Building a Novel – How To Plot

Lately, I've been thinking about reviving an old trilogy of mine, the Time, Stopped Trilogy, since I need some space away from messy edits of H. The first novel follows young woman Aidelle, who manages to trap herself in a bubble or 'pocket' of time, chronologically-suspended animation, if yo will. Whilst her socialite fiance is …

NaNo No

It won’t have escaped your notice that it's November and the writing community, Twitter, blogs, Facebook even, are abuzz with tales of National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo). Now, I am no stranger to NaNo; my favourite of my novels was born during NaNo in 2010 when I was 15, where I won NaNo, but …

Why a Writing Hiatus Is So Painful

I'm taking a writing hiatus. This would be due to the importance of my studies for my final year of my undergraduate anyway – but it's also due to another reason. I've hit a massive writing slump. I should have expected it, what with my dissertation taking up most of my non-contact time; but where …

Life Update

So, I've been doing a lot lately – not exactly extra curricula stuff like last year, but in terms of uni/school – and, as such, I've not been blogging as much. I'll keep up with the Photo of the Week segment and the Weds/Thurs reblog, but posts that require a lot of thought and writing …

On Originality

(Or, its existence, which if is, is scarce) What makes your novel unique? They say it a lot, as if originality is a rite of passage a novel must go through. Chances are, though, not much. We all know the problem the modern writer faces: of writing the novel of our heart only to find …

7 Quick Takes: In Which Research Takes over my Life

It's time to pop over to This Ain’t the Lyceum for Quick Takes Friday. 🙂 ~1~ Well, my week dashed past. Anyone else feeling that? I have so many tasks to complete, including a presentation for next Weds for which I have a block load of reading anyway. *phew* ~2~ I have started my Psychological …

7 Quick Takes – Death, Work, and Lipstick

Look at that Oxford comma usage. Alex is happy. ^_^ I guess it’s time to formally resume my weekly posting, though my university work is a precedent. So maybe you’ll see me, maybe you won’t. 😛 ~1~ It was a shocking week for culture this week as both David Bowie and Alan Rickman were defeated …

Beautiful People: The Resolutions Edition

Hello, blogosphere. 🙂 Today, I’m linking up with Cait and Sky’s beautiful monthly linkup Beautiful People. And this month it’s about the authors – new year, new goals (supposedly). So I guess that makes me a Beautiful Person. What were your writing achievements last year? I culled and rewrote so many darhlings… I got some …

RSW! 22-6-15

The Ready, Set, Write! hopping occurs on Mondays, so I’ll be moving my Photo of the Week post (note to self: find subject on which to take photo tomorrow) to Tuesdays. Ready. Set. WRITE! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability, and provides an opportunity for us to cheer each other on …

Quick Takes Friday about Etiquette, Chilli Chicken, and Alex Being Promotional

Is it really already Friday? Phew. Time to catch up with our weeks in 7 Quick Takes. ~1~ This week, at least for me, has been one of promotional work for Reading Uni. Wednesday and Thursday were photo and film promotional shoots which will end up on the website and possibly the prospectus; whereas today …