Great speech from Michelle stella.org.au/2025/05/mich...

Excellent work - it's going to be GREAT and I will be very bummed that an hour will not be long enough.

And on Sunday I’m joining Colm Toibin & Michael Williams for more writer chat. Come!

Agreed - so horrifyingly relevant right now.

BUT before I scoot - if you're at Sydney Writers' Festival tomorrow don't miss the brilliant Malcolm Knox on his chilling, hilarious novel on totalitarianism & power 'friendships' (sound familiar?) The First Friend - 3pm. I'm in the interviewer chair; can't wait. www.swf.org.au/program/seas...

From Monday I’m taking a long break from the socials to return to writing, refill the well & for some general despair repair. I'll occasionally share news of my work via my near-defunct (free) Substack if you're inclined to subscribe. charlottewood.substack.com

Progressive people need to stop convincing themselves of this line. I understand it’s tempting, but the Australian absolutely has non-zero influence on political opinion. Every other media outlet is in total fear of it. The Greens and Labor are in fear of it.

Totally bizarre that this happens immediately after an election comprehensively showing that the outrage-churning Australian newspaper has zero influence on political / public opinion. Politicians, grow some integrity. Institutions - libraries and universities, grow some courage: refuse!

This is very useful reporting about the disgraceful decision to rescind Ren Wyld's black&write! fellowship - and it's confirming a pattern of serious consequences for Australian artists - especially First Nations and Arab artists - who speak out on Gaza. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

I know we've all seen these but I like to re-examine them and remind myself of my own responsibilities (like making smalltalk and eye contact with strangers, something I hate doing but I now see as essential!), over and over.

A longish post. I don’t think I’ve ever read a more truthful book – and nor, therefore, a more humane book than Things in Nature Merely Grow. Yiyun Li’s philosophical and psychic reckoning with the loss of both her sons is soaked in what Graham Greene once referred to as ‘the dignity of despair’. >

Sigrid Nunez, a writer I have admired and whose books I've loved for a long time, has included my novel in her New Yorker list of recommendations and now I want to read every one of them.

M Gessen always on point. Terrifying.

New paperback now out in the wild! Thank you @ravenbooks.bsky.social

This is brilliant and very distressing - thank you Irina for articulating so clearly the damage AI is doing to our intellects and inner lives. #resist

The relief. The sheer relief and yes, some unfamiliar national pride- we rejected outright bigotry, fear, greed, suspicion and hatred. So much work to do on climate, Gaza, housing, care for the vulnerable. But the overwhelming rejection of Trumpian wannabes make me teary with relief and pride. 🎉❤️🎉

Oh man could there be ANYTHING more exciting than Anne Enright on Helen Garner??? Cannot wait to read this.

If you feel inclined, you can vote for Stone Yard Devotional in this Better Reading Top 100 books competition - once votes are counted, seven lucky entrants each win a pack of all 100 books! Voting closes this Sunday, May 4.

This is what we are doing, what we are allowing. And it's getting worse.

On reading, my favourite topic.

Thanks Daniel for a terrific conversation!

So, @mscommunity.bsky.social seems to be forcing me to turn on 'connected experiences' in Outlook for Mac to let it work at all, suddenly. Does anyone else have this problem? I don't want your shitty 'connected experiences' aka privacy-invading AI crap!

So heartened in Australia to see these US protest pictures! We are with you. XXX

1. Stop assuming people announce all their activism on social media. 2. Stop demanding people announce all their activism on social media. 3. Stop deriding people for not announcing all their activism on social media. 4. Dunking on people on social media isn't activism and isn't praxis.

Our PBS is a national treasure. Our research shows the prices Australians would pay if the US had its way and dismantled our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Heart disease/cholesterol medicine: $25 v $968 Depression medicine: $32 v $2,244 Female contraception: $28 v $621

It really does explain a lot, @jonathanking.bsky.social. I would love to know if any of these AI-loving techbros have actually ever read a real novel. My bet is no. They'll think their AI shit is 'striking' because they've never read a great work of art, and have nothing to compare it to.

Twenty! Will never forget my first reading - it destroyed me.

new saddest six word story just dropped

Hearing painters talk about their work is so inspiring to me. My conversation with Sydney painter (and lover of the long, thoughtful pause!), Peter Godwin, from a few weeks ago is online now.

Pics from my editor this morn. The generous review was online weeks ago but I’m amazed & delighted at this treatment, space & beautiful (gulp 😳🐭) illustrations from @nytbookreview.bsky.social !! Thank you so much Lauren Christensen, NYTBR editors and incredible illustrator Wesley Allsbrook.

Wish I was in this class @appletwigli.bsky.social ❤️

This speech is incredible – the first real sign I’ve seen of hope and energy and power in the fight against the American fascists and Putin.

“I don’t pick up sand bags, mate”. #Cyclone #auspol

I spoke to the wonderful Mitzi Rapkin for FIRST DRAFT, an essential podcast for writers. There’s an excerpt and a link to the podcast here on @literaryhub.bsky.social ❤️

NPR book of the day, hurray!

My first mention in the New Yorker. 😊

If you want to help Ukrainian people defend themselves, a publisher in Kyiv recommended the Come Back Alive charity to me, and said they ‘and everyone I know’ regularly donate here to support the army & help strengthen Ukraine’s security and defence sector.

Thank you for submitting a bid, in the end we went with a contractor that did not have a single sock on the floor in the background of their Zoom

I spoke to Joe Donahue - a great interviewer!

"An information blackout might temporarily spare you such discomfort, but denial can be its own source of anxiety. A lack of knowledge about the environment around you increases uncertainty, which psychological studies have shown to be very stressful …

In spite of all the chaos, it's still Wolf Wednesday

I was delighted to have another rich and deep conversation about Stone Yard Devotional with Sophie Gee and her contemporary fiction students at Princeton University.

"It seems important to me right now that we value the quiet, the modest, the implicit, the subtlety of things when our world is so full of noise and brashness and extroversion." www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/... 💓 @charlottewood.bsky.social

I spoke to Publishers Weekly about what I value in the work of William Maxwell. The two books I refer to mainly are They Came Like Swallows and So Long, See You Tomorrow.

Oliver Burkeman’s The Imperfectionist newsletter is always calming, practical and useful. www.oliverburkeman.com/the-imperfec... Today’s advice: "as far as you can manage it, you should make sure your psychological centre of gravity is in your real and immediate world – >>>

A @nytimes.com Book of the Week. Thrilled!

Very glad the ASA has released this statement, which I support wholeheartedly.

I loved hearing from Peter Godwin about his work and how he brings it into being yesterday. Could have listened for hours more. Sydney, his show at SH Ervin will be a highlight of your art year (yes even though it’s only February) - don’t miss it. Finishes March 2!

Thanks Jude! Congrats on Destroying Angels …