Tuesday Spotlight - Nola Passmore

Each Monday and Thursday, Christian Writers Downunder's faithful and talented blog team contribute blogposts to inspire and inform aspiring and established writers. In 2017 we will be adding Tuesday Spotlights - posts that spotlight both writers and organisations that contribute to the writing scene Downunder. I think it's only fitting that the first Tuesday Spotlight will be on the one and only Nola Passmore.

Nola took on co-ordination of Christian Writers Downunder towards the end of 2013, when Lee Franklin was no longer able to continue in the role. She built up the admin team, kept the blog and Facebook group flourishing & helped facilitate stronger links between CWD and other wonderful groups such as Australasian Christian Writers (ACW), Omega Writers (OW) and Faith Writers (FW). At the end of last year, Nola handed the responsibility of co-ordination to Jeanette O'Hagan, and at the end of this year, she has decided to leave the administration team so she can focus on the Omega Writers Annual Retreat and the Toowoomba chapter group in Toowoomba, writing her novel, and the Write Flourish, among other things. 

The Admin team (Anusha, Paula and Jenny) are grateful for Nola's wise leadership as coordinator and her input during the transitional period this year. Thank you, Nola.

Three-quarters of the CWD Admin team: Nola, Anusha & Jenny

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Nola is a writer, a poet and editor at The Write Flourish. She has a quirky sense of humour and has an inspired ministry of 'nagging' (encouraging writers to write). I managed to pin Nola down to ask a few questions.

Jeanette: How long have you been a writer and what inspired you to follow this calling?

Nola: I’ve been writing since primary school, though my first loves were songwriting and poetry.  I detoured through more formal academic writing during Uni and my former life as a psychology lecturer, but a key event happened in the early 2000s that set me on my current path.  Dr John Ashton asked if I would contribute to a book called the God Factor: 50 Scientists and Academics Explain Why they Believe in God. I was intending to write an academic piece, but God had other ideas.  He prompted me to write a more personal story about my experiences as an adoptee. A couple of years later, someone contacted me from the Australian Stories/Aussie Stories franchise to ask if they could repackage that article as two stories in one of their upcoming volumes.  Up until then, I thought you had to write a complete book in order to be able to share what God had done in your life.  I started sending short pieces off and have had success in a wide variety of genres.  Since then, God has confirmed to me that he has called me to write, but also called me to encourage others to write and use the creative gifts He has given them.  (As Jenny said, it’s sort of like spiritual ‘nagging’.).

Jeanette: You've had an impressive number of short pieces published over the years. What writing projects have you got on the go at the moment? What joys and challenges do they provide?

Nola: I still love writing short pieces, and usually have some of those on the go (e.g. short fiction, creative non-fiction, devotional pieces and poetry).  However, I’ve cut back on those at the moment so that I can concentrate on whipping my debut novel into shape.  It’s an historical novel set in Nova Scotia, Canada from 1881 to 1917, and has a social justice theme.  I’ve finished the first draft, but am still wrangling the plot.  There’s a lot of work to do, but I’m hopeful of completing it in 2017.  I always imagined I’d write a novel one day, but it’s been a lot harder than I thought.  I now have a greater appreciation of the incredible work that goes into every book we see in a bookstore.  My biggest challenge is that I’m trying to write a story with a broad historical sweep set in another country.  What was I thinking?

Jeanette: I’m looking forward to reading your novel and, I agree, novel-writing is a lot harder than it looks.

Which famous writer (past or present) would you like to meet? What would you like to ask them and why?

Nola: I’d like to meet King David and get him to play the psalms on his harp so I could hear the original music. 

Jeanette: I love your sense of humour. Has it ever got you into strife or, alternatively, won you accolades. How important is humour to writing? 

Nola: It probably has gotten me into strife, though I can’t think of a particular example.  There will always be someone who takes offense, even if you have the best intentions.  I fully believe that God had a tremendous sense of humour or He wouldn’t have created us, so the ability to laugh at ourselves is crucial.  Humour can also lift people’s spirits and bring about positive physical changes.  Even if we don’t exclusively write humour, the odd lighter touch can give readers a breathing space in more serious works.  From a personal perspective, I find that writing humour is like an elixir.  When I left my academic job, people were more concerned about who would write the Christmas skits than they were about any academic skills I might have had.  I was quite pleased about that.

Jeanette: You and your husband Tim left the security of University careers to start the Write Flourish. Can you tell as a little about this business and what it can offer writers?

Nola:  The Write Flourish is a freelance writing and editing business.  Tim and I both have a desire to help others develop their manuscripts so that they can present the best work possible.  We do manuscript assessments, structural editing, copyediting, and proofreading.  Tim mainly focuses on non-fiction, including technical, academic, inspirational and scientific writing.  I focus more on fiction, creative non-fiction, inspirational writing and poetry.  I’m also available for workshops and one-on-one mentoring.

Jeanette: Finally, we've greatly appreciated your involvement in Christian Writers Downunder. What do you think CWD has to offer writers? And will you continue to be involved?

Nola: First, let me say that I was thrilled when Jeanette (Jenny) agreed to take over the reins.  I’d enjoyed my time as coordinator, but I felt led to put more time into other endeavours.  Anusha Atukorala and Paula Vince have also been amazing team members.  I’ve really valued everyone’s wise counsel, care, concern, encouragement and prayers.    I will definitely still be involved, but mainly as a regular participant rather than committee member. 

I think the strength of CWD has been in the information, encouragement and support that it provides to Christian writers, readers and those in related fields (e.g. editors, publishers and illustrators).  We’ve worked hard to develop an atmosphere where diverse views can be discussed within a supportive environment, and I know that will continue under the leadership of Jenny, Anusha and Paula.  I also really value the links we’ve developed with the other Christian writing groups.  We may have some different emphases, but we are all looking for ways of glorifying God through our writing.  I’ve been very blessed by the love and encouragement I’ve received.  May God continue to bless CWD and the other Christian writing groups abundantly as we seek to share His love in a hurting world.

Jeanette: Thanks Nola both for your contribution to CWD and for taking time to talk to us. Wishing you all the best in what God has for you and Tim and your fur babies.

Bio & Photo. 

Nola Passmore is a freelance writer who has had more than 140 short pieces published, including devotionals, true stories, magazine articles, academic papers, poetry and short fiction.  She loves sharing what God has done in her life and encouraging others to do the same.  She and her husband Tim have their own freelance writing and editing business called The Write Flourish.  You can find her writing tips blog at their website:  http://www.thewriteflourish.com.au