The Fairbridge Music Festival on this weekend is about two hours (of a conservative drive) outside of Perth. This Festival is held every year and features local and international musicians mainly from the off-centre acoustic traditions: Folk, World Music, Bluegrass, all the permutations between, and Singer/Songwriters. The appeal crosses the age range, and the environment is family-friendly. Along with all the performances held in the many venues on site, it includes art and craft stalls, a good range of musical and artistic activities for kids, workshops, and a one ticket entrance covers all activities for the day, or the long weekend if you buy the weekend pass. Camping is available on site.
I had a day pass this year and this forces attention to detail in choosing to attend this, that, or the other simultaneously scheduled event. It was good luck more than good judgement that directed me to attend an excellent song writing workshop with the lovely singer/songwriter Kristina Olsen yesterday, although The Retreat took its name a little too literally, and required some finding, especially for a couple of map-reading challenged individuals. We sneaked in late, but the ever gracious Ms Olsen welcomed us all, as people squeezed closer together on the floor, stood around the walls, sat on the chairs along the edge of the room, and peered in through the windows.
As a taster, here are some of the things covered in the discussion yesterday:
Get together with a small group of writers on a regular basis - weekly - optimal group size is about five people, and set yourself the task of having a new piece of writing to workshop within the group each week.
Don't wait for the muse to visit - if you are working at the writing, she will come at some stage, and you will be ready, tools sharpened.
Embody your writing in the senses. Did you know that the predominant sense for love is the sense of smell? Physicality is the doorway to memorable writing.
Length doesn't matter. Artistic integrity does.
Separate your creative brain from your editing brain - both are necessary to the process but work at different times. If you edit as you are trying to create, you will effectively turn off your creative flow.
Be prepared to write bad stuff. The good stuff will often be embedded in this and can be found and worked on later.
I'm paraphrasing of course, so to get the words straight from the source, take a look at the section of Kristina Olsen's website (bottom of the page). And if you are a muso and aspiring songwriter you will gain even more!
Thanks Fairbridge for inviting Kristina and all the other great musicians to a festival that goes from strength to strength.
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I especially like, 'Be prepared to write bad stuff. The good stuff will often be embedded in this and can be found and worked on later.' I can only see bad stuff in a chapter I'm working on at the moment. I'm about to get out the magnifiying glass and peer a little closer before I click 'Trash' and start again. I needed reminding that it's okay to write 'bad stuff', too.
ReplyDeleteMe too! Her advice was to write lots and lots. It's something I need to be reminded of every now and then as well.
ReplyDeleteYou just have to recognise the bad stuff and be prepared to cut it. The problem comes if you can't do either of those, I think.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's where she said the group comes in. Same for us, I guess, and ultimately a good editor/publisher. But it's possible to live with the bad even if it makes it out there. My first draft is not something that I would normally put out there, but it is kind of saying to whoever reads it that it has to be bad before it gets better - and that's fine.
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