During this month’s zalon we discovered three things about our guest Claire Fuller; she has a big thing for cephalopods (true fact) and she’s prone to catastrophising, (glad it’s not just me). She’s also lifelong fan of dystopian fiction which all makes sense when you read her most recent and fifth novel, The Memory of Animals, set in alternate world, not unlike our own, where the very worst as happened and the main character is a former marine biologist. It was fun to meet up with Claire for a conversation about writing Speculative Fiction, to hear about her process and how the book came to be. For a masterclass in writing you can watch the zalon on demand here.

We discussed what makes a great dystopian novel in terms of craft and technique, as well as the technical demands of the genre upon the writer. Claire shared some suggestions for creating a brilliant ending and included ideas for how to keep going when you lose heart with your writing. As an added bonus she also gave us some brilliant tips for writing an authentic sex scene. With thanks to Claire for a fab session.

*The Memory of Animals* visits Avalon Beach, Sydney

Next month’s online discussion is on Monday 12th June at 7-8pm with guest poet, author and creative writer teacher Meryl Pugh. We’ll be exploring what a prose writer can learn from thinking like a poet, click here for details. I’ve taken classes with Meryl at The Poetry School in London and she’s a wonderful speaker and teacher, so if you could do with a shot of inspiration, come join us! This will be my last zalon before a summer break. I plan be back in the autumn with new zalons and in-person workshops. I’ll keep you posted!

Thanks for reading,

Kellie