The first thing I said on approaching this building was 'It looks like something from Game of Thrones.' It hasn't actually been used in any filming as far as I can tell - but walking through it makes you feel a bit like you're in a movie. It's also not actually a medieval castle, but... Continue Reading →
T.E. Lawrence is known to most as Lawrence of Arabia. That's thanks in no small part to the autobiographical stories he wrote and the incredibly successful film made of them starring Peter O'Toole. Lawrence was a writer but had many strings to his bow. And much about his life (including those same stories) is shrouded... Continue Reading →
Misery - Writing can be dangerous Stories about writers often seem to end up on the precarious side of things. Writing, it's implied, is dangerous. "Misery" (by the man who loves writing about writers, Stephen King) follows a famous writer who's sick of his own creation (shout out to Arthur Conan Doyle) and kills her... Continue Reading →
Kenneth Grahame is famous as the author of one of the most iconic children's stories of all time, "The Wind in the Willows". This classic book was written in 1908 but has enchanted children for decades (myself included). Grahame was born in 1859. His mother died when he was just five and, as his father... Continue Reading →
New Year's resolutions - love them or hate them, they come up every year. The idea of turning over a new leaf for a new year appeals to me as a writer, a fresh start using a very visible (if immaterial) line in the sand. Perhaps it's the idea of beginning at the beginning. So... Continue Reading →
This year, like the few before it, has been tough for many, and next year might continue this theme. As far as my writing goes, I've been up and down. For months after I finally finished the first draft, was struggling to really get into the editing flow. More recently I've taken the bull by... Continue Reading →
Your plot is in place, your research is solid and your characters are ready to go. It's time to write the first draft. Writing is what you love so this part should be easy, right? Well not always. Read on for some advice on tackling your first draft. Accept your first draft will be rubbish... Continue Reading →
Are you a plotter or a 'pantser'? There's no right or wrong way to write a book, but it's probably more usual to plot out your book before you start writing. But there are writers who simply sit and go - flying by the seat of their pants hence 'pantsers'. Douglas Adams for example was... Continue Reading →
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 →
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