You can't turn on the TV or flip through a magazine without being told how unhealthy we're all becoming. And whilst no-one has the perfect lifestyle, writing isn't the healthiest occupation there is. Yes, you're exercising your mind and being creative, but are you taking care of yourself in other ways? Whether you write full-time... Continue Reading →
Aldous Huxley’s Grave, Compton, UK
Aldous Huxley's died on the same day as C.S. Lewis, which is unfortunate timing, to say the least. But in an almost unbelievable twist of fate, both of these famous writers had their passing overshadowed by the assassination of President John F Kennedy, which occurred the very same day. Aldous Huxley now lies in an... Continue Reading →
Divide and Conquer – the Simple way to Write a Book
In 'The Hours' by Michael Cunningham, one of the three storylines follows Virginia Woolf as she spends hours and hours pondering over the first line of her book, "Mrs. Dalloway". It's a familiar way to show the writing process in popular culture and, knowing Woolf, it's probably a good depiction of the way she worked.... Continue Reading →
Museum of the History of Science, Oxford
Places are something that I've always found inspiring. The Museum of the History of Science is an inspiring place. Less so because of the setting (which is still grand as a lot of buildings are in Oxford), and more because of the objects it holds. The museum is open Tues-Sun, from 12pm-5pm. It's also free... Continue Reading →
Can Writing Make you Feel Better?
Everyone has good days and bad days. Some people's bad days are worse than others. And sometimes those bad "days" last weeks, months or even years. If you're feeling low, it can be a struggle to do anything, least of all something creative. But sometimes writing can help make the dark a bit more bearable.... Continue Reading →
Scotney Old Castle – A (Fake) Romantic Ruin
Oh look another ruined building! If you're a regular reader, you'll know these pop up a lot, but this one has a twist - it was ruined on purpose. Scotney Old Castle sits in lovely landscaped grounds, below Scotney New Castle, a Victorian house built to replace it between 1835 and 1843. If you didn't... Continue Reading →
Looking Back, Looking Forward – New Year Thoughts
Is it a cliche to do a New Years post every year? Ah, who cares, it's my blog and I'll post if I want to. A new home and new job I won't go into state-of-the-world stuff - you don't need me to remind you about all that. But personally, I've had a bit of... Continue Reading →
3 Simple Tips to get more Visitors to your Blog
A successful blog needs visitors, and a lot of advice will tell you that fresh, frequent posting is the only way to get them. But this year I had the most visits and visitors to my blog since I started in 2013 - and published half the number of posts I did back then. How?... Continue Reading →
Can Writing by Hand Boost your Creativity?
These days most of us write using a digital device, be it a PC, laptop, or even phone. Before that, we had word processors, typewriters, and the printing press. Each of these inventions has given us the ability to get more words, to more people, in the quickest possible way. But some argue that writing... Continue Reading →
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