It was Mother’s day here yesterday and fresh from being celebrated by my three monkeys I thought I might share my favourite literary mums. I wouldn’t say I go out of my way to read books with motherly characters in them - in fact, I read a lot of fantasy and historical fiction and unless … Continue reading My favourite literary mums
The other day I was driving through a slush storm having just dropped my kids off at their ballet lessons. The temperature was yo-yoing just around freezing and the sky was dark grey—a heavy mass of clouds that couldn't make up their minds if they wanted to pelt us with rain or bury us in … Continue reading When are you at your most creative?
Have you ever fallen hopelessly in love with a literary pet and wished they were yours? I have! Countless times! Why? Because, I've always loved animals, of all kinds. Cats top the list though for me. Yes, I am the crazy cat-lady! I have 4 cats - Harry, Nymeria Nymphadora, Brave and Oreo. The first … Continue reading The Puuuuuuuurfect literary Pet
They say a writer should write what they know. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say this and it seems to be the most common piece of advice offered to all aspiring writers. But what does it mean? And does it help you become a better writer? For a long time, … Continue reading Do you see what I see?
What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet;Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare's famous line from Romeo & Juliet should by all accounts be a golden rule of thumb - and far be it from me to argue with the master! However, I find myself wondering … Continue reading A rose, by any other name…
As a fledgling author, I'm still trying to find my feet and figure out what works for me. There's a lot to take in. Luckily, I found some writing theory classes a while back that have been a great help. Over the past month, I've predominantly focused on worldbuilding, outlining and research. Worldbuilding, because it … Continue reading Travelling back in time…
When you're planning on writing a book series set in the real world with a rich historical backdrop - research is essential if you want to lend your work an air of authenticity and accuracy! I have both fiction and non-fiction books that cover different aspects of the real world my story will be set … Continue reading Research trip… here I come!
So, I haven't updated the blog for a couple of weeks now. Why? I fell down the worldbuilding rabbit hole! I was told the rabbit hole of detail-mania is a common problem when worldbuilding. You start with the basics and suddenly find you've described a minor character's favourite snacks and the time they were three … Continue reading Worldbuilding – Down the rabbit hole
This week is all about worldbuilding and it's going to be epic! I've been looking forward to starting this process for ages and the day has finally arrived. What is worldbuilding? Well, worldbuilding is, in short, the process of designing a fictional world that feels realistic and multidimensional. Every facet of a world, from its … Continue reading Worldbuilding a fantasy series
Today I've been mulling over choices for a playlist. My "What to listen to when I'm writing" playlist. Because here's the thing: when I think of the scenes in my story, I can see my characters, hear their words and feel their emotions, but there's still something missing... Have you ever experienced a shiver along … Continue reading Music to write by…
S.Veelo - Author 