Don’t wait for the muse, she’s too flighty to be relied upon – just write. Be professional – ie: put in the work, accept criticism, meet deadlines. And lastly, read. Read constantly, in the genre you want to write and in other genres as well, because they all have something to teach you.
Dominique Wilson
Dominique Wilson was born of French parents in Algiers, Algeria. She grew up in a country torn by civil war, until she and her family fled to Australia.
Dominique holds both a BA [Professional Writing and Communications] and a Bachelor of Visual Communication [Illustration and Design] from the University of South Australia and, from the University of Adelaide, a Masters [Creative Writing] and a PhD, for which she was awarded the University Doctoral Research Medal.
In 2005 she was founding Managing Editor of Wet Ink: the magazine of new writing, a position she held until she resigned in 2012. From 2007 to 2010 Dominique was Chair of the Adelaide branch of International PEN.
Dominique’s short stories have been published nationally and read on ABC Radio. Her debut novel The Yellow Papers [Transit Lounge, 2014] and her second novel That Devil’s Madness [Transit Lounge, 2016] were both published to critical acclaim. Her most recent work, Orphan Rock, published by Transit Lounge, came out this month.
Author Insight
Why do you write? I have always been an avid reader, reading across many genres. Then when my daughters were born, I not only read to them every day, but also started making up stories for them. Going on to write for adults seemed the next natural step. I write because I’m interested in the human condition – why do people behave as they do? Why is it that some can withstand the most horrific conditions, whilst others collapse at the smallest upset? What makes a ‘good’ person? A ‘bad’ person? And is anyone truly all ‘good’ or ‘bad’? These are issues I explored in my previous book – The Yellow Papers and That Devil’s Madness – and in Orphan Rock, my latest publication, out in March 2022.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a writer? Probably trying to become a children’s book illustrator. I actually have a degree in illustration, but have let that fall by the wayside.
What was your toughest obstacle to becoming published? Myself – the self-doubt is very real. Even with two undergraduate degrees under my belt, a Masters and a PhD, I still question whether my writing is good enough. It’s not a case of false modesty or imposter syndrome – there really are some fabulous writers out there, and reading their work is a humbling experience.
How involved have you been in the development of your book? Did you have input into the cover? Very much involved. From tossing around ideas with Barry Scott [my publisher at Transit Lounge], to working with Angela Meyers, who edited the book, to working with Scott Eathorne [of Quikmark Media] for publicity.
And yes, I did have input in the cover. To begin with, I asked Barry to please get Peter Lo to design this cover – Peter had done the covers of The Yellow Papers and of That Devil’s Madness, and I really like his work. Then Peter sent me six or seven possible covers for me to pick my favourite, and we went from there.
I may have written the words that became Orphan Rock, but it then took a lot of people to ‘birth’ this book.
What’s the best aspect of your writing life? The creative side can be pretty magical – when you come up with an idea, then a plot and characters, that you just know will work. Then there’s the thrill of having your work accepted for publication, and holding your book for the first time. And once the book is published, having readers email you to say how much they enjoyed the book is very special.
—the worst? The uncertainty – what if no one likes it/think it’s a load of rubbish?
What would you do differently if you were starting out now as a writer? I don’t think I’d do much different. I started out writing short stories, and they were a good training ground, not just for the writing itself, but to learn about sending work out, getting rejections and the importance of not sending work out too early, meeting deadlines when a piece is accepted and so on.
What do you wish you’d been told before you set out to become an author? How long it takes to write a book! I don’t mean just the first draft – I mean all the research beforehand, the actual first draft, the rewriting, the editing and so on. And even once accepted – I never realised it could take up to a year from the time a book is accepted for publication until it hits the shops.
What’s the best advice you were ever given? That the difference between those who make it and those who don’t, is that those who make it try just one more time.
How important is social media to you as an author? I’m something of a hermit by nature, and a very private person. So on the one hand it’s wonderful for connecting with other writers and with readers, but on the other hand I can see how it can be intrusive, and a real time waster. So yes, it is important, but it must be controlled.
Do you experience ‘writer’s block’ and if so, how do you overcome it? Not really – if I cannot go forward in my writing, it’s either a case that there is something serious [and not writing related] that is worrying me or, if there is nothing worrying me, then I haven’t thought the plot through well enough.
How do you deal with rejection? By not becoming obsessed by it. No matter how good you are or you become, there will always be rejections – be it for a piece of writing, a grant you applied for, a competition you hoped to win. Accept it and move on. It’s all you can do, really…
In three words, how would you describe your writing? Historical, engaging, thought-provoking.
If you had the chance to spend an hour with any writer of your choice, living or dead, who would it be and what would you most like them to tell you about living a writing life? Neil Gaiman – I’d pick his brain re his wonderful imagination and wisdom, and Rachel Kadish – how did she learn to write so beautifully?!
Book Byte
Orphan Rock is a complex and richly detailed story of secrets and heartbreak that will take you from the back streets of Sydney’s slums to the wide avenues of the City of Lights.
The late 1800s was a time when women were meant to know their place. But when Bessie starts to work for Louisa Lawson at The Dawn, she comes to realise there’s more to a woman’s place than servitude to a husband.
Years later her daughter Kathleen flees to Paris to escape a secret she cannot accept. But World War One intervenes, exposing her to both the best and the worst of humanity.
Masterful and epic, this book is both a splendid evocation of early Sydney, and a truly powerful story about how women and minorities fought against being silenced.
‘Her writing is finely crafted, her prose poetic and subtle, and a joy to read.‘ Monique Mulligan, author of Wildflower and Wherever You Go
‘Dominique Wilson is a wonderful storyteller. The research is impeccable, the realism unforgiving.’ Brian Castro, author of Blindness and Rage and Shanghai Dancing.
Author website: http://dominiquewilson.com.au/
Facebook author’s page: http://www.facebook.com/DominiqueWilson.Author
Twitter a/c: @DominiqueWilsn
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com.au/dominique5758/_saved/
Buy the book here.
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In Their Own Write 