…Books are patient where we are slow to understand…Carl Sagan QUOTES FOR WRITERS
Books, purchasable at low cost, permit us to interrogate the past with high accuracy; to tap the wisdom of our species; to understand the point of view of others, and … Continue reading
Mutton Fat (again!), Servants and Chaperones ADVICE FROM THE 1830s BRIGHTON HOUSEKEEPER AND AGONY AUNT
Mrs Finnegan’s Chronicles: the Celebrated Authority in affairs of the HEART and HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT living in her own bubble where the land meets the sea, while also looking after The … Continue reading
Happy Bloomsday – listen to the definitive recording of Ulysses
Ulysses – James Joyce’s 700-page masterpiece – is 100 years old today. June 16th is known throughout the world as Bloomsday, after protagonist Leopold Bloom. This Bloomsday to celebrate the centenary of … Continue reading
Literature declines to eradicate one truth in favor of another…says George Saunders QUOTES FOR WRITERS
Fiction is a kind of compassion-generating machine that saves us from sloth. Is life kind or cruel? Yes, Literature answers. Are people good or bad? You bet, says Literature. But … Continue reading
Tears and Temper and Dear Old Ladies ADVICE FROM THE 1830s BRIGHTON HOUSEKEEPER AND AGONY AUNT
Mrs Finnegan’s Chronicles: the Celebrated Authority in affairs of the HEART and HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT At present she is meeting with six people from one household, or visiting six households, or … Continue reading
START THE WEEK with a writing exercise: a character lucky dip
I love the random nature of this exercise. Most of the time it is just writing practice, exploring how to reveal emotion and develop character, but it is a bit … Continue reading
Why reading is good for us and good for everyone else…Chris Riddell QUOTES FOR WRITERS
READING allows us to see and understand the world through the eyes of others. A good book is an empathy engine.Chris Riddell
Change is afoot! along with picnics and eye infections… Advice from the 1830s Agony Aunt
Mrs Finnegan’s Chronicles: the Celebrated Authority in affairs of the HEART and HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT At present she is only occasionally stepping out from the elegant confines of The Regency Town … Continue reading
START THE WEEK with a writing exercise: Creating a Dark Character
AS WRITERS WE NEED people to do bad things: they create story. They may not be the heart of your writing, the central core, but they kickstart action and reaction. … Continue reading
David Bowie on why it’s important to be selfish QUOTES FOR WRITERS
All my big mistakes are when I try to second-guess or please an audience. My work is always stronger when I get very selfish about it.David Bowie Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash
A saint, a sinner and a chemise…advice from the 1830s Agony Aunt
Mrs Finnegan’s Chronicles: the Celebrated Authority in affairs of the HEART and HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT is not leaving The Regency Town House in Brighton and Hove, a town rich in art and entertainment … Continue reading
START THE WEEK with a creative writing exercise and your main character is drunk…
Write two versions of the same scene. The setting is a work place and the main character is someone who turns up very, very drunk. First version: write in the … Continue reading
When it comes to writing big emotions ‘show and tell’ isn’t enough…Donald Maass QUOTES FOR WRITERS
BIG EMOTIONS often fall flat on the page. Trying to evoke them through showing can fail to work any better. Tiptoeing down creaky stairs into a dark basement doesn’t necessarily … Continue reading
Written a short story on the theme of solitude?
Indy publishers Everything With Words are publishing a book of short stories in spring 2021 on the theme of solitude.Submissions should be between 2,000 and 6,000 words long. There is … Continue reading
BRIDGET WHELAN writer 