Writing is hard. Oh, certainly, the act of writing is easy enough; you start with a word, and you add another, and then another, and another after that. Eventually, you form sentences and paragraphs. If you keep going, you might end up with pages and chapters, and beyond that, entire stories. Just like Dr Frankenstein,
Last week, I had an online chat/interview with fellow horror and speculative fiction writer, Penny Jones. We talked about why we write creepy stories; the issues women face when writing the horror genre; and the things modern horror can tell us about society and people today. With massive thanks to Jim Mcleod at Ginger Nuts
There will be times when the world seems too much for you. Too loud. Too angry. Too demanding. You will lose all your words in the chaos, Rediscover them in all the wrong places. Those moments may spur you to recede, to withdraw from the uproar and disruption. You may seek your peace in solitude,
I am going to be doing something very new this year which challenges me and frightens me, but also invigorates me and excites me. I will be offering workshops for women to help them find their Wild Voice. I wrote this last year when I was just beginning to find my own Wild Voice and
Sometimes, when I’m struggling with a larger project, a smaller idea will worm its way into my head and give me a palate cleanser. It helps me to refocus and just get in a little bit of writing practice without worrying about it having to go somewhere or be something. This one came about when
I could not write or create without music. Music fuels me and inspires me and can turn a slow and unsatisfying writing session, into one that flows smoothly and without hesitation. A good playlist can make all the difference between getting those recommended 2,000 daily words down, and committing only two lines to the page.
* header photo credit to Sara Rolin via Unsplash * I haven’t always written horror, although I have been an avid fan of it since I first stumbled upon Stephen King’s ‘Pet Sematary’ when I was around 13. I always read books well outside my suggested age range, much to my mother’s chagrin. She supported
Everywhere I go now I carry small pieces of green glass with me, Worn smooth by the ceaseless sea, And made pale by the powerful sun. Broken and discarded yet also a small token of delight. Each time I find some lying on the beach, I pick it up. I pocket it. And always it
It always surprises me, how often I will simply fall into a piece of writing. How my creative self leads me without my even being conscious of it most times. At the moment I am winding down physically and relaxing more. Partly this is due to impending Christmas celebrations, and also because due to a
(A checklist to help you when you don’t have much time to read either!) Finding time to write can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Ask yourself – Why do you want to write? What are you writing about? What are your goals? Who is your intended audience? It could be that you simply want