I'm not one for New Year's resolutions. Or New Year. Or resolutions. Not really. But change is order of the day. I guess change is the order of every day in some way. As Boethius and as Christopher Ecclestone says in 24 Hour Party People to Tony Wilson (Steve Coogan): "Inconsistency is my very essence" - says … Continue reading Writing Resolutions
Notes on Writing Related Stuff
Inner promptings vs external stimuli
I went interstate for a bit. There was scenery to look at and memories and feelings. I was inspired. I was going to write about it. But I don't think I will. I may write it or express it somehow, perhaps in some story, perhaps not. But about it seems to corrupt it, or exhaust its … Continue reading Inner promptings vs external stimuli
Writing adventures so far
To those who have stuck by me thank you for reading. To new visitors, thanks for dropping by and know that writing (whether it is reviewing episodes of Doctor Who here or writing stories) is something I pursue because I must, even if it is shoved into the spare hours I have between everything else. … Continue reading Writing adventures so far
Writing like a tree
The news, as it is wont to do these days, came via Twitter first, and then I found it in the mail. A poster. One of my stories for If: Books Open Changes was used for a Story Tree poster and it arrived the other day. It's the first time some of my writing has … Continue reading Writing like a tree
Genre-trification
This year I graduated with an MA in Writing and Literature. Throughout, the emphasis in the writing components was upon 'literature'. We could only use aspects of genre or sneak them sideways into our short stories or essays. However, I'm over artificially constructed barriers. Surely there is nothing unliterary with the works of China Mieville or Ursula Le … Continue reading Genre-trification
Anti-Advice for Writers
If you are writing or thinking about writing, or reading about thinking about starting to write you will, with little trouble, come across a terrifyingly huge amount of advice. It comes in the form of: books, blogs, well-meaning friends, videos, hash-tagged conversations, mime performances, professional organisations and their magazines, software, spam invitations to pay for … Continue reading Anti-Advice for Writers
The Hobbit: Consolations of Structure & Dreaming
Structure and Imagination The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug was mostly a triumph of restructuring and knowing what to do with a story once it's been written. Tolkien followed a dream when he began inventing a world in between stints in the trenches of WWI, and it was one that was continually reshaped over his entire life … Continue reading The Hobbit: Consolations of Structure & Dreaming
String Pullers and Sleight of Hand
Puppets are great metaphors for writers. Writers are the string pullers of their worlds. They are the will behind the action, the sleight of hand making things happen without seeming to do much at all (except typing), the voice of the work behind the words. They are ventriloquists who throw their voices and make matter … Continue reading String Pullers and Sleight of Hand
Strength of Character
I keenly dislike the phrase 'strong character'. It's a cliché and it is often unclear what is meant - either an individual who is well-defined, and/or easily identifiable, or actually physically and/or emotionally tough. And it is different to powerful. Power is about agency. You can be well-defined or even tough, without power. For example, Jayne … Continue reading Strength of Character
Writing: dreams may come
True Fact: stories about dreams are mostly boring to other people. This however, won't stop me telling you about my dream. Anyhoo, I dreamt I gave birth to a tiny demonic grey Gumby-looking thing I imagined was a golem (I know, golems aren't born, nor are they usually tiny). It rested in the palm of my … Continue reading Writing: dreams may come
Writing Bec 