In Conversation with BlackWords - Sue McPherson

In Conversation with BlackWords

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Sue McPherson In Conversation with BlackWords
In the fourth of the series of interviews, Anita speaks to Sue McPherson.
Sue McPherson is a visual artist and author living on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Her novel Grace Beside Me was completed as part of a Kuril Dhagun Indigenous Writing Fellowship and was published in 2012 by Magabala Books.
Who’s your mob? Where did you grow up?

Wiradjuri and the Torres Strait Islands. I grew up on a property in southern NSW. Batlow Central School Class of '84 rocked!
What was your favourite book growing up?

Dare I say it but I didn’t like reading when I was growing up. I loved Footrot Flats and Jolliffe comics.
What books have had an impact on your life and why?

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor and Ruby Moonlight by Ali Cobby Eckermann have all impacted on my life as a writer. They all have a strong voice, strong story and they all pull on my heart. I wasn’t into poetry until I read Ruby Moonlight.
What’s the last book you read?

The last non-fiction book I read was Writing Screenplays That Sell by Michael Hauge. Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson was my last book of fiction.
Is there a book you just couldn’t finish?

I couldn’t finish or haven’t finished Life of Pi. The movie came out and I guess I just lost interest.
What book have you read more than once?

I read many books over, Adam’s Empire by Evan Green is one of them.
What book do you think every Australian should read?

Every Australian should read Adam's Empire, it’s a good Aussie story. It should be made into a film.
Of all art forms, why literature?

For the moment, literature is the best vehicle for me to tell a story. It’s far cheaper for me to type a story on paper than to create a story in hot glass. Mind you, hot glass is amazing.
How did you start writing?

Grace Beside Me by Sue McPherson

Everything I created had its own story. I love a good story. There was a writing workshop advertised in the local paper so off to the writers' workshop I went. The workshop was with Rose Allan in Coolum. It was called 'Writing from the Heart'. After the initial workshop weekend I met with Rose and three newbie writers every fortnight to share work and learn new skills. Three years later I had a story. It wasn’t great but it was all mine and eventually it became my first novel Grace Beside Me.
Did you do anything to help you learn to write or did it just come naturally?

I guess some aspects of writing come naturally but ultimately I learn mostly from my editors, readers, from other artists and art forms, especially film and music, books, books and more books.
What do you love about writing?

I love that I can be sitting in the mundane but in my head I can be in a plantation in the deep south, diving through wrecks in the Pacific, or riding a camel across the desert trying to escape the baddies. I love that.
What’s your aim as a writer?

My aim as a writer is pretty simple - just tell a bloody good story.
Who do you write for?

Caught Me a Wish by Sue McPherson

I write for myself but once the editors take over, changes are made to include the reader. If I write for the reader first, it doesn’t work and old girl Suzie isn’t happy.
What do you think makes a 'good writer' and who are some of your favourite authors?

A good writer makes me think, can transport me to other worlds, play with my emotions, inspire me and sometimes push me into making change.
Some of my favourite authors include Judy Nunn, Evan Green, Anita Heiss, Ali Cobby Eckermann, Linda Jaivin, Pat Grant, Dub Leffler, Mildred D. Taylor, Kyle Onstott, Christos Tsiolkas ... And so many others.
What’s your writing process?

Many people and things help my writing. The average Jo is my biggest inspiration. I listen to music from different genres. I also watch and read many movies ... Don’t let the subtitles scare you. Get up at 5.30-6 am, see everybody off to work and school. Have breaky, get changed, put on the washing and then start writing. If I can’t think of anything to say, go for a walk. There are always gifts in the air, you never know which ones will follow you home. Stop for lunch and continue on until 2.30pm. If I’m on a roll and start early, I can still be in my pj’s at lunchtime. Love those days.
Is it difficult to move between genres?

Sometimes writing between genres is frustrating, especially when you’re a newbie like me.
What’s the best tip you were ever given in relation to writing?

Best tip I was given is to read, read, read.
Do you have any advice you could offer on writing and publishing?

Read, read, read and believe you have something to say. Choosing how to best say it is the trick. Enter competitions because you never know. And most important, just write the bloody thing.
What are you working on right now?

I’m working on my first short film screenplay and playing around with my next novel.

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