Mala Naidoo's Blog

Have you ever wondered why some of your most brilliant ideas come not when you’re trying hard, but when you’re simply daydreaming, or letting your mind wander? That spark—that unfiltered, unashamed burst of originality—comes from a source we often forget: the inner child. In a world that prizes productivity and perfection, the inner child can … Continue reading "The Inner Child – The Artist"

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Unlike fiction, poetry lays bare the soul. When emotions are triggered, truth emerges to release the floodgates of our fundamental humanity. Grief and celebration are opposites, yet poetry has the power to eulogise the celebration of a life, physically departed, yet vibrant in memories eliciting a smile, an inner giggle and the radiance of love … Continue reading "Poetry: The Seat of Angst and Joy"

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  As emotional beings, the creative has a deep well of available resources to draw from in storytelling, writing poetry, and creating artwork. The continual dipping and diving into emotional resources while working on a project drains energy for the capacity to be fully immersed while competing with life’s cacophony. The stretching of energy resources … Continue reading "Nurturing The Inner Creative"

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  Plantation Shadows unravels the truth through competing perspectives or on point revelations to convince the reader on a particular point of view.   The crafting of characters influences how the reader receives fictional truths. The proven trustworthy character holds the stronger sway in truth. Often, the social standing of a character influences following the … Continue reading "Perspectives on Truth and Conflict"

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Historical fiction either reveres, subverts, or shames the past through citing actual places, creating imagined characters and perhaps recreating a historical figure.     Historical fiction is the unequal blending of the real and the imaginary   Time is fluid in historical fiction, moving between the past and present depending on how the plot unfolds. … Continue reading "Research and Fiction"

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  Whether we accept it, remain neutral, or deny it, it’s already present. When it comes to creativity, how do you balance AI and the human touch? Ernest Hemingway said, There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at the typewriter and bleed. If this is so, why is AI necessary when the … Continue reading "AI or the Human Touch"

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When you begin writing a story that has whispered for a period, and then hauls you in—you have no idea how far you will go, or how many stories you will create in your lifetime. The process must be trusted and aided by dedicating time and space to allow the story to emerge.  Anything and … Continue reading "Trust the Process"

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  After a frenzied holiday season with the comings and goings, and the excessiveness of all things gustatory, it takes a few days, or longer, if there’s a dalliance that thwarts getting back in flow. Restoring equanimity, invites the sweet melody of the creative muse again. This requires diligent commitment.     Slow it down … Continue reading "Creative Equanimity"

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It’s time to get off the wheel. Imagine days lying in or relaxing on the beach, or in your own backyard. Laid back days are built for leisurely or serious reading. Soul searching or fun, reading is a fascinating activity that delivers anywhere -anytime- every time. I asked readers to recommend some of their recent … Continue reading "Holiday Reading"

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The days of writing rigidly to a particular genre, crime fiction, detective fiction, sci-fi, horror, historical fiction, thriller fiction, and romance have slipped, crept, and rolled across the genre borders.   Romance has the potential to capture the coldest of hearts.       The basic elements of genre remain. Mystery and suspense with a … Continue reading "Romance Across Genres"

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