BRIDGET WHELAN writer

for writers and readers….

Be kind – be anxious, says Roddy Doyle. Quotes for writers (and people who like quotes)

Do be kind to yourself. Fill pages as quickly as possible; double space, or write on every second line. Regard every new page as a small triumph, until you get … Continue reading

November 30, 2014 · 1 Comment

A book that shouldn’t be on your Christmas list

The publishers of Barbie: I Can Be a Computer Engineer have been forced to apologise because of its sexist content.  Although I haven’t seen a copy myself,  I gather that … Continue reading

November 27, 2014 · 3 Comments

A special one-off event for Sussex Sci Fi fans

THEY is a Science Fiction novel set on the South Downs and published in 1977. ‘They’ are an unnamed group who roam the countryside and remove all books, musical instruments and artworks … Continue reading

November 26, 2014 · 4 Comments

Erica Jong – author of the groundbreaking The Fear-of-Flying – on when she was too scared to finish any passage of writing. Quotes for Writers (and people who like quotes)

I went for years not finishing anything. Because, of course, when you finish something you can be judged…I had poems which were re-written so many times I suspect it was … Continue reading

November 23, 2014 · 1 Comment

Should Writing Success Always Be Counted in Money?

I’m delighted to hand over my blog today to American writer Cara Lopez Lee who should win the prize for the best ever title of a memoir: They Only Eat … Continue reading

November 20, 2014 · 11 Comments

Four Counties Poetry Competition – work here, live here, study here, be born here and you qualify…

For the very first time Rottingdean Writers’ Group is running a competition specially designed for poets connected to London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex. The judge is John McCullough, academic and … Continue reading

November 18, 2014 · Leave a comment

Doris Lessing on the art of reading well — Quotes for Writers (and people who like quotes)

“There is only one way to read, which is to browse in libraries and bookshops, picking up books that attract you, reading only those, dropping them when they bore you, … Continue reading

November 16, 2014 · 4 Comments

Margaret Atwood on the problems of knowing what’s going to happen next… Quotes for Writers (and people who like quotes)

You can never read your own book with the innocent anticipation that comes with that first delicious page of a new book, because you wrote the thing. You’ve been backstage. … Continue reading

November 9, 2014 · 1 Comment

A new type of publisher is doing something new for women writers

Unbound is a revolutionary new way to get books published. Founded by three authors, John Mitchinson, Justin Pollard and Dan Kieran, all their titles are crowdfunded.   Authors pitch their book … Continue reading

November 7, 2014 · 3 Comments

Who’s Afraid of The Big Bad Book?

Originally posted on artycappuccino:
Who’s Afraid of The Big Bad Book? A picture book by Lauren Child There are lots of things which author and illustrator Lauren Child does (not…

November 5, 2014 · Leave a comment

Five Tips for writing flash fiction plus one inspirational exercise that will deliver a plot to your keyboard

I originally wrote this post for the Hysterectomy Association when I was writer in residence of their annual writing competition earlier this year. Flash Fiction goes by many names: micro … Continue reading

November 3, 2014 · 7 Comments

Terry Pratchett on old women and misleading covers — quotes for writers (and people who like quotes)

I do note with interest that old women in my books become young women on the covers… this is discrimination against the chronologically gifted. Terry Pratchett photo credit: donielle via … Continue reading

November 2, 2014 · 6 Comments

Archives