The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes
The title of this post (the words of Marcel Proust) is one of my favourite quotes, and it’s been on my mind this week. It’s …
The title of this post (the words of Marcel Proust) is one of my favourite quotes, and it’s been on my mind this week. It’s …
It’s a curious characteristic of people that we are drawn to fiction that makes us feel sad. A feeling that – let’s face it – …
I’m in proofreading mode at the moment as my first novel, The Madness of the Faithful (out July 28th), undergoes typesetting. Discovering that typos have …
I’ve been thinking a lot about book titles this week. I decided a while ago on ‘The Madness of the Faithful’ for my debut book …
This week, I completed the first draft of my second book. At just over 93,000 words, it took me the majority of 2021 (and a …
I don’t need to tell you that getting a literary agent and then a subsequent publishing deal is hard. Whether successful or unsuccessful, most writers …
Creativity is the fuel that drives writers. When we have it in abundance, we fly along the editorial highway, racking up word counts and hitting …
Does anyone really like receiving feedback? I’m not sure. But if you can receive it and use it appropriately, it can be the best way …
When it comes to learning something new, I prefer to understand the mechanics of how and why things work rather than follow step-by-step guidance. For …
How’s that for a grand heading? Too much? Bear with me and I’ll explain. If you disagree, don’t hate me for it, please. On Twitter, …
In a recent poll on Twitter, all respondents I asked said they used swearing in their writing. I ran this survey out of genuine interest. …
Creating realistic and engaging characters is crucial for great fiction. It’s a skill that comes easier to some than others, but there are techniques that …
Earlier this year, my short story, The Sack, was published in Literally Stories. To date, it’s my most traditional horror piece, and it’s set in …
I am five years old – again – and at my grandmother’s funeral. Nana was her name. The church is full. Everyone liked her; wherever …
I recently discovered Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? on the shelf and realized I’d never got around to reading it. My to-be-read pile is …
It started with a beagle in a pram. Four-year-old Pip from Richmond in Southwest London was out for his morning walk. His owners had dressed …
I’ve been in the medical writing business for 15 years. The content I’ve worked on has been varied – from journal articles for publications to …
Janet bit her lip and gazed at her image on the computer screen. Everything appeared in order. She’d spent thirty minutes selecting her shirt, forty …
When you’ve worked on a piece of writing for a long time, it’s easy to become overly familiar with the content, meaning you’re more likely …
Last week, I went into editorial overdrive to meet November targets for my WIP. Quite frankly, it left me a little worse for wear, and …