Am I mad?! Having just completed one challenge (the A-Z Blog Challenge) only yesterday, it’s time to move on to the next! This time it’s the 15K in May challenge (#15kinmay) and I will be updating you on my progress every Wednesday during May. Starting today, and for the rest of the month, I am…
Tag: writing advice
Z is for Zero – the word count no one wants to see!
When writing, keeping a tally of your daily word count can be a great tool to keep up the momentum. My first experience of this was last November, during NaNoWriMo where the aim is to write 50,000 words in a month. To achieve this you need to write, on average, 1667 words EVERY SINGLE DAY….
T is for Thief. There’s no such thing as an original idea.
“It’s not where you take things from . . . it’s where you take them to.” The above is a quote from ground-breaking French film maker, Jean-Luc Godard. Godard wasn’t afraid to take influences from his favourite works – be that in film, literature or music – and put them in to his own work….
Q is for Quiet. It’s Always The Quiet Ones . . . Being a Writer
As a writer we need to have the ability to disappear in to the background. To observe. To extract meaning from body language, action and reaction. To study human relationships. To unearth great dialogue. To ask the ‘what-if’ questions and let our imaginations run free. All in the pursuit of the story. Which means, we…
K is for Keep Moving – Write or Die!
Today’s writing metaphor comes courtesy of the shark. In case you’re not entirely au fait with animal biology, many sharks need to swim constantly to stay alive. It’s all to do with passing oxygen-rich water through their gills, but the only reason I mention it, is because as writers we too need to constantly move…
H is for History – Don’t forget the ‘STORY’ part!
Why is History often taught so badly? Firstly I must say that this is not a statement designed to alienate any teachers that may be reading this post – merely an observation based on my experiences as a child. I should also say that I have heard tell of some inspirational History teachers, who have…
F is for Films! How thinking cinematically can improve your writing.
I recently heard two different authors mention writing in the context of cinema and came to the realisation that the conventions and style of modern cinema influence my writing too. The first of these comments was from historical fiction writer, Hilary Mantel. Whilst I am yet to read any of Hilary’s work, Wolf Hall, in…
E is for Emotional Content. Writing with feeling.
In case you aren’t au fait with martial arts classic, ‘Enter The Dragon’ (above) Bruce Lee is explaining to his student the need for ‘Emotional Content’. The acting may be a little hammy and Bruce Lee films may seem like an odd place to go for writing advice, but bear with me. Good writing –…
B is for Bananas. Go ‘Bananas’ to beat Writer’s Block.
Yes. I said Bananas. Ok, in the interests of full disclosure I will admit I was struggling for inspiration to find a subject for the letter ‘B’ – wow, so impressive to hit a brick wall on only the 2nd letter of the alphabet, Wayne. You’re our literary hero! – but after days of indecision…
A-Z Blog Challenge – I’m going down to Alphabet Street.
So, a new year and a new challenge. NaNoWriMo was great last year (and I hope to have another go in November too) but a new challenge has been suggested to me by fellow writer Maria, who writes the excellent First Draft Cafe blog. This one will keep me busy for the whole of April,…