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Spectacular Writing From Awesome Authors
Overcoming writers’ guilt and getting it done.
It’s an odd hobby to have, being a writer. I liken it to something akin to a religious experience in that I often talk to myself and it’s full of guilt.
How can contrasts and opposites deepen your story?
From There and Back Again, to the World State and the Savage Reservation, join me as I explore contrasts in fiction.
Eyes Closed
On Omniscient Narration
On the blind dance between reader and story.
You read what you want, so ....
Don’t chase trends—write for the thrill.
A nation, a soup, and maybe a bit of a life too.
A bowl of ciorbă, dill and a raw hot pepper taught me more about my roots than any family story. Soup as citizenship.
A Lesson in Gracious Competence
Christmas in Borneo? Everyone's invited.
An Impossible Dream
One final hurdle prevented the realisation of a dream
In Sunnyside Queens, I discovered some tasty little cookies and at least a few more family lies.
Little pies, big revelations.
Hooks
What's your elevator pitch?
How to entice your target audience to read your novel
What Emerges on a Thursday Morning
Turns out when you join an in-person writers' group, you may need to write poetry. It did not go as expected.
Jimmy Cliff
Music has an uncanny ability to transport us back in time.
Nose to Tail If I Can
A nose‑to‑tail love story from York's New Eastern Market — crunchy, iron‑y, and unforgiving.
Scenes from the the Genre Wars - Part II
Sci-fi needs a new collaboration partner, but the spreadsheets aren't helping. Good thing the Director has an idea.
The Last Fresh Green
A small-town elegy for the last fresh green, cabbage haluski, and the quiet end of harvest
Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
Two fidgety sisters went completely still when a beloved character started behaving badly. What was going on?
Please, Sir, I Want Some More
John Irving has been on my bookshelves since I was a teenager. Now there's a new one to add, and Queen Esther left me wanting more.
Would You Eat This?
Smells like diesel and splits open like a corpse. Bow to the Duke of Fruits!
Old Man Rap
Everyone should try to create a rap... senior citizens too!
What the hell is she blathering about?
The roots of dialect, language and place.
The Talk They Needed to Have
When everyone says your main character's too passive, so you attempt The Talk.
A Fresh Start
Starting over is never much fun, but sometimes it’s necessary.
When the story isn't working... it calls for something drastic.
The World's Toughest Literary Critics
These reviewers don't sugarcoat anything. They also can't tie their own shoelaces yet.
From a Bus to a Crassula
Tread soft amongst the Irish, for they'll steal your heart away.
Halcyon days of a mis-spent youth
Exploring music’s ability to transport you to another time and place.
Scenes from the Genre Wars - Part I
Scenes from the Genre Wars
There's no kitten-whiskers here
Writers - some things to consider. Because your characters can dislike parsnips too, whether or not it's plot-pivotal.
Thought-Provoking Quotes For Writers
Faulkner said it best: “The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself.”
Happy Ever After
Another second-hand love letter, and I'm hoping for Happy Ever After
Theme
What Is Your Story Really About?
Plot tells us what happens; theme tells us why it matters.
Notes from a Writer Among Dancers - Part II
The first draft: the protagonist is disinterested, the flashback insists, and the director's shouting MARK IT!
A Reading List and Lusty Roger
More things found in second-hand books. What's the story here?
How to craft scenes with purpose
I watched another excellent webinar recently. The content was helpful as both a planning tool and as an editing tool. Scene structure mimics story structure, but…
Darling Penny
Who knows the stories behind Second-Hand Love Letters? We can only imagine.
Still Good To Eat
A poet struggles to find an elusive rhyme.
Size matters, and with gold coins, smaller is better.
Just how much loot can your adventurers actually carry? Do the math, mind the physics, and remember: gold is heavy, gems are tricky, and worldbuilding is hard work
When Ideas Are Lost to Traffic
A writer, a kangaroo (sort of), and a traffic jam. What begins as a golden-hour cruise home from rehearsal turns into a reflection on creativity, collaboration — and teenage hunger.
Self-Doubt
A Writer’s Best Friend or Their Worst Nightmare?
Every writer knows the feeling: that voice whispering “You’re not good enough.”
Personal Reflections on Gender
Inspired by CS Dalton's recent blog post about Baking Day, I've been thinking of all the things my mother never taught me...
Complexity, Likeability and Believability
Forget likeable — make them compelling.
Ok, so what does this gold stuff buy anyway?
What does a gold coin buy? How do wealth gaps, wages, and social hierarchies shape your fantasy world? Money defines class, power, and motivation in any world — real or imagined. An insightful read for any writer serious about building believable worlds.
Anthologising
Questions About Collections
How do you approach an anthology of short stories? Do you read from beginning to end, or dip in and out? Is the sequencing of stories in a collection as crucial as the running order of songs on an album? I've been wondering these things and more...
Got a grip on gold, fantasy writers? You may be surprised at how much it matters.
So your heroes slay the dragon and find a chest of gold… cue the happy dance? Not so fast. That treasure weighs over a ton. Literally. A hilarious reality check for fantasy writers
Potentially Dangerous to Health
If you are offered sugar in an exotic location, make sure it’s not high-fructose.
Baking day
Baking tomorrow’s memories
Bringing back treasured memories of baking days gone by.
Conflict
What's the worst that can happen?
Join me as I explore the different types of narrative conflict.
"This time, it's personal."
It’s not just about plot. It’s about stakes, conflict, and why we care.
Notes from a Writer among Dancers
Chaos, adverbs, metaphors, and a director shouting “FOCUS!”
Keeping Readers Turning the Page
Three powerful tricks to raise stakes + keep your novel gripping.
Another Life Well Lived
A tribute to friendship, and a life well lived against the odds.
How faster will we go?
Do you take your time when reading—or rush through books like everything else in life?