Short fiction, be it flash fiction or longer ’short stories’, is a good way to learn dialogue, characterisation and structure. They are by no means “easy” to write, but they’re less daunting than a novel! Once you’ve amassed a few stories, you might want to get them published. Be aware there are hundreds, if not thousands, […]
My 500 Words a Day Challenge – Update 3
So how am I progressing with the 500 words a day challenge now it’s Day 26? As in update 2, I’ve been a bit sporadic around hitting 500 words a day. But whenever I have missed a day of writing, I’ve made it up the following day. On average I’ve written 543 words a day so […]
Celts at the National Museum of Scotland
The Celts occupy a somewhat romantic and wild position in the British imagination. This new exhibition in conjunction with the British Museum has helped to spark new interest in these enigmatic peoples. I’ll be honest, I always had a mental image of primal tribes led by thunderous figures and advised by mysterious groups of druids. […]
Plague Exhibition at the National Library of Scotland
It’s not often you get to talk about the plague in polite society. But if you should find yourself in Edinburgh between now and 29 May, might I recommend a visit to the National Library of Scotland? As a writer I’m duty-bound to recommend a visit to any house of books, but in this case, the NLS […]
Edinburgh: Celts, Plague and Yarn
Have you ever been to Edinburgh? If not, you should. It’s great! It was my birthday last week, so I popped up to the glorious Scottish city as a belated day trip on Saturday. I managed to fit Celts, Plague, and yarn into just one day! How mad does that sound?! Here I am on the […]
The Dolls – Friday Flash
Lily arrived by accident one day, a dark haired doll among a box of blonde angels, and Mrs McGarry had never quite known what to do with her. For a time, Lily had shared a shelf with them, and late at night after the shop was closed, she’d tried talking to the other dolls. They […]
