The first few chapters of The Bone Season
Category: Blog
Contemplative thoughts on creativity, updates on my fictional frolics and general wittering about writing. There’s a new blog post every Sunday, plus a new book review almost every week, so be sure to Follow for all the fun.
I’m in a Trough (Whinge Part 2) | Blog
In February I made a (risky) executive decision to stop taking antidepressants without checking with my doctor first.
It’s kind of a long story as to why, but let’s just say that my faith in my GP’s knowledge of antidepressants had run dry. And I kinda figured that I know my brain better than anyone else. My thoughts on my own brain weren’t really listened to by my doctor in the past, and it didn’t go well for me (Biggest. Understatement. Ever). So, I turned to Google for advice and weaned off the meds myself. Continue reading “I’m in a Trough (Whinge Part 2) | Blog”
Dog Stories, Short Story Collection | Book Review
I bought this short story collection on impulse when I was perusing the pretty anthologies section in Waterstones. I love short stories and I love dogs – I didn’t have to think twice. But I’ve got to be honest – I’m a tad disappointed. Continue reading “Dog Stories, Short Story Collection | Book Review”
A Whinge | Blog
Please forgive me while I interrupt the regular writerly Sunday blog posts on this platform in favour of a bit of a WHINGE.
I’m overwhelmed. Not by writing, (well, I am a bit, but no more than usual), but by life. Continue reading “A Whinge | Blog”
I Don’t Know What My Genre Is (Or If It Matters)
Something that I’ve been struggling with recently is defining my genre. Right now, I pitch my tales as “speculative” because this seems to me to be the most professional way to define “weird shit” which is, apparently, what I tend to write.
People have told me I have a “style,” but when I ask them what that style is, they say, “Um, well, I dunno. It’s just kinda weird.” Helpful. Continue reading “I Don’t Know What My Genre Is (Or If It Matters)”
April Reads | Book Review
I blinked and then April was over.
I’ve no idea where this month has gone. It seems as though I frittered it away on wedding planning, gardening, and whinging about the weather. I’ve been lazy with both writing and reading this month, and I’m honestly ready for May to come along and reinvigorate me with some summery inspiration. But this is England, so it’ll probably just rain some more. Continue reading “April Reads | Book Review”
How to Overcome Writer’s Block | Blog
Last year I wrote a blog post about how to overcome writer’s block, in which I recommended ignoring it and writing anyway. I mentioned that I try to adopt the attitude that writer’s block doesn’t exist, because resigning myself to writer’s block only makes the problem worse.
I do still stand by that to a certain extent, but I wanted to expand on it because overcoming writer’s block isn’t always as simple as completely denying its existence. Even if we don’t call it writer’s block, we can agree that there are always fluctuations in our creativity levels, the number of ideas we have, and the amount we write on a regular basis. We’re not all super inspired and eager to write every single day. We all go through phases in which we struggle to write, and it’s perfectly natural and normal.
But what’s the best way of dealing with it? Is overcoming writer’s block possible? Continue reading “How to Overcome Writer’s Block | Blog”
Is a Degree in Creative Writing Worth It?
In 2012 I graduated from Royal Holloway University of London with a joint honours degree in creative writing and drama. Pretty much ever since, I’ve wondered if it was worth it. Continue reading “Is a Degree in Creative Writing Worth It?”
Quantity or Quality in Fiction Writing?
I saw a Twitter thread at the start of the year in which people were discussing the Ray Bradbury Challenge (I’m not gonna share it ‘cos I can’t find it… bad blogger alert, sorry), and it got me thinking. So naturally, I’m going to ramble on about it for a few hundred words or so.
The idea behind the challenge is that you write a short story ever single week for a full year, because it’s not possible to write 52 bad stories in a row. At some point, you’re bound to come up with a gem, right? Continue reading “Quantity or Quality in Fiction Writing?”
I Lost My Writing Mojo
I’ve lost my writing mojo, and it’s been gone for a while.
It’s not that I’m short of ideas. I have pages and pages full of scribbled notes for stories I want to write, and stories that I genuinely feel excited about. I’m just not having fun writing them. Continue reading “I Lost My Writing Mojo”