Midsummer is here. The sun’s cycle has reached its peak. We arrive at the moment where the days are long and the nights are brief. It is a time of warmth, lightness, and extroversion. All the energy is channelling into our work and we are vibrating with that feeling of productivity and purpose. Those seeds …
Happy Beltane! The 1st May pairs with Beltane, and – for me – the annual rewatch of the classic film, The Wicker Man. The old fire festival celebrates the sun’s cycle as it strengthens towards its peak and the land’s fertility. Creatively, for me this is a good time to maximise my output and show …
I have neglected my blog of late. In my defence, I have been writing. Well… editing. And painting. Although most of December I had RSV and didn’t do much of anything. I feel it’s time for a catch-up. On Writing With the help of my lovely critique partners and beta readers, I have been polishing …
What are the differences between a plotter and a pantser? What are the benefits and drawbacks? Is one better than the other? Can a writer be both? Are you a pantser or a plotter? This is a question often asked by writers to other writers. It is a bit like asking someone which political party …
Helen Edith Toull is my great-grandmother and the family poet. She lived from 1888 to 1978, and rather than allow her memory and poetry to remain hidden in a box, I shall share it with you. I’m massively into ancestry. But I’ve always been keen to learn more about history. Together, Dad and I have …
Incorporating the five senses into your writing A year ago, someone shared with me a grounding technique. We all have our methods to bring ourselves back to the present moment, and this exercise focuses on using the five senses to reconnect with the immediate environment. First, arrange yourself into a comfortable position. Relax your breathing. …
February can feel like a funny month. Its shorter, changeable length gives the impression whoever was making up the months tried to make the best of a slightly botched job. The weather is usually foul, this year opting for the three W’s: warm, wet, windy. However, the days are lengthening. The spring bulbs are pushing …
World-building appeals to me because anything is possible. Well… let me rephrase that. Anything is possible, so long as you can convince the reader it can be. I love exploring the winding avenues world-building opens. What is more surprising (and interesting) is the many branches a single thing causes. I create a world with a …
Those who subscribe to my newsletter will have received one tool I use to create a memorable character. But how can we deep dive into our characters so the reader will keep turning the pages? 1. Look at the fictional characters you love and ask yourself why Writers are readers. Which fictional characters are memorable …
Read more “Ten ways to make your fictional characters memorable”
Earlier in the year I blogged about the reasons why I wasn’t partaking in CampNaNo and why it doesn’t work for me. Yet here we are, in November, and I’m signed up to write fifty thousand words in thirty days. Let me explain… Resurrecting an ailing writing habit. I mentioned before that I have used …