We all have our reasons for finding writing discipline challenging, often more than one. Maybe it’s the fear of writing badly, of being a failure; or simply spinning tales in the mind without wanting to ruin them on the page. Fortunately there are things we can do to soften the blow. Just like in the…
Tag: #research
Travelling Tips for Fiction Writers
Although many authors travel abroad for the intention of research, I wanted to explore the ways we can expand our writing horizons when it’s not our main intention. Whether it’s a family holiday or a weekend getaway, there’s always an opportunity to collect information that can be used later, whether it’s for a character, setting…
What to Keep in a Writer’s Notebook
My writer’s notebook is ‘pulchritudinous.’ Wait. What? I just discovered that this is another word for ‘beautiful’ and had to squeeze it in somewhere. Who would’ve known there was an ugly word for something so pretty? Anyway, I digress. I never used to use a notebook before I became a creative writing student, typing stories directly…
Should You Write What You Know?
After reading Andy Weir’s Artemis (2017), I revisited the maxim that’s haunted me for years. It’s the sentence written on the blackboard before the professor’s even turned around. Write what you know. Or even more confusingly: don’t write what you know! The reason why Artemis stimulated this age-old debate is because; while I didn’t think Weir’s…