There is no single way to write a book
‘There is no single way to write a book. Anyone that says different is trying to sell you something.’ With apologies to The Princess Bride for butchering their quote… This is something I come up against a lot in writers’ groups, kids who think they can’t write a story because …
What I’ve Read – May 2024
Welcome to a brand-new month. May ended up being a busy time with most of my reading being audiobooks and picture books. I also won a Mother’s Day competition from Walker Books, so most of my picture book reads were the amazing books that I won. Here are the books …
Hundreds of stories
I often joke that I have hundreds of stories on the go. Most of them are stories I’ve written in writers’ groups, most since they went online in 2020. This weekend, I’ve been sorting through stories that I’ve typed up. This is what I found: 90 short stories 47 book …
Fiction can change lives…
Did you know that fiction can change lives? By seeing themselves in stories, a person can feel less alone. By reading about situations they may find themselves in, a person can feel seen. By reading about history, people can learn about the world around them. By losing themselves in a …
Share Your Story – through fiction
Sometimes, you may want to share your story, but are not wanting to write a memoir for a variety of reasons. One way you can share your story, or parts of your story, is through fiction. My first book, Swallow Me, NOW!, was inspired by true events. When I was a …
Want to change the world? Write a story
Yesterday, I was talking with someone and I said that ‘If you want to change the world, write a story’. This was in the context of autism advocacy and I used examples of Paws by Kate Foster among other books that show autistic characters living their lives, rather than showing them …
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About Melissa
Melissa Gijsbers started writing when she was in High School during the 1990s, even winning some awards for a short story and a script. For many years, life got in the way of creative writing, however she did start blogging around 2006.
She currently lives in Melbourne, Australia with her two sons and a pet blue tongue lizard.
