No time to write
One of the commonest complaints amongst writers is lack of time. We all juggle the demands of work, family and the stuff of everyday living. So where do we find…
The Writing Habit
As writers, we often have good intentions about what we are going to write, that don't quite translate into finished writing. There are myriad good reasons for this. We all…
Enjoy your writing!
The best reason for doing creative writing is that it should be fun. Regardless of any wider ambitions for your writing, life is too short for doing things that don't…
All I want for Christmas is …
At this time of year our thoughts inevitably turn to buying gifts for our family and friends. It might be that people are asking what you’d like for Christmas too.…
Cosy Crime
Things go in fashions, and that includes writing! Cosy crime has been popular for years, just look at Agatha Christie. And more recently, books by writers such as Richards Osman…
Valuing your life experience
For many years I have taught people who are interested in writing autobiographically, whether about an aspect of their life, such as their childhood, profession or hobby, or maybe the…
The Power of Short Stories
Do you remember a time when pretty much every magazine you picked up had a few short stories and often a longer tale serialised over several issues? Whilst marketplaces for…
Writing into next year…
Our goals as writers can be as diverse as we are! However, in order to achieve our ambitions it often pays to plan ahead. At this time of year, Christmas…
Back to School
Since before the schools actually broke up for the summer, the shops have been full of ‘back to school’ signs, advertising everything from uniform to stationery for the new school…
Let your feelings escape in your writing
"Most of us have small, sad places in our hearts. My father felt deeply but kept his feelings to himself. Or rather, being a writer, he let them escape in…