I've just finished the first draft of The Cauldron Trilogy (part one) - and it sucks. But that's okay because ALL first drafts suck. Every single one. And that's absolutely fine. Writing is re-writing. Take a look at the first/annotated drafts of some famous writers and you'll see first hand how much they changed and,... Continue Reading →
Thoughts are curious creatures. They're generated by our own minds and yet we don't always have power over them. I don't think writers have more thoughts than anyone else, but perhaps some of us have ones that are more potent and persistent. And these thoughts may explain why writers often suffer from insomnia. I've had... Continue Reading →
The standard answer to this question is "a bit of both". But I actually think it's more complicated than that. Many people ask if writing can be taught - there are enough classes and courses and degrees out there to say the fair answer to that is yes. But others question the quality of work... Continue Reading →
I love a bit of art. I think art and writing sit well together. In fact, I think all writers can benefit from a little bit of art in their lives. How you ask? Read on... 1) Inspiration Ok so this is an obvious one, but it's still worth mentioning. Experiencing any kind of artwork... Continue Reading →
Whether it's the hashtag du jour or not, all authors need to think about diversity when writing. There's a whole range of people out there and, as you might have heard, representation matters. Here are some tips to think about. 1) All Books Can Be Diverse Black people existed before slavery, gay people were around... Continue Reading →
Whether you're on your first book or your fifteenth, writing doesn't get easier (unless you can afford to get a team of ghost-writers to do it fo you). Sometimes you need a bit of oomph to get to the end and if that's you, then read on for some words of (kinda) wisdom. 1) Your... Continue Reading →
Some people out there say they've never doubted themselves. These people are lying. Self doubt affects us all, but for some even more than others. As writers, often working alone, immersed in a world we've created without outside input, it can sometimes be a constant battle. And the worst of it is, we're battling with... Continue Reading →
I wasn't going to write about the events that have once again shown how racism is deeply embedded in the heart of our society. Not because I don't care, but because I didn't see a benefit to me and my tiny writing blog adding to the vast amounts already out there. But silence doesn't serve... Continue Reading →
Some writers just write, others have more creative strings to their bow. I'm always interested in how other art forms can inform your writing. I've looked at using music for soundtrack, and using photographs and images (albeit not ones you've taken). This post is going to be looking at art - more specifically the drawing/painting/sketching ... Continue Reading →
I fidget a lot. It's triggered by a combination of an overactive imagination and anxiety. Anything is fair game to be fiddled with - pens, necklaces, buttons, watch straps, as well as just generally shifting about, no matter if I'm sitting or standing. But can fidgeting help you write? Science would say...maybe. Some research has... Continue Reading →
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