Tag Archives: writing

ALWAYS PROOF READ CAREFULLY

Posted on December 14, 2015 by [email protected]
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FAILURE, SUCCESS AND THE WRITING LIFE

Posted on May 21, 2015 by [email protected]

I found some great quotes about writing recently on a great little blog called Bang2Write. Here are some of them - and my own thoughts on how they apply to the writing life. ON STARTING OUT “You don’t start out … Continue reading →

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The Irrawaddy Literary Festival - a Miracle in Mandalay

Posted on April 14, 2015 by [email protected]

A few weeks ago I had the great fortune to be invited to the Irrawaddy Literary Festival in Mandalay. Let’s be clear: this is Burma so the Festival is a highly political event. Its patron is Aung San Suu Kyi, … Continue reading →

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THE JOYS OF RESEARCH #2: SIBERIA. MIDNIGHT. JUST YOUR PAJAMAS.

Posted on October 8, 2014 by [email protected]

So this time it was the Trans Siberian Express from Moscow to Vladivostock. We had got as far as the tundra and so far no one had thrown up in the dining car. Things were looking good. There were four … Continue reading →

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IS TOM SWIFTY RUINING YOUR STORIES?

Posted on September 27, 2014 by [email protected]

When writing dialogue in your stories the golden rule is to keep to just ‘he said’, or ‘she said’ as an attributive. Elaborate too much and you focus attention AWAY from what your characters are saying onto what YOU are … Continue reading →

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What is the future of story?

Posted on August 11, 2014 by [email protected]

The following short clip is from an address that Kevin Spacey made to the Edinburgh International Television Festival; he talks about the future of story, about how stories are being delivered, and about the importance of listening to the people … Continue reading →

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What is fiction anyway?

Posted on August 4, 2014 by [email protected]

My latest novel, EAST INDIA, was published on 11 July! Described by one critic as ‘Jack and Rose in the seventeenth century’, East India is a story of romance, courage and survival in the face of overwhelming odds. If you’d … Continue reading →

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EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS OR YOUR DREAMS? YOU CHOOSE.

Posted on March 20, 2014 by [email protected]

Here’s a question for you: if you had the choice, would you take your dreams - or would you take eight million dollars? This is how it began: many years ago, a friend of mine, John, started an advertising company … Continue reading →

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TIPS FOR A LONG TERM WRITING CAREER

Posted on February 12, 2014 by [email protected]

Does writing get any easier after forty books? You might be surprised at the answer. This week I talked to Joanna Penn at The Creative Penn about writing historical fiction and tips for a long term writing career. You can … Continue reading →

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WHY I HATE AN AUTHOR CALLED ALEXANDER COLE

Posted on January 31, 2014 by [email protected]

Let’s get one thing straight about my feelings around Alexander Cole. It’s nothing personal. I’m sure he’s a very nice bloke deep down. At least I hope so. He’s me. But boy, he drives me nuts. Because I don’t want … Continue reading →

Posted in WRITING | Tagged , , | 25 Comments