To begin on a positive note – cos I’m working towards writing about the dreaded synopsis – earlier this month I had a story in a short list of 6 writers in a competition run by Henshaw Press. That heart-stopping moment when you see your name on the screen is one every writer deserves to … Continue reading The Writer’s Life
I've had several emails telling me that new readers are following this blog. Which is fantastic but makes me guilty. For I'm aware that I haven't been faithful to my promise to post a new blog page each Saturday. OK, I've been away picking olives and when you're on a treadmill to get those olives … Continue reading A Writer’s Jigsaw Puzzle
Autumn is here and winter around the corner. We rub our hands in glee as we encounter cold and rainy weather, confining us to being indoors with plenty of time to write. My plan was to re-read sections of my novel set in the 1950s, to arrange them in a funky way with more spaces … Continue reading The Writing Timetable
With Chiswick Book Festival over – it has been fun – @W4BookFest – it’s a return to this autumn’s main task. To polish and submit short stories. The question of finding publishers of short stories came up more than one during the Festival’s sessions. There are 2 main destinations for short stories: competitions and submissions … Continue reading Short Stories – where to send them
The sights, smells and memories of the past weeks must be put away. No more moths drowning in the milk or dozing on a lampshade. The porcini mushrooms found in the garden have been eaten and we are still alive. The sun cream lotion is stored away, the beds are stripped and a large pile … Continue reading Moths in the Milk and Porcini on the Plate
Advice on how to maintain productivity in a writer’s life insists on the practice of regular writing. Whether you sit down for a session of free writing, have an outline or even a vague plan, the idea is to write something every day. Put the words on paper. Or, more probably, see the words on … Continue reading Disruptions to a Writer’s Life
In my last blog I described two of the book groups I’ve talked to and discussed the various questions which were put to me. Although this is putting the cart before the horse, (I am about to write several blogs devoted to writing a memoir) I said I’d deal with the question about a memoir … Continue reading Writing a Memoir – How a memoir is a Construct.
I've been away from London taking a break from daily life and the publishing world. I've been in Russia, a place which brings to mind those books and short stories set in that far away country. Years ago, Radio 4 broadcast Tolstoy's War and Peace as a serialised drama. Newly married, we had no TV … Continue reading Crossing Continents
We usually take self-catering holidays, often to places we have been to before. We know exactly what we can look forward to, whom we hope we'll run into, to share a drink or a meal, and what we need to take in the way of clothes, shoes, swimwear. Add to that the fact that we … Continue reading Writing and Going on Holiday
I've enjoyed a week of Fairs in the past 7 days. On Thursday 14th, I went to The London Book Fair courtesy of Indonesia, ie I had a free ticket. I wanted to catch up with the team at Matador Publishing http://www.troubador.co.uk/matador and to see another indie publisher Fairlight Books http://www.Fairlightbooks.co.uk . I remember, from trawling … Continue reading Book Fairs and Art Fairs
