Hi there lovely readers! We all love a well written story or a bloody good yarn don’t we? My dad was a seasoned journalist who wrote the former, my step dad, quite the raconteur, spun the latter. I suspect that’s where I inherited a passion for the written word. But do I have a cracking good yarn worth sharing?
To find out, I combined my love of travel and writing and took myself off to a writer’s retreat conducted in the Tuscan mountains of Italy by the wonderful Lisa Clifford. (Read about that journey here: On finding one’s voice) From there I holed up in the Cinque Terre on the coast and started writing. Thing is, I was struggling to surface from a tsunami of grief at the time, and although my writing was cathartic as I spoke my truth, I questioned if the outcomes would be worth sharing beyond the laptop. That was 10 years ago.
Have you always wanted to shape your words into a compelling story worth sharing? Super news fellow aspiring writers! Lisa (The Art of Writing) is bringing that same very special writing experience to Brisbane. In her words:
Even if you’ve simply been thinking of a story idea. Let’s write it. Even if you’ve never put pen to paper. Let’s do it.
Now had I written those words, I’d have thrown a few exclamation marks in – my way of demonstrating my enthusiasm – something I need to temper? And what about that sentence – passive or active? And did I create a compelling call to action? I know Lisa and guests will have the answer.
Your story might be a novel, a memoir or a story line that’s stalled. Perhaps you need time to dream about that seed of an idea, or your keen to improve your blogging? Designed to bring your writing to life, Lisa and her guests will help you nail down the essentials of your story. I’ve signed up and hope you can join me!
Brisbane Art of Writing Retreat – The Essentials of Story
February 9-12th 2023 – West Village – Brisbane
Sign up here: The Art of Writing
See you there!
Are you comfy chatting to fellow work colleagues and clients? What about family members, that bloke beside you yelling ‘carn tigers!’ at the footy, the guys busting beers by the BBQ, the girls supping champers in the kitchen, the fellow school drop-off Mums and Dads? All beautiful fonts of knowledge. And these people know other people. Considering the six degrees of separation concept, I call our city 1.5 degrees!
For those in the job market, reassure your friend that you don’t expect them to know of a job for you, merely that you’d like to benefit from their advice and guidance. Focus your conversation on getting the advice and information you need (don’t forget to reciprocate) and ask for referrals, ‘who else would you recommend I chat to?’ Afterwards, send a thank you note and an invitation to connect on LinkedIn so that you both stay on each other’s radar and then keep them in the loop as you progress.
Upon greeting me with a happy new year, a girlfriend immediately exclaimed – ‘what a shit of a year last year was!’ In an attempt to lift her spirits, I responded by saying ‘but you married the love of your life, that must count for something?‘ It didn’t. I learnt that she’d personally organised her entire engagement party, her wedding and then the sad business of burying her Mum all amidst the evershifting ‘on-again, off-again lockdown rules. it’s no wonder she was feeling frayed and exhausted. Another victim of a pandemic that continues to demand our attention. The argument between the vaccinated and the non, the cost of RAT tests, returning to the office, food and supply shortages for instance. Heck, just writing that I feel exhausted! But there have been upsides to the last two years. Quite a few, in fact.
YearCompass is is a booklet that helps you reflect on the past year and make plans for the next one. The tool has a set of carefully selected questions and exercises designed to help you uncover your patterns and design a great year for yourself. And it’s free! Here’s a link: 
open and honest mind. Can you share it with your family or friends? You betcha! A friend of mine worked with her family on their Year Compass while camping across Christmas, and found it was a fantastic way to connect, engage and truly understand what everyone in the family was aspiring to.
