The Many Lives of a Writer – 1

Most people are like cats – they live not just one life, but many. Writers are no exception. Here's how I got started with my first writing life. Life 1 - The Dragon Years My first writing life began in 1992. I was in my late twenties and, after noodling around for years with odd … Continue reading The Many Lives of a Writer – 1

Writing a Novel is Like This

Writing a novel is like all these things: Weaving a carpet Hacking out a sculpture from solid marble Juggling scimitars whose blades have been honed to razor-sharp perfection Getting jiggy with someone you love Embarking on a long journey in a foreign land without map or compass Bringing up a child Building a replica of … Continue reading Writing a Novel is Like This

Ten Reasons to Write

This list was originally intended as a kind of antidote to my recent Ten Reasons Not To Write. But it's turned out to be rather more than that. Ten Reasons to Write not only outlines the various stimuli that motivate the average writer, but also offers useful clues about which particular genre said writer is … Continue reading Ten Reasons to Write

Ten Reasons Not to Write

There are many reasons not to write. Some of them are seductive, like femmes fatales in an old Bogart movie. Some of them are dangerous, like trolls in steel armour wielding nail-studded clubs. Some of them are both (and if the image of a troll wearing one of Lauren Bacall's old dresses doesn't make you … Continue reading Ten Reasons Not to Write

The DNA of Storytelling

I blame writer and storyteller Damien Walter for setting me off on this train of thought. In his blog post Two. four. Seven. More. How many stories are there? he discusses various theories on the reduction of narrative to its basic building blocks. Paulo Coelho reckons there are four primal plots, Aristotle says two and … Continue reading The DNA of Storytelling

Goodbye Word, Hello Scrivener

Writing's all about the words. It doesn't much matter what tools you use, just as long as you get the right words in the right places. I used to write with pen and paper, and sometimes still do. I've consigned the typewriters - both manual and electronic - to the scrapheap. These days I'm most … Continue reading Goodbye Word, Hello Scrivener

Nobody Knows Anything About Publishing

The publishing arena can be a scary place for a writer. Bestseller trends come and go. This genre's in, now this genre's out. Publishing companies rise and fall, merge and compete. The very medium by which people consume stories continues to evolve, at an ever-increasing pace. Everything changes, all the time. Whenever I need to … Continue reading Nobody Knows Anything About Publishing

What Scares You?

What scares you? It's a question of some concern to the writer of horror fiction, the maker of horror films, the creator of horror art. The really scary thing is that there's no easy answer. Ask the question of a hundred different people and you'll get a hundred different responses. Spiders. The dark. Vampires. Enclosed … Continue reading What Scares You?

Is Creativity a Black Art?

"Where do you get your ideas?" It's the question every writer dreads. The most common answer is, 'I don't know.' I prefer to take it one step further. In truth, I don't want to know. I've often wondered if it's possible to teach creativity. The longer I live, the more convinced I am that it … Continue reading Is Creativity a Black Art?

Ssh, It’s a Plot!

Many writers sneer at plot. Others embrace it. Just as many don’t know the difference between plot and story and, when challenged, take themselves into a corner and mumble. The way I see it is this: Story is a sequence of events Plot is the structure behind that sequence of events It’s perfectly possible to … Continue reading Ssh, It’s a Plot!