Thickening My Skin
You may have noticed a large gap since I last wrote a blog. I certainly have. I’m currently working my way (very slowly, baby/job/rest of life permitting) through The Artist’s … Continue reading Thickening My Skin
Tag: creativity
A Week of Silence
“The world is only tolerable because of the empty places in it…when the world’s filled up, we’ll have to get hold of a star. Any star. Venus, or Mars. Get … Continue reading A Week of Silence
Finding My Voice
Over the past few weeks, something strange has happened. In the tiny bubbles of time I get between work and baby, I’ve started to write again. At first, it wasn’t … Continue reading Finding My Voice
How to have a Magical Time – Reading or Writing
We al love the idea of leaving the dreary hum of normality behind. Magical realism, science fiction, fantasy, call it what you like, almost everyone can think of an example … Continue reading How to have a Magical Time – Reading or Writing
Non-Fiction (like pie) is your Friend
My shelf is in danger of falling down. We put it up to replace the bedside tables, so it hovers above our heads, laden with all the stuff I used … Continue reading Non-Fiction (like pie) is your Friend
Mental Maintenance
Recently, I’ve found myself with more time on my hands. This freakish turn of events has led to all sorts of developments. There are things in drawers and cupboards that … Continue reading Mental Maintenance
What Does Progress Look Like?
Everyone loves to feel like they’re progressing. The problem is, for some things, outcomes are not quite as tangible as we’d like. If I were an aspiring baker, I’d continue … Continue reading What Does Progress Look Like?
All Change (Shift Your Focus to Re-Energise Writing)
The leaves on the tree outside my window are dying. But they are so beautiful in their death. Near the top, they still have green hearts, tinged with an acid-bright … Continue reading All Change (Shift Your Focus to Re-Energise Writing)
The Dangers of Over-Plotting
The results are in. After months of worrying over the impact the new English GCSE would have on our students, we’ve found that, thankfully, they’ve done about as well as … Continue reading The Dangers of Over-Plotting
Give Yourself Credit
I’ll be honest, it hasn’t been a great summer for the word count. Finding myself at the end of a mammoth edit for one novel and fiddling around with ideas … Continue reading Give Yourself Credit
When Writing Seems Impossible
One of my favourite reactions to the question ‘why do you write’ came from Lisa McInerney when I saw her at the Emerald Street Literary Festival last year. She’d just … Continue reading When Writing Seems Impossible
Is Borrowing from Mythology Cheating?
When I was a student at University, I took a composition course. Bashing away at the keys of a piano in a quiet practice room (it was 11pm, I had … Continue reading Is Borrowing from Mythology Cheating?
