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A talk about Mandy de Waal's first year as a writer and investigative journalist. Following her stroke in 2007 Mandy de Waal set out to live an authentic life and become what she always dreamed of being, a full time writer and journalist. This talk chronicles the personal and professional lessons she learned during her first year as a professional writer.
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JOURN BLOG: mdw.typepad.com
FICTION BLOG: mdw.typepad.com/mdw
TWITTER: mandyldewaal
FACEBOOK: mandy de waal
EMAIL: [email protected]
my
life
as
a
fraud
want
to
be
a
writer
?
Jonathan Ball when asked what advice he’d profer aspirant writers:
“Rather become a stock broker.”
want
to
be
a
writer
?
2% of SAfricans read books
Local market 500k regular buyers
300 titles published annually
my
stroke
of
genius
follow
your
bliss
“Follow your bliss. If you do
follow your bliss, you put yourself
on a kind of track that has been
there all the while waiting for
you, and the life you ought to be
living is the one you are living.
When you can see that, you
begin to meet people who are in
the field of your bliss, and they
open the doors to you. I say,
follow your bliss and don't be
afraid, and doors will open where
you didn't know they were going
to be.”
- JOSEPH CAMPBELL
do what
you love
Have you heard the one about
the 44 year old who wants to
become a journalist…?
Do what you love:
Love what you do:
Doors will open:
Doors will open:
Doors will open:
3my
kinda
journ?
a couple of things I learned along the
way…
1
the truth
“Journalism is the first draft of history....”- PHIL GRAHAM, FOUNDER WASHINGTON POST
1. Serve the truth2. Serve the story3. Accuracy4. Objectivity5. Gut6. Knowledge7. Hard work8. Avoid sensation9. History or,10. Opinion?
1
the truth
What is the truth?- Two hats, a story of perceptions
1
the truth
1
the truth
1
the truth
Trust your gut- The first story isn’t always the right story
- The better writer you arethe more people will want to use you
“The truth is a sustainable commodity... sensation is not.”- ALEC HOGG, Moneyweb
1
the truth
2why
write?
“The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself....”- ALBERT CAMUS
2why
write?
3it’s a
struggle
Writing as a metaphor for life : “Every book I wrote killed me a little bit more...”- NORMAN MAILER
4the
metaphor
How you struggle with your writing is how you struggle with your life.
“Murder your children.”- BRYCE COURTNEY
4the
metaphor
5want
to
write
well
?
READ GOOD WRITERS:
- Barney Mthombothi
- Sam Sole & Stefaans Brummer
- Jacques Pauw
- Kevin Bloom (Daily Maverick)
- Chris Roper & Tom Eaton
- Justice Malala
- Andrew Miller
- Paul McNally
- Max du Preez
- Deon Basson
- Duncan McCloed (TechCentral)
- Barry Sargeant (MoneyWeb)
- Saul Kropman, Audra Mahong
- Noseweek, FM, M & G, Weekender
- Vanity Fair, The New Yorker
- Huffington Post, Daily Beast
- The Onion, John Stewart
- AdBusters
5want
to
write
well
?
Banish navel gazing.
“When the media writes about itself, it considers itself more important than the mission it is on.”- ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK
6think &
have an
opinion
(for god’s
sake)
WRITING TALKS ABOUT:1. Who you are2. The power of your mind3. Your ability to think4. Displays your logic5. Shows your creativity6. Be fearless7. Develop a voice8. Don’t worry about being
liked – care about liking yourself
“The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say.” - Anaïs Nin
Be original. Take risks.
6think &
have an
opinion
(for god’s
sake)
7the big
three
THE HOLY TRINITY:1. The big idea (concept)2. The structure3. The style
8fiction
- the best
advice
Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass. - Anton Chekhov
Involve your audience.
9the only
thing
that
matters
Just write!
JOURN BLOG: mdw.typepad.com
FICTION BLOG: mdw.typepad.com/mdw
TWITTER: mandyldewaal
FACEBOOK: mandy de waal
EMAIL: [email protected]