For years I did not share my writing with anyone. At all. I am not sure anyone knew I was a writer. I am naturally quite private and I wanted to get better without having any outside pressure. (There’s nothing worse than having people ask what you are working on when you are still working on the same thing you were doing the last time … Continue reading How do you share your work?
I want to tell you today what a struggle writing is. I don’t mean ideas. I don’t even mean the difficulty of sitting down and writing word after word until something appears. I don’t mean my least favourite part of the act of writing something for publication (- probably research). I mean time. Even those who write every day struggle to do that. Writers ring-fence … Continue reading Keep Fighting
Originally posted on Sarah Mitchell-Jackson:
I’m going to say this once, very quietly, “I am a writer.” I have been for years. I’ve declared it on Twitter and in the very act of creating this website. This represents growth for me. In the past, just saying those four little words was the thing of dreams. Yet, at the same time, it was a statement that… Continue reading I am writer, hear me roar.
There are four blogs which I make sure never to miss. It doesn’t matter how crazy my life gets, I make a mental note to read these four even if there are months in between readings. When thinking about this post, I realised that, while each is ostensibly about pursuing writing endeavours, the blogs have more than writing in common. They are honest. The writers … Continue reading Blogs I never miss
I have often heard the advice that writers should write every day. Believe me, I would like to, but life (aka small children, running a house, moving house, etc.) gets in the way. I have a question, though: does it matter what you write? I’m not going to be ridiculous and suggest writing a shopping list is enough. But, those of you who blog and … Continue reading Is all writing equal?
Chick Lit: Friend or Foe? I have been reflecting recently upon genre. The publishing industry says separating novels out into different sub-sections helps to sell books. Selling books is good; I know that. However, I can’t help but feel a little uncomfortable with the way novels by women are sub-categorised. The term Chick Lit has always bothered me. Perhaps this is because the word ‘Chick’ … Continue reading Chick Lit: Friend or Foe?
My top writing tip for this week is to save everything. I am not actually referring to making sure you save your progress every few minutes during a writing storm (although you should definitely do this). I mean that you should hold on to all your little pieces of inspiration, no matter how insignificant they might seem. When I delete parts of novels I am … Continue reading Top Writing Tip: Save
I have always told myself stories. It helps me fall asleep at night and segues seamlessly into dreams. These stories are the basis for my writing. To get to know characters better, I write their background. These background stories might never make it into my manuscript – I never intend them to, either. They are my preparation for creating full characters that make emotional sense. … Continue reading Preparing to Write: Background Stories
Everyone is different. What I think works in fiction might have some overlap with what you think works in fiction but, equally, we will have areas where we disagree. Imagine a beautiful Venn diagram. (Imagine it because I don’t know how to create one here.) I am here to suggest, like Jack Palance in City Slickers, that you find what works for you in the … Continue reading Writing Fiction: What Works For You?
By popular* demand, this post is designed to help you write every author’s nightmare – the synopsis. It’s a necessary evil: agents, mentors, and publishers ask for a synopsis of your novel (usually along with a few chapters and a kick-ass cover letter) when you submit your novel for their consideration. It’s one of those terrible tasks which is both highly stressful and also intensely … Continue reading How to write a (fiction) synopsis
