About Writing

Having read practically all of Michael Connelly’s books and being very much inspired by his character, Detective Harry Bosch, when writing my novel, No Man’s Land, it was great to return to my roots as a journalist, sit down with him at the Wharf during the 2015 Sydney Writers’ Festival and interview him.

He’s a real master of the craft and I felt very fortunate to be able to ask him all those questions that have been bubbling away in my unconscious for years. And I’m pleased to say he seemed like a very decent bloke.

The act of writing fiction is a complex and deeply personal endeavour. For many authors, the importance of process in fiction writing cannot be overstated. It is through the writing process that ideas transform into stories, and intentions evolve into art. In the words of Anais Nin, “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.”

Creative writing involves pushing boundaries, taking creative risks, discovering things about yourself and going on an adventure—one where you don’t always know exactly where you’ll end up.

Too often, writers play it safe. The American novelist, Eudora Welty said, “If you can’t be a genius, imitate the daring.”

Most people are drawn to writing memoirs because they have gone through a profound life experience and want to share it with the world.

Maya Angelou said: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

This article is designed to help you unlock and realise the dramatic potential of your life’s narrative.

Writing a novel or screenplay is an art and a craft that requires writers to go outside their comfort zone and understand the challenges of the creative process.

To fully harness your creative potential, it is essential to grasp the subtleties of the creative process and understand how at first, elements of the craft of writing and storytelling can often feel counter-intuitive or counter-instinctive.