It came as something of a shock when I realised that I hadn't posted a blog here for more than two years. What happened? Well, the blog I posted in January 2022 will give you a clue. In those two years I have been focusing on working and reworking the chapters of my book, which at the time had the working title Night Night Washing Machine: A Life in Words. Two years and a publishing journey … [Read more...] about The wordsmith returns
Storytelling
Moments from a life less ordinary
It's a simple question: what have you done that few other people have? That was the first sentence in a blog I read last week by one of my favourite American bloggers, an original thinker and non-conformist called Chris Guillebeau. It’s a great hook, so I read on. He noted that, in answer to the question, you might start to list your accomplishments or achievements – but they belong on a … [Read more...] about Moments from a life less ordinary
Dispatches from my ancestral home
I’m sitting on a rough wooden bench looking out at the Worm’s Head, one of the most famous landmarks on the Gower Peninsula. It is looking particularly stunning today, resting underneath a blue sky striped with faint clouds and aircraft trails. It is a distinctive promontory that Queen of Dragons Daenerys Targaryen might have used to demonstrate her power. (I later discovered that the name is … [Read more...] about Dispatches from my ancestral home
How do you take an idea and convert it into a story?
In a recent blog, I shared a range of writing tips and received this comment from Parag Shah, a creative writer: “I observe a lot, I get a lot of ideas, but I struggle with converting them into a story. I hope the challenge I'm facing inspires you to write a blog post on this topic.” So I decided to accept the challenge of addressing Parag’s challenge. As I have said before, anything can be … [Read more...] about How do you take an idea and convert it into a story?
Why is writing a book so hard? Plus other FAQs about being an author
I'm not a seasoned author, but I have written three books. I finished the first one 15 years ago (it remains unpublished); the second was a short e-book about storytelling that I published on Kindle a few years ago; the third is a work in progress (I am working on a second draft). But in my capacity as a developmental editor I am currently working with several authors to help them write business … [Read more...] about Why is writing a book so hard? Plus other FAQs about being an author
Can writing be taught? Plus other FAQs about writing and storytelling
I was recently made aware of a website called AnswerThePublic, which is essentially a database in which you can enter a key word and receive a report based on every phrase or question that the public are currently asking about that word on search engines such as Google. It’s aimed at marketing people but is also a useful resource for anyone wanting ideas for content. You can only search for a … [Read more...] about Can writing be taught? Plus other FAQs about writing and storytelling