A writer blogging about blogging for writers

You’re a writer, right? After you’ve slogged away at your 1,000/2,000 words, you don’t want to sit down and generate more. It’s time for wine, to binge watch your favourite show, grab some food.

Well, I’d urge you to think again.

Blogging has many advantages for a writer

First of all, it hones your style […]

Day 3 at the London Book Fair

Today was a ‘lighter’ day. After the ALLi celebratory party yesterday we were all a little quieter, but still kept up a busy routine. My first ‘appointment’ of the day was to talk through the fine detail of book production with SilverWood Books’ publishing director, Helen Hart. The third book in my Roma Nova thriller […]

Did the books you loved make you into the writer you are?

Drafting my latest query letter, I did a little exercise. No, not twenty press-ups on the floor, but one prompted by this particular agency’s submission guidelines. As part of the marketing approach, I was asked to thinking of two to three (i.e. three) comparable books. That wasn’t a problem, but it started me thinking about […]

Are some genres more equal than others?

I love bookshops. I love bookstalls at charity dos and the second-hand paperback club. I love the book table at conferences. The second and third are informal; the offer is either serendipity or confined to the books written by speakers (and certainly in the case of the RNA) attendees. Running my hands over the spines […]