The Writer And The Rose

30 Day Edit

I finished my latest novel in March at just short of 80k words. Hurrah! But since then editing my novel has been a source of mental pain and great resistance. I have really struggled with it. I’m not sure why this is, because I was looking forward to editing when I was forcing myself to finish the last few chapters. But now I’m able to edit, it is the LAST thing I seem to want to do. In fact, I will clean the bathroom, read a boring book or even take a nap before I can bring myself to open … Read more

Fear, Procrastination, and Doubt

I haven’t written on this blog for a long time. I’ve stared at it for almost an hour this morning wondering what the point of having it is. There’s so much pressure on blogging: make sure you use the right keywords; it has to have targeted and monetised posts; research your topics; write what people want to read; make sure it’s long-form else google won’t be interested. Many years ago I had a blog that was about what I got up to while I was working abroad. That’s all I wrote. I shared photos and stories and had a little … Read more

Writing Prompt Round-Up: A Collection Of The Best Writing Prompt Resources To Inspire You

A good writing prompt is great for expanding your writing skills. If you don’t know what to write, a writing prompt that catches your attention and fires up your imagination can get you typing again when you’ve been staring at a blank page for too long. I did think about providing a list of writing prompts for you, but it turns out there are many people out there doing this far better than I ever could. So, instead here’s a round-up of the best writing prompts I could find, all in one handy place. Take your pick, get writing, and … Read more

I Want To Be A Writer But I Don’t Know What To Write

Is the main problem with your writing career (the one that you dream of), the fact that you just don’t know what to write? Never fear. It turns out that this isn’t the problem after all. Not knowing what to write, as we shall discover, is actually another problem in disguise. But thinking that you don’t know what to write can be the barrier between dreaming about being a writer and actually being a writer. So let’s knock this issue on the head for once and for all. It’s Not That You Don’t Know What To Write As I said … Read more

May 2020 Income Report

UPDATE: My monthly income report is now sent by email. Please sign up (box on the right) if you would like to receive them! SUMMARY: I made £0.00 in May (my first official, proper month of blogging). I am currently sitting in my bikini, in the shade on my patio, writing this on my iPad. It’s a whopping 26º out, which is a proper heatwave here in the UK. I spent the morning at the beach with the kids, and this afternoon I had one goal – get this blog post up. Just over a month ago I decided to … Read more

I Want To Be A Writer, Or, How I Gave Up My Day Job To Write Full Time

I want to be a writer. There. I’ve stood up, and said it out loud. In public. Now, I may be exaggerating when I say I gave up my day job to write full time. Giving up my part-time work to write part-time, would be a more accurate description. And perhaps I have misled you just a little with the title of this post. Because this is more of a ‘Watch Me Try’ than a ‘How To’. Wanna watch? Then read on. So here we are, all in the throes of a worldwide lockdown. You’d think this would be the … Read more

Novel Writing – What It Really Takes To Get To ‘The End’

When it comes to novel writing, or in fact completing any book, getting to The End is a labour of love. And in some ways, it’s that labour of love that separates those of us that want to write a book, from those of us that actually do. The commitment to completing a large project with very little (or zero), external validation, is not to be underestimated. There is no guaranteed reward, interest, or publication. The motivation has to come from deep inside you. You have to really want it. There are some major progress killers in novel writing, and … Read more

Great Storytelling: The Key To Getting It Right

There is an art to great storytelling. The exact same story told in two different ways can feel so different and be either satisfying or unsatisfying. If you’re unsure if your story has what it takes, take a look at the points below and see how you measure up. Getting your story right is not rocket science. Make sure you’ve covering the following items and you’ll be good to go.

How to start writing when you don't know where to start

Not knowing how to start writing is very common – and it is not a bad thing at all. If you struggle with knowing where to begin with your writing, you’re in good company. The first paragraph, the first chapter and the first page are sources of sweet agony to most of us. There are two main obstacles when it comes to starting writing, and I’ll talk about each of them in turn: a) the physical act of writing, and b) knowing what to write about. This post contains an affiliate link, which means if you click and purchase, I … Read more

How To Build A Daily Writing Habit (And Stick To It)

How to build a daily writing habit and stick with it

There is only one way to write, and we all know what that is. As much as all authors love to think about stories, plan stories in their heads and to fantasise about their novel finally making it onto the shelves at WHSmiths, there is one simple fact that none of us can ignore. If we don’t actually write, then nothing gets done. Building a daily writing habit is hands down the ultimate way to realise all of your writing goals.