Photo by Gratisography on Pexels.com After years of taking writing seriously, of small successes and countless not-so-near misses, two upcoming events have triggered my fear of failure. Big time. I usually try to ignore the fear and press on, but this time I feel the need to address it. It’s time to talk about the … Continue reading Hello imposter syndrome, my old ‘friend’.
Networking 101: How to engage with the #writingcommunity
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com If you want to be a writer, you need to engage with the writing community. It makes sense to network if you want to break into a new career, and it also makes sense to find supportive friends to help you through the inevitable rejections and failure. When you are … Continue reading Networking 101: How to engage with the #writingcommunity
The new writer’s guide to creative writing workshops
Photo by Startup Stock Photos on Pexels.com A writer friend of mine recently confessed that she found the idea of a small group workshop with an established author intimidating. Although she had already self-published several novels, and was no stranger to criticism and feedback, the thought of sitting at a table with a 'serious' author … Continue reading The new writer’s guide to creative writing workshops
Why all writing competitions should publish their longlists
Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com This has been a big rejection year for me. In fact, since December I've received nothing else. To be fair, I've been concentrating on a large project, so it hasn't been a big submission year either. The odds haven't been in my favour. Most of the time polite form rejections … Continue reading Why all writing competitions should publish their longlists
Books on writing that are actually worth reading
A few months ago I reached out to the wonderful writing community on Twitter. I had just finished the messy first draft of a novel and wanted to learn more about narrative structure before tackling an edit. Unsurprisingly, I was inundated with recommendations of books about the craft of writing. The response was so helpful, … Continue reading Books on writing that are actually worth reading
Avoiding burnout as a writer
When you decide to take writing seriously—to work towards making it a career rather than a hobby—the self-applied pressure can be enormous. Advice flows freely from successful writers: write every day, publish or perish, engage on social media, rejections are fuel. When you come to writing later in life it can feel like you've started … Continue reading Avoiding burnout as a writer
Top five memorable reads of 2018
In keeping with the tradition I started last year, rather than compiling a best-of-2018 reading list, I've put together a list of five books that have surprised me, have taught me something valuable at the right time, or were memorable for some other reason. Here they are, in no particular order. Bird by Bird, Anne … Continue reading Top five memorable reads of 2018
A flash of brilliance: why emerging writers should write flash fiction
My first published story was a work of flash fiction. I didn't realise it at the time; I don't think I had even heard of the term flash fiction when I wrote 'Perseveration'. An idea came to me—a moment that begged to be put into words—and for once the story flowed. It was fuelled by … Continue reading A flash of brilliance: why emerging writers should write flash fiction
How to find your authentic voice
Yesterday I went shopping with my mum. This was a rare mother-daughter day that we had both been looking forward to. I was on the hunt for a special outfit. I wanted something special, but not too special. And predictably nothing was quite right. Every dress was too formal, too informal, too young, too old, … Continue reading How to find your authentic voice
Trolls, traps and treats: tips for the newcomer to Twitter
Twitter is a divisive social media platform: people either love it or hate, and sometimes both on the same day. When I decided to build my social media presence a year ago, I set up a Facebook author page and began to engage with the writing community on Twitter. At first, Facebook seemed the more … Continue reading Trolls, traps and treats: tips for the newcomer to Twitter
