Writing Secrets: Write with more flow – use a character
New writers often write too formally – as we were taught to write at school. Remember those ghastly business letters? They certainly couldn’t be accused of demonstrating any kind of […]
Monday Motivation: Lessons in love – and knockabout comedy
I grew up on a diet of Laurel and Hardy films that were even then, although I didn’t know it, repeats from an earlier golden age for the comedy duo. […]
Writing Secrets: Excuse me, your theme is showing
Every now and again, we’re called upon to assess a manuscript in which the theme is pasted across it like a banner. I’ve set out to make people realise how […]
You’re invited: Follow your writing dreams down Venice’s Grand Canal
When Peter Benchley first visited Venice, he wrote to his editor at the New Yorker: “Streets full of water. Please advise”. Venice has both fascinated and repelled writers for centuries, and [...]
Monday Motivation: When the opportunities for conflict are endless…
Our local is just a short walk away from our boat in Priory Marina in Bedford. Local cinema, that is. (Our local pub is even closer.) Yesterday evening we took […]
Writing Secrets: Why boredom is good for you
I day-dreamed my way through my entire school career, and was consistently punished for it. I found the drone of the maths teacher’s voice created exactly the white noise necessary […]
January Newsletter: A compendium of writing advice
A happy new writing year from all of us Start the year as you mean to continue – writing. We’ll be here for you through the weeks and months, when […]
Monday Motivation: Is early January too soon to panic?
This is the first piece I’ve written in this brand-new, fresh-out-of-the-box 2019. I’m in trouble. But it’s not the first time I’ve been here. I seem to remember that I […]
Writing Secrets: Putting the intentions into practice
You’ve set your writing intentions – that was the easy part. But now we’re a week into the new year, and you need to start putting them into practice. The […]
Announcing the Winners of the Wigtown Challenge
The Wigtown writing challenge is the culmination, for me, of two and a half years of anticipation. That’s how long Trish and I had to wait to take up our […]
Monday Motivation: The apprentice in every genius
Some people have a kind of preternatural understanding of story structure, an inborn ability to create memorable characters and a clear appreciation of the need for detail, tension and conflict [...]
Writing Secrets: No resolutions, please. Here’s what to do instead.
Resolutions just make us all feel bad. Let’s rather fix our writing intentions for the year. Intentions are slightly different. They’re not as strict. Resolutions are the bullies on the […]
