Writers Helping Writers by Jo Wanmer

Writers helping me.

‘Do you know how to write books?’ 

Mary Hawkins' gentle question slid through the phone. I’d never met her but she’d read my manuscript and been asked to mentor me. This manuscript was my first attempt at serious writing.

‘I guess not.' I replied. 'I just sat down and wrote.’ 

‘I thought so.’ Mary paused. ‘It shows. But this story needs to be told. It will need a lot of work to lift it to publishing standard. I’m willing to teach you if you are willing to put in the effort.’

Mary had many fiction books published in the Australian market. A few weeks later I met this delightful lady at a mentorship retreat. There were two other fiction writers sharing Mary as our mentor. Other groups worked in their genre with different mentors. We gathered together in a couple of units near Noosa for a week. Within an hour of arrival, we started work, fingers hovering over our laptops, minds keen. 

Mary’s printed copy of my book, which I’d posted to her, was covered with red pen. Under her instruction I deleted the first three chapters. My gut wrenched but she convinced me those pages were irrelevant to the main story. I complied. She taught me how to sharpen the first line and then adjust the first paragraph. Moving amongst the three of us, she read, critiqued, corrected and changed, always telling us to rewrite. I typed, deleted, adjusted and rewrote. And we laughed as she corrected and encouraged us. Fingers sore and brain spent, I completed the first page and fell into bed. Only 369 pages to go!

The week resembled a boot camp. We worked from morning to late evening. In meal breaks we built great relationships. Every moment we learned from each other. When we closed our computers to go home, I’d made new friends and I’d successfully polished seventy of those pages. 

‘What happens now?’ I asked.

‘I’ve taught you.’ Mary hugged me. ‘Now you edit the rest using the skills I’ve given you.’

Reviewing the mentorship on the drive home I was both grateful for Mary’s patience and teaching and overwhelmed by the task ahead of me.

Sixteen years have passed since that pivotal weekend. The book we slaved over, Though the Bud be Bruised, won a Caleb prize for best unpublished manuscript and was published in 2012. The skills I learned from Mary have become my automatic way of writing. Since then, I’ve learned more about making my words sing, through events, workshops and meetings, mostly under Omega Writers and other gatherings of Christian authors.

Writers helping Writers.

Paul exhorted us in Romans 10:24-25 TPT…

    Discover creative ways to encourage others and motivate them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love. This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together… In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other forward…

The encouragement I receive from other Christian writers builds my determination to push onward, to fulfil the goals God has placed in my heart.

Helen Hudson talking Holy Spirit and art. Check out her Facebook page    

A couple of weeks ago our Omega Writers Sunshine Coast group held a writer’s retreat. The aim was to spend time together and learn from each other. We gathered at our leader’s beautiful home on Friday night, meet together all day Saturday and Sunday morning. Our shared meals were prepared by Sue and her amazing mother. We stayed close by, some of us sharing a cabin, and we revelled in fellowship. One of our members, Julie Modra, shared from her vast knowledge and taught us about writing structure. Printed sheets helped us apply her wisdom… wisdom she has learned from others. We practised hearing the Holy Spirit through a Zoom training session by Lynne Hudson using art! We prayed for each other and planned events.  What a rich weekend!

Our representation of Holy Spirit's nudges

I also belong to another smaller group led by Jeanette Grant-Thomson. Four of us meet once a month. We write in different genres for different reasons. Each month we email every group member two or three pages of our work. We critique each other’s writing and then gather to share. At the end, a ten-to-fifteen-minute writing exercise stretches us. We read our stories aloud and encourage each other. The relationships are sweet and our skills are growing under this discipline.

Any success I’ve enjoyed as an author is attributed to the Holy Spirit firstly and then fellowship and instruction from other writers. 

Sunshine Coast members at retreat

Writers Building Writer Community 

Omega has organised a writer’s conference in Adelaide in October. It’s a great place to learn and a good place to meet other writers, build relationships and invite others to connect with you. Large gatherings can be impersonal, but it’s the small groups and conversations where I’ve been impacted. 

When I was writing El Shaddai, I had stalled and closed the file. God and I had agreed to write a book where He was one of the characters. But I panicked when I realised I was writing His words. Feeling totally inadequate, I stopped. Months later, in a small prayer meeting at a conference, God whispered, ‘What’s wrong with the book I’m in?’ Challenged, I came home and wrote the story as quickly as I could, not allowing myself to second guess anything.  And God says some amazing things in that book… things I didn’t know until I typed the words.  

Our Sunshine Coast group grew organically. In a post on Omega Writers page on Facebook, Sue Taylor-Reeves asked for anyone interested in meeting together. A few of us started to connect and then gather. And it grew. Commitment to the group keeps it healthy.

Our groups book launch in March

Jesus taught about sowing and reaping. If you want support with your writing, start by finding someone you can help. Find a writing buddy. Share your work. Give constructive feedback and receive other’s suggestions with grace. Offer prayer and encouragement. 

Reach out to help others. Volunteer to be a beta reader. Write reviews. Help with someone else’s book launch. Be active on the Facebook pages, Christian Writers Downunder and Australasian Christian Writers. These groups connect us to writers across Austrlalia and New Zealand. 

Christian community is important for Christian authors. Even Jesus didn’t walk alone. Often he was surrounded by thousands, but he always withdrew with his twelve, or three. We know he needed their prayers. They accompanied him, served Him and learned from Him.

Likewise, in love we lift each other up and help carry each other’s burdens.

Closing brunch after a great weekend

How has the writing community helped you? How have you helped other authors?

Jo Wanmer is a story teller, that has had to learn how to write those stories into acceptable prose. She writes with the help of the Holy Spirit. Without His inspiration, there would be no books. Though the Bud be Bruised was published thirteen years ago. Late in 2024 El Shaddai was released and its prequel, El Roi, was released late last year. 

She lives, with her husband of nearly fifty-four years, just north of Brisbane. Family, God and writing are her three passions. Eleven great-grandchildren now fill their home with love and chaos.

 

Perfection Not Required!

by Anusha Atukorala 

 

Ever since we came to this beautiful Land Down Under, 27 years ago, our local library has enjoyed plenty of custom from all three of my family, and especially from little old me! I’d often emerge after a browsing session, carrying over 40 books. And how wonderful to know that that number was still less than half the number of items anyone is allowed to check out at a given time! Amazing! Thank You God for libraries!

A few months ago, I discovered that I had plenty of unread books in my own personal collection. The fact is, I always gave priority to my library books, since they needed to be returned by a certain date and therefore, I never seemed to get to my own. I had to do something about those unread books! Before my two cataract operations, the first in mid-January this year, I plunged into a frenzied de-cluttering and re-arranging spree of all of my books in our bedroom, and placed all my unread books (mostly gifts) on one shelf for easy access. Brilliant!

After my first surgery, I was delighted that I could SEE clearly again! What a difference good eyesight made! The titles of the books on my bookshelves were not a vague blur as they used to be … I could even read the titles while lounging on my bed, a fair distance away. I stopped borrowing too many from the library so I could concentrate on those close at hand. One of the first books that I read was Christian fiction – a long novel it was. I had no idea if I’d found this book at a second hand bookshop or if someone had gifted it to me. I mostly read secular fiction or Christian nonfiction, so this was unusual.

At first, the story seemed to be a basic plot. There was also quite a bit of head hopping … hmm … how good would this story be? And was it worth my time? As I kept reading, I decided it was. I even began to find great enjoyment in the story. Its main character Sophie became very real to me. She had a beautiful faith and a gentle heart that impacted others around her for good. Although the Christian content was perhaps too explicit for my liking, it still continued to capture my interest. I stayed with it for all 425 pages of it, finally loving the story and especially the happy ending.

And what did I learn from reading this story? That as Christian writers, perfection doesn’t have to be our aim. Yes, God calls us to excellence, and we need to do the best we can. Yes, we must take our writing seriously. We must work hard to polish and cultivate our craft. But … perfection? Now that is another matter! Perfection rarely exists on this side of eternity. 

The thing is, that if we don’t get to publish our writing because we can’t stop editing it … no one will ever read our work. If we compare our writing with other gifted writers, we might give up in frustration, hanging our heads in shame down like a child who’s been sent to her room as punishment for bad behaviour. We each have a calling from our Almighty God. Psalm 139 verse 16 says, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16 Which means that He who created us, planned that you and I would write for His glory, well before the beginning of time! Wow!

So here’s my encouragement to you today, dear friend. If you feel less than enough as a Christian writer, think again. If He called you to write (and you know He has), your best is good enough. Your efforts to write as well as you can for Jesus is enough. You can communicate the love of God, even without a perfect story. You can communicate the heart of God, simply by following the whispers of the Holy Spirit. Yes, we need to aim at excellence in our craft and with all of our being. But self-condemnation and comparison with other writers is not required.

What IS required is a humble trusting heart, a pen yielded to the God who writes our own stories and a desire to be used of Him. So ... what are you waiting for? Keep sharing the stories He laid on your heart. In the bigger scheme of things, reviews or the lack of them, the number of books you sell or don’t sell isn’t what is most important. Reaching hearts, one at a time, is a goal we can all aim at. Doing what you can, when you can, how you can, with our faithful God’s help, is all that’s needed. So keep those stories coming, dear friend and let your voice be heard. God’s created you to bless and build His world. It won’t be complete without you and your awe-inspiring stories! Keep writing!

P.S. As for our spiritual lives, now that is a tad different! Jesus said to his disciples, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:48  Like our books, our lives too will not reflect His perfection, this side of heaven, but our goal is to become like Jesus. So let's work long and hard on our books, and let's work even harder to become more like our Creator, the Author of each of our stories, JESUS!

Anusha’s been on many interesting detours in life, as a lab technician, a computer programmer, a full time Mum, a full time volunteer, a charity director, a full time job chaser, until one golden day (or was it a dark moonless night?) God tapped her on her shoulder and called her to write for Him. She has never recovered from the joy it brought her. She loves to see others enjoying life with Jesus and does her mite to hurry the process in her world through her writing and through her life. The goodness of God is her theme song through each season, as she dances in the rain with Jesus.

 

Her first book Enjoying the Journey contains 75 little God stories that will bring you closer to your Creator. Her 2^nd book ‘Dancing in the Rain’ brings you hope and comfort for life’s soggy seasons. Her 3rd book, ‘Sharing the Journey’ is a sequel to 'Enjoying the Journey'.

 

Do drop in on her two websites to say G’day! She’d love to connect with you.

Dancing in the Rain 

Light in the Darkness

 

Creative Seasons

I know it's autumn here in the Southern Hemisphere - but in the creative space, I feel like I'm emerging from a long winter. Not a Brisbane winter, where the trees keep their leaves, and wattle and poinsettia splash flamboyant colour against the cloudless cobalt blue of the sky. More a Melbourne winter, with grey low skies, dizzling rain and the cold that seeps deep into your bones. 

The main reason for this long winter over the last few years, where everything seems an effort and motivation is hard to come by, was grief due to family drama (which I won't go into). It was hard to focus on the complexity of my characters' journey and intricate plots when my heart was dealing with the jagged edges of emotional pain.

Thank God for short stories - that keep the creative juices going - and poetry. And time and healing and mending.

Short stories are bite sized - though mine tend to be giant-sized bites - with simplier arcs and shorter timelines. Poetry is even more condensed, where every word can matter - and can express emotion in a way prose can struggle to do.

Despite a hiatus of a couple weeks travelling, I participated in the Month of Poetry again this January - with a special challenge each Saturday - ranging from ekphrastic poems inspired by an art work (sculpture, painting, photograph etc), writing a poem inspired by or in the voice of a favourite book character, writing a compunctual poem (two poems interlaced in interaction with each other - hard to do), a poem inspired by a line of poetry you admire, and finally, a poem about what poetry means to you (Five Saturdays in January this year). 

I also went to my very first Genre-Con this year - on the theme of Inklings - and it was particularly inspiring. Apparently even after 15 years of seriously pursuing writing and getting a Masters in writing, there are indeed new things to learn. I loved the Manga stream under Professor Belne from Japan with a hands-on workshop. The three golden nuggets I took away from the weekend (as Lori-Jay Ellis encouraged us to look for)

1 ) the comparion of the 3 Act Hero's Journey popular in the West with both the lesser known Heroine's Journey and the 4 Act Eastern Kishōtenketsu (with a unexpected asteroid-sized shift in Act 3) (Thanks Belne, Queenie Chan, Genieve Flynn and L.E. Daniels).
2) Scott Wilson's enthuiasm was uplifting as he explained the making of the Indigiverse - and how the powers of his superheros are based on the character and strengths of his great-grandmother, mother, and other people important in his life.
3) I also enjoyed Michelle Birrell's demonstration of using mind-maps to take an idea of a story to one with legs (or rather characters, conflict and context).

And the whole weekend was so much better sharing it with a friend.

Filling the creative well helps keep the creatve spark alive (to mix metaphors).

Though, in many ways, it's also time and God's healing presence that mends. 

I prefer to avoid pain, like things to be easy - yet life isn't easy and sometimes it can break you. God walks with us even when we can't feel his presence, maybe especially then. And it's often in those dark winter fallow times when nothing (or very little) seems to be happening, that the soil is broken up and enriched and the seed grows.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases:
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV*

Have you experienced fallow times - what has helped renew your creativity?

P. S. here's two of my poems form MOP (I resisted the urge to share a third) - the first on the stillness of cats, the other an acrotic on inspiration. Enjoy.

The Stillness of Cats

The stillness of cats
a movable feast of perfected rest
stretched out trapeze like to impossible length,
curled pretzel close, nose to tail,
spine twisted in unlikely spiral,
or paws curled in post-mortem pose
not a whisker or a muscle twitching
as still as death, yet replete with curled up life
a fracture in reality and time.

The stillness of cats, majestic, magical, mystical
suspends time, tears at the curtain of reality

triggering inexplicable yearning

like the infinite arch of the blue, blue sky
the effortless stretch of the restless ocean
the song of the wind dancing between the leaves,
whistling whistling across country,
the slow sink of the sun, the rise of the plump fullfaced moon
the exuberant splatter of stars against the purple-black sky
the wonder and thisness of the world
stirring emotions hard to name, an unspoken promise
unreachable perfection wrapped in eternity
the great beyond calling, calling, calling
further up and further in.

28 January ©  Jeanette O’Hagan

Inspiration - an Acrostic

Inhale the shy sparks of imagination
Nourishment for mind and soul
Simmering, swirling, unspooling
Percolating in quiet places and the routine
Incubating in dreams, in the shower, on walks
Reverberating with rhyme and rhythm and rhetoric
Activating, unannounced, in media res, bums on seats
Torrents of creation causing creek banks to overflow
Incited by the everyday, the minutiae of living
Outrageous too, sparked by the weird, the wonderful
New emerging like phoenix from the cinders of the old. 

2 Jan 2026 ©  Jeanette O’Hagan

Jeanette O'Hagan has spun tales in the world of Nardva from the age of eight. She enjoys writing fantasy, sci-fi, poetry. Her Nardvan stories span continents, millennia and cultures. Some involve shapeshifters and magic. Others include space stations and cyborgs.

She has published over forty stories and poems, including the Under the Mountain Series (5 books), Akrad's Children and Rasel's Song, the first two books in the Akrad’s Legacy series and more recently, Rise of the Consortium. Her story in Stepping Sideways, 'In a League of Her Own' won the 2024 Aurealis Award for YA Short Stories & 'Anomalies at Prospero Base' (in Rise of the Consortium) was shortlisted in the 2025 Aurealis Awards.

Jeanette has practised medicine, studied communication, history, theology and writing. She loves reading, painting, travel, and pondering the meaning of life. She lives in Brisbane.

*Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 

They’re not your books!

 

Before I began writing, I remember standing in a large, Christian bookstore thinking, ‘Why would anyone ever want to add to the enormous numbers of books already here on these shelves? Surely we know enough about living the Christian life, without any more “how to” books from anyone? Perhaps there’s room for more Aussie novels, but how could I compete with all the American ones already here?’

Have you ever felt like that in your own writing journey? You may not have stood in an actual physical bookstore, feeling overwhelmed and intimidated, but perhaps as you have noticed online what others are writing, you too may have begun to doubt your own writing efforts. It can be so easy to compare ourselves with other writers and end up completely discouraged, can’t it?

I can also easily become discouraged after reading how others manage to promote their books in ways I have never explored. My current publisher, Authentic Media UK, tries hard to encourage all their authors to be more proactive promotion-wise, especially on social media, by providing excellent monthly coaching for us online via Teams. Even while taking part in this, however, I can manage to compare myself to others and wonder if I am doing enough.

In times of discouragement, one key thing that has helped me is remembering how God called me to start writing. I was overseas visiting a friend and, one morning while reading Isaiah 42, I sensed God saying, ‘Come on, Jo-Anne. How many times do I have to show you? Go home and start writing!’ I had wanted to write for years – but now I sensed God was giving me permission to do something I had felt might be self-indulgent and actually start. I am forever grateful for this strong challenge as it has helped keep me determined to do my best for God in my writing and speaking. So … do you have that same sense that God has called you to write? If so, may God continue to give you the strength to be obedient and persevere.

I remember too how, way back when I doubted the wisdom of adding to the plethora of books already out there, someone said gently, ‘But they’re not your books!’ That resonated with me, especially in the light of believing God had called me to write. God had created me as I am, with my own unique gifts and abilities, and taken me on my own unique journey through life. Surely then it was possible that God had things for me to say that no one else could say in quite the same way? And of course this is true for you too. Yes, we need to research the market and know what other similar books are out there already, but God is quite able to guide us in all that and show us the unique contribution we can make through our own writing.

I am so grateful as I look back on my writing and speaking journey of around twenty years and remember God’s encouragement and provision through it all – and God’s continued strengthening as I keep writing in 2026. Whatever unique writing journey God has called you to take, may you too know that same encouragement and provision, now and for many years to come.

Jo-Anne Berthelsen is a Sydney-based author of seven novels and four non-fiction works. She holds degrees in Arts and Theology and has worked in teaching, editing and local church ministry. Jo-Anne loves encouraging others through both the written and spoken word and is a keen blogger. Jo-Anne’s latest book, God Moments, is available via her website, Koorong Books and Amazon