For the past few weeks I have had a little bit of trouble thinking of how Along Came Neil was going to progress. I just couldnt figure out how to get them from point A in the story to point B. Then there was that missing twist element. I always have to have a twist [] read more »
It was supposed to be the start, the beginning of the full time writing life. But life has a way of getting in the way of ambition, doesn’t it? Retirement exposes all those domestic tasks that you intended to complete one day. And I’ve been doing some of those. Coupled with the freedom to do what I want when I like, comes some good weather at long last and I felt unequal to allowing the gardens to become even more like jungles for lack of opportunity to care for them. Hedges, bushes and lawns all trimmed... read more »
English: So many words to keep track of!. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) If ever a writing rule was overstated, it must be this one. Once it becomes evident that there are more exceptions than examples following a rule, the rule becomes seriously unhelpful; redundant at best. We all know about receipt, receive, ceiling, etc. But there are actually more words used in English that have the ‘ei’ construction than those using ‘ie’. Don’t believe me? I offer a mere handful: Heir, weir, Eire, weird, being, d... read more »
Typographic quotation marks (top) versus straight quotation marks, or "dumb quotes" (bottom). (Photo credit: Wikipedia) They’re there, everywhere you look, on blogs, in books, on websites – those unbreakable rules for writers. Some are concerned with language itself; grammar, syntax, spelling. Others are to do with style; repetition, viewpoint, backstory, vocabulary. Then there are the rules surrounding presentation; font, paragraphs, spacing, quotations, dialogue. Of course, the gurus and mentors have ... read more »
Greengrocers' apostrophe 2 (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Writing, in common with most occupations, has rules. Society has rules. Games have rules. Do we always obey them? And does it matter whether we do or not? Clearly, societal rules, often elevated to laws, are supposedly there to prevent chaos and injustice. The law that prevents the taking of life under most circumstances seems sensible for all concerned. The law that allows a company to take advantage of unsuspecting customers might appear a little ... read more »
Those of us who class ourselves as bloggers engage in this activity for a variety of reasons. I’d love to know why you do it, or, if you have a particular viewpoint, why you don’t. So, as usual, I’ll start off with why I do it. There is a pervasive theory that a modern writer needs a platform. It’s unproven. Some even go so far as to say it’s rubbish. The jury, as they say, is out. But it’s the reason I started blogging, along with running a very extensive website. The website died a natural death wh... read more »
Fear is a strong but often necessary emotion. It can be both motivational and paralyzing. Writers, especially beginners, often allow fear to prevent them either finishing or publishing a piece of work. I have many social connections with writers on the internet and I’ve noticed a tendency amongst some, often the most sensitive, to find excuses not to finish a piece of work. They’re forever editing their work as they go along. They fool themselves into the idea that they’re seeking perfection. In reality,... read more »
"Study drawing shows the allegorical figure of Romance nude. She bends her head to read a book on her lap. Romance was one figure in a painting, The arts, in the north end lunette of the Southwest Gallery in the Library of Congress' Jefferson Building." Graphite drawing (Photo credit: Wikipedia) And, How Are You Overcoming It? Last week, I looked at strengths. This time, I want to take a gander at weaknesses. We all have them. I know what my major weakness is, one of many, but this one is the most imp... read more »
Brits, in general, are fitted with a built-in crap-o-meter that overrides their personal pride and prevents them blowing their own horns too loudly. Yanks, we’re told, have no such inhibitions. So, as a Brit, I’m going against national stereotyping when I decide to tell you how great I am at…well, at anything at all really. But I have to get the ball rolling, if I’m to get any answers to my question. So, here goes: I suppose my greatest strength is my ability to sit down at the keyboard, without an ide... read more »
Some of the motley crew making up Hornsea Writers.As a member of this group of supportive and talented writers, I thought I'd pass on this interview with Linda, one of our founding members. It originally featured on the blog Rebeccah Writesand I reproduce it in full here with her blessing. The picture's from my own files, though. Welcome to my interview with Linda Acaster from Hornsea Writers. ***** Hello Linda. Can you please tell us a bit about your writing group? Hi Rebeccah, thanks for invitin... read more »
