Category Archives: On Writing

To be a writer you’re supposed to write every day. I try to adhere to this, although I don’t crucify myself over it. During the mayhem of Christmas and the New Year, I tend to put aside my ongoing projects … Continue reading →

I have the seed of an idea for my next novel. Don’t tell anyone, Claudia. Keep it a secret. Don’t say what it’s about. Don’t say what kind of novel it is. Don’t say ANYTHING. Tentatively, I’ve begun to write … Continue reading →

It’s such a common question for writers to ask and be asked. Now that I’m contemplating writing another novel, I’m asking it myself. Many people, when they find out I write, say, ‘Oh, I’ve got so many amazing ideas for … Continue reading →

At a writers’ conference recently I availed myself of the opportunity to get some feedback on my novel from a professional, published author.  I had to submit in advance the first five pages, along with a synopsis, and was then … Continue reading →

A few years ago I went on a residential writing course. Whilst there, we were visited by a well known and rather brilliant writer, who went on that year to win the Booker Prize. He read to us an extract … Continue reading →

Every writer has them.  Yes, they do. Every writer spends a whole load of time moaning about how there isn’t enough time to write and then, when faced with all the time and opportunity in the world, when all the … Continue reading →

Recently, when I reached a sticky point in my writing, when I was really struggling, I noticed that I had stopped reading.  Normally I have one reading book on the go and another audiobook which I listen to as I … Continue reading →

I haven’t blogged in a while because I haven’t known how to blog about writing when the writing wasn’t going so well. The last thing I wanted was to drone on about how hard writing is, or to elevate my … Continue reading →

Last July, in my post No Time To Blog, I put up some photos that related to my work in progress.  Now that I have finished the first draft and roughly completed the story, I thought I might post a … Continue reading →

As well as being the title of an amazing book by Joyce Carol Oates, this is the unwritten invitation from writer to reader at the beginning of every novel. From the moment the reader opens the first page, the writer … Continue reading →