S2E1: Author Helen Garner on her writing life

Season 2: The Home SeasonWelcome to the second season of Creative Momentum with Meg. This season is features interviews with Australian writers and artists where I talk to them about their processes, routines, inspiration and more. I will be talking with established authors, artists, debut writers and people who create for themselves to explore how and why people do their creative work.Episode 1: Helen Garner, AuthorI’m kicking off this season with an interview with Helen Garner. Helen Garner is one of Australia’s most celebrated writers, known for her court reporting books like This House of Grief and The Spare Room, and her groundbreaking debut novel Monkey Grip. In this frank conversation, Helen talks about her writing process, sitting in courtrooms paying witness to people’s worst days to the terror of facing page one of every new book. She shares why she has stopped attending court trials after years of the work she loved, what’s missing in writing education today, what judges taught her about fear and writing, and her definition of a short story that’s simple and profound.Whether you’re a writer struggling with fear, wondering about routine and discipline, or simply curious about one of Australia’s finest literary minds, this conversation offers rare insights into the craft and courage required to write.Find more in the show notesA special thanks to Yvonne Morton for the music accompanying this episode. You can find Yvonne on Bandcamp and Instagram. Get full access to Musings with Meg at megdunley.substack.com/subscribe