When the Marigold no longer blooms, When summer sun has turned to gloom, See the forecast winter’s snow, See the evergreen that lonely grows… (Marigold, Steeleye Span) Seasons add atmosphere to writing, even more than weather, which is changeable by its nature. A season can be used as a metaphor, as the backdrop for moods, settings and…
The Old Pot by Martine Lillycrop The pot was getting old, Jessie decided. If she were to hold it up to the firelight she’d see right through it, as clear as glass. But she couldn’t do that because the pot was never empty. Not for years. Not since Jessie was a girl. It had once…
It’s easy to get stuck in a writing rut, but difficult to see a way out. ‘Write what you know’ – that’s the old adage, but many people take this to mean, you can only write that which you have experienced directly. Obviously if we all did that, we wouldn’t have Gulliver’s Travels, Frankenstein or…
When it comes to writing, I’m very visual. As a huge movie buff, I like to see my novel in cinematic terms, unfolding before my eyes. If I can’t visualise a certain scene or character, I get stuck. Because I can touch type, quite often I don’t even look at my screen as I’m writing.…
Sometimes a scene just doesn’t flow and you can’t figure out why. Or perhaps a character is being awkward. You head to your desk every day with a sense of dread because you know you’ve got to get through this tricky patch. You’re stuck, but you don’t know how to get unstuck. It could be…
Bloomsbury Children’s Books is looking for new authors, writing for children up to 12 year’s old. The Prize: A publishing contract with Bloomsbury, including advance payment of £5,000 – not to be sniffed at. Plus all shortlisted authors receive signed book bundles and are invited to attend the prize ceremony with agents present. How to Enter:…
Today’s writing prompt is to construct a poem, each line should have one word starting with the next letter of the alphabet and the the poem should be written for someone or something you care about. I did this on a writing course and we had a time limit of half an hour. The idea was…
I’m very grateful to Alrah Ashe, who pointed out an article written by Janice Harper, highlighting the disturbing concept of ‘One Star Revenge‘. For a self-published author, or indeed any author, the one star review is, perhaps, the most damning feedback you can possibly get. Many potential customers base their purchasing decisions on reviews from…
Fairy tales offer us story archetypes, making them rich pickings for writers. Their plots are well known and simple. This means you can tinker with a few elements to make the story your own. Angela Carter is the master when it comes to deconstructing fairy tales and making them her own. Your writing prompt: Take…
Writers Anon - Taunton's Writing Group 