Civil litigation lawyer turned writer/actor/vocalist, Tina Isaacs is an award-winning writer of Literary and Speculative Fiction, as well as an active participant in the Malaysian performing arts scene.
This arts education activist is founder of the online Malaysian Writers Community (est. 2014) and Society (est. 2016), which helps over 7,000 writers, poets, editors, bloggers and literary translators from Malaysia by providing advocacy and support in their craft development and publishing activities.
With qualifications in law and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (Fiction), Tina is about to commence her doctorate in the interdisciplinary study of Law & Literature.
Find out more at www.tina-isaacs.com
Judge’s Tips:
- A good essay/story/photo composition is more about the emotions you are able to bring out from the reader/viewer than mere craft techniques. Remember what the brilliant poet Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you say. People will forget what you do. But people will never forget how you make them feel.” In any piece of creative work, how you bring out the reader/viewers feelings (memories of pain, anger, frustration, indignance, laughter, joy, love) is paramount to creating excellence.
- Write or create your essay/story/photo composition in stages. The first draft (or initial shot) is for the purpose of getting the “story” or message out of your head as a writer/creator, ie getting the rough idea into material form. The second draft l/shot is a tweak of the first; small adjustments made upon considering all aspects of its initial creation. The third draft onwards is a careful evaluation of what worked and what needs to be repaired. Never stop at your first try. Keep refining and editing. Remember: a successful writer/artist is an amateur who never gave up!
- Communication is key to any writing/piece of creative work. Think about how readers/viewers are absorbing the message you intend to convey in your essay/story/photo. Read it aloud and objectively to see if your communication is effective. You need to spot points which people are likely to misunderstand, and repair these in the editing process.