I’m in a funny place. Faced with changing my routine again, I realise my routine doesn’t take into account the complete journey from concept to finished story. What to do? Read more…
Here is a free character template for you to use when planning your own stories. If you don’t yet have a process for sketching out your characters, now’s a great time to start. Read more…
You’d be forgiven for thinking the New Year is an energising time for all the way blogs and podcasts talk about it. But for some of us it can be enervating instead, making us weary when we should feel refreshed. It doesn’t have to be this way! Read more…
I like to think of every post as a little gift to my readers, but as it’s Christmas, this week you can download something you can use right away! Read more…
I’m starting a new project, and I’m apprehensive. I’ve stalled on projects because I realise I’ve not done enough planning. So this time I will do more outlining. But there could be a problem… Read more…
At the start of this month I set myself a goal – to edit a chapter each day for my main project of the moment. And truthfully, I was doing quite well. Until real life got in the way. So far be it from me to write a cold hard list of do’s and don’ts, but the following is a warm soft, list of thoughts and feelings I encountered during this period of productivity. Read more…
I have written about routine before – normally it’s because I have fallen out of it! This time, it’s because I’m getting back into a routine, finally, and the advantages are immediately re-revealing themselves to me. Read more…
Let me paint you a picture. It might be one you recognise. You’re nearing the end of your first draft, coming to the amazing climax you’ve been eager to write. But a subtle confusion about the whole thing is taking the wind out of your sails a bit. There’s a problem. Actually, there’s a few. You were vaguely aware of them before, but now they’re rearing up and getting all in yo’ grill, refusing to be ignored any longer.
The villain is villainous, but you’re not sure why they’re being so mean; you’ve invented a fun piece of technology, but it doesn’t serve the story in any way; another piece of tech gives you a great ‘get out of jail free card’ at the end, but you’ve no idea why someone would invent it in the first place; you’ve got at least two characters you don’t know what to do with…
In short, it’s all sort of there, but nothing quite fits together properly. Well, shizzle my dizzle, you may well say to yourself, I’ve got myself in a right pizzle here and no mistake. Read more…
I’ve recently finished watching all of the Battlestar Galactica reboot. If you’ve watched it too, you’ve probably got an idea of what’s coming. Oh dear, oh dear.
I had already planned to pen an article on the writing of Battlestar Galactica, because it has been consistently excellent. I looked forward to extolling the virtues of well-realised, flawed characters; a definite sense of place; what science fiction is really for, and grounding your story (however fanciful it may seem) in realism.
Since finishing the show, let’s just say the focus of Part One in this series has changed. There may be spoilers ahead. Read more…
Going through my goals for the year brought up an interesting point – whatever systems you have in place to help you write, don’t be afraid to tweak them. Read more…