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Get writing … in Covid times
If only I had time to write ... I have a novel inside me ... Well, all the free time created by Covid-19 has been brilliant for writers and creatives, hasn't it? no? Hmn. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on creativity has been different for many people than...
Writing during the pandemic … or not
It seems that social isolation has led to a glut of submissions to publishers as people crack on with their planned novel. Some are doing exactly that, and that's great. Good luck to them. But what if, for you, it's not like that? What if you can't concentrate at...
What The Archers teaches us about dialogue
For some peculiar reason, I am, like 5 million others, a follower of Radio 4's The Archers. My daily 13-minute listen in to the "tales of everyday farming folk" keeps me gripped. Some of the characters I dislike, some I despair of, and others I think are fun. It is...
My story is stuck …
Sometimes we start work on a story or a narrative and get stuck along the way. What to do if the old writer's block steps in? Well, I have always been a lover of options. So, if you come to a full stop in your story, ask those crucial two words: what if? What if...
Getting started and powering through
Sometimes the problem is literally 'getting started' with, well, anything that you want to accomplish. It could be writing, it could be finding cheaper car insurance, ordering your shopping online - anything at all. There are tons of techniques that you might...
KISS – Keep it short and simple
Keep It Short and Simple (or Keep It Simple, Stupid) I regularly write articles. Before they are published, I always revisit, and realise how poor my first attempt generally is. Writing simply does not make you a simpleton, it merely means you may be understood....
Self-promotion – go on, you know you want to …
I'm the last person who should be writing this. I spend my days promoting all sorts of things - for other people - but I am terrible at doing it for myself. Somehow it seems too 'in your face' cringe-worthy. I've never been one for attention, so lf-promotion is...
Getting started with dictation
We've been asked this question a few times, and most recently a new reader of the site asked ... so let's answer it! Dictation. Yes, that's right. I mean, many people have things to say and maybe they want to write. Is this you? You struggle with the IT side of...
Writing – am I any good at it?
Writing for your own pleasure is something anyone can do, but most writers have an aspiration to be published. To reach that aim you need: Creative inspirationAbility to write wellEditing skills (yours or someone else's)Sales prowess to sell your ideaIf...
Funny, you don’t look old …
Readers need to know certain basics about characters but you can do this without stepping in to tell someone all the details. We don't need to know exactly how they look, we simply need to form an impression. Yes, it's that old favourite, show don't tell ... Quite...
