Novel in a Year is the successful course I have been running, which starts its 4th year in January 2024. Wow! I get asked lots of questions about this course and thought the best way to answer them was in a simple post, if you have more questions that haven’t been answered here, then pleaseContinue reading “Novel in a Year, Really?”
Author Archives: The Coffeehouse Writer
Can creative writing be taught?
Let’s start with what is creative writing. Dictionaries describe it as typically fiction or poetry that displays imagination and invention.
Help! I want to sell more books!
Congratulations on writing your book! That is a HUGE achievement. Be proud of yourself. What’s that I hear? It’s been out a week and you can’t retire yet? I’m afraid you will be waiting a long time. In 2018, 675 million print books were sold in the US, 190.9m print books in the UK, and is valued at $312mContinue reading “Help! I want to sell more books!”
Writing for Well-Being
Namaste! This simple word means Hello in India, but around the globe it says so much more. It has an automatic way for bringing a sense of calm with it, that the person who says it is happy and content and wishes that for you. Maybe this is because I usually hear it when IContinue reading “Writing for Well-Being”
Is Indie Publishing a Piece of Cake?
That all depends on how far you will go for that slice of sweet goodness! Firstly, let’s look at the reasons you may want to be an indie author. You like to remain in CONTROL of EVERYTHING. I get this, I honestly do, when you go down the traditionally published route your begin to looseContinue reading “Is Indie Publishing a Piece of Cake?”
Flexing the Writing Muscle
Do you write daily? I do. Now. Not always what I should be writing, but I do write. I am and have always been, a big list maker, it is probably why plotting ideas and creating beatsheets is easier for me than others. I can write extensive notes, on my work and that of myContinue reading “Flexing the Writing Muscle”
Self Love
Hands up if you’re a writer who has suffered self -doubt? The two seem to go hand in hand, we are after all putting something very personal out there for public viewing and critisim. The key here is to understand that you will always get negative feedback off someone. It is down to taste, weContinue reading “Self Love”
Writer’s Mistakes!
It’s really as simple as that. Mistakes are allowed, in fact let’s go one step further and encourage them! Remember when I told you about my sons and the cornflakes? That was an accident. Son no. 3 had made the mistake of over reaching. BUT… if he hadn’t they would never have heard the soundsContinue reading “Writer’s Mistakes!”
Creativity is…
Do you remember these cartoons drawn by Kim Casali for her new husband? They used to feature everywhere. Creativity can be like the many examples given in the ‘love is…’ cartoons, it comes in many forms. For me personally, my creativity comes out in writing, gardening, cooking, teaching and party planning and photography. I amContinue reading “Creativity is…”
Editing
Does the mention of the word send you into a cold sweat, that drips down you back, you know right between your shoulder blades, pooling at your waistband? I think I’m more than competent at editing, at least with other people’s work, it is after all a huge part of my job, though I doContinue reading “Editing”