Writing Tips

Reasons why you find it hard to write a book / novel

Many people have the dream of writing a novel, but what separates those who do it from those who don’t quite manage? Here are some of my ideas as to why you may be finding it hard to write your book / novel and then I will go into some advice on how to make… Continue reading Reasons why you find it hard to write a book / novel

Essays · Lifestyle · Reviews · Writing Tips

The problem with reviewing art (films, tv, books)

Lately I’ve been trying to review the things I watch and read more than I used to. Why? Because it encourages me to engage more critically and closely with these things. To consume with a keen eye. This in turn helps me develop my own writing and my own tastes. However, I’ve noticed how difficult… Continue reading The problem with reviewing art (films, tv, books)

Lifestyle · Reviews

Film Review of Till: “A Needed Emotive Film”

Till is a film about Emmett Till, the 14-year-old black boy who was brutally murdered by white men for whistling at a white woman in Mississippi in 1955. The real story is skewed, perhaps, but from my own reading, I didn't think he whistled to intentionally flirt, as the film depicted. If that's not the… Continue reading Film Review of Till: “A Needed Emotive Film”

Writing Tips

How to create natural tension and conflict in your narrative

Tension and suspense are key to gripping your reader. Conflict is what makes a story interesting but there is boring conflict and then there is natural and tense conflict! You want the latter if you can! I will be talking today about natural conflict and tension using the latest Planet of the Apes franchise to… Continue reading How to create natural tension and conflict in your narrative

Writing Tips

Preptober – how to prepare for NaNoWriMo (or simply writing a novel quickly)

For those of you who don't know, I wrote my 84,000-word novel this year in about 5 weeks. This did not include writing every day. NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is about writing 50,000 words in a month, so in a way, I did that this year already! However, I do want to do a… Continue reading Preptober – how to prepare for NaNoWriMo (or simply writing a novel quickly)

Writing Tips

What to do about creative confusion

Many creators talk about writers block or feeling creatively stuck but what about feeling confusion in your creativity? When you have a lot of ideas and feel confused and unsure about where to go with them. This is how I feel at the moment. I started writing a semi-autobiographical story. It felt like a really… Continue reading What to do about creative confusion