November 1943. WWII raged across Europe. In the small village of Tyneham, Dorset, the 225 residents were told they had 28 days to leave their homes. The army was commandeering the area for military use. The inhabitants left their homes believing they would be able to return once the war was over. But they never... Continue Reading →
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. In traumatic times, writers often turn to their craft as a way to deal with things. But the therapeutic nature of writing is complicated. Writing can help - but... Continue Reading →
(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 →
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 →
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 →
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. But if you're smart you make writing at work, work for you. Here are 8 helpful tips. 1) Have a plan As time is... Continue Reading →
Do you do New Year's resolutions? I suck at keeping to them so more power to you if you do. But whilst they might not be for me, I am a fan of setting goals for the year ahead. Last year I focused on my blog and saw my best year in all my stats.... Continue Reading →
Yuletide festivities are usually focused on presents, parties, and people. For bookworms, it can be a bit overwhelming. It's tempting just to slope off somewhere quiet with a good book. But here are a few ideas to share your literary ways with others over Christmas and New Year. 1. Do like the Icelanders do Iceland... Continue Reading →
I did a similar post last year - but as some of those suggestions last year are no longer available (sad face), I've rustled up another set of present ideas for you (or to suggest to your loved ones!) 1) Readly subscription Perhaps "Bookworm" should be renamed "Reading worm", because readers, read pretty much anything.... Continue Reading →
Last year I posted "3 Simple Tips to Get Visitors to Your Blog" after I'd had my most successful blogging year ever. This year, I stuck to the actions I talked about in that blog - - and I've had an even better year, including my best year for likes and comments! My main aim... Continue Reading →
