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 artworks and artists inspiring. Needless to say,... Continue Reading →
We all struggle with writer's block from time to time. It's the worst feeling, wanting to writ but feeling like the creativity has been sucked out of you. There are no easy answers. Sometimes you have to wait it out. Sometimes you can force yourself through it. But one neat trick to try is this... Continue Reading →
(Pre-lockdown visit m'kay) This will probably come as a surprise to absolutely no-one, but my favourite part of any big, old house is the library. Frankly, a grand house without a library is just a waste of time. Stourhead in Wiltshire contains one of my favourite grand house libraries. It's a gorgeously light and airy... 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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
There are a lot of blogs out there vying for attention. So how do you quickly let people know why your blog is the one for them? With content that a lot of people overlook - your "About" page. Your posts are not enough "Wait a minute," I hear you say, "what about my posts?... Continue Reading →
Deadline. It's not a nice word, is it? I mean it has the word "dead" in it and if that's not an implication of finality, I don't know what is. So setting one for yourself may seem masochistic to say the least. But done properly it could be just what you need to write, or... 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. And whilst you of course need to work whilst being at work, you can also use some of the time to get some... Continue Reading →
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