Prologues
Have you ever wondered what a prologue is? or whether to use it in the book you’re writing? Below are a few thoughts by others on the topic, including a definition. Prologues: what are...
writing
The author’s journey
If you’re wondering about the writing process and how it works, here are a few posts by different authors. David Vann on becoming a writer and how he does it. Adam Rabinowitz explains his...
Drafts – how tedious
Every author I speak to complains about rewrites and working through drafts. My author self does too, although to be honest, it can sometimes be quite a cathartic process – but that might be...
The joy of language
Language is a funny thing – it’s fluid, it appears to be constant but the use and meanings of words change. When we arrived in the UK from South Africa, we quickly learnt to...
Dangling Participles
A reviewer once contacted me to tell me that his review would be slightly delayed as he had spotted a dangling participle and a significant other in his life just would not let him...
Reading and Children
Without writers, there wouldn’t be books to read to children – your own or others. Watching their reactions to what they hear and later hearing them retell the story can be wonderful and a...
Handwriting
23 January is #nationalhandwritingday I am really grateful to my school history teacher (we had the same amazing woman for 5 years) who taught us to write an A4 page in 10 minutes. She...
The sign of a good book
What is a ‘good’ book? For me, it’s rarely a best seller. It’s a book which makes me think and spot something new every time I read it or one I’m not likely to...
Language – crossing boundaries
With the increase in cross-boundary and cross-cultural writing, it’s important that the writer gets the language of the protagonists right but also to ensure that the reader knows what is meant. The importance of...