I’m fortunate to know many writers, each at different stages of their craft, and I’ve yet to find one who really celebrates their talent. True, there is the social media ‘woot’ when a chapter is completed or a word count is reached, but ask them to take a bow and you can practically hear footsteps …
Many writers know the tyranny of the blank page – and not just at the start of a piece of writing. It’s a strange and magical trick to conjure up something seemingly from nothing, and then believe (that’s one of the most important parts) in its reality so much that you stick with it and …
Often, in the frenetic pursuit of publication and plaudits, it’s easy to forget why we became writers in the first place. Back in the day, when I picked up a pen and scribbled notes down in my teens, I wasn’t thinking about seeing my name in lights. I was spending time alone, trying to make …
Although, like many writers, creating and reading stories was a passion from a young age, I also had another favourite activity. If we were on holiday in Norfolk, I could happily spend an hour or three on the beach at Cromer, examining stones and looking for something special. Away from Norfolk, I made do with …
You’d think that being a writer is all about two things:1. Writing stuff.2. Getting that written stuff published or at least read.However, there’s much more to it than that and I’ll warn you in advance that I may get arty and soulful. To begin with, it’s a helluva thing to even consider calling yourself a …
Are they just jerking your chain? I used Grammarly to online proofreader this post, because sometimes I don’t know my hast from my elbow.We all know that the right words can make the message memorable, whereas the wrong words can make the message memorable too, but for all the wrong reasons. You could say that …
Stick with it, there’s a novel in there somewhere. So it’s time to get motivated (or shamed – either is fine with me) into starting work on the new novel. In some ways it feels a bit of a cheat when the previous two in the series haven’t been picked up yet. (Agents and publishers, form an …
Writers can be a little like children, who only stick with the kids that enjoy the same games. Only, in our case, we writers can suffer from genre-phobia. Silly really, because the writing process is the same (inspiration, torture and progress, in that order) and the elements of good writing are the same (captivating plot, …
A spelling bee perhaps? When David French and I wrote The Little Book of Cynics (this is the bit where “Collectors’ Item” ought to flash in neon), we were following in a long tradition of encapsulating ideas in as few words as possible. Nowadays we associate such brevity with advertising and corporate branding, but thought-provoking …
Everything’s set for an appointment with the muse. A good writer, it is said, is one who has turned art and business into dancing partners. Experience will teach you much, but experience can be as fickle as the muse herself. Whereas, if you have the right foundations and the right approach, the sky’s the limit! …
