In the previous posts I wrote about how practise makes perfect, but I also said that writing, like any form of art is something that can be taught. You need aptitude and talent too, but these two alone may not be enough to make you into a successful author. Learning you Craft In this post I will … [Read more...]
Approaching the pinnacle – a NaNoWriMo update
For me, this, the third week of the National Writing Month, has been the most difficult to date.On Friday after I'd reached 25,000 words and got myself another badge (hurrah), I decided it was time to have a bit of a celebration. After a very late night with friends, Saturday's word count was the … [Read more...]
Advice for New Writers Part 3: How Long Does It Take to Write and Publish a Novel?
This is number three in a series of posts about writing and publishing fiction. You can find the previous posts here. How long does it take to get your novel into print (or out in ebook form)? Writing a novel takes time. How long a first draft takes to produce is highly personal, but at … [Read more...]
Advice for New Writers Part 2: I’ve Completed the First Draft – What Now?
Last time in this series of posts about what to do if you have an idea for a book, I talked about reading in your genre and writing as much as possible. Today, I'm going to talk about what to do when you've finished the first draft. What to Do When You've Completed the First Draft? When you've … [Read more...]
Advice for New Writers Part 1: I have a great idea for a book – what should I do next?
I must be getting old, because I am often asked for advice about writing by young (and not so young) authors, who are just starting out, and wondering what they should do to get a book out and published. Last week, I was speaking to yet another one. She had an idea for a book, which she was … [Read more...]
What are your characters wearing?
A few years ago, during a critique session on my MA in Creative Writing course, a fellow student pointed out that I often described what my characters were wearing in some considerable detail. This wasn't a criticism as such, she said, but just something she'd noticed. (We’d had a lot of lessons … [Read more...]
A-Z Blogging Challenge: G if for Genre
My theme: Writing and the Business of WritingBefore I started taking my writing seriously, I was almost allergic to the word genre. For one it just seemed so pretentious somehow; it was a word used by Melvyn Bragg on the South Bank Show, not a word an ordinary person who loves books would ever … [Read more...]
The Next Big Thing?
I’ve been invited by Chris Chalmers, author of the wonderful award-winning novel, Five to One (he blogs at www.chrischalmers.net ) to take the Next Big Thing questionnaire, where authors talk about what they’re publishing next.So here goes...What is the title of your next … [Read more...]
William Boyd and a new James Bond book
William Boyd - picture from BBC.co.ukI heard some brilliant news on the radio this morning. One of my very favourite writers, William Boyd, is going to write a new Bond book. I loved his latest novel, Waiting for Sunrise (my review is here), and although I'm very much looking forward to the new … [Read more...]
National Novel Writing Month
Because I have so much time on my hands (hah!) and because I ONLY have three unpublished manuscripts lying unloved at the bottom of in my virtual desk drawer, I've decided to take part in this year's National Writing Month.The idea is simple, 30 days, 50,000 words. Not hard at all...?No need to send … [Read more...]
