I’m a firm believer that writing is a craft. IMHO it has skills that can not only be learnt, but also honed through practice. The analogy I use most often is that writing is a bit like carpentry. I refer to my early books as “slightly wonky tables” as I was practising when I wrote… Continue reading Crafting a story
Tag: plot
Enjoying being a writer
I have one completed novel and I’m working on the sequel. I’m currently in the process of looking for either an agent or a publisher which entails a lot of waiting. I am still writing and putting words down – I should crack the 10,000 barrier in the next day or two! But, maintaining a… Continue reading Enjoying being a writer
More about structure and plot
I’ve just finished reading Vogler’s Writer’s Journey (Mythic Structure for Writers) and am in the process of absorbing it. It is a complicated but thorough blueprint for what sells, what readers find satisfying and want to go back to. Actually, that is slightly inaccurate – Vogler’s main experience is in Hollywood, so it is really a… Continue reading More about structure and plot
The Process of Novel Writing
When I was younger (more naive?) I thought that becoming an author would go something like this. I’d write a novel, by starting at the beginning and writing through to the end. Then I’d send three chapters and a synopsis off to some publishers, one would ask for the full manuscript and I’d get published.… Continue reading The Process of Novel Writing
Burning down Hogwarts!
Apologies to those of you who don’t read Harry Potter, but I am father to three boys, aged 4, 8 and 11 so it is common currency in our house. Thinking about the series of books (and films, etc.) I realised something. By the end of the book, a lot of things that were axiomatic… Continue reading Burning down Hogwarts!