2018 – Pen Hanley

‘Life is not for doing the doable.’ – Tim Ferguson

Dec 5, 2018

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in Australian memoir, Comedy writing, Comic memoirs, humour, Tim Ferguson

There are remarkably few books or courses on how to write humour. Most people think that it can’t be taught. Tim Ferguson disagrees. He holds regular classes on how to write narrative comedy, in Australia and other countries, and has written a book on it, The Cheeky Monkey: Writing narrative comedy (Currency Press, 2010). I…

Envying Georges Simenon

Oct 27, 2018

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Pen

in Simenon, writers’ habits, Writing – tools of the trade

It’s been aeons since I wrote in this. I’ve been writing heaps, but not here. There have been paid writing and editing jobs plus rewriting a novel, ‘After She Left’, which will be published in May. And all this time I haven’t been able to get Simenon out of my mind. I haven’t even read…

Tenderly caressing sentences

Jun 13, 2018

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Pen

in Common Good, david gillespie, John Clanchy, K.a. Nelson, Poetry books, psychopaths, Short stories

Three favourite books I’m always driven by curiosity and apart from work these past few weeks I’ve been spreading my brain too thinly across a vast variety of stimulating books. In the time it takes to write a blog I could have read another book or two. With so many fascinating books piled up –…

Optimism in a world of degradation

Apr 22, 2018

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Pen

in cooperatives, Inequality – Australia, optimism

Quality control I’ve been writing some brief biographies for an organisation and before I interviewed some of these high achievers, I wanted to note down some basic facts about them. So I nipped up to my local library, chained my bike and went inside to the Reference Section for Who’s Who. They’ve rearranged the library…

Swimming, dancing, writing – or What I Did on My Summer Holiday

Mar 27, 2018

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Pen

in Argentine tango, arts and health, creativity, social capital, writers’ health

Swimming Swimming every morning in the clear turquoise water, surrounded by trees – oaks, chestnuts, London planes and gums, with swallows and parrots flying about and ten ducklings following their parents across the grass – plus coffee on the deck afterwards with a group of convivial co-swimmers: is it any wonder it’s been a long…

When the Couch-Potato Pill is invented will you take it?

Jan 9, 2018

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Pen

in Andrea Goldsmith, Cook books, depression, health, swimming, writers’ health

‘That’s the first time I’ve ever seen anyone do that,’ said my friend Sharon, standing above me on the turquoise-tiled rim of Dickson swimming pool. ‘Do what?’ I asked, as I completed my length and stood up in the shallow-end water. ‘Yawning while swimming,’ she said.

Year: 2018