Myall Coast author shares insights with writers group Myall Coast Myall Coast - popup ad by News Of The Area - Modern Media - August 29, 2024 The Myall U3A Writers’ Group. PUBLISHED and aspiring writers gathered for the regular Myall U3A Writers’ Group meeting last Tuesday at Tea Gardens Uniting Church hall, this week hearing from local author Phillip Everett. Self-published writer Ray Keipert and aptly-named bush poet Bob Bush were among the small but focused group that heard Phillip describe his background, methodology, disciplines, and the genre of ‘magical realism’ featured in his recently published short story: ‘Old Woman Crazy with the Snakes’. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au “Magical realism came from working with Aboriginals and the elements from their stories,” Phillip explained. “Unlike fantasy, which creates a whole new world, magical realism has elements of magic within a real-world story – ’Field of Dreams’ (first published as ‘Shoeless Joe’) and ‘Like Water For Chocolate’ each have elements of magical realism, they allude to dreams of non-normal happenings.” Surrounded by books his works were published in, Phillip recounted his experiences in South Australia among Aboriginal communities, and his decisive shift from poetry to prose, with all the tribulations therein. “’If I am going to write’, I said to myself, ‘I need to value my work’,” Phillip recalled. “The first draft is the most creative element of writing, it’s more conceptual, and I prefer to decide on the precise wording later, to avoid stalling the creative flow. “Editors do not always relate well to the writer and their vision. “A writer should observe what their editor advises or corrects, but try not to lose what you want to say.” Phillip is currently crafting his own Western novel, inspired by the cultural influences of his upbringing, but also gleaning what he can by appreciating the works of other writers, learning how they reveal and develop their characters in short stories and novels. A student of etymology, Phillip has a large dictionary of word origins to help his word-crafting, as he seeks just the right vocabulary in the later stages of his writing process. Some writers in the U3A group agreed it was a great idea to sleep with a notebook by their bed, so they can record ideas that come in dreams, often lamenting a good image or scene that did not survive the daily awakening. By Thomas O’KEEFE Myall Coast author Phillip Everett, surrounded by books he has been involved in, shows how his drafting process unfolds.
