Writing advice and inspiring places
You may not expect the oldest bookstore in the world to be found in Portugal. But in the Chiado Livraria Bertrand in Lisbon has a Guinness World Records certificate to prove it. The original shop opened in 1732 and has stayed open ever since, albeit moving around the city. The current shop opened in 1773,... Continue Reading →
Collaboration is a buzzword of the modern era. These days you don't have to be in the same room or even the same time zone to do it. Internet-based tools mean people can collaborate no matter where they are. But could it be the next big thing for the usually solitary pursuit of writing? Writing a... Continue Reading →
Whether you believe writers are born or made (and I think it's a little bit of both), there are certain traits I think all writers should cultivate. Some may come naturally, others may need a bit of work. But they'll help you be the best writer you can be. 1) Happy in your own company... Continue Reading →
I am framed through the hagioscope, but this is not your prison. They walled you in with freedom, and you sang your own death, and spread pity on all the words that followed. They all want saving but they’re not yours to save. One foot embedded in ancient stone, the other pointed as you rise.... 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. 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 →
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 →
However much we may want to write, there are times it just isn't happening. And this can make us feel like a failure as the popular view is that writers work feverishly into the wee hours. Even with the best story in the world, this rarely happens. But writing is much more than words on... Continue Reading →
Just off the coast of Marazion, Cornwall, is a tiny island, known as St Micheals Mount. When the tide is low, you can walk across the beach, down the causeway to the island itself, and explore the abbey turned home that sits at the top. A dark, blustery day just adds to the drama here.... Continue Reading →
Finding ideas for blog posts can be tricky. But there's a website I've used in the past that could give you some inspiration. It's called Answer the Public. Very simply you type in a keyword or phrase, and it shows you a bunch of questions asked online by, well, the public. It's a pretty good way... Continue Reading →
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