Manisha Jolie Amin

Writers not readers groups

manishajamin — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 10:22:16 +0000

I love writing and reading… so I have different groups for both. My writers group is all about us as authors… we read and critique each others work – and when no-ones writing we still get together and talk about writing… Some people would argue that that makes us a reading an eating group – and sometime that’s not far from the truth -but ultimately we are together because we all love to write.

I’m also a member of a book club – funny enough this group is full of authors… but we meet to read – for the fun of it. It’s far more focused, we have books organised for the rest of this year, and we still support each other, but it’s such a different forum. I love both – and recommend both to those of you thinking about writing.

Because you can’t write if you don’t read – and reading published novels gives you an idea of what you like and what you can do, and having a group of people that you commit to writing with, makes the process that much more fun!

Books that changed me

manishajamin — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 08:49:44 +0000

Five favourite books? What are yours? Here are the five that I finally chose after much angst for Books that Changed (http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/books-that-changed-me-manisha-jolie-amin-20120623-20ug3.html) me in the Sydney Morning Herald and Age newspapers. These five helped with Dancing though there are so many more books and of course authors that I love to read and who have been there just when I needed them. Who are yours favourite authors and which books changed you?

A real life Kalu?

manishajamin — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 08:27:55 +0000

Although I know nothing about this boys life he plays Raag Desh just as I imagined Kalu would. Let me know what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4icJtswiss

The Southern Highlands Writers festival

manishajamin — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 08:25:01 +0000

I’ll be speaking at the Southern Highlands Writers Festival (www.shwf.com.au) on Sun 22 July at 2.30pm (more details on the website).

Love to see you there

New Voices will be on 28 July 2012

manishajamin — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 08:21:45 +0000

Meera at Eltham bookshop has a great line up for this event. And I’ll be there! Really looking forward to it. Especially as it means that I det to go to Melbourne.

Come and say hello if you are around…

Book Club reading notes

manishajamin — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 08:18:05 +0000

Here are the book club reading notes from my Aussie publishers Allen and Unwin… if you want to compare – drop me a line and I’ll send through the US ones…

http://www.allenandunwin.com/_uploads/BookPdf/ReadingGroupGuide/9781742378572.pdf

Do you have a book club?

manishajamin — Sat, 19 May 2012 04:38:34 +0000

The folks at Simon and Schuster in the US have put together a lovely reading guide for Dancing to the Flute – lots of thought starters and ideas. If you have a book club and are interested in getting a copy – just email me and I’ll send it through. If you’re in Sydney and would like me to come along, just drop me an email… it’s sometimes more fun without the author sometimes with – but I love it.

Six weeks as a published author

manishajamin — Sat, 19 May 2012 04:32:54 +0000

So I’m just getting the hang of this blog… slowly! I still write long hand – so while John goes to collect Sohum, I thought I’d post some of my thoughts and the bits and pieces that I keep thinking you may (or may not) be interested in!ou

Reminiscing about 6 weeks as an author. It still feels amazing to call myself that – an author! It’s quite surreal, seeing your book in shops or on the Internet.

But it’s also a real privilege. The funny thing is that you think things will change – but they don’t. You still go to work, read lot’s and worry about the next thing you’ll write. The only difference, is that when you walk into a book shop – it’s like tearing the wrapping paper off a present! You know that something special waits inside…

German edition out now

manishajamin — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 07:42:37 +0000

: Here are the German and Australian editions together

We had the book launch on Sunday and what a surprise my wonderful agent had a copy of the German edition there for me and for everyone else. Thanks so much to everyone who came out to celebrate with me.

Reading manuscripts

manishajamin — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:07:18 +0000

So what’s it like to think about publishing a book and where do you start? There are some terrific courses you can take to help you on the way. I went to the University of Technology, Sydney and did their writing course. I can’t recommend it enough. For others a short course like those offered by the Sydney Writing Centre may be to the point. The thing that helped me the most was having a writers group of other like-minded individuals,who forced me to keep going and weren’t afraid of being honest.

Do you have a writers group? How does yours work?