The Drop-In (archive)

Solicited advice on the business, craft, and agony of writing
for writers starting out at any age.

I’m holding a series of drop-in advice sessions for new writers. It’s very low-key: just an hour-long video chat where you can turn up and ask me anything you like about writing.

It’s $80 for a one-on-one session or $200 for a group session of up to 10 people. At the moment I’m not taking individual $20 bookings for group sessions as it’s been difficult to co-ordinate times, but happy to do a session if you have a writers’ group or something that’s interested. Thanks to a few lovely sponsors, I’ll also have free spots available from time to time.

Just sign up via the form below and I’ll get back to you with session times.

Why me?

I’m a freelance writer and editor with experience in a few different corners of the writing world. My words have appeared in ABC, SBS, The Guardian, Sydney Morning Herald, The Monthly, Meanjin, Overland, Kill Your Darlings, HuffPost, Autostraddle, Them, The Saturday Paper, and many more. I’ve worked as a staff reporter and editor at media outlets in two countries. I’ve written essays, poetry, reportage and criticism. I’ve produced radio, performed at festivals, judged prizes, undertaken residencies, and of course I’ve suffered countless rejections.

I’m certainly not an expert on every aspect of writing and editing, but I can share what I know, point you in the direction of experts and resources on the topics where my knowledge is lacking, and help you connect with publications, organisations and communities that support writers starting out.

Who is this for?

Everyone is welcome but these sessions are designed for people in the early stages of their writing career.

In particular, I’m working with different organisations to offer these mentoring sessions free of charge to writers who are often marginalised from the media and publishing industries.

What will the sessions cover?

I imagine each session being like a live ‘ask me anything’ on writing and editing, driven by your questions and needs.

Some of the topics I could cover include:
– how to impress an editor
– when to pitch an idea versus submitting a draft
– what to expect from the editing process for different publications

I’m really happy to talk about whatever you like, from managing the business and admin side of writing through to the most common reasons why I’ve turned down pitches as an editor.

Is this a writing workshop or course?

No, there won’t be a set curriculum or learning outcomes. I imagine it more like adhoc mentoring or a drop-in info desk for the industry.

What’s the difference between a free session and a paid session?

There’s no difference for participants – free spots are paid for by sponsors; paid sessions are paid for by the participant. If you select in the form that you’d like a free session, you’ll automatically go into the running for any free spots that you’re eligible for. It’s totally fine to register interest only for free sessions.