The difference between a lie and a story…Quotes for Writers (and people who like quotes)
A lie was something you told because you were mean or a coward. A story was something you made up out of something that might have happened. Only you didn’t … Continue reading
Wouldn’t it be lovely if there was no such thing as books for boys…or princesses…or pink
I recently wrote about a Barbie book that should never have seen the light of day and now I’ve heard about a young girl in California who has managed to … Continue reading
A bitter lesson for writers – Thomas Wolfe Quotes for Writers (and people who like quotes)
What I had to face, the very bitter lesson that everyone who wants to write has got to learn, was that a thing may in itself be the finest piece … Continue reading
Christmas tension mounting? Here’s a book that will help without mentioning turkeys or stuffing (although family does crop up quite often))
Think of Making Friends with Anxiety as an early Christmas present to yourself. Written by international bestselling author Sarah Rayner, it oozes compassion without a hint of patronising superiority or … Continue reading
Hilary Mantel on the dangers of writing historical fiction — Quotes for Writers (and people who like quotes)
A relation of past events brings you up against events and mentalities that, should you choose to describe them, would bring you to the borders of what your readers could … Continue reading
Win a copy of my creative writing guide in time for Christmas
Hurray! I’ve made it past the 200 ‘likes’ milestone on my creative writing facebook page. As promised I’m going to give away a paperback copy of BACK TO CREATIVE WRITING … Continue reading
I don’t think I’ve mentioned this before…
…but I have a facebook page dedicated to writing. I use it for quick bits of information that seem funny or useful or both. I don’t put the same material … Continue reading
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
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
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
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
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