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Sure, the above is a catchy title for a work of fiction - except fiction it ain't! Right now, we are living in a very different world to

when Author-rised last met in March. Toilet paper shortages, public gatherings cease and even the Library is closed to the public!

Depending on your personality, it is either the best of times or the worst of times (apologies to Charles Dickens!) Most people find

themselves with more time on their hands - due to either work restrictions or social distancing. This is the perfect time to be writing!

It is up to each of us to be intentional and make the time to write. However, it is also a time for writers to look after their health -

and by this, I mean not just physical health but also mental health. There is a lot of doom and gloom out there - if you believe

sections of the media - but there are lots of positives and reasons for hope too. I certainly hope that all Author-rites and their

families are safe and well during COVID19. While the Library may be closed for now, my role as facilitator of Author-rised still

remains, and I will do what I can to help the many writers of the Parkes Shire through this pandemic. So, grab your favourite hot

beverage, and invest some time in your writing by diving into this newsletter.

Working Together to Protect Our Community from COVID-19

Council continues to work with community, business and government agencies to implement measures to prevent the

spread of COVID-19 in our Shire.

Cr Ken Keith OAM, Mayor Parkes Shire said Council is working with NSW Western Area Health, Lachlan Area Command and

Emergency Services to plan for possible impacts of the pandemic on our community.

"[NSW Western Area Health's decision to no longer release COVID-19 cases for individual Local Government Areas] is why

we are urging residents to take the Federal and State Government's messages regarding social isolation and hygiene

measures very seriously."

There are some useful resources online to inform residents and businesses of how they can implement these measures

at www.australia.gov.au.

This information, and more, can be found on Parkes Shire Council's website

https://www.parkes.nsw.gov.au/working-together-to-protect-our-community-from-covid-19/

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The Australian Society of Authors - an organisation that represents and advises authors and illustrators in Australia - has released

some information regarding writing and COVID-19. The arts sector will suffer in a different way to other industries, so the ASA puts

out some information to assist members (and it's ok for non-members to read about too)

Click here to read about Positive Initiatives from the Arts Sector in response to the pandemic

Click here to read about The Latest COVID-19 update from ASA's CEO

Click here to read Writers Adapt to COVID-19 with connection and community

Click here to read Coronavirus is threatening the livelihoods of Australian writers but there are ways you can support Australian

writing

Need a new challenge to get you writing? The Writing Arcade is a section on The Writer's Workout website that will assist

writers who like competition to assist them. Check it out here https://www.writersworkout.net/writing-arcade

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Learning Circle Here are some resources for those who want to sharpen and maybe add to the tools in their writer's toolbox.

Inner Conflict is "…the technique of adding character dimensions…" by "…investing [in] your protagonist with two goals, needs,

wants, longings, yearnings, or desires that are in direct opposition to each other. Wanting two things that are mutually exclusive

means having inner conflict, being torn in two directions, and that is what makes a character truly memorable." Source: Donald

Maass (2004) Writing The Breakout Novel Workbook p.19

Maass goes on to say that inner conflict need not only be in your main character (protagonist) - it can work well with any character

(NOTE: remember the story is the key - don't bog down your story just so you can say you've added inner conflict to the milkman

who only appears on one page in your entire story!)

Inner conflict contrasts with external conflict - that is, something happening outside of the character. A great guide on conflict can

be found at https://www.nownovel.com/blog/difference-external-internal-conflict-writing/

Some more resource on inner conflict:

5 Ways to Create Strong Internal Conflict https://www.livewritethrive.com/2017/08/31/5-ways-to-create-strong-internal-conflict/

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While Parkes Library is closed to the public, you can still borrow online from our selection of e-books and e-audio books.

It's All A Game by Tristan Donovan The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths Teacher, Teacher! by Jack Sheffield Hunter by Jack Heath The Bible In Cockney by Mike Coles Mark Waugh The Biography by James Knight Maeve Binchy's Treasury by Maeve Binchy Erasing Hell by Francis Chan & Preston Sprinkle

You Must Bring A Hat by Simon Philip

NOTE All titles/ authors that appear in orange can be found on the shelves of Parkes library (YOUR library!)

Share If You Dare OK, so no Author-rised sessions will be difficult. I'm wondering if perhaps for future newsletters, those who

would like to, send in a sample of writing which will be published in the next newsletter and Author-rites can feel they are part of

Share If You Dare this way. Thoughts??? Any takers??? Email me dan.fredericks@parkes.nsw.gov.au

External & Internal Conflict Tips https://www.nownovel.com/blog/difference-external-internal-conflict-writing/

5 Ways to Create Strong Internal Conflict https://www.livewritethrive.com/2017/08/31/5-ways-to-create-strong-internal-conflict/

Sharpen Your Writing Skills: Internal Conflict https://www.masterclass.com/articles/sharpen-your-writing-skills-internal-vs-external-conflict

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Richard Adams began Watership Down by telling stories about rabbits to his daughters on long drives together in the car. His

daughters put persistent pressure on Adams to write the story down, which took him about 18 months after finally getting

started. Then, he started getting rejected. Watership Down was rejected seven times before it was finally accepted by small

publisher Rex Collings, who asked an associate if he was "mad" after accepting it. However, the novel about rabbits

journeying from their home to a new, better place was published in November 1972 and took off almost immediately -

winning the 1972 Carnegie Medal. Source: https://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/12-richard-adams-quotes-from-watership-down

Here are six other authors who suffered rejection before being published:

Left to right: J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, Dr Seuss, Agatha Christie, John Le Carré, and Louisa May Alcott Source: https://wildmindcreative.com/bookmarketing/6-famous-authors-who-once-faced-rejection

You may not like any of these authors' works, but they are among the most popular authors! And yet they all were rejected

at some point in the writing journey. Says Rowling, "It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so

cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default."

Stephen King rejected his own story Carrie - so frustrated that he threw his first draft in the bin. Thankfully, his wife had

pulled the pages out of the trash and wanted him to finish it. King did, but it was rejected 30 times before being picked up by

Doubleday. It then went on to sell over a million copies. Dr Seuss' first manuscript was rejected by 27 publishers, and Seuss

was on his way home to burn the manuscript when he ran into an old school acquaintance. When asked what he was

carrying, Seuss replied that it was a book no one will publish and that he was taking it home to burn. The acquaintance

happened to be an editor of children's books and insisted on seeing it. The book was published to rave reviews! Agatha

Christie's first novel was never published - a literary agent suggested she write a second novel, which eventually was

published! John Le Carré's The Spy Who Came In From The Cold was rejected by a publisher who told Le Carré's agent,

"You're welcome to Le Carré - he hasn't got any future". The novel went on to become an international bestseller and win

several literary awards. Louisa May Alcott was instructed to "stick with your teaching - you can't write" when she sent a

manuscript for Little Women to a publisher. It is now considered a classic even 150 years later.

(A reminder to help Author-rites stay on course throughout the year!)

□ Time to REVIEW & REVISE your writing goals for this week -> this month -> this year

□ Made time to read - for pleasure & to learn about your craft

□ Worked on inner conflict for at least one of your characters in your novel

Remember…..There's No Time Like The Write Time!