In his book The Novel Project, Graeme Simsion mentions the questionnaires we can find and fill out to get to know our characters – but he doesn’t use them. He says, “There are real people I’ve known for years whose star sign and preferred drink I wouldn’t be able to tell you. If a character […]
The seasons can refer to the weather and the physical changes of our natural world, but we often use the word metaphorically to describe and explore various stages, moments and turning points of our lives. Katherine May, author of Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times says: Below are a number of […]
After what has been a long dry summer in my part of the world, and a seemingly short warm autumn, we have been inundated with a deluge of rain as if Winter wanted us to sit up and take notice of her arrival. It has certainly made me think about the changing seasons, both physically […]
Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change has famously stated that “most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply”. “When we listen with the intent to understand others, rather than with the intent to reply,” Covey […]
Sometimes, it’s easy to leap into the next scene we’re creating with little prompting. We know what needs to happen next and all that’s needed is to sit down and begin. Other times, a little more motivation is required. This month, I’ve created a number of creative writing prompts that I hope will be useful […]
These creative prompts are designed to gently ease our way back into writing (or any other art form) as we step into a new year. They can be used whether you wish to reflect on your own life, that of an ancestor or that of a fictional character. Use them as short warm-up exercises, integrate […]