There's no fool-proof formula to being a successful writer (no matter what anyone says) - and of course, "success" differs for everyone anyway. I often post advice and tips about writing on this blog, but these are never must-dos - they're suggestions to try out. That's what advice is meant to be. That being said,... 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 →
One of the things I like about exploring is finding out the history of a place - the stories it holds essentially. A case in point is Featherstone Prisoner Of War camp in Northumberland. When I looked into what happened there, I discovered a number of fascinating facts. Firstly, in 1944 it was one of... Continue Reading →
I've been on holiday and that means I've found a bunch of new inspiring places to blog about - so be prepared for a deluge over the next few weeks. Let's start by wheeling back in time to when the Romans ruled Britain. Vindolanda was a Roman fort and Vicus (self-governing village), located just south... Continue Reading →
Brean Down is a natural pier, protruding out between Weston-Super-Mare and Burnham-On-Sea in Somerset. At its very end lies what remains of Brean Down Fort, an eerie ruin. The Down appears to have had settlements on it from the early to middle bronze age. Some Roman artifacts have also been recovered there. Brean Down Fort... Continue Reading →
At their most basic, stories are made up of two things - description and dialogue. What, how, and when your characters speak can do a lot for your writing. Dialogue can say something about the character, drive the story, unlock a twist, be part of how all your characters interact - In other words, it's... Continue Reading →
When people think "writer" they tend to think "books". Even someone who's not necessarily thinking about being a writer might think "they've got a book in them". We spiel off authors of great books like Dickens, Austen, and Tolstoy as the best examples of what writing is meant to be. But this obsession overshadows all... Continue Reading →
I didn't post last week because, well, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that world matters have (once again) been hard to comprehend. And the post I was going to share didn't quite feel right. So I've dug this post out instead. Sadly, I've had cause to share this more than once over... Continue Reading →
I was browsing through some old photos and discovered a set from a visit to a fascinating convent we visited near Lisbon, Portugal, in 2019. This winding, cramped religious complex was established in 1560 by just eight monks. It's tucked away from the world even now and, curiously, has walls, doors, and windows lined with... Continue Reading →
If you're writing something with "serious" themes, you might be wary of putting anything even slightly comedic in your work. A badly-timed sarcastic comment could easily undermine what you're trying to get across - right? But in truth, all fiction no matter how dark can benefit from a smidge of laughter - or at least... Continue Reading →
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