Hello there! So you've finished the first part of my blog series about writing a book. Great. Let's start on part 2 then. But as I mentioned in part one, research keeps going throughout the whole writing process - including character development. After all, you might not have a clear idea of all the research... Continue Reading →
Want to write a book and don't know where to start? Well, you're in the wrong place! No, but seriously, in this six-part series, I'm going to share some advice I've gleaned over my years as a writer. But, I'm not a writing expert and this is NOT a definitive 'How to write' guide -... Continue Reading →
It's probably the most common saying about writing there is; "good writing is re-writing". Actually writing the story is a large part of the battle, but it's your editing skills that will make the difference between a decent piece of work and an unreadable hotch-potch of words. As part of my day job, I write... Continue Reading →
If you mention Chawton to any Jane Austen fan, they will immediately think of her home, an unassuming cottage in the village. At some point, I'll do a blog post about that - but for this post we're going to visit Chawton House, the home of Jane's brother Edward. Sited just down the road from... Continue Reading →
One more addition to my "3 Things" series (there's a whole bunch, go check them out). Now we're onto realism. 1) How to make things feel authentic Realism needs to feel authentic - but this can apply to other genres too. Unless you want to go out into a surrealistic narrative, having a thread of... Continue Reading →
If you're of a certain age (hello) or any kind of film fan, then you'll doubtless recognise the photos in this post. Known as Sycamore Gap - or Robin Hood Gap which probably gives the game away - this part of Hadrians Wall is famous for featuring in the epic 90s classic "Robin Hood: Prince... Continue Reading →
If you're a fan of anything in the fantasy genre, you're probably aware of "The Witcher". The series started as books, then became video games, and now it's a popular TV series on Netflix. I became familiar with "The Witcher" via the games first, then the TV series, and now I'm trying out the books... Continue Reading →
Writing spot ExpectationReality"I'll have a room just for me, full of books, with a desk and a view, maybe an armchair...""I have a laptop, a smidge of clear space on the sofa, and ten minutes - let's do this." Research ExpectationReality"I'll put together a comprehensive list of things to research and wiz through it, no... Continue Reading →
Beatrix Potter is one of the most successful children's writers of all time. She was also into conservation, science, and illustration. There's plenty already written about Potter's life, so I won't try and shove it all in this blog post. Instead, I'll concentrate on Hill Top, the house where Potter lived and worked from 1905... Continue Reading →
Hidden away in the Cairngorms, lies the Burn O'Vat, an ancient place once used by the notorious outlaw known as "Gilderoy". Found in the Muir of Dinnet National Natural Reserve, this wonder of geology is only a short walk from the closest car park but does require a bit of a scramble to actually get... Continue Reading →
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