Benefits of a Residency
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You can listen above or on your favourite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below.
Subscribe: Spotify | Apple | RSS | More
You can listen above or on your favourite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below.
Show notes
This episode highlights the life-changing impact of writing residencies on a writer's creative practice. Amra shares personal experiences, offers practical advice on applying for residencies, and emphasises the importance of community, networking, and dedicated time for writing.
• Exploring the transformative power of writing residencies
• Balancing teaching and writing: personal journey as a creative
• Importance of a creative CV for applications
• Networking with fellow creatives in shared spaces
• Practical tips on finding and applying for residencies
• Seeking inspiration through connections and diverse interactions
• Embracing unexpected moments for new ideas and projects
• Call to Action: amrapajalic.com/podcast for handouts and resources
• Exploring the transformative power of writing residencies
• Balancing teaching and writing: personal journey as a creative
• Importance of a creative CV for applications
• Networking with fellow creatives in shared spaces
• Practical tips on finding and applying for residencies
• Seeking inspiration through connections and diverse interactions
• Embracing unexpected moments for new ideas and projects
• Call to Action: amrapajalic.com/podcast for handouts and resources
Transcript of episode
Episode overview: 0:00
Welcome to Amra's Armchair Anecdotes. I'm Amra Pajalic, writer, teacher and storyteller. Pull up a chair and let's dive into stories about writing, life and lessons learned, sharing wisdom from my armchair to yours. I'm Amra Pajalic. Welcome to the first episode of my podcast, Amra's Armchair Anecdotes, and today I'm going to be talking about the benefits of a residency. So in my instance, I'll be talking about a writing residency, but it's also something that applies to any creative anywhere. It's also something that applies to any creative anywhere. So I'm going to be talking about my experiences, things that have happened and the benefits of it, how to find and apply for residencies, and I will be providing a handout that can help you with the process. So welcome and thank you for joining me.
Being a part of the community: 1:07
So I'm going to be really honest here. I never understood the point of a writing residency. I am like, well, you can write anywhere, can't you? And I can, I do, I write anywhere, and I just kind of thought people who you know get residencies are a little bit pretentious and guess what we are. So I and also I was sort of caught up with domesticity and being mum to a very young child, and so it was something that I couldn't consider for a long time and then the opportunity came up for me to apply and I have now been successful in getting a writing studio at the Hunt Club. So it's a community art center, and Creative Brimbank, which is my local council, manages the writing studios here, and I have to say it has been life-changing for me. This is my third year as a writing residence and it has been an amazing experience. So Creative Brimbank manages these writing studios. They're low cost and basically we do pay for the studio but we get a room, we get free wi-fi, we don't have to pay for any bills or any electricity. And then also, because this is a community center, we get the benefit of the community facilities, which is the kitchen downstairs, which is really wonderful, and I get the opportunity to, you know, talk to different people where we all meet up for lunch and exchange ideas and network. So that is a great experience, and so these studios are for people who work, who study and who are connected with Brimbank, and I know that there are other councils that have opportunities like this, so it's something for you to think about and find out. Does your local council do something like this?
Improved Productivity: 3:16
So during my long service, that was the first opportunity in my life that I got to be a full-time author. Most of my life I have been a writer and I have maintained my creative practice while I have worked, and most of the time I've worked full-time. So I worked full-time as a teacher for seven years and in that time I still wrote books and I wrote articles and I participated in delivering workshops and public events. And I have to say something that's something I'm really, really proud of, because, you know, not many of us have that opportunity to dedicate to our creative practice, especially when we are starting out and we are building up our creative practice, and so the fact that I had that ability to maintain it, I did have to build in supports for myself. So, for example, when I was working full time and I was writing my memoir, I did apply and receive a grant from Creative Victoria and I did get the amazing Alice Pung to be my mentor and to support me, and that was something that I really needed at that time. And so the first time that I got to be a full-time writer was when I had my long service leave, which I earned after working seven years full-time, and I got to have three months of being a full-time writer, and it was amazing. I wrote a book, I wrote freelance articles so many of them and was really pitching hard and getting them published. I recorded my memoir as an audio book and it gave me a taste of what I would be able to do if I had that privilege. But also that momentum helped support me when I went back to work, and I was working four days as a teacher, which is what I'm still doing, and one day as a writer, and so having this writing studio makes me think about my writing practice as a job, which is a novel concept, because usually, when you're creeping it into the edges of your life, you just sort of have to think about it as something that you do, and so it's really transformed what I think about myself and how seriously I take myself. One of the things I also wanted to talk about was I've always had a literary CV. However, I also then created a creative CV, so I'm affiliated with bold authors and I have a course with them about grant writing, and there was a grant writing. There was a course about how to create a CV, a creative CV, to sort of showcase your writing, and this was the first opportunity that I was applying for using that new CV and I think that sort of helped a little bit. So I would encourage you to sort of think about a creative CV, about showcasing your opportunities through that format, and check out that course.
Treating my residency like another workday: 6:35
So the way I approach my writing practice is this is another work day. I get up in the morning, I get ready as if I'm going to work, I prepare my lunch, I prepare my snacks, I drop my daughter off at school and then I come to pick my daughter up from school, and so that means that even when I come here and I'm incredibly tired and I feel kind of just really struggling to be creative because I've got that limited time and also I don't have the distractions of, you know, being at home with a tv to watch, with snacks to eat and just sort of go to the cupboard and then also, you know, with all the things that you have to do when you're at home in terms of the errands and the chores, I literally just sit at my desk and I end up just starting the day and starting to do things. I've also learned now to come here and to have a to-do list and just be very focused about what am I trying to achieve in this day and what can I do at home, in my regular life and manage my creative practice in that way? One of the other things that I was really surprised about in terms of a writing residency or a writing studio is how much having the opportunity to network and connect with other people really is inspirational. So within this Hunt Club, we have five writing studios, and each studio has someone who is a different type of creative. So there's an art therapist, there's a visual artist, there's a muralist and there is a husband and wife team who do sculptures, and so it's been really wonderful to speak to other people who have a creative practice and who have their creative life, but also across those various disciplines, and so we're still able to share ideas. Just had a great chat with Lucas, a muralist who is just doing such amazing work, who just had his YouTube channel monetized, and so just sharing ideas, sharing tips and inspiration, but also talking to people who actually get you and get this part of life.
Opportunties to network: 9:04
Those of you who are creative, you know that sometimes this can be lonely. You are, you know, doing things that are really fun, and not many of us have fun in our everyday lives and then sometimes in society, value is only put on things that produce money, and so when you're starting out and you are an emerging artist and you are not yet earning money, sometimes people diminish what you're doing. So I have now built up my creative writing practice so that, basically, that day that I am not teaching, I am earning the income that I would have earned if I was working that day, and that has been also a great source of pride and inspiration. But even before that, when I was earning peanuts, for me this was about nourishing my soul and this was about, you know, doing something that matters to me. So, you know, even with this podcast, I hope people listen, I hope people tune in, but that's okay. I just want to do fun things, I just want to try new experiences, I just want to learn new things, and that's what I also really cherish about my creative practice and have really found just so joyous about having this space and having the network that I have created and met.
Time and space to create and dream: 10:43
So I wanted to talk about the benefits of a writing residency, and I remember in high school there was a performance of Virginia Woolf's essay extended essay A Room of One's Own where she was talking about how important it is for women to have a room of their own to create, and one of the quotes that I always sort of resonated but I really understand now is a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction, and that's what this writing residency has done for me. It's given me money, in one sense because I'm investing myself in myself by having this writing studio, but also then being able to dedicate this one day to just being creative and writing and pitching articles and writing my fiction to create the money of my own, and so it's really changed my perspective and made me much more focused in that way. So, obviously, having that dedicated time and space to write, I still obviously write at home. I write every day. I do something towards my creative practice every day when I am at home. I write every day. I do something towards my creative practice every day when I am at home. But having this one day and this dedicated time and space, it really is transformative. It's also made me more open to trying new ideas, for example, this podcast, because I have the time and the space and I can create this. You know little area that I dedicate to this. So it's it's made me just a little bit more of a risk taker in that way too.
A space of interviews and connecting with organisations: 12:32
Then there are also the connections with organisations. So, you know, this writing studio is run through Creative Brimbank. They also have grants for local artists and I've benefited from that, and they all have different types of opportunities. Um, I've been able to connect with, you know, sunshine library or the brimbank libraries, and I'm listed on the brimbank Writers Festival and I'm sort of a regular feature there a little bit, and I've also had the opportunity to meet and speak to the Sunshine Historical Society, and so this is the other opportunities that you get when you are doing a residency. You can create those networks. The other thing that it's given me is the opportunity to have somewhere to meet people for interviews. So it's a nice quiet space for interviews, because sometimes, having people come over, I don't want to clean the house or meeting somewhere, and it's very loud and difficult to conduct an interview. So that's something else that I've benefited from.
Building blocks to further opportunities: 13:43
Then, of course, there is this strange thing that happens with creative practice, which is the more that you get residencies or you get grants or you get these opportunities, the more that you can apply and the better candidate you are, and so having something like this on the CV is a building block towards other opportunities. And, as my daughter grows and goes into the world and is not dependent on me for school pickups and drop-offs, I'm already collecting information about other residences I would like to apply for and get the benefit from, and so just remember, if at the moment, your life does not give you certain opportunities, just wait. Just wait and things will change. Things will shift and something will happen and you will have that opportunity at some point. So I wanted to share some practical tips on how to apply so you know.
Finding leads for residencies: 14:49
Collect information arts hub, the Writing Centre in your state, writing New South Wales, writing Victoria. If you're international, connect with writing organizations. Get onto their mailing list. Look at the opportunities that they share. Find organizations, so you know. In Australia, we've got creative Victoria, we've got Australia Council, and then there might be local councils in your area that might be doing things that you might not know about or have funding opportunities that you might not know about. Collect the information. Get on their mailing list so that they send you emails when they are opening things, when they are having expressions of interest. Even if you can't do it right, then and there, that's okay. You put that in your back pocket, you collect that information and one day you will be able to take advantage of that.
Application tips: 15:44
So when you're preparing your application, think about your vision. In a lot of these it's about how is this going to support your creative practice, how is it going to extend your creative practice and then, through that, how will that in a sense, promote them and promote that organization in that way too? Look at the questions that they are asking. Think about how can you address that. Sometimes, you know, you get ideas that you might not have had because of the way that the questions are asked. So I had that sort of moment of inspiration with my last application.
It could lead to your next great idea: 16:26
So make the most of your residency network. Talk to the people that you get the opportunity to meet. You never know where you will get that spark of inspiration, where you will get your next great idea. I love talking to different people and having those moments and walking away with a little lesson or an epiphany or just seeing the world in a slightly different way. Think about goals. What do you want to achieve? So I now have another two years of this residency. So I've really sort of thought big picture, what do I want to achieve? And one of the things is I really wanted to experiment more with visuals, with creating more sort of media, different types of media. So this podcast is one of the things that I'm trying. I'm also going to be thinking about and doing live streaming maybe, and you know, recording talking about my writing process or talking about writing in general. So I sort of want to extend that video medium and audio mediums and just see where that might go and what opportunities it might give me.
Leads to bigger dreams: 17:45
I do have a bigger idea in terms of a podcast. I want to do have a bigger idea in terms of a podcast. I want to do that is a historical podcast to showcase the research for the book that I am preparing for publication, and so this podcast is my first step towards that. Because in order to do that bigger project, where it will be about inviting people, collaborating with others, I feel like I need the confidence to know what I'm doing first of all, and so I'm practicing with this solo podcast to learn about the podcasting process. But also I would like to apply for grant, for grants, for funding applications to produce that historical podcast and having a podcast that I've already started that perhaps you know I have some exposure with that, I have some listeners and some data that I can provide will help in that application, and so in one sense, this project is two-pronged.
Being more of a risk taker: 18:50
For me, it's about learning something new, trying something new, but also a stepping stone towards my next goal, and this is what this writing studio and this writing residency has done for me. It's made me think big picture and it's made me sort of commit to the big picture, because I don't know about you. You know, I get a lot of ideas and then it's like, oh, is that something I can really do? And I am now reaching a point in my life where I'm just gonna try it, I'm gonna take that risk, I'm gonna put myself out there and I'm gonna have fun and I'll just see what happens. And so that's what I have really found through this experience.
My best moment: 19:36
So one of the best moments that has happened during this residency was just a random moment where I was feeling a little bit fatigued from writing, needed a break. I thought, oh, I haven't really explored the grounds much, so I went for a wander outside, and out the back there are some buildings and one of the buildings that had this sign historical society, and the door was open. So I just wandered in through the door, did a bit of a poke around, called out hello and there was a volunteer there. He was with the Sunshine Historical Society. Interestingly, he was not supposed to be working on this day, so it really was serendipity, and I went in and had a bit of a yarn with him and he told me about the Sunshine Historical Society, about the history of the Hunt Club, which actually was a hunt club, and showed me this amazing painting of you know this gentry in these red coats on their horses hunting. And he talked about how this was originally a hotel and that there might be a ghost here hotel and that there might be a ghost here. I love ghost stories, by the way. And then he gave me something. He gave me these historical and then he gave me something. He gave me these historical information cards. So there was like a whole set. So on the front it's got a photo of a building or a person, and then on the back it's got a little write-up and it's got the logo from the Brimback City Council.
Historical information cards: 21:19
And this sparked one of my great ideas and so I'm working on a novel that is a historical fiction novel and, as I've already said, I have done a lot of research for it and I always wanted to sort of showcase this research. I was going to, and I will be, publishing a book of the essays, that is, the background research, so that whoever reads the novel and is like me, wants to know what's true and what's fiction, can read that and find out about it and learn about the primary sources that I used to construct the book and I thought, oh, I can make little historical information cards showcasing this research and bringing it to life more and doing advocacy for something that I'm really passionate about. So this book delves into genocide in Bosnia during the Balkan war of 1992 to 1995, and so that is something that is my heritage and something I really wanted to learn about, and now that I have learned about it, it's something that I really want to share and I want to do education and advocacy on, and it also inspired me to then do a Kickstarter as a launch. So I'm preparing that. So it's another new thing I'm learning, because Kickstarter is a platform where creatives get people to pre-buy their creative assets. So a book, a podcast, a game, so it's all different types of projects. I've been following a lot of writing and publishing projects and so I thought, well, this is something that would be appealing for this platform and that would give me the opportunity to sort of find a new audience, to do a soft launch, and all of this, this whole idea and this whole thing came from just one day where I went for a little wander and I happened to walk through an open door and have a great conversation that set me off on this inspirational journey and this is what I included in my funding application for this residency. I think it probably helped and you know, you never know what's going to happen and what you're going to find out and learn about. So if you ever dreamed of some uninterrupted writing time, as we all have, think about a writing residency, think about you know where could you do it and the opportunities you could take.
Handout: 24:14
I am providing a handout. So if you go to my website, amrapajalic.com/podcast, I will have the show notes, the transcript and a handout of some residencies, both in Australia and beyond and residencies that are for writing residencies and beyond, and just start the process of collecting information. So I would love to hear from anyone who has had an experience with a writing residency. An experience with a writing residency. You can contact me via my social media. You can contact me via my website. Leave a comment on amrapayalichcom slash podcast, where the show notes are, or you can connect with me on social media. So I'm on Facebook and Instagram as Amrapayalich author and you know, continue the conversation. Let's learn from each other.
Next episode: My Self Publishing Journey: 25:17
So in my next episode I will be talking about my self-publishing journey and why and how I embarked on that and some lessons I've learned. So if that's something that you're interested in, please subscribe so that you can hear that and take part in that episode when it comes out. And again, I'll be sharing resources with that episode if that's something you're interested in. Thank you for tuning in to Amra's Armchair Anecdotes. If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to subscribe and follow for more inside stories and inspiration From my armchair to yours. Remember every story begins with a single word.
Welcome to Amra's Armchair Anecdotes. I'm Amra Pajalic, writer, teacher and storyteller. Pull up a chair and let's dive into stories about writing, life and lessons learned, sharing wisdom from my armchair to yours. I'm Amra Pajalic. Welcome to the first episode of my podcast, Amra's Armchair Anecdotes, and today I'm going to be talking about the benefits of a residency. So in my instance, I'll be talking about a writing residency, but it's also something that applies to any creative anywhere. It's also something that applies to any creative anywhere. So I'm going to be talking about my experiences, things that have happened and the benefits of it, how to find and apply for residencies, and I will be providing a handout that can help you with the process. So welcome and thank you for joining me.
Being a part of the community: 1:07
So I'm going to be really honest here. I never understood the point of a writing residency. I am like, well, you can write anywhere, can't you? And I can, I do, I write anywhere, and I just kind of thought people who you know get residencies are a little bit pretentious and guess what we are. So I and also I was sort of caught up with domesticity and being mum to a very young child, and so it was something that I couldn't consider for a long time and then the opportunity came up for me to apply and I have now been successful in getting a writing studio at the Hunt Club. So it's a community art center, and Creative Brimbank, which is my local council, manages the writing studios here, and I have to say it has been life-changing for me. This is my third year as a writing residence and it has been an amazing experience. So Creative Brimbank manages these writing studios. They're low cost and basically we do pay for the studio but we get a room, we get free wi-fi, we don't have to pay for any bills or any electricity. And then also, because this is a community center, we get the benefit of the community facilities, which is the kitchen downstairs, which is really wonderful, and I get the opportunity to, you know, talk to different people where we all meet up for lunch and exchange ideas and network. So that is a great experience, and so these studios are for people who work, who study and who are connected with Brimbank, and I know that there are other councils that have opportunities like this, so it's something for you to think about and find out. Does your local council do something like this?
Improved Productivity: 3:16
So during my long service, that was the first opportunity in my life that I got to be a full-time author. Most of my life I have been a writer and I have maintained my creative practice while I have worked, and most of the time I've worked full-time. So I worked full-time as a teacher for seven years and in that time I still wrote books and I wrote articles and I participated in delivering workshops and public events. And I have to say something that's something I'm really, really proud of, because, you know, not many of us have that opportunity to dedicate to our creative practice, especially when we are starting out and we are building up our creative practice, and so the fact that I had that ability to maintain it, I did have to build in supports for myself. So, for example, when I was working full time and I was writing my memoir, I did apply and receive a grant from Creative Victoria and I did get the amazing Alice Pung to be my mentor and to support me, and that was something that I really needed at that time. And so the first time that I got to be a full-time writer was when I had my long service leave, which I earned after working seven years full-time, and I got to have three months of being a full-time writer, and it was amazing. I wrote a book, I wrote freelance articles so many of them and was really pitching hard and getting them published. I recorded my memoir as an audio book and it gave me a taste of what I would be able to do if I had that privilege. But also that momentum helped support me when I went back to work, and I was working four days as a teacher, which is what I'm still doing, and one day as a writer, and so having this writing studio makes me think about my writing practice as a job, which is a novel concept, because usually, when you're creeping it into the edges of your life, you just sort of have to think about it as something that you do, and so it's really transformed what I think about myself and how seriously I take myself. One of the things I also wanted to talk about was I've always had a literary CV. However, I also then created a creative CV, so I'm affiliated with bold authors and I have a course with them about grant writing, and there was a grant writing. There was a course about how to create a CV, a creative CV, to sort of showcase your writing, and this was the first opportunity that I was applying for using that new CV and I think that sort of helped a little bit. So I would encourage you to sort of think about a creative CV, about showcasing your opportunities through that format, and check out that course.
Treating my residency like another workday: 6:35
So the way I approach my writing practice is this is another work day. I get up in the morning, I get ready as if I'm going to work, I prepare my lunch, I prepare my snacks, I drop my daughter off at school and then I come to pick my daughter up from school, and so that means that even when I come here and I'm incredibly tired and I feel kind of just really struggling to be creative because I've got that limited time and also I don't have the distractions of, you know, being at home with a tv to watch, with snacks to eat and just sort of go to the cupboard and then also, you know, with all the things that you have to do when you're at home in terms of the errands and the chores, I literally just sit at my desk and I end up just starting the day and starting to do things. I've also learned now to come here and to have a to-do list and just be very focused about what am I trying to achieve in this day and what can I do at home, in my regular life and manage my creative practice in that way? One of the other things that I was really surprised about in terms of a writing residency or a writing studio is how much having the opportunity to network and connect with other people really is inspirational. So within this Hunt Club, we have five writing studios, and each studio has someone who is a different type of creative. So there's an art therapist, there's a visual artist, there's a muralist and there is a husband and wife team who do sculptures, and so it's been really wonderful to speak to other people who have a creative practice and who have their creative life, but also across those various disciplines, and so we're still able to share ideas. Just had a great chat with Lucas, a muralist who is just doing such amazing work, who just had his YouTube channel monetized, and so just sharing ideas, sharing tips and inspiration, but also talking to people who actually get you and get this part of life.
Opportunties to network: 9:04
Those of you who are creative, you know that sometimes this can be lonely. You are, you know, doing things that are really fun, and not many of us have fun in our everyday lives and then sometimes in society, value is only put on things that produce money, and so when you're starting out and you are an emerging artist and you are not yet earning money, sometimes people diminish what you're doing. So I have now built up my creative writing practice so that, basically, that day that I am not teaching, I am earning the income that I would have earned if I was working that day, and that has been also a great source of pride and inspiration. But even before that, when I was earning peanuts, for me this was about nourishing my soul and this was about, you know, doing something that matters to me. So, you know, even with this podcast, I hope people listen, I hope people tune in, but that's okay. I just want to do fun things, I just want to try new experiences, I just want to learn new things, and that's what I also really cherish about my creative practice and have really found just so joyous about having this space and having the network that I have created and met.
Time and space to create and dream: 10:43
So I wanted to talk about the benefits of a writing residency, and I remember in high school there was a performance of Virginia Woolf's essay extended essay A Room of One's Own where she was talking about how important it is for women to have a room of their own to create, and one of the quotes that I always sort of resonated but I really understand now is a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction, and that's what this writing residency has done for me. It's given me money, in one sense because I'm investing myself in myself by having this writing studio, but also then being able to dedicate this one day to just being creative and writing and pitching articles and writing my fiction to create the money of my own, and so it's really changed my perspective and made me much more focused in that way. So, obviously, having that dedicated time and space to write, I still obviously write at home. I write every day. I do something towards my creative practice every day when I am at home. I write every day. I do something towards my creative practice every day when I am at home. But having this one day and this dedicated time and space, it really is transformative. It's also made me more open to trying new ideas, for example, this podcast, because I have the time and the space and I can create this. You know little area that I dedicate to this. So it's it's made me just a little bit more of a risk taker in that way too.
A space of interviews and connecting with organisations: 12:32
Then there are also the connections with organisations. So, you know, this writing studio is run through Creative Brimbank. They also have grants for local artists and I've benefited from that, and they all have different types of opportunities. Um, I've been able to connect with, you know, sunshine library or the brimbank libraries, and I'm listed on the brimbank Writers Festival and I'm sort of a regular feature there a little bit, and I've also had the opportunity to meet and speak to the Sunshine Historical Society, and so this is the other opportunities that you get when you are doing a residency. You can create those networks. The other thing that it's given me is the opportunity to have somewhere to meet people for interviews. So it's a nice quiet space for interviews, because sometimes, having people come over, I don't want to clean the house or meeting somewhere, and it's very loud and difficult to conduct an interview. So that's something else that I've benefited from.
Building blocks to further opportunities: 13:43
Then, of course, there is this strange thing that happens with creative practice, which is the more that you get residencies or you get grants or you get these opportunities, the more that you can apply and the better candidate you are, and so having something like this on the CV is a building block towards other opportunities. And, as my daughter grows and goes into the world and is not dependent on me for school pickups and drop-offs, I'm already collecting information about other residences I would like to apply for and get the benefit from, and so just remember, if at the moment, your life does not give you certain opportunities, just wait. Just wait and things will change. Things will shift and something will happen and you will have that opportunity at some point. So I wanted to share some practical tips on how to apply so you know.
Finding leads for residencies: 14:49
Collect information arts hub, the Writing Centre in your state, writing New South Wales, writing Victoria. If you're international, connect with writing organizations. Get onto their mailing list. Look at the opportunities that they share. Find organizations, so you know. In Australia, we've got creative Victoria, we've got Australia Council, and then there might be local councils in your area that might be doing things that you might not know about or have funding opportunities that you might not know about. Collect the information. Get on their mailing list so that they send you emails when they are opening things, when they are having expressions of interest. Even if you can't do it right, then and there, that's okay. You put that in your back pocket, you collect that information and one day you will be able to take advantage of that.
Application tips: 15:44
So when you're preparing your application, think about your vision. In a lot of these it's about how is this going to support your creative practice, how is it going to extend your creative practice and then, through that, how will that in a sense, promote them and promote that organization in that way too? Look at the questions that they are asking. Think about how can you address that. Sometimes, you know, you get ideas that you might not have had because of the way that the questions are asked. So I had that sort of moment of inspiration with my last application.
It could lead to your next great idea: 16:26
So make the most of your residency network. Talk to the people that you get the opportunity to meet. You never know where you will get that spark of inspiration, where you will get your next great idea. I love talking to different people and having those moments and walking away with a little lesson or an epiphany or just seeing the world in a slightly different way. Think about goals. What do you want to achieve? So I now have another two years of this residency. So I've really sort of thought big picture, what do I want to achieve? And one of the things is I really wanted to experiment more with visuals, with creating more sort of media, different types of media. So this podcast is one of the things that I'm trying. I'm also going to be thinking about and doing live streaming maybe, and you know, recording talking about my writing process or talking about writing in general. So I sort of want to extend that video medium and audio mediums and just see where that might go and what opportunities it might give me.
Leads to bigger dreams: 17:45
I do have a bigger idea in terms of a podcast. I want to do have a bigger idea in terms of a podcast. I want to do that is a historical podcast to showcase the research for the book that I am preparing for publication, and so this podcast is my first step towards that. Because in order to do that bigger project, where it will be about inviting people, collaborating with others, I feel like I need the confidence to know what I'm doing first of all, and so I'm practicing with this solo podcast to learn about the podcasting process. But also I would like to apply for grant, for grants, for funding applications to produce that historical podcast and having a podcast that I've already started that perhaps you know I have some exposure with that, I have some listeners and some data that I can provide will help in that application, and so in one sense, this project is two-pronged.
Being more of a risk taker: 18:50
For me, it's about learning something new, trying something new, but also a stepping stone towards my next goal, and this is what this writing studio and this writing residency has done for me. It's made me think big picture and it's made me sort of commit to the big picture, because I don't know about you. You know, I get a lot of ideas and then it's like, oh, is that something I can really do? And I am now reaching a point in my life where I'm just gonna try it, I'm gonna take that risk, I'm gonna put myself out there and I'm gonna have fun and I'll just see what happens. And so that's what I have really found through this experience.
My best moment: 19:36
So one of the best moments that has happened during this residency was just a random moment where I was feeling a little bit fatigued from writing, needed a break. I thought, oh, I haven't really explored the grounds much, so I went for a wander outside, and out the back there are some buildings and one of the buildings that had this sign historical society, and the door was open. So I just wandered in through the door, did a bit of a poke around, called out hello and there was a volunteer there. He was with the Sunshine Historical Society. Interestingly, he was not supposed to be working on this day, so it really was serendipity, and I went in and had a bit of a yarn with him and he told me about the Sunshine Historical Society, about the history of the Hunt Club, which actually was a hunt club, and showed me this amazing painting of you know this gentry in these red coats on their horses hunting. And he talked about how this was originally a hotel and that there might be a ghost here hotel and that there might be a ghost here. I love ghost stories, by the way. And then he gave me something. He gave me these historical and then he gave me something. He gave me these historical information cards. So there was like a whole set. So on the front it's got a photo of a building or a person, and then on the back it's got a little write-up and it's got the logo from the Brimback City Council.
Historical information cards: 21:19
And this sparked one of my great ideas and so I'm working on a novel that is a historical fiction novel and, as I've already said, I have done a lot of research for it and I always wanted to sort of showcase this research. I was going to, and I will be, publishing a book of the essays, that is, the background research, so that whoever reads the novel and is like me, wants to know what's true and what's fiction, can read that and find out about it and learn about the primary sources that I used to construct the book and I thought, oh, I can make little historical information cards showcasing this research and bringing it to life more and doing advocacy for something that I'm really passionate about. So this book delves into genocide in Bosnia during the Balkan war of 1992 to 1995, and so that is something that is my heritage and something I really wanted to learn about, and now that I have learned about it, it's something that I really want to share and I want to do education and advocacy on, and it also inspired me to then do a Kickstarter as a launch. So I'm preparing that. So it's another new thing I'm learning, because Kickstarter is a platform where creatives get people to pre-buy their creative assets. So a book, a podcast, a game, so it's all different types of projects. I've been following a lot of writing and publishing projects and so I thought, well, this is something that would be appealing for this platform and that would give me the opportunity to sort of find a new audience, to do a soft launch, and all of this, this whole idea and this whole thing came from just one day where I went for a little wander and I happened to walk through an open door and have a great conversation that set me off on this inspirational journey and this is what I included in my funding application for this residency. I think it probably helped and you know, you never know what's going to happen and what you're going to find out and learn about. So if you ever dreamed of some uninterrupted writing time, as we all have, think about a writing residency, think about you know where could you do it and the opportunities you could take.
Handout: 24:14
I am providing a handout. So if you go to my website, amrapajalic.com/podcast, I will have the show notes, the transcript and a handout of some residencies, both in Australia and beyond and residencies that are for writing residencies and beyond, and just start the process of collecting information. So I would love to hear from anyone who has had an experience with a writing residency. An experience with a writing residency. You can contact me via my social media. You can contact me via my website. Leave a comment on amrapayalichcom slash podcast, where the show notes are, or you can connect with me on social media. So I'm on Facebook and Instagram as Amrapayalich author and you know, continue the conversation. Let's learn from each other.
Next episode: My Self Publishing Journey: 25:17
So in my next episode I will be talking about my self-publishing journey and why and how I embarked on that and some lessons I've learned. So if that's something that you're interested in, please subscribe so that you can hear that and take part in that episode when it comes out. And again, I'll be sharing resources with that episode if that's something you're interested in. Thank you for tuning in to Amra's Armchair Anecdotes. If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to subscribe and follow for more inside stories and inspiration From my armchair to yours. Remember every story begins with a single word.
Handout
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