Writing Blog
What are literary agents’ querying pet peeves?
The excellent Writers in the Storm blog posted recently on Query letter pet peeves – Agents speak. Listen up, writers. It’s hard enough to get an agent today. You at least want to do your best to avoid sending your masterpiece out into the world and having it summarily ignored because you’ve inadvertently angered your…
Read MoreDo you take the Goodreads Reading Challenge?
I’m probably just a sucker for competition, but last year I signed up for the 2013 Goodreads Reading Challenge, and this year I’m back for more. I’ve always been a bookworm anyway, but it’s kind of neat to catalogue your books for the year, to look back at the covers of the books you read,…
Read MoreWhen life gets in the way of writing…
Just two weeks ago, I was a good girl, getting out my writing resolutions for the new year. But here’s the thing – writing takes time. Lots of it. Yes, we all know that, and those of us who love to write make every effort to squeeze in writing time into our busy schedules. And…
Read MoreBeautiful writing and imagery in the film ‘Io sono Li’
A good book can often keep me up long past my bedtime, but I must admit that it’s extremely rare that television has the same effect on me. Still, recently I began watching a film late one night on Italian television, and simply couldn’t tear myself away. It was a simple film, with minimal action…
Read MoreHappy 2014! And those writing resolutions?
Best wishes for a Very Happy New Year to everyone! The new year is always the time to reflect on what we’d like to achieve in the coming year. And, writers, if you’re masochists like me, it’s a good time to start considering your writing goals for the next year. The ball has dropped, the…
Read MoreAre you a Lone Ranger writer?
Rachelle Gardner’s excellent blog poses the question – Are you a Lone Ranger writer? – in this post. Writing is known as a lonely profession, but as Rachelle points out, the ‘Lone Ranger’ writer who writes in a truly solitary manner is a real rarity today. It’s hard to get published, and writers today are…
Read More200 posts… and counting
As the end of the year rolls around and we start thinking about those dreaded encouraging New Years’ resolutions to really start 2014 off right, it’s also helpful to reflect on achievements throughout the year. I’m going to give myself a little pat on the back for my two hundredth blog post today. I started…
Read MoreThe stressful life of a simultaneous interpreter
I loved this London Review of Books article by former UN simultaneous interpreter, LynnVisson. I spend a lot of time working with simultaneous interpreters, and I have tremendous respect for the difficult, high-pressure work they perform. As writers, we can only marvel at the ability to create the perfect words under pressure. I loved this…
Read MoreOh, groan. Sound effects for books?
Call me a Luddite, but I side with the technology-shy on this one, which is probably rather obvious by the fact that I don’t even own an e-reader. The fantastic Nathan Bransford recently had a blog post on this topic, saying it’s only a matter of time until e-books come with sound effects, and asking…
Read MoreListen to your subconscious when writing
“Things will come to you and you’re not going to know exactly how they fit in. You have to trust in the way they all fit together, that your subconscious knows what you’re doing.” I came across this fantastic quote about writing by acclaimed American author Donna Tartt. A New York Times Book Review article…
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