Searching for the Right Word? Tip #1

On 08/04/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice

In this series of posts, I’m looking at how certain words can influence readers. Do you want to inspire with joy, encourage fear, romance with love, or does your story now need the reader to sink into despair along with your protagonist? This set of posts will look at ways of influencing mood by selecting …

Continue reading Searching for the Right Word? Tip #1

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 50.

On 05/04/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice2 Comments

This series, concentrating on ways to trim writing, whilst providing examples aimed at stimulating imagination, has come to its natural end with this post. Next, I’ll be looking at expanding effective vocabulary by using the right words to convey the idea, mood, or meaning. Lift up: It’s pretty difficult to lift in any other direction, …

Continue reading Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 50.

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 49.

On 31/03/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice4 Comments

In this series, I've aimed at trimming our writing. I’ve tried to include examples that might seed ideas for your writing. Our readers will appreciate the absence of common redundancies and flabby expressions. This post, however, is the penultimate offering on the topic. Next, I’m going to be looking at expanding effective vocabulary by employing …

Continue reading Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 49.

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 48.

On 29/03/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice2 Comments

Writers enjoy sharing ideas to improve our craft. This series aims at trim writing, using examples intended to stimulate the imagination. Readers will appreciate the absence of common redundancies and flabby expressions. Penetrate into: Is it possible to penetrate out of? No, I didn’t think so. e.g. At that exquisite moment of union, the man …

Continue reading Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 48.

Easter Walking in the Forest of Dean

On 28/03/2016 By stuartakenIn Creative Writer, Nature15 Comments

Some places inspire. The Forest of Dean is one such place for me. Living within the forest, with access just a hundred yards or so from our front door, we have the opportunity to walk amongst the trees every day, and do our best to do just that. The weather has been very variable this …

Continue reading Easter Walking in the Forest of Dean

The Ubiquity of Sacred Curses.

On 26/03/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, question, Word Choice10 Comments

Are you ever stuck for a suitable expletive to place in the mouths of your characters? I’m currently writing a science fiction novel set in the near future on Mars. I’ve imagined a new world where, amongst other things, the society is effectively agnostic. In devising dialogue, I suddenly became aware of just how pervasive …

Continue reading The Ubiquity of Sacred Curses.

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 47.

On 24/03/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice

We writers share ideas to improve our craft. This series aims to trim our writing. Readers will appreciate the absence of these common redundancies and flabby expressions. Joint collaboration: Let’s dispense with the ‘joint’, unless you feel the need for a fix, of course. All collaboration is a joint affair, after all. e.g. Joint collaboration …

Continue reading Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 47.

Is it Time to Re-evaluate our Attitude to Religious Freedoms?

On 23/03/201630/07/2017 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, opinion, question24 Comments

From time to time, I feel compelled to express an opinion about some matter or other. As a writer, with my own blog, I consider this the most appropriate place for such things. Please join the discussion. And, if you’re easily offended, please avoid these topics. # It has happened again: a terrorist attack on …

Continue reading Is it Time to Re-evaluate our Attitude to Religious Freedoms?

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 46.

On 22/03/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice

We writers share ideas to improve our craft. This series aims to trim our writing. Readers will appreciate the absence of these common redundancies and flabby expressions. Meet with each other: If you’re getting together, you’re meeting. You don’t need ‘with each other’. e.g. They met with each other to discuss her offer. Try: They …

Continue reading Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 46.

The Influence of Place on Content.

On 20/03/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer1 Comment

We’ve just returned from a visit to another county where we were engaged in family research. Essex is a place I lived for 18 years, when employment took me there. I haven’t been back for 30 years, but we have ancestors in the area. Time to visit the county records office in Chelmsford, to dig …

Continue reading The Influence of Place on Content.

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 45.

On 17/03/201612/03/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice

Have a great St. Patrick's Day! Writers enjoy sharing ideas to improve their craft. Here are some tricks to trim your writing. Readers will appreciate the absence of these common redundancies and flabby expressions. Eradicate completely: When something is eradicated, it is completely removed, so we don’t need ‘completely’. e.g. We must eradicate completely all …

Continue reading Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 45.

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 44.

On 15/03/201612/03/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice

Writers enjoy sharing ideas to improve their craft. Here are some tricks to trim your writing. Readers will appreciate the absence of these common redundancies and flabby expressions. Equal to one another: Wordy! e.g. The authors were equal to one another in terms of books published, but she was a better writer. Try: The authors …

Continue reading Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 44.

The Red Room, by Joan Barbara Simon, Reviewed.

On 10/03/201630/07/2017 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Literature, Poetry, Reading, Review

I have never read anything like this. Now, there’s a statement. But what does it mean? This book is subtitled, ‘a portfolio’ and that’s a good description of the range of contents. First, let me advise potential readers that this is material for adults. Those who seek gentle reassurance in romance and the sweet murmurings …

Continue reading The Red Room, by Joan Barbara Simon, Reviewed.

First Draft of the Mars Book Finished.

On 09/03/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Fiction, Mars, Progress10 Comments

Much to my surprise, I finished the first draft of the current WIP, yesterday. This science fiction novel set on Mars currently has no title, other than ‘the Mars book’, which, let’s face it, isn’t exactly inspiring! Why was I surprised? I write as a pantster, so I don’t work to a plot, merely a …

Continue reading First Draft of the Mars Book Finished.

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 42.

On 08/03/2016 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Grammar, Word Choice1 Comment

Writers enjoy sharing ideas to improve their craft. Here are some tricks to trim your writing. Readers will appreciate the absence of these common redundancies and flabby expressions. Enter in: Since you can’t enter out (that would be an exit), let’s leave it out, eh? e.g. Jenny was prepared to enter in the dragon’s den …

Continue reading Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 42.