For me the setting of any book if it’s pivotal to the story becomes a character in the story. The reader has to be able to see the setting in the same way they vision the characters. This means giving enough description to convey a frame work for that character/setting without being to prescriptive and depriving the reader of the fun of having their own vision of what the person/place looks like.
For the full blog follow this link
At this time, in early January, I’m looking forward to what the new year might bring. However, it’s always good to look back at the year just gone and see what nuggets of wisdom it left behind. So here goes:
- It is possible to have a writing blip. It’s not that I’ve fallen out with writing it’s just that other things have been going on and the thing that’s suffered most is my blog.
- How much stuff two people can stash in one kitchen.
- Those tins at the back of the cupboard are likely to many years out of sell-by. Our record was 2005
- You never stop learning as a writer. I’ve been back over my first book. Tempted to do the same for the rest.
- I can enjoy relaxing on the beach (as long as the sea’s warm, there’s a sun lounger and a taverna which brings you coffee).
- Get those stories out! They’re no good sitting on my/your hard drive. For me I’ve got two follow-ups to the first book I published which have been sitting there for a years. A 2019 resolution?
- I still don’t like playing golf in the rain and mud. When you see it on TV they’re always playing in warm sunshine.
- Sometimes you can’t have too much of a good thing. In the UK we had a glorious summer, fingers crossed for 2019.
- Most of the time you can take out the word “that” in your writing – try it.
- Beware the passive voice.
First to regular readers of my blog, apologies. I know I haven’t written a post for some months now. Nothing dreadful has happened, it’s just for various reasons it’s been, and still is, a busy time (OK not all of it). I haven’t stopped writing, sometimes I think it’s the only sane place to escape to. In fact I have two more Kirby books waiting for proof reading completion (bit of a snag there as well) and a fourth one started, more of that later. I’m also trying to edit two follow-ups to the first book I wrote that have been sitting on my hard drive for a few years (I know, I know….). So you see lot’s going on.
The other reason I haven’t posted for sometime is that, to be honest, I haven’t come up with anything I thought worthy of posting. I’ve had a bit of a drought, post wise. Then, the other day I read an article extolling the virtues of planning your novel, to the extent that it implied to write a good book it was essential. I’ve written before on the pitfalls of some writing advice and I’ve always maintained take it on board, be self-critical, but in the end do what works for you.
For the complete blog follow this link:
I’ve read science fiction from an early age and always been enthralled by its possibilities. Even if man can't visit the stars in person just yet (someday I’m sure we will) we can go there in our imaginations. Eventually science will follow and get us there. However, at university I also read, as did most students of my age, the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings which led me on to more fantasy including one of my all time favourites, The Magician by Raymond Feist. And then of course every other book in that long series. For me one of the main appeals of those books has to be the use of magic.
For the full blog follow this link.
I’ve been writing now for about nine years. I must enjoy it because, if I considered it work making the minimum wage is still an aspiration. But it’s not about the money is it? Not that I’m saying making a bit wouldn’t be nice and there’s always hope. When I began writing I paid for some editorial advice. For the first book it was great, pointing out some of the traps I guess many new writers fall into. It also educated me in the basics around construction, writing dialogue and more. For the second book it was less helpful, however what it did teach was to value my own opinion.
Over the years I’ve taken a couple of on-line courses, read books and blogs on writing, all the time trying to improve my craft and make myself a better writer. However, what does that mean? Recently, I’ve been revising several new books, going back over my work numerous times. It has even had me looking back at my published books with an effort to improve the writing.
For the full blog follow this link.
I’ve been doing a lot of revision recently. On top of finalising the second and third books for Inspector Kirby I am also revisiting my first book, for which I’ve had books two and three sitting on my hard drive for a few years now. I’m not saying I’m an expert, however, I have got into a sort of rhythm with it. I write the story quickly. I rarely go back and tinker until the whole thing is finished (unless I have a eureka moment). The first few revisions are easy and I find it fun. I’m assessing the plot, adding interest, finding better way to describe, correcting clunky prose etc. At some (undefined) point I draw the line on this and go into to polishing mode. I’ve done that for Kirby and that’s what I’m doing now to that other series, including the one I’ve published (after all it was my first book). I don’t know if doing so much revision has sensitised me however I find myself, in that last run through, obsessively looking for certain things.
For the complete blog follow this link
I write this now because I’m struggling. I’ve finished revising books two and three of my Inspector Kirby series and I’m searching for ideas for book four. I’ve got two other books to revise, however, I feel I need the inspiration of attacking something new.
For the full blog follow this link
Like most indie-authors I’m looking for the “secret of sales". How do I get the word out, how do I attract those followers I need. And yes I know it’s not all about selling, at least not for me. I enjoy the writing and I get a real kick out of people who tell me they’ve read my books and enjoyed them. In many ways I just want more people to enjoy them and if I can make a little on the positive side of expenses:sales balance sheet that would be great.
For the complete blog follow this link
I was asked what influenced me as writer recently. At first I thought it was an easy thing to answer. I’ve said before that Arthur C Clarke’s Childhood’s End is what got me hooked on science fiction, the ending blew my teenage mind. That lead me to reading more Clarke and Asimov then authors such as Greg Bear and Ben Bova. Also, I grew up at the time of the Apollo missions and the moon landings. As a young lad, how could that not captivate my imagination? Then later films such as 2001, Close Encounters and Star Wars were taking science fiction on the screen from clunky B Movie status to the mainstream.
However, having given my standard answer it occurred to me that these were things that had sparked my interest as a consumer of science fiction, and later fantasy through authors such as Raymond Feist and David Eddings. However, had they influenced my writing? In terms of the subject matter, yes. I have adapted themes that those writers have explored before me (and I presume they adapted from earlier writers). As for my actual writing, perhaps much less than Imagined. They may have placed that spark, the desire to write. However, as to influencing my writing that comes later, from the authors I’ve read just before and while I’ve been writing.
For the complete blog follow this link
The prompt for this post was a film I watched recently, Salmon fishing is the Yemen. I knew it had good crits and it’d been on my “to see” list for a long time. From the first few minutes to the end I enjoyed it. It was a gentle tale, with an element of humour and even a bit of romance. There was some violence, however basically it was a “nice” (and I know as authors the word “nice” is something to be avoided) story well told.
For the complete blog follow this link
Hi,
This is the first time I've run a guest post. What prompted me to run this one was the combination of the written word and sound. If you follow the The Timelost link below you'll see what I mean. I haven't come across this before and found it fascinating. Anyway, I'll let Chris tell you about it:
Just follow this link
There’s a lot in the media at the moment concerning Artificial Intelligence, some hailing it as the next industrial revolution, others as Armageddon waiting to happen. I know science fiction over the years has been full of the latter. However, as any writer will tell you a good story needs conflict and in sci-fi what’s better than man vs. machine?. I also know that Stephen Hawking is suggesting we, or at least some of us, need to get of this planet before the end of the century and find a new home before AI becomes too powerful. I just don’t see why it has to be that way. Why does it have to be the alarmist view? Although, I admit neither I nor the professor will be around at that time, mores the pity.
For the complete blog follow this link: http://wp.me/p3ycbY-1KR
Well, that’s almost it for 2017. I don’t know whether it's because I'm a writer and there never seems to be enough time, or it’s just that I’m getting older (as everyone does of course). However, I sure someone is sneaking days out my years while I’m not looking. Still, it’s time to reflect, which I think it’s important, especially for an indie-author. What have I done well and what could have done better? Where have I stepped up to the plate and where have I shirked or side stepped issues?
For the complete blog - follow this link
Now up front I want to say I’m not against paid on-line writer courses. I can only comment on the ones I have looked at and in a couple of cases paid out good money for. They are full of useful content that, if you are in the right place with your writing and prepared to put in the time and effort I’m sure they can have a major impact. However, what they are not (in my opinion) is a magic bullet. For the vast majority of Indie-authors success will not be instant and when it comes will probably be modest. But hey, modest is good and I’ll be happy with modest when I get there. And yes any better than modest, I admit, would be great.
For the full blog - follow this link
Part of my first job on leaving Uni was in the quality assurance section of a scientific organisation. Believe it or not, before the late 1970s little of it existed. After all everyone was doing their best so the data and reports would be fine wouldn’t they? Answer, no. Because if nothing else Sod’s Law operates. i.e. whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. And one of the problems back then was that nobody understood what could go wrong – it was of course, anything and everything. So after a few well published cases, which I won’t go into, the need for a formal system of quality assurance was established.
For me this involved, amongst other things the checking of scientific reports, both for internal consistency and against the “raw data”. At first my involvement, essentially pointing out where people had made errors was resented. I mean, who was I to tell a senior scientist they had made mistakes. And this wasn’t just the odd typo, whole lines of data were transposed, decimal points were in the wrong place, thing disappeared from the records only to appear elsewhere. I could go on. These didn’t always affect the scientific outcomes, but occasionally they could and this was important work. What’s more it’s not as if you could predict when or where a major error might occur.
For the complete blog follow this link
For most writers success is not an overnight event. One of my all time, and sadly missed, writer heroes, Iain Banks, completed five or six books before being published. He persisted.
Now I write this blog a week or so after I’ve launched my latest book. I’ve had some sales, but not as many as hoped for. So yes, I admit it, I’m a little disappointed. I feel that I just need that kick start, that nudge that sends sales cascading. The book itself is a new venture for me, being urban fantasy / detective story, written in a humorous style, rather than my usual science fiction.
For the full blog follow this link
My latest project, Inspector Kirby and Harold Longcoat, due to be launched in a few week’s time, was great fun to write. Possibly, because it’s a change from my normal diet of science fiction, set as it is in the present day, more-or-less. It’s a detective, mystery story, again something new for me, although not quite that straightforward. If you’ve read some of my short stories you’ll understand. It’s also allowed me to play with the humour in my writing. However, I think one of the keys to getting that part of it right was developing sympathetic characters who would play off each other.
For the full blog follow this link
Recently a site, The Digital Reader (morning coffee – 1 September 2017) picked up on a blog I wrote in 2014, 7 key things I’ve learnt from a year of blogging. To my pleasant surprise this has created a lot of traffic, so I assume people are interested which is great. That got me thinking, three years on do I come to the same conclusions, what else have I learnt:
1) The first thing listed was: Blogging does not sell books
I still hold with that, mostly. I think this to be the case with most blogs. However, it is possible to tailor at least some of your blogs to help promote your work. You can discuss the subject of your work, the locations, what makes your characters interesting etc. At least then the reader will get to know a little more about what makes you and your writing tick. Make it interesting and If they like what you’re saying they may then take the time to look at your books. I don’t do it all the time, I think this would get boring and there are other things I want to discuss.
For the complete blog please follow this link
I enjoy my science fiction and my fantasy. When I pick up a book (or these days download) in one of these genres I guess I know what I’m getting, I’m on safe ground. Also, as a writer if I stick to a genre I know where I’m going with my books. I know where they will “fit”. This is very much the case with the Bleak books and Project Noah. They are very firmly in the science fiction camp. There’s nothing wrong with that. I enjoyed writing them and from the feedback I’ve had people enjoy reading them.
The first book I published and whose sequels are written and waiting to be finalised (they occasionally nag at me to be published) is a little different. While still very much science fiction it has an element of fantasy in that I give a “scientific” reason for the existence of Fairies (you’ll understand if you read it).
For the complete blog just follow this link
I recently went on holiday for a week (yes, again for any regular readers of my blog). It was a very chilled trip to the Greek island of Cephalonia, I recommend it. So I had plenty of time to think amongst reading, eating, boat trips, watching the world go by and the odd cocktail or two. And for me that means about my writing and inevitably publishing because:
Here I am again. I have a book almost ready to launch and I know I’m prevaricating. I have sent it to eight or nine agents back in February and so far I have had a "thanks but no thanks" from two of them (and I’m not holding my breath for the rest). I guess like most self-published authors the lure of a publishing deal is still the dream no matter how much I tell myself that I am good enough to make it as an indie author. And I know that agents receive hundreds of manuscripts a year and at best they take on one or two new authors. So my chances are slim.
For the full blog follow this link
For me the setting of any book if it’s pivotal to the story becomes a character in the story. The reader has to be able to see the setting in the same way they vision the characters. This means giving enough description to convey a frame work for that character/setting without being to prescriptive and depriving the reader of the fun of having their own vision of what the person/place looks like. 
At this time, in early January, I’m looking forward to what the new year might bring. However, it’s always good to look back at the year just gone and see what nuggets of wisdom it left behind. So here goes:
First to regular readers of my blog, apologies. I know I haven’t written a post for some months now. Nothing dreadful has happened, it’s just for various reasons it’s been, and still is, a busy time (OK not all of it). I haven’t stopped writing, sometimes I think it’s the only sane place to escape to. In fact I have two more Kirby books waiting for proof reading completion (bit of a snag there as well) and a fourth one started, more of that later. I’m also trying to edit two follow-ups to the first book I wrote that have been sitting on my hard drive for a few years (I know, I know….). So you see lot’s going on.
I’ve read science fiction from an early age and always been enthralled by its possibilities. Even if man can't visit the stars in person just yet (someday I’m sure we will) we can go there in our imaginations. Eventually science will follow and get us there. However, at university I also read, as did most students of my age, the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings which led me on to more fantasy including one of my all time favourites, The Magician by Raymond Feist. And then of course every other book in that long series. For me one of the main appeals of those books has to be the use of magic.
I’ve been doing a lot of revision recently. On top of finalising the second and third books for Inspector Kirby I am also revisiting my first book, for which I’ve had books two and three sitting on my hard drive for a few years now. I’m not saying I’m an expert, however, I have got into a sort of rhythm with it. I write the story quickly. I rarely go back and tinker until the whole thing is finished (unless I have a eureka moment). The first few revisions are easy and I find it fun. I’m assessing the plot, adding interest, finding better way to describe, correcting clunky prose etc. At some (undefined) point I draw the line on this and go into to polishing mode. I’ve done that for Kirby and that’s what I’m doing now to that other series, including the one I’ve published (after all it was my first book). I don’t know if doing so much revision has sensitised me however I find myself, in that last run through, obsessively looking for certain things.
I write this now because I’m struggling. I’ve finished revising books two and three of my Inspector Kirby series and I’m searching for ideas for book four. I’ve got two other books to revise, however, I feel I need the inspiration of attacking something new.
Like most indie-authors I’m looking for the “secret of sales". How do I get the word out, how do I attract those followers I need. And yes I know it’s not all about selling, at least not for me. I enjoy the writing and I get a real kick out of people who tell me they’ve read my books and enjoyed them. In many ways I just want more people to enjoy them and if I can make a little on the positive side of expenses:sales balance sheet that would be great. 
I was asked what influenced me as writer recently. At first I thought it was an easy thing to answer. I’ve said before that Arthur C Clarke’s Childhood’s End is what got me hooked on science fiction, the ending blew my teenage mind. That lead me to reading more Clarke and Asimov then authors such as Greg Bear and Ben Bova. Also, I grew up at the time of the Apollo missions and the moon landings. As a young lad, how could that not captivate my imagination? Then later films such as 2001, Close Encounters and Star Wars were taking science fiction on the screen from clunky B Movie status to the mainstream.
This is the first time I've run a guest post. What prompted me to run this one was the combination of the written word and sound. If you follow the The Timelost link below you'll see what I mean. I haven't come across this before and found it fascinating. Anyway, I'll let Chris tell you about it:
There’s a lot in the media at the moment concerning Artificial Intelligence, some hailing it as the next industrial revolution, others as Armageddon waiting to happen. I know science fiction over the years has been full of the latter. However, as any writer will tell you a good story needs conflict and in sci-fi what’s better than man vs. machine?. I also know that Stephen Hawking is suggesting we, or at least some of us, need to get of this planet before the end of the century and find a new home before AI becomes too powerful. I just don’t see why it has to be that way. Why does it have to be the alarmist view? Although, I admit neither I nor the professor will be around at that time, mores the pity. 
Well, that’s almost it for 2017. I don’t know whether it's because I'm a writer and there never seems to be enough time, or it’s just that I’m getting older (as everyone does of course). However, I sure someone is sneaking days out my years while I’m not looking. Still, it’s time to reflect, which I think it’s important, especially for an indie-author. What have I done well and what could have done better? Where have I stepped up to the plate and where have I shirked or side stepped issues?
Part of my first job on leaving Uni was in the quality assurance section of a scientific organisation. Believe it or not, before the late 1970s little of it existed. After all everyone was doing their best so the data and reports would be fine wouldn’t they? Answer, no. Because if nothing else Sod’s Law operates. i.e. whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. And one of the problems back then was that nobody understood what could go wrong – it was of course, anything and everything. So after a few well published cases, which I won’t go into, the need for a formal system of quality assurance was established.
For most writers success is not an overnight event. One of my all time, and sadly missed, writer heroes, Iain Banks, completed five or six books before being published. He persisted.
My latest project, Inspector Kirby and Harold Longcoat, due to be launched in a few week’s time, was great fun to write. Possibly, because it’s a change from my normal diet of science fiction, set as it is in the present day, more-or-less. It’s a detective, mystery story, again something new for me, although not quite that straightforward. If you’ve read some of my short stories you’ll understand. It’s also allowed me to play with the humour in my writing. However, I think one of the keys to getting that part of it right was developing sympathetic characters who would play off each other.
Recently a site, The Digital Reader (morning coffee – 1 September 2017) picked up on a blog I wrote in 2014, 7 key things I’ve learnt from a year of blogging. To my pleasant surprise this has created a lot of traffic, so I assume people are interested which is great. That got me thinking, three years on do I come to the same conclusions, what else have I learnt:
I recently went on holiday for a week (yes, again for any regular readers of my blog). It was a very chilled trip to the Greek island of Cephalonia, I recommend it. So I had plenty of time to think amongst reading, eating, boat trips, watching the world go by and the odd cocktail or two. And for me that means about my writing and inevitably publishing because: