Would you like to be a better writer?

A dream (like Mr Bojangles and his dog) of the Old Curmudgeon I'd like to come true on Catholica Australia is a Catholic Writer's Workshop — particularly one that encourages Young Catholics Writers.

When I say 'young' I do not exclude those physically older because many are eternally young at heart and they should not be excluded from the writer's workshop.

So, welcome to all! Bon appetit!

Writing has brought me so much in my life that I'd like to share some of my joys (and pains) with you and facilitate your writing skills (you do all the work, by the way, I just hold the towels, give encouraging speeches at half-time and the occasional kick in the bottom at the end of the game).

We have to bring back the enjoyment of Catholic story-telling. While we are no longer Around the Boree Log, of 'John O'Brien'. and we eat in separate rooms with our own TV (not families, just people who live at the same address) we have not lost our hunger for a story, a good song, a poem from the heart, an anecdote about something that changed our life. That's the reason Australian Story is a winner on the ABC-TV and Conversation Hour on ABC Radio too.

What's your story? How can you tell it?

I'm here to help. When I say 'help' I do not mean playing the genius, but creating a climate where you want to write, can write, have to write as if your life depended on it. It may, actually, because the inability to be heard and be appreciated may cripple your life.

So much for the hard sell. I want to create a climate where young (at heart, too) writers can find their place in the world. I cannot do it for you. You will have to provide the effort, develop your own self-critical faculty. You will not have to ask me if it is good. You will know yourself that it is so. Sometimes I may become an instructor, but that is not the general idea.

Do I hear you say, 'But when I wrote something, they laughed or were embarrassed?'

Sorry, but they were the fools, not you.

We have to be bad before we are good.

'Naturals' might amaze us at first, but they quickly fade from the scene.

Endurance and discipline are what is needed plus the burning desire to write.

Write about what?

The great thing about writing is that you can write about anything.

• It is best to write about what you know, what you have seen.
• Forget about intricate sentences.
• Do a spellcheck for words ending in 'ing'. If there are lots, try a new syntax.
• You are not writing poems ['turning, turning in the widening gyre' — Yeats] but simple prose.
• One fact per sentence.
• Lots of full stops (the most useful part of the keyboard).
• Favour active rather than passive speech.
• The cat ate the mouse, not the mouse was eaten by the cat.
• Is your piece accurate, fair to all concerned, concise?
• How, where, when, what, why, who? The 'five W's plus how'. Are they answered?
• Writing is about order, about precedence. A sentence emphasizes its most important facts at the opening. So do paragraphs.
• The intro has to grab attention.
• The world is not waiting for your revelation. People have to be seduced or persuaded into reading what follows.
• Have you supported your intro? Does your closing paragraph or sentence tie a bow to complete the package?
• Writing is a lonely art, but you can do it anywhere.
• Your companion should be your own self-critical faculty.
• You can be any kind of writer you want to be.
• Try to be yourself always. For example, never try to imitate the Old Curmudgeon. He's been around for yonks, like an old busker.
• But your early efforts may amaze others, even yourself.
• Ask any old muso, like Bob Geldof, and he'll tell you the same. He says the best songs are those we write when we have only three or four chords to our name. We write from the heart. We write the truth. Later we add in riffs and complicated progressions.
• We can lose the plot. Same with writing.

The reason I am trying to engage you is that I think it is a shame that so many people are discouraged from writing.

I do not want a mute Catholic population or one that is merely consumerist.

We all have a story? What about yours?

If after revision it reaches a certain standard I shall recommend its publication here.

You might even get paid for it.

I am a great believer in writers being paid properly.

Sometimes their work is harder than shoveling coal.

Can you make a living from it?

The decline of publications and their tendency to exploit freelance writers or to follow a 'party line' or marketing strategy has not created a good climate.

That's why I do not lecture to Journalism or Communications classes, though I am an award-winning graduate in Adult Education.

I think that while the mainstream media is going down the gurgler blogging is coming into its heyday.

Blogging is freed from many restrictions imposed on the mainstream.

It has to be, however, good writing.

So if you would like to send me your pieces email them to:

cliffbaxter@catholica.com.au

or write to:

Cliff Baxter
21 Brown Street
Newtown NSW 2042

Or telephone me on

(02) 9557 2187

[PUBLISHER'S NOTE: Cliff is offering to provide this service to anyone who wishes to avail themsleves of his time and experience. At present Catholica is only able to pay a relatively small stipend for the work he is doing for us. We hope to be paying him professional rates in the not too distant future once our own funding is secure. We will review how much Catholica can afford to subsidise this work Cliff is offering to undertake at that time. In the meantime if you can afford to make some donation for Cliff's time I am sure it would be deeply appreciated. If you cannot afford to, Cliff says do not be embarrassed to submit your work and still seek his assistance.]

I shall see what I can do to help you.

Who knows, we might even be able to produce an online publication of your writing?

Let's seize the day.

The 'image' part of your brain is the largest. Close your eyes and think of the happiest/most miserable day. I bet you can remember the colours, the grass, the clouds etc

You will not remember the text, perhaps have to make it up. But the image is clear as crystal.

Write to me and tell me about it.

Look out on your street for a whole hour. What happens in that hour?

Come on, let's get cracking !

We have writing to do. And we want to make some money at it.

For encouragement, I attach a recent article from the Washington Post. If you own a web page, it seems the ball is at your feet.

Can you make money? You be the judge.

PS: If you are interested in taking up this offer, Cliff also recommends that you read the article recently published By Yuki Noguchi in the Washington Post that provides insights into the changing world of writing and how people are now actually earning an income from blogging. The article can be found at: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/27/AR2006072701622.html

Enjoy!

Cliff

Cliff Baxter can be contacted at:
Cliff Baxter <cliffbaxter@catholica.com.au>

©2006 Clifford Baxter

[Cliff's Take Archive]