Two Sides of the Story: Creative Journos

By now we’ve all heard the end-of-days lament for old-school print media, but where does that leave journalists? Mary Delahunty and Jane Sullivan explore the relationships between their past and present writing lives – moving from the pace, variety and concision of journalism to the open-ended, contemplative narratives of creative non-fiction.

The pair discuss the difficulty of slowing down and writing to a different kind of deadline. The research and rationality of journalism can be at odds with storytelling, they admit. While creative writers often adhere to the “show don’t tell” rule, journalism primarily demands the telling.

Delahunty talks about a writing course she completed in Tasmania’s Tarkine forest, which involved meditation, and both enthuse about the importance of writer’s retreats (such as Varuna and Glenfern), providing an important chance to escape the “madding crowd” and to experience the “elasticity of time and space”.

Presented in partnership with the Victorian Writers' Centre.