Writing & Blogging

I need a break

I’m trying to write too many things at once. I’m trying to write my weekend post that’s spawning other ideas that I’m writing, and this story about some witches that I want to get done. And now I’m writing this post. I need a break. Everything’s turned so now now now when all I did […]

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Writing

A writer & tea — a solution to wasted effort

I need to get more clear glass mugs. I need to get rid of the porcelain ones and just stick to clear glass mugs. This is because I finish my cup of tea, carry on writing, and then I fancy a sip of tea and it’s empty! I only find out when I pick it […]

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Blogging, Happy birthday

This blog is 2 today!!

Terrible toddler years a’coming! Just like a child this blog is growing and growing in confidence and spirit, and coming evermore lucid — I suppose it’s really I who is coming evermore lucid, evermore able to speak. This is because of you. You take time out to read what I’ve written and in doing this you are doing so much; your […]

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Blogging

Lesson 11: Size matters — The power of length

Lesson 11 is all about size and how it’s used — sentence length not penis. Short, medium, long — I am to play with my sentence lengths while composing my response to this question: Tell us about the home where you lived when you were twelve. Which town, city, or country? Was it a house or […]

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Blogging

Lesson 10: Happy (insert special occasion here)! — Eh?

Contrary to my assumption, lesson 10 isn’t ‘pick a date and celebrate!’ “Happy (insert special occasion here)!” — just screams food, doesn’t it? The brief says: Tell us about your favorite childhood meal — the one that was always a treat, that meant “celebration,” or that comforted you and has deep roots in your memory. […]

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Blogging

Lesson 09: Point of view — The naked bear

Lesson 09 is this: A man and a woman walk through the park together, holding hands. They pass an old woman sitting on a bench. The old woman is knitting a small, red sweater. The man begins to cry. Write this scene. Today’s twist: write the scene from three different points of view: from the […]

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Blogging

Lesson 08: Death to adverbs — How Fred died with 2 adverbs

Lesson 08 wants me to murder adverbs — no adverbs near this post. Since I get confused with these stupid words I’m using an adverb detector to help me. My excuse, Welsh is my first written language (my second spoken) so my English version is my own take — don’t ask me to speak or write Welsh, I wasn’t […]

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Blogging

Lesson 07: Give & take — the writer & the researcher

Lesson 07 asks I contrast 2 things (people, objects, emotions, places, whatever) in dialogue. 2 opposite things, compared. A conversation. The writer & the researcher “You really should be helping me write this post,” the writer said. “I’m researching it,” the researcher replied. “No, you’ve got us on YouTube watching Top Ten Facts videos.” “Well we’re not now and […]

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Blogging

Lesson 05: Be brief — I was walking down the street

Lesson 05 of learning blogging wants me to be brief. So yep, tonights post (once it’s officially started) will be a short one. I am to imagine that I’ve stumbled upon a random letter, which I’ve read and found deeply affecting. I’m meant to want (like really want) to give this letter back to the person […]

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Blogging

Lesson 01: Unlock the mind — what’s the purpose of this blog?

I’ve decided that I don’t know what I’m doing — never known — so I’m learning. I’m discovering this blogging business. It’s been 2 years in June, definitely high time. Writing 101: Build a Blogging Habit That’s where I’m starting. Apparently the aim is to get me blogging every day — I don’t know how […]

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Blogging

TEST, the return

There is this certainty that had the TEST worked in my favour then I would’ve explained myself sooner — you all would’ve known straight away just how amazingly knowing I am on these technical things that require points to be proved. Unfortunately, the TEST didn’t work out in my favour, it made me a fool (more of one) — this amazing […]

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Death, Writing

Describing grief — very hard

Grief is very hard describe. My main character in Kill The Killer (So I Did) is bereaved and his grief doesn’t flow onto the page easily. And so it shouldn’t. Just because Julian’s grief is fictional it doesn’t make it any less important, any less consuming, any less personal. It is just as real as […]

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Writing

Distract from distraction

It helps, when you write, if you (well) write. For some reason investigating the turbulent history of cat memes doesn’t write a story — I don’t know why, it’s just true. It’s also true that singing and dancing doesn’t write a story, no matter the tune — again, I’ve no idea why, it’s just the truth. […]

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Writing

I’m a dictation master

Maths saying yo Bob’s doing what the use of Martha pass the worker say trees Siri please Siri Exactly what I dictated… If you can’t tell it’s a bit of Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall In Love). I was practicing dictating so I can get the words all typed up (sort of) as I’m writing […]

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Mental wellbeing, Writing

Perseverance for coherence

It helps, when you write, if you persevere until you’re clear. When what you write doesn’t make sense, when the very thought of words knots your stomach because you can’t get them from your head, don’t give up even if it feels like your best option. Keep going, keep writing, even if the blank page taunts you […]

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Writing

Follow your timeline

It helps, when you write, if you follow your timeline. You’ve got your story where this and that happens at certain times on particular days, and you’ve got to get there so you fill in with background and pertinent details, and it just helps if you know how much time you need to explain away. I realised […]

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Writing

A writer’s New Year in March

For the sake of getting a scene right, it was New Year last night in my house — Auld Lang Syne on repeat for hours and I still don’t know the bloody words. I even celebrated at midnight, popped streamers, a clinked Earl Grey with my reflection. All this to kill the character on the very […]

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Writing

The excuse of a writer

Like every good writer when I set my mind to a task I see it through to the end. Unfortunately, it isn’t the book but the post manual is coming along great! It’ll soon be finished, though, so I’m in the looking for a new excuse — dread the thought I actually finish my story.

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Writing

Sleepy writer

Stuck on a new bit now, I got passed that last bit — it’s the very last bit now, like the beginning of the ending, the near to be done! So close. Damn it. So sleepy. But I want to finish! I don’t want to go to bed, but I must! I’ve got work in the […]

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Writing

Cluttered writer

I’ve been writing and rewriting the same bit for the last two days — I know what I want to say but I don’t like how I’m saying it. Damn words. Damn thoughts. Damn writer here needs to go for a walk.

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Poems & short stories

Duncan stepped outside

Something rustled — a trash bag rustled but what made it rustle was unknown. A cat maybe, or a fox, a rat — it could’ve been any one of a number of things, some more plausible than others. Like aliens. It could’ve been a pre-invasion scout gathering intel on our race by rifling through our […]

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