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…
Category: writing
O is for On My Own – Why we all need time alone
As Greta Garbo once famously said, “I want to be alone!” Cue sharp intake of breath from those around you as they stare in stunned silence like you’ve just told them Lassie is dead. Ok, maybe a slight exaggeration, but why is wanting a little quality time for yourself seen as being just a little…
N is for Night Time of The Soul
Ever have that ‘wake up in the middle of the night, searching-the-soul’ type moment? I’m sure you have – it’s part of the human condition. There’s just something about the dark and the quiet that can do that to a person. It was during one such moment, when staying in London as part of my…
M is for Maybe I Don’t Need To Know (inspired by Dreams of a Life)
Another song written with George Odom, ‘Maybe I Don’t Need to Know’ was inspired by the haunting and desperately sad documentary, ‘Dreams of a Life’. You can listen to the song here. If you are unfamiliar with ‘Dreams of a Life’, it deals with the discovery of the body of young woman, Joyce Vincent, in…
J is for Jokes – Being funny is no laughing matter
“From the moment I picked up your book until I laid it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it.” Groucho Marx Just one example of the genius of Groucho Marx, a master of the one-liner. Like all good comedians and comic writers, he made humour look effortless. Indeed, great…
Don of The Dead Episode 1 – Need A Hand
UPDATE: This piece has now become the first part of an ongoing series: Don of The Dead – Series Overview Don is recently deceased but didn’t quite make it to the other side, so seems doomed to join the rotting ranks of the undead rubbing shoulders with the living who have now begrudgingly accepted that…
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 –…
C is for Cooking Your Stories. Don’t rush new ideas.
Like many writers, I get lots of ideas for what to write next. Until recently, I was very likely to immediately pounce on said notion, wrestle it to the ground, shove it in to a sack and rush back home to devour it – or ‘write’, as it’s more commonly known. This was often despite…
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,…