I have always kept journals and have a suitcase full of them under my bed. I did a stint writing for the Madonna Fan Club in the 90s (The Australasian Connection). More recently, I have written articles for women’s websites including Mamamia, and literary magazines such as Feels Blind Literary. 

I also love writing comedy, and (pinch me), I have articles published on some of my favourite sites, including Little Old Lady Comedy, Defenestration Literary Humour Magazine, and Witcraft. I definitely want to do more of this because I find comedy writing something of a fun, but wicked, challenge.

It was around the time of the failure of my third IVF round as a budding solo mum by choice. I was dragging myself about, picking up the pieces of what I thought was a ‘sure thing’—that IVF would magically make me a pregnant woman, due in 9.2 months, (and P.S., I’d better start buying baby onesies in size 0000, because I was going to need them very soon!!!) I was jolted by the second failure, and realised there was nothing sure about IVF. In fact, it’s about as uncertain as you can get, and every round, for me, was so, so different. 

In amongst it all, a few funny things happened too, and I started to think, ‘Hey, this would make a great story.’ I began making notes, and soon started to flex my writing muscles. It felt great to pour everything onto the page, and I realised at the time this may inspire and help others too.

Spending time with my daughter is my number one favourite thing. At the moment, it’s all about the imagination, so I’m usually being chased around the house by either an Octonaut, a dinosaur, or ‘all the scariest creatures in the universe’. We also spend a great deal of time reading together. 

When I get the chance, I love to read. Mostly memoir, but also great tales of fiction. I’m a dance teacher, so I love my work, where I get to inspire, be creative, and play great music.

Absolutely! I’ve finished the first draft of my women’s fiction novel, which I’m super excited to share with the world. It’s set in a ballroom dancing studio and has a bit of romance, mystery, comedy, and a lot of heart. 

I also have a children’s series that I’ve been working on for a while, telling of the adventures of a seven-year-old girl, Dee Dee, who is double-donor conceived. She’s full of life, (based on someone I know who lives in my house), getting up to all kinds of exciting adventures. I love that family diversity is coming into children’s books more these days (thanks, Anh Do and many others!) and would love to contribute to this space, given that we, as a family are living it. 

Finally, I would like to do an addendum piece that follows my memoir. A nonfiction work, detailing life as a Solo Mum family, discussing donor conception. So, it looks like I’ve got plenty to keep me busy for a while, and I can’t wait to share these works with everyone in the not too distant future.

My dad has been my greatest teacher. From a very young age, he taught me to ‘write as you would speak’, and that gives clarity to what I’m trying to say on the page. Then I add the beauty, scenes, and senses where needed if they are not already there. 

I’ve done many writing courses over the years, beginning with the marvellous Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way—a great way to spawn creativity. I’ve also learned from Patti Miller, Ashley Kalagian Blunt, Bernadette Foley, and from all the beta readers and feedback I’ve received over the years. This includes the very poignant comments from the Hawkeye Prize 2024 judges which completely changed the way I chose to end my memoir, Solo Mum By Choice. 

Podcasts have been super helpful too. I listen to writing podcasts on my way to work, and they are useful and full of great info. I continue to learn, and grow, and I know my writing will continue to develop with focus and practice.

Call me an ‘inspiree’. I gather inspiration from everywhere. Probably, because I am creative at heart, so inspiration permeates my ingenuity and floods me with energy and ideas. My parents inspire me. They work hard, have a great sense of humour (the best!), and have taught me the values of determination, and persistence. My daughter inspires me every day with her vivid imagination, and love in abundance. Famous people inspire me, particularly singers: 90s Madonna, Lady Gaga, and most of all, my hero Bonnie Tyler (who somehow crops up in all of my books). Women inspire me. My mum, Trish Otes, is one of the strongest, most supportive women I know. I’m also inspired by great writing. My dad, Andy Otes is one of the best. 

Read a lot. Write a lot. Write every day, if you can. It will make you surer of yourself, and you will improve. Aside from other writing projects, I’m currently scribbling out a short, one-hundred-word, vignette/story every night before I go to bed. This has been great for my creativity, and a good future idea-bank as well. 

Do courses; listen to podcasts; get involved with the writing community, because there is a huge, and supportive network out there. Seek feedback; writing groups; beta readers. Stay humble and open.

Face rejection head-on, because there is plenty of it in the writing world. Try not to take it personally. So often it’s just that your work may not fit the publication. 

I’m on Instagram: @lorenaotes; Bluesky under the name Lorena Otes.

I can also be contacted through my website: www.lorenaotes.com.au.