Writing Lessons 9
Today I have been working on a new story, and I’ve got to the magical stage of about 90,000 words, which means that I’m on the easier, downhill slopes and almost at the end of the first draft. Perhaps this is a good time to think about how things are going. I’ve already spoken about … Continue reading
Writing Lessons 8
Okay, so what happens when it all goes horribly wrong? You are sitting down, the writing has been a blast, and you have a brilliant first stage written. It felt great, it reads really well. But now, you have a problem. This was supposed to be a romcom, but it’s gone all black and dangerous. … Continue reading
Writing Lessons 7
It is a very odd thing, that writers will often miss whole weeks of life. When you are writing from a specific point of view, you become so utterly immersed in that person’s life, that you cannot exist in the real world at the same time. Your partner will get used to grumbles and muttered … Continue reading
Writing Lessons 6
So you are sitting at your chosen location, your desk, your kitchen table, your spare bedroom – wherever it may be. You have your pen, pencil, paper pad, laptop or desktop computer, and you have some quiet music playing to tempt you into your best writing mood. You have been thinking about the next scene … Continue reading
Writing Lessons 5
Apologies for a silent Monday, but family life intruded into work life. The next issue that writers often seem to have is the most basic one: which tools to use. There is a belief that there is a magic series of tools to use, just as there is a magic set of instructions for new … Continue reading
Writing Lessons 4
So far this week I have written about how to get writing. I have suggested ways to invent characters, how to get ideas down and how to set them out. Today I’m going back to first principles for all those of you who don’t have the faintest idea how to start. The first, absolute … Continue reading
Writing Lessons 3
Right, this is the third piece on my short run of ideas about getting started as a writer. If you haven’t looked, please go and check the first two items from this week. So how did you get on with trying out different scenes to throw your guy into? I’m going to give you some … Continue reading
Writing Lessons 2
This follows on from the post yesterday, so if you haven’t read that, it could be a good idea to take a quick look. Right. Now, hopefully you will have a sheet of paper with a fair description of someone you know, someone you have met, or someone you have made up. The first thing … Continue reading
Writing Lessons 1
I get a fairly regular number of emails and tweets from people who really want to write, but just cannot quite work out what to write. Only this morning I had a rather desperate-sounding message from a guy who has all the tools, but as he said in his note, ‘I have tried and struggled … Continue reading
Review: The Sons
Review: THE SONS, by Anton Svensson, published by Sphere, Hardback £18.99 ISBN:978 0 7515 57777 0 This is a book by authors I had not heard of. Anton Svensson is a writing partnership between Stefan Thunberg, a celebrated screenwriter, and Anders Roslund, an investigative journalist.Their first book, “Father”, achieved rave reviews, and I was keen … Continue reading
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