Too revealing? There’s a good solid reason; it’s based on the story. You’ll notice the guy is also revealed. In fact, all six characters who star in this new novel find themselves in a situation where clothing is a low priority, or certainly should be. After all, wearing the clothes they normally sleep in, they’re …
Continue reading Revealing the Cover.
I wrote it last year. Started the long, and somewhat convoluted, process of editing, both as self-editor initially and then with my publisher’s editors, early this year. We now have a launch date for my latest novel. So, I suppose I’d better let you all know what it’s called, especially now this information was released …
Continue reading The Time has Come!
Word cloud Via Wordart In writing science fiction, two areas of uncertainty arise before the start. Assuming it’s not Space Opera, the first barrier is the large number of readers who believe all sci-fi involves space wars, forgetting that at least two of the most brilliant works of literature were also science fiction: Aldous Huxley’s …
Continue reading Dealing with Difficult Themes in #Fiction
Just short of a month ago, I wrote a post about Helen, a Chinese woman, translating some of my stories into her language. My hope was that would place my work before a wider readership. But there has been an unexpected and positive additional outcome.I’m no linguist. But I’ve travelled, both within the land of …
Continue reading Translation: Illuminating Cultural Difference.
Some years ago, I encountered a young Chinese woman, Helen, online. I can’t now remember how it came about, but it was probably a result of my series of ‘Right Word’ posts on the blog. Anyway, Helen asked if I could help with her English, as she wanted to learn the language to a better …
Continue reading The Joy of Serendipitous Distribution.
Picture via Pixabay. Yesterday I received the final edit notes for the new novel. This was the copy edit part, where a super-observant editor with an excellent grasp of the rules of English, goes through the entire book with a fine-tooth comb and picks out all the nits and knots: spelling, punctuation, syntax, grammar, etc. …
Continue reading The Latest on the New Novel
Word cloud created through wordart.com Environment, Capitalism, and Religious Hypocrisy are major themes running through my WIP, a work my publisher’s team of editors recently returned with ‘edit notes’. This wasn’t the usual ‘line edit’ I’ve had in the past and, on reading the notes, I was initially taken aback. My first response was that …
Continue reading Edit Notes: How Do You Deal With Them?
A new start. New chances. New hopes. New dreams to fulfil. Positivity. Optimism. Let’s Do It! It’s gone at last, that dreadful year that was 2020. Gone, finished, done with. Over. We can begin anew. So, what do you have to look forward to? What’s on your creative, personal, social horizon? For me on the …
Continue reading Welcome to 2021.
Christmas is for the kids. But I love the idea of a new beginning, however random that may be, so the New Year is always special for me. Trauma, trouble, dispute, and the glorious heroics and kindness of millions. This has been a year that will be remembered by most for many reasons. The personal …
Continue reading A Welcome Ending: 2020 Goodbye!
That final stage in progress. The title to this post is, of course, a show of blatant optimism, since I have completed my personal final edit, but the publisher’s team, kept locked in his basement, will undoubtedly come back with more. However, it is a milestone to celebrate. The MS ran to 79,079 words when …
Continue reading That Final Edit
This sums up my current state! This is to let visitors know that my website may be disrupted for the next couple of days. WordPress works on 'Themes' and it appears my current Theme has been 'Retired', which means I have to choose another. That means I may have to completely redesign the site; not …
Continue reading An Announcement
Word cloud created through wordart.com How do you organise your own editing of your creative writing? You’ll find an account of my latest WIP journey here to show how I go about it. The MS stood at 79,079 words at the end of the edit referred to in that post. I then began the penultimate …
Continue reading Using Editing Software?
220 pages Writing Reference. This is the 4th Edition. This manual guides writers through the process of publishing a book in digital form. But it’s so much more than that. David Gaughran has been writing about writing and publishing for some years. He bases his advice on personal experience combined with much research. He knows …
Continue reading Let’s Get Digital, by David Gaughran: #BookReview.
My desk during editing. If you write by the seat of your pants, you’re a pantster, as opposed to those who write a story from a structured plan; they’re plotters. Both methods have upsides and downsides, and both have devotees, some of whom can be unnecessarily scathing of those in the opposite camp. I’ve been …
Continue reading Perils of the Pantster.
Continuing to spread a bit of light and pleasure to those confined by the current crisis. See post 1, here, for an explanation. This is the 18th post. Sunshine and warmth have combined to raise the heads of some domesticated bluebells in our back garden. I wondered if those in the forest might be similarly …
Continue reading Daily Forest Walk Picture 21.04.20
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