Camp NaNoWriMo – Stationery and Field Trips!

Tomorrow I start the mammoth task of turning my 70,000 word manuscript into a finished novel. I may not finish in the month of April, but I plan to put a shed load of work in. 60hrs or more. I had a little personal celebration moment today and indulged my | Read more…

Preparing for Camp NaNoWriMo – 5 days to go

My main goal for Camp NaNoWriMo is to spend at least 50 hours editing my novel, Mime. I currently have an incomplete rough draft of 70,000 words. Now I say edit, but a more accurate term might be revise, more accurate still might be re-write but let’s stick with revise. | Read more…

Preparing for Camp NaNoWriMo – 6 days to go

There’s less than 1 week until writing starts at Camp NaNoWriMo! My challenge during April 50 hours of editing time on my novel, Mime 10k words of new material in the form of short stories, to include… 30 pieces of micro fiction That’s a whole lot of work but I | Read more…

6 Things I Learned About Writing Book Reviews

I recently started writing a book review and found myself thinking that I have no idea whether I am doing it “right?” What makes a good book review? What elements are essential? Is there a specific structure I should be following? I realised that I’d never studied the matter and | Read more…

Studying Writing – why I think authors should never stop

As writers, it’s easy to slip into being isolated. To working within your own little bubble. Attending classes and seminars are a great way to remind yourself you’re part of a huge community and there is always something new to learn, new ways to explore writing. For instance, next week | Read more…

Preparing for Camp NaNoWriMo (14 days to go)

With only 14 days till the start of Camp NaNoWriMo (April 2015) I’m going to spend a little time each day preparing. Today’s task… tidy my desk. Yeah, I should point out my “office” currently shares one half of my bedroom with The Great Escape prop store. I unburied it… | Read more…

Memories of Terry Pratchett

There are few occasions when the news that someone you have never met has passed away affects you almost as strongly as learning about the death of a loved one. Today, Sir Terry Pratchett, beloved, world rebound author of fantasy and humour, lost his battle with Alzheimers disease. When I | Read more…

Review: Infamous Reign by Steve McHugh

An adventure full of the stuff nightmares are made of. Infamous Reign fills in another chapter from the past of Nathaniel Garrett, hero of McHugh’s Hellequin Chronicles which so far include novels Crimes against Magic and Born of Hatred. While the novels are principally set in the present day, the | Read more…

You or your muse?

On the evolution of stories and a case of unexpected philosophy. Muse There are those who scoff at authors when they claim they have no control over the stories that they tell, that they are a conduit through which stories are told, more like a medium than an engineer. That | Read more…