(Visited before current events obviously)Henry VIII is an enduring source of fascination for many. His story has enough murder, betrayal, plotting, war, and plague for several Shakespeare plays. In fact, Tudor times, in general, were extremely turbulent - perfect fodder for writers! If you're writing anything set in this particular period of history it might... Continue Reading →
If you’re going to visit a library, why not start with the top of the pile? The British Library in London runs daily behind-the-scenes tours lasting 60 minutes and costing just £10 (£8 if you're a member) - bargain! The architectural style of the British Library isn't to everyone’s tastes but that might be down... Continue Reading →
Writing competitions can be a fun way to hone your writing skills and, if you're lucky, get your work published. Plus they may also come with a financial reward - cha-ching! And whilst there's no magic winning formula I can share, here are a few practical bits of advice about entering. 1) Plan well You... Continue Reading →
Ok, that title's an exaggeration, it's only taking over the floor of my spare bedroom. But my collection has grown considerably since I first put this post up in 2013. Back then it looked like this: And fitted on my dining table. Today it looks like this: And I had to lay it on the... Continue Reading →
If you're a blogging beginner, creating a well-written post on an interesting topic is just part of the key to success. There are also some basic things you need to get right that are easy to overlook. But get them nailed down and they'll help get more eyes on your posts and give them a... Continue Reading →
There are a lot of blogs out there vying for attention. So how do you quickly let people know why your blog is the one for them? With content that a lot of people overlook - your "About" page. Your posts are not enough "Wait a minute," I hear you say, "what about my posts?... Continue Reading →
In 'The Hours' by Michael Cunningham, one storyline follows Virginia Woolf as she spends, well, 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. But writing your first... Continue Reading →
Deadline. It's not a nice word, is it? I mean it has the word "dead" in it and if that's not an implication of finality, I don't know what is. So setting one for yourself may seem masochistic to say the least. But done properly it could be just what you need to write, or... Continue Reading →
Writing around a day job can be tricky. Unless you're a real morning person or a true night owl, your potentially productive daylight hours are taken up with working rather than writing. And whilst you of course need to work whilst being at work, you can also use some of the time to get some... Continue Reading →
Jane Austen is one of my favourite writers, and one of the most popular female authors who ever lived. Her classic works like "Pride and Prejudice" and "Sense and Sensibility" were successes in her lifetime and have been adapted and re-worked ever since. My admiration of her doesn't just stem from her witty social romances... Continue Reading →
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