5. EXERCISE ONE: The First Story I Ever Wrote

I've always been a writer. That is to say, for almost as long as I can remember, I've wanted to write.

Here is the story of the first story I ever wrote:
I was very young. I can see the scene vividly still, even though it was almost 60 years ago. I am sitting on the sofa at Aunty Vonny's house. It is Christmas, I think. all of my cousins are there, and my aunts and uncles – my father’s side of the family. The adults are sitting around Aunty Vonny’s lounge room; my cousins are outside playing. I'm on the sofa, in the lounge room, the only child among the grown ups. I have a duplicate book, with white and yellow pages, and I am writing my story on the back side of the sheet. The duplicate book is one my father has brought home from work; he is a labourer with the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works.

I think it must be the Christmas of 1949. I've finished grade one. I’m six and a half.

I'm asking Uncle Charlie a question. Charlie Beale has recently married my cousin Verna – Aunty Vonny’s daughter. I am vaguely aware that my mother doesn’t altogether approve of Charlie Beale. He’s older than Verna by ten years, and he’s been married before.

I ask Uncle Charlie: "How do you spell one?"
He says, "Which one?"
People laugh, and I'm embarrassed.
"There are two ones," he explains, and he is laughing too.
"There's WON - like in 'He won the race '. That's W …O…N. Then there ONE - like 'He only had ONE leg.' That's O …N…E."

I bury myself in my book, in embarrassment.

The Farmer and the Crow

Wun day a crow sat on a fence.
The farmer said, "Get off my fence."
But the crow did not move.
The farmer said, "Get off my fence or I will shoot you!"
But the crow still did not move.
So the farmer shot the crow.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
But he missed.
And the crow laughed and laughed and laughed.
Ha ha ha, he he he, ho ho ho, haw haw haw.

The End.


A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then.

I've written millions of words, and hundreds of stories, articles, poems and songs. And I've had around 70 books published. I've also taught writing and editing - to children and adults, in primary schools and secondary schools, TAFE Colleges and universities, and in community groups.

Some people find writing difficult. They get uptight and anxious. They worry about their spelling. They feel tongue-tied. They don't know what to write.

Writing is about getting ideas out of your head and down on paper. And that's what this program is all about.

I'm not going to pretend that it's easy. Sometimes writing is really hard - really, really hard. What I hope to help you see is that, while - yes, it is hard - it can be done.

Your first writing task

TOPIC: Writing and Me
Write for just TEN minutes on that topic

Write about your experiences of writing.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
* The first story I ever wrote
* Writing at primary school
* How I feel about the task of "writing"
* The kinds of writing I like to read

Good luck.