattering. However, since starting to try to write, I've learnt to listen to negative feedback, something which is very hard to do. Generally, though, the feedback given with Reedsy is really kind and helpful.
WOW: You recently completed a novel, which took you two years. That is a huge feat! Please tell us a little about your book.
Marilyn: My book is a legal thriller. The protagonist, a children's rights lawyer, finds her life spirals out of control when some of her young clients go missing, and she tries to find them. After writing it I've realised it's very hard to give a summary of the plot without giving all away.
WOW: Summaries are hard to write, but yours sounds intriguing, and your experience as a lawyer will certainly add authenticity to your protagonist. You mentioned the process of writing your novel as "tortuous" - great description! What did you learn about yourself or your writing throughout the process?
Marilyn: At first, I was concerned I didn't have enough to constitute a plot, especially for a thriller. I did a Novel writing course, and the best thing I learnt was to throw everything you possibly can at your character, have things really go awry, and let them sort it out. It works! The best thing was, my character would get into trouble, and then in sorting things out, she inevitably got herself into more trouble.
WOW: That’s a terrific tip! Besides that gem, what is your favorite piece of writing advice?
Marilyn: Let yourself write rubbish. Don't worry if you have no idea what to write, just start putting anything down. If you try to start with something which is perfectly formed, nothing will ever get written.
WOW: Great advice, Marilyn! Thank you for chatting with me today, and I wish you the continued writing success in 2025!
To learn more about WOW's Flash Fiction Contest, open now, visit this page:
0 comments:
Post a Comment