fiction

  • Bite Size Writing Tips

    Wonderful Weather The weather is a useful tool for producing a certain type of atmosphere. A gloriously sunny day immediately conjures up feelings of warmth and joy, where something happy is about to happen. This may be the atmosphere you want to create for a wedding in your story. Though, perhaps it’s a wedding doomed…

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  • Guest Writer Spot

    My Guest Writer this week is the delightful Debbie Ioanna, who I met at the UK Indie Lit Fest recently. Debbie kindly agreed to write a guest post for me about her writing journey: I have always wanted to be a writer. That is such a cliché, right? To be honest, I haven’t always wanted…

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  • Bite Size Writing Tips

    Clarity is key However you’re planning to draw your short story/novel to a close, make it clear. It’s no good having a character who’s been killed off earlier on in the story suddenly turning up at the end alive and well without any explanation. As the writer, you know exactly what’s gone on but your…

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  • An Interview With…

    This week’s author interview is with romance author, Julia Bell. I met Julia at the UK Indie Lit Fest a few week’s ago. If you enjoy romance with a twist, then read on… Q. You’ve written ten books so far. Can you tell us a little bit about your latest book? A. My eleventh book…

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  • Bite Size Writing Tips

    A story written in the first person can be very effective in creating a sense of atmosphere and making your readers feel as if they are part of the story, seeing and experiencing everything along with that character. Take the following example: I looked at the garden, at the weeds weaving their way towards the…

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  • Markets For Writers

    Crystal Magazine: If you’re a new writer and aren’t sure about sending your stories out, then why not try the small press? Crystal Magazine is a small press publication aimed at new and established writers. The editor, Christine Carr, is particularly encouraging to new writers who lack confidence and who are looking for that first…

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  • Guest Writer Spot

    I’d like to welcome Murray Clarke back to my Guest Writer Spot. He’s had stories featured on this page a number of times and always knows how to tell a very entertaining story. Sit back, relax and enjoy! FEAR OF FLYING By Murray Clarke The well-spoken, middle-aged gentleman was sweating profusely, trembling and finding it…

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  • Bite Size Writing Tips

    Choosing a setting for your story: The setting in a fiction story can help to shape the mood of the story. A story set in an abandoned warehouse immediately evokes a sense of eeriness and isolation, of neglect and dreariness. Make sure you choose a setting which suits the type of story you’re writing. Different…

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  • Guest Writer Spot

    This week’s Guest Writer is the very talented Robbie Cheadle. As you’ll see from her biography, she’s a very versatile writer: Robbie, short for Roberta, is an author with six published children’s picture books in the Sir Chocolate books series for children aged 2 to 9 years old (co-authored with her son, Michael Cheadle), one…

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  • It’s A Bargain!

    A huge thank you to those of you who have read my current book of short stories – A Walk in the Woods. The paperback will be coming out soon – I promise! Some of you may not know that I wrote another book of short stories – The Siege – some years ago, under…

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