We all benefit from being more time effective and cost efficient. Here are ten tips on how to make your writing day run smoother. Know what you are going to write before you sit at your desk. If you’re working on a novel this can...
I'm always looking for new ways to be smarter with what I do...
Here are six common causes why writers panic – and six solutions You get stuck halfway through Don’t worry. I’ve referred to this before as embracing the chaos. Former Good Weekend editor Fenella Souter described it as the ‘slough of despond.‘ Keep chipping away and...
Two months ago I challenged you to make the most of the last quarter. To finish those half-written stories, to sign up for a workshop or join NaNoWriMo. How many did it? A friend was telling me that since she stopped doing a creative writing course...
Happy 1st October! It’s hard to believe that we’re already in the last quarter of the year. Be honest, now. How many of you made some writing resolutions back in January that you still haven’t completed? You’re not the only one. I have a few outstanding… With...
So many writers don’t succeed because they don’t finish stories. Don’t be one of them. As a journalist I’m used to deadlines. If I didn’t have them, I wouldn’t always finish stories. Or even start them. When you’re working on a book or a bigger writing project...
I’m deep into writing a company autobiography about the Kensington Colleges at the moment. The deadline is fast approaching and there’s still too much to do. When you have a big writing project it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Here are some techniques and tools I find...
When I teach writing, I always ask my workshop students how they create a routine for themselves. Here’s what some say: I write for 40 minutes during my lunch break twice a week. I write on the train to work. I stay in and write one evening every...
Hello everyone, I’ve been quiet for a while. After working on my novel for two years, I’m excited to announce that it’s nearly ready for publication. The Pagoda Tree will be published on 26th June 2013 by Penguin. As I needed to create space for the...