Some writers don’t believe in writer’s block. Writers like Lee Child will liken writing to plumbing. If a plumber can’t turn up to a job and say “Oh I don’t feel like plumbing today” then apparently writers can’t do that either. Bit of a weird comparison. Others are afflicted with writer’s block on a regular basis. […]
creative writing
5 Ways to Use Where You Live to Generate Ideas
It was the 148th anniversary of the death of Charles Dickens this year. While much has been written about his life and work, we can still learn a lot from his methods! His depiction of a supposedly-fictional London was so realistic because he drew from how people lived and worked in Victorian society. Some of this he would […]
Should you always write stories in the right order?
The way people choose to write stories can be a personal choice. So hang around any writing forum, blog or Twitter chat for long enough, and talk will inevitably turn to a debate as old as writing itself… Are you a plotter or a pantser? The plotters want you to meticulously detail the contents of […]
How to choose locations to boost your story!
Knowing how to choose locations is the easiest way to ensure the success of your world-building. After all, writers often spend a great deal of their time concentrating on developing authentic dialogue. They need fleshed out, 3-dimensional characters. And they spend hours creating a coherent plot, contained within a sensible structure. But what about setting and location? […]
How do you “Write What You Know”?
If you’ve ever read anything about writing, chances are that you’ll have been advised to write what you know. It’s at this point that some writers will throw up their hands and declare that nothing interesting ever happens to them, so what can they possibly write about? It can also lead you into dangerous territory […]
How to use freewriting to help with writer’s block
Freewriting is quite a trendy term for those who do journalling. If you’re familiar with the concept of “morning pages” then you’ve probably already tried it. Morning pages, for those who don’t know, are the three pages that Julia Cameron advocates you write. They should be written longhand, in stream of consciousness. If you haven’t […]