This week I shall mostly be kicking off our first Blank Page Short Story Challenge, not sure what I am on about? Check some of the earlier blogs! That said, I don’t want to leave you guys all alone without me for a whole week; would I do that to you? No, no I wouldn’t! […]
The Blank Page Challenge
Well, the time has come! After an insane week of so much work, support, questions, feedback, ideas and votes… it’s time to officially kick off The Blank Page Challenge (TBPC). We’re working on the website and Facebook page at the moment, but the Twitter is all up and running, so please head over and check […]
First time for everything
With the upcoming short story competition, I decided that it was finally time for me to post one of my short stories online. But which? You see, I have written short stories but… they’ve never been… right. Not quite ready. Always in need of a tweak here. Expansion there. Or I’ve just not been wowed […]
It’s like a book, but shorter…
After the excitement of yesterday’s announcement, I was thinking about the feedback we’ve received and some of the thoughts of the more novel-focused parts of the community, me included. There’s an assumption, in some circles, that crafting a good short story is easier than a novel; after all, it’s short, right? Less to do? Whilst […]
Can I get a drum roll?
After the last few days and all of the amazing input for the wider community, I am pleased to announce that we WILL be proceeding with the new short story competition! Thank you all for your input and enthusiasm, I now have a panel of judges and a growing support team around me, ready to […]
…apparently it DOES sound like a good idea?
EDIT: We’ve been working hard on this so, you can find out more about The Blank Page Challenge right here! Well, that was unexpected. In the last 24 hours my idea for a short story competition has really taken off. I’ve had some amazing support from the writing community, made new friends, been given some […]
Does this sound like a good idea to you?
EDIT: As we have decided it IS a good idea, you can read more about The Blank Page Challenge and the team behind it right here! Thanks to everyone who voted. The last few days on Twitter have been, for me, about community. I’ve had a particularly caustic interaction with a stranger, some great private […]
4 rules for starting your writer’s platform
Starting out as a writer can be overwhelming; you have one hundred things to do, advice coming from all angles and suddenly you need to have opinions on things. Where do you stand on first-person vs third? Do you think that “show don’t tell” is a rule or an option? Is grammar relevant in your […]
Plans for 2018, inspiration and an excerpt
First off, happy New Year to you all, I hope each and everyone of you had an amazing festive season and are ready for a happy, healthy and productive New Year! As I start my first full year as a self-professed writer, I’ve been thinking a lot about my plans for 2018, my hopes, aspirations […]
An Englishman in the Netherlands (Update)
As some of you kind souls may have noticed, I’ve been off the air for over a month now. So, where have I been? It’s very kind of you to ask, so here’s a quick follow up on NaNoWriMo, what I’ve been up to and plans for the New Year. Quick recap for those who […]