November 26, 2023

Five thousand words in five days

And before you ask, that title has nothing whatsoever to do with November being the month where writers take up the challenge to write a novel in a month. Or NaNoWr i Mo. My magnum opus isn’t a novel, but I know writers who use November as a motivation tool to keep their own work progressing.


To be honest that aspect didn’t occur to me. The New Zealand trip was always going to be an opportunity to get some more writing done so in my case it was this recent and fairly brief sojourn there, that involved several days where my partner could indulge his love of fly fishing, and where I could use the time to crack on with the book. It worked!


Where we stayed had very limited internet connection – and no WiFi – so that was one distraction out of the way, although the plan was always to get a few thousand words done in this time away from routine life. Even so writing 1000 words a day – or thereabouts – is good going for me. I’m not renowned for being a ‘fast’ writer and there’s always a lot of fiddling, rewriting, editing – call it what you will – before I’m satisfied with the result, and feel able to move on.


There was also an opportunity on an exceptionally wet day, when outdoor activity was definitely off the agenda, to devote to sorting out and captioning photographs. Not only possible ones to include in the book, but also tidying up my photographs generally. And deleting quite a few. Quite a satisfying day really.


But now it’s back to the real world so that momentum is unlikely to be repeated to the same degree, although I intend to try!

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By Anne Layton-Bennett October 27, 2025
Well done to the north-west Tasmania branch of Fellowship of Australian Writers . Once again their editorial team led by Allan Jamieson have produced an excellent anthology, with the intriguing title – as above – and an undeniably quirky cover. The rather wonderful octopus is just one of the creatures on it, indicating a watery theme until your eyes pick out the morose-looking frog, sporting what appears to be a death-cap toadstool hat, and a moustachioed chap apparently hitching a ride to work on a magpie. They all suggest an intriguing mix of writing to be explored within. I appreciate I’m a little biased in promoting this collection of stories, memoirs, poems, anecdotes and travelogues of far-flung places, since I've got work included, but after my copies arrived in the post last week, and from dipping into the book already, it really does look like another interesting and eclectic read – as FAWNW’s previous anthologies have proved to be. Tasmania is definitely not short of some talented writers, even if all of them don't necessarily have a published book to their name. Neither do I as yet, but with my magnum opus finally completed, and currently being strategically submitted to publishers that are ones most likely to be interested going on their previous publications, my fingers are firmly crossed. For a first-time author I knew this part would be difficult, as well as time-consuming given the lengthy delays before possibly receiving that much anticipated email or phone call - or not if the six- eight- or ten-week deadline is reached with no news at all - but hoping that with Dr Bob Brown on-side and putting in a good word when and where he is able to do so, my submission will be plucked from the pile sent by other hopefuls. Then it will be a case of hoping it will spark enough interest to ask for a publisher asking to see the full manuscript. Strange and Marvellous Things (edited by Allan Jamieson, FAWNW) 2025 is available online or at good bookshops. RRP $25.00
By Anne Layton-Bennett October 12, 2025
Tasmania's wild and windy weather has been more severe than usual this October, making dog walking more of a challenge, and less pleasurable than usual.
By Anne Layton-Bennett October 2, 2025
Spring cleaning our walk-in pantry and having a clear out of stuff while doing so. A task that's been delayed due to having a broken wrist.

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