Becoming an artist takes practice. Persistence, even when rejected.

To be a successful author, you need to be business-like about your rights, and gain ‘authorpreneurship’ skills. Knowing the business of creativity helps fund more quirky and imaginative work.

I keep creating to live more intensively, to continue learning and to see things from different perspectives. I also create in the hope that my stories, whether fact or fiction, will enable others to do the same. I also like the opportunity to meet interesting minds while interviewing for my research.

The income I receive from the Copyright Agency from earlier works is vital, and so is the acknowledgement of the intellectual property which is part of contributing to our culture, in funny – but realistic – stories.

About Hazel edwards oam

Best known for There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake, Hazel Edwards writes across media, for adults & children.

‘Not Just a Piece of Cake: Being an Author’ Hazel’s unconventional memoir based on anecdultery explores the realities of being a long term author with a family. She calls it her ‘map of serendipity.’

Coping successfully with being different or stories from unusual viewpoints are common amongst Hazel’s 202 published books.

Hazel has collaborated on adventurous adult non- fiction and Young Adult fiction.

Apart from going on an Antarctic expedition in 2001, she has co-written adventure memoirs including ‘Trail Magic; Going Walkabout for 2184 Miles on the Appalachian Trail’ and ‘Cycling Solo; Ireland to Istanbul’ with her son Trevelyan Quest Edwards, originator of the hippo concept.

Find out more about Hazel on her website.