Nick Earls

Nick Earls
Nicholas Francis Ward "Nick" Earls is an award-winning novelist from Brisbane, Australia. He writes humorous popular fiction about everyday life, and is often compared to Nick Hornby. The majority of Earls' novels are set in his home town of Brisbane, a fact which led to his high local profile, and his fronting of a major Brisbane tourism campaign...
NationalityAustralian
ProfessionNovelist
Date of Birth8 October 1963
CountryAustralia
writing stories rewards
The writing can be its own reward, as you discover more things that you can do. It counts a lot, though, when a story connects with a reader and they take the time to tell me about it.
real writing magazines
I actually find it pretty tedious when magazines ask me to write articles based on my real life, because I've already lived it and there's nothing new to discover. So, I'm unlikely to write a memoir.
writing anxiety needs
Don't be too concerned about the wingnut ears. Anxiety produces the wrong pheromones. Roll with the punches. Make time for life around your deep abiding need to write. Say Yes more, but not always. Say No enough that you have a life.
writing people stories
I'm a plotter. A thinker, a note-maker, a mapper and a flow-charter. I'm up for using any device that will teach me more about the people I'm writing about and their story.
girl writing later-in-life
Don't write poems to make girls like you, because it will not make them like you but it will give them something to quote back at you later in life.
fits saying understand
You can have your own language. You can have your own dialect; you can have your own way of saying things, but if you don't actually understand the way the language fits together, it's chaos.
almost good money name paid realised seemed true whose
When I was about eight, I realised the person whose name was on the book got money for it, and it seemed almost too good to be true that you could get paid for making things up.
central create feels few might quite unlikely virtues
When I create a character, particularly my central character, I want someone who is interesting and feels real and who might have quite a few virtues but is unlikely to be perfect, who hasn't necessarily made all the right choices.
adult great life lived maternal
My maternal grandmother was the longest-lived of my grandparents. She migrated to Australia in her 80s and lived into her 90s. It was great that she got to be part of my adult life.
publishing
I wrote my first novel-length story when I was 14 but had no idea what to do with it. Brisbane was a long way from the publishing industry then. Nowhere's a long way from the publishing industry now.
brings country festival festivals good great locally puts spot writers
I think one of the things the writers' festival does that is very good is that it brings writers from around the world and around the country and locally and puts them all in the one spot together, and that's what a lot of the world's great writers' festivals do.
characters compelled feeling freedom hold ideas recognise small sounds stories value
I like to jot down ideas on the back of envelopes and to recognise the potential value in small things. I also like the freedom to think without feeling compelled to write too early. Stories are often better if we can hold back and get to know the characters and the sounds of language.
aunt family full great grew hospital naval royal served ship side strong war women
I grew up in a family full of strong women. A great aunt on my mother's side had been a matron on a hospital ship in World War II, and one on my father's side had served in the Women's Royal Naval Service.
books life loved stories
I got into writing because books and stories were always a big part of my life. I loved listening to them and then reading them, and I loved making them up.