I first encountered Jacek Yerka's work via a blog I frequent and as soon as I did, I knew I'd found something special. I've never studied art so I can't use fancy terms to explain what it means or why I like it, but I do find certain art works and artists inspiring. Needless to... Continue Reading →
A good writer has to be a big reader. But I think a good writer also needs to get comfortable with the sound of their own voice. Yes, you need to start reading out loud. But why? I hear you whisper. I hear you (just). Writers, on the whole, are quiet folk (alright Oscar Wilde... 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 →
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 →
Have you ever made a gift of your writing? Perhaps the idea's never crossed your mind. I mean, you love to write and you do it all the time - but give it as a present? But think about it. If you knitted or painted, or crafted jewellery, you'd probably give people the fruits of... Continue Reading →
If you're a regular reader you'll know I've visited a lot of places in the UK, and occasionally abroad, with links to famous writers. But I've also got some literary connections much closer to home that I thought I'd share with you. Reading is a local town for me, and although it might not be... 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 →
Any fan of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ will know that its eponymous heroine is based on a real person. Alice Liddell was the fourth child in the Liddell family. They were friends with Charles Dodgson AKA Lewis Carroll and it was on a boating trip that he whipped up the tale of Alice and the White... Continue Reading →
Write I mean! On trains and buses, boats and rooftops, beaches, balconies and the bottom of the sea, we writers will do it anywhere (get your minds out of the gutter please!) I'm sure you know what it's like to have the Muse (or just the need to flex those writing muscles) strike at an... Continue Reading →
For every writing problem you have, there is an answer. Not necessarily an easy answer that involves lamps and Genies but an answer nevertheless. Here are four common roadblocks that stop you from writing - and four ways to steamroll them flat. 1) I don't have time to write When I was younger, there was a... Continue Reading →
