Category Archives: The Writing Process

Fictional Geographies and Imagined Architecture

As I mentioned in my last blog, my reward to myself for finishing the second draft of Novel 6 was reading some fiction by other people. This was my first opportunity to read Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry. He is a writer I admire immensely and this novel was just amazing, a perfect exampleContinue reading “Fictional Geographies and Imagined Architecture”

Second Drafts – What Happens Next

Back in September 2023, just as I was about to embark on turning the first draft of Novel Number 6 (N6) into a completely rewritten second draft, I wrote this in my blog: I have set myself an ambitious target – to produce one chapter per week, starting now, with the aim of finishing atContinue reading “Second Drafts – What Happens Next”

Writing Resolutions

Happy 2024! I’m not one for making New Year’s Resolutions for my day-to-day life, but I do usually start a new year with some writing resolutions. I’ve blogged about them over the years, and it’s nice to be able to go through them. It shows me how far I’ve come since starting this blog. TheContinue reading “Writing Resolutions”

Not Christmas yet, but…

Since my last post, I have been writing like a demon! The tight schedule has been the perfect incentive, and with my plans all working out, I find myself three chapters ahead of where I was hoping to be by this date. My half term holiday had been particularly productive, until something else come alongContinue reading “Not Christmas yet, but…”

First Drafts – pulling them apart and putting them back together

Back in February this year, I was very excited to report that I had just finished Novel Number 6 – that is to say, I had finished writing a first draft of Novel Number 6. It’s a great feeling to know that the novel I had in my head now actually exists in the world,Continue reading “First Drafts – pulling them apart and putting them back together”

Accidentally Recurring Names

I don’t know if this is a phenomenon that happens to other writers, but I have a bad habit of reusing the same names without realising until it’s too late. Take the name Daniel. The main character in my novel The Most Beloved Boy is called Dan. I have mentioned before that he is namedContinue reading “Accidentally Recurring Names”

Novel Number Six!

In the last twelve months, I have written a few times about the new novel I have been working on. Last March, I wrote about the new experience for me of writing fiction for Young Adults. In the August, in my Summer Update, I mention that my Young Adult novel is taking shape but stillContinue reading “Novel Number Six!”