Reading Time: 7 minutes Last year I burnt myself out. I was working a full time job as a lecturer while writing a novel, publishing poetry, and trying to maintain a freelance career and author platform. I was doing too much. I’ve since worked hard to cut down on the amount of work I take on outside of my…
Writing about dystopia: why your book cover matters
Reading Time: 7 minutes As well as a writer, I’m a UX designer. I’ve wanted to write a more design focused blog post for a while, but it hasn’t seemed wholly relevant to the theme of this blog (until today). There are two dual areas I’ve been researching; dystopian science fiction and dystopian design. I want to talk, specifically,…
We are very sorry for your loss
Reading Time: 4 minutes My step-dad died on Saturday the 11th of May 2019 at 11pm. I put off writing this for a long time, because I honestly had nothing to say. I’m still not sure I have anything of value to share. Death touches everyone. It always feels like the world had stopped spinning for everyone but…
Using data to tell stories
Reading Time: 5 minutes I’ve been working on an application for a grant with writer, David Thomas Henry Wright (he’s really the mastermind behind the project). It’s an electronic literature proposal and it’s been quite time consuming. This is my own fault though; I wanted to create a test site as part of the project uses a Content Management…
Writing and researching military science fiction
Reading Time: 6 minutes When I started writing my novel, I knew a lot about trauma and nothing about the military. I knew from the very beginning I wanted to filter this experience of trauma through science fiction. So why am I writing science fiction? My first novel is a science fiction novel because, as a genre, I feel…
Author Q and A: David Thomas Henry Wright on electronic literature and short stories
Reading Time: 8 minutes Today I’m talking to David Thomas Henry Wright about electronic literature. If this genre is new to you, don’t panic. David defines electronic literature in his interview very succinctly, saying “It’s probably better to start by defining what electronic literature isn’t. It isn’t e-books. Rather, electronic literature refers to literary works that depend on computers/code…
Why you should write an outline
Reading Time: 5 minutes I did not write an outline for the first draft of my novel, but you should. I wrote about 5,000 words for the 2015 NaNoWriMo challenge. I had no plan. I just wanted words on the page. Back then I didn’t believe in my skills as a writer, so a few days in, I…
Why travelling makes you a better writer
Reading Time: 5 minutes I’m a better writer because I travel, which is good, because I travel a lot. Let me demonstrate by looking only at this year so far. I saw 2019 in from the Isle of Skye in Scotland. I spent most of January driving around Scotland and England. Right now I’m in Cambodia with my…
Social media for writers
Reading Time: 6 minutes As a writer, is it really that important to have a presence on social media? My opinion, in short, is absolutely. That being said, one thing I’ve struggled with since I started growing my channels earlier this year, is how time consuming it is. I’ve saved myself a lot of time by using a social…
Markus Zuzak’s Bridge of Clay: How to survive trauma and loss
Reading Time: 5 minutes Markus Zuzak’s latest book, Bridge of Clay, is a much anticipated story about how 5 young brothers survive trauma and loss. While many have eagerly waited for the follow up to his 2005 bestseller, The Book Thief, Zuzak’s latest book has already had its fair share of negative reviews. By virtue of its length (592 pages), reading it is…