Monthly Updates
My monthly blog on what I’ve been up to, writing updates and things I’ve found interesting.
A Liminal Space (April Blog)
In what seems a lifetime ago, I remember sitting in my local airport at around six thirty in the morning waiting for my flight to Newcastle. It being a tiny airport, and me having turned up three hours early like it was an international flight from Heathrow, I had time to kill. So I went … More A Liminal Space (April Blog)
A World, Changed (March Update)
I spent a long time debating what to title this blog. “A World in Chaos”. “A World in Panic”. “A World gone mad”. But I decided to go with “A World, Changed”. Because yes, the spread of Corvid-19 is creating a situation unprecedented in the modern world. Quarantine. Social Distancing. Shops and spaces closing down. … More A World, Changed (March Update)
Journey Before Destination (February Update)
February is the shortest month of the year, and with that comes its own difficulties. My goals list, which stays roughly the same for each month, is suddenly compressed by 3 days which makes everything that little bit harder to achieve. Plus, my day job ramps up its intensity to the end of the financial … More Journey Before Destination (February Update)
An Emotional Connection (January Update)
And like that, it’s the end of January. It feels like only a minute ago it was New Years Eve, looking at the dawn of a new year and a new decade. And now, we’re one month in. How have you found this month? It’s been a busy one for me, most of my weekends … More An Emotional Connection (January Update)
Opinion Blog
My thoughts on all things fantasy and writing.
Why female protagonists are important in the fantasy genre
One of my loves of fantasy is seeing so many lady heroines kicking ass and taking names. Not all of them are the typical “warrior” archetypes, but each of them has their own type of strength which really impacted upon me when I read it. My current WIP has a number of female protagonists. A … More Why female protagonists are important in the fantasy genre
Fantasy to Inspire (Opinion Blog)
“It’s just a book.” If there is one phrase that incites rage in me in is that one. The fact that a book, a story, is nothing more than just a story. It’s just made up. It’s not got meaning. It’s not real. I fundamentally disagree. To assume that because something is not real it … More Fantasy to Inspire (Opinion Blog)
Opinion – The Gardener vs The Architect
There are many archetypes and personality types that any kind of person could try to shove themselves into in an attempt to categorise the human psyche. I remember at school those who were studying psychology coming out of their lesson and trying to shove labels onto various ticks, habits and phrases that people said as … More Opinion – The Gardener vs The Architect
Monday Inspiration
My inspiration post-its, packaged as a blog post and shared with the internet.
Keep Going (Monday Inspiration)
Keep going with it. It’s hard, this writing thing. It’s hard to write a book, or short story, or even flash fiction. Sometimes you aren’t motivated, other times you don’t have the time. Maybe you’re just stuck in a rut. Keep going. Keep trying. You will find your words again.
Write to Challenge Yourself (Monday Inspiration)
You can write something that is hard. Something you’ve not written before. Something that makes you think why am I trying this. Repeatedly. With every line. Challenging yourself allows you to grow. It pushes your boundaries, and gives you new skills. Write something that scares you. Write something that will be hard to write. Challenge … More Write to Challenge Yourself (Monday Inspiration)
Read More Stories (Monday Inspiration)
Reading is as important to be a good writer as it is to practice writing. You can see how other stories are constructed and written, how they’ve dealt with the same plot pains you have, how they’ve created tension and pacing. Reading also allows you to be a reader again, just a reader enjoying a … More Read More Stories (Monday Inspiration)
Each Draft is an Improvement (Monday Inspiration)
Every time you work on your draft, you make your story better. Every word, every sentence, every paragraph you look at and consider is another word closer to your final novel. Keep going. Keep editing. Keep drafting. And one day, the story on your page will match the one in your mind.
Be Kind to You (Monday Inspiration)
Writing is a creative hobby that is both individual and isolating. And there is a beauty in that, the individuality of your story is what makes it yours. And the isolation from the world is what gives your mind space to travel to far off places and create worlds so different to our own. But … More Be Kind to You (Monday Inspiration)
The First Draft (Monday Inspiration)
First drafts are supposed to be messy. They’re supposed to be full of holes and phrases that don’t quite work. The words that are in bold because you haven’t created that part of the world yet, or names of people you haven’t thought through. It’s okay if your first draft doesn’t work. Because your second … More The First Draft (Monday Inspiration)
Make Your Reality (Monday Inspiration)
You can make your dream into a reality. You can work towards it, day by day, until each tiny little change that you make, each tiny adjustment in your course, points you towards your goal. One day, you’ll stop and realise. You made it. You made your dream a reality.
Don't Burn Out (Monday Inspiration)
Passion projects are intoxicating because they are so involved. You can be sucked into them and loose all sense of space and time. It is just you and the words, and your act of creation. But remember to take a step back. To breathe. To give yourself time to recover. Otherwise you’ll burn out.
Time is Precious (Monday Inspiration)
There is only so much time in the day, and there never seems to be enough. And you know what, that’s okay. You can make it work for you. You can change your workspace to be more focussed. You can change your attitude to be more diligent. You can do this. You can make the … More Time is Precious (Monday Inspiration)
Anything is Possible (Monday Inspiration)
Don’t limit yourself. Don’t limit your dreams. The world is big, your drive is unbeatable, and your dreams are special. Stop telling yourself that you can’t do everything. Start showing yourself that you can.
