Monthly Updates
My monthly blog on what I’ve been up to, writing updates and things I’ve found interesting.

Goodbye, 2020
New Years Eve. Traditionally a time for remembrance, a time to reflect on the year gone by. However, for 2020, I think a lot of time will be spent wishing for a new year with new possibilities whilst mourning the year we have lost. This year has been brutal for everyone worldwide. The world has … More Goodbye, 2020

Time for a Change
Looking back over the past few months, all my monthly blogs have started with a sense of amazement that another month has come and gone. Lockdown continues, and so does work from home, and as such life is bleeding into one continuous stream of something that I’m really not quite sure what I’ve done in. … More Time for a Change

Autumnal Thoughts (October Update)
October has been one of those months which has spun past me at a rate of knots. One moment we are mourning the ending of Summer, and the next I find myself flung fully into a non-daylight saving timezone, featuring dark mornings and even darker nights. This month, I’ve allowed myself to restructure my novel … More Autumnal Thoughts (October Update)

An Achievement Enough (September Update)
September has been a month which I have barely registered. The combination of a new role at work, along with reaching some “crunch points” in our house DIY projects, have meant not only have I not had time for writing, I haven’t had time for anything apart from watching TV. Oops. At the start of … More An Achievement Enough (September Update)
Opinion Blog
My thoughts on all things fantasy and writing.

Take Your Time (Opinion Blog)
Social media, along with a fun mix of “look how much this person achieved before they were 30!” media stories, has created an invisible expectation on anyone trying to achieve any goal that you simply must achieve those goals as fast as possible. “So and So person made their own business by the time they … More Take Your Time (Opinion Blog)

Traditional vs Self Publishing (Opinion Blog)
First published as part of my Summer Newsletter 2020 – if you’re not signed up to my quarterly newsletters, click here! This month I’ve spent some time researching about publishing, agents, and how my WIP book could be released into the wild for people to enjoy. One of the main hurdles of sending your beloved … More Traditional vs Self Publishing (Opinion Blog)

A Message to Past Me
As a kid, the phrase “you can’t spell” was always a synonym for “you’re an idiot” and/or the equally wonderful “you can’t write”. For me, hearing that phrase repeated was one of the worst things about school. Most of all, because it was then suggested that anything with the written language was somehow out of … More A Message to Past Me
Monday Inspiration
My inspiration post-its, packaged as a blog post and shared with the internet.
See the Sky (Monday Inspiration)
See the sky, the grey weight of winter hanging heavy above.Hear the birds signing in the treetops above.Watch the world pass you by.When you’re needing inspiration, look outside and describe what you can see.
New Dawn (Monday Inspiration)
Another day, another goal.Let’s see how we do today shall we?
New Opportunity (Monday Inspiration)
New Year. New Chances. New opportunities await you. Look for them. Seize them. Reap the rewards.
Adjust your Goals (Monday Inspiration)
Goals are there to push you and challenge you. They are there to give you something to work towards over a long period of time, give you focus in times of distraction. Goals, however, are not a stick. They are not there to show failure, or to show missed deadlines. Can’t meet your goal you … More Adjust your Goals (Monday Inspiration)
Another Draft (Monday Inspiration)
Each draft you create is something new. You’re having to take your time, you see, uncovering new facets of your story from deep within your bones.Your thoughts are like the sea etching away at a clifftop. It might take many years until your sculpture is complete.But, in the end, your draft will be beautiful.
Question of When (Monday Inspiration)
It is not a question of if something will happen, but when it will happen.When you will make it happen.When you will create your dreams.
Question Everything (Monday Inspiration)
Question why is the world the way it is? Reflect it, consider it, use it. Questions asking why mean your story starts to grow a life of it’s own. Take on new depth and meaning. So when you are stuck on a scene, or a character, or a word. Ask why.
It Will Be Worth It (Monday Inspiration)
Your story will be worth it. It’ll be worth the struggle Worth the fight. Worth the frustration. It’ll be worth it, in the end.
Find a Balance (Monday Inspiration)
Everything is about balance. Not about juggling in a furious attempt to keep everything in the air. Not giving up on your dreams because you feel like that time has passed. It’s about balance. Some days, your writing is the most important. On those days, you closet yourself away and write, and write, and write. … More Find a Balance (Monday Inspiration)
You are Capable (Monday Inspiration)
Even if the only person who ever tells you that you are capable is yourself – that’s okay. You know what? It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. You can meet your dreams. You can write your story. And if you’ve only heard that from yourself – let me be another person who says to … More You are Capable (Monday Inspiration)