“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” ― Toni Morrison
Over the years, I've been forced to read many a poem, and, while I can appreciate the effort it takes to compose one, I can't say I'm a huge fan of the art form. However, that doesn't mean that I don't have a favorite poet. During my trip to Scotland last year, I came across… Continue reading Ode to the Worst Poet in the World
Is there anything quite as beautiful as writing the first draft of a story? Every moment is primed with intrigue, wonder, and mystery. You just paint everything on the metaphorical canvass as you see it in your mind's eye. Ideas pour forth from you like a soda fountain filled with Mentos You pat yourself on… Continue reading Editing is the Worst Thing Ever
WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE NOVEL. As an avid fan of du Maurier's Rebecca, I have to confess that I was a bit disappointed with My Cousin Rachel. It started off very strong with little Philip coming face to face with the corpse of a man who had been hanged for murdering his wife, a scene… Continue reading Thoughts on “My Cousin Rachel” by Daphne du Maurier
Perhaps I'm in the minority, but I'm finding myself consistently disappointed by writing prompts I find on the internet. I understand that the main point of these niblets are to get our minds jogging and not to help us produce a 1,000 page Pulitzer Prize winning work of art. Nevertheless, I can't help but feel… Continue reading Strange Writing Prompts For Your Boring Monday
Perhaps I'm just whingeing over semantics here, but I had to get this off my chest. When I purchased the audiobook for Neil Gaiman's book on short stories I was very excited. Not only am I a fan of Gaiman's writing, I am also a big fan of his narration. His dulcet tones and faint… Continue reading Why I’m Disappointed By Neil Gaiman’s “Trigger Warning”
I read the book 13 Reasons Why in high school before this Netflix series came out and it's always stuck with me. From what I've read on social media, it would seem that the TV show has had the same effect and it's become a hit amongst teens and adults alike. However, like any good show, it… Continue reading The “13 Reasons Why” Controversy
So rumors have been floating around that Death in Paradise's Kris Marshall may be taking up the mantle of The Doctor following Capaldi's departure. And, of course, you realize what this means.... THE DOCTOR WILL FINALLY BE GINGER!!! I thought this would be the main topic of discussion when it came to his potential role.… Continue reading Kris Marshall is The Doctor?
Last week I wrote a post about Mary Sues and why people write them. Today, I want to give you some unsolicited pointers on how to avoid writing a Mary Sue, or even a Gary Stu (the male equivalent). Enjoy! Start with a real person. While it may not be a good idea to base a… Continue reading How to Mary Sue Proof Your Characters
For those of you who aren't familiar with what a Mary Sue is, it's essentially a female character that is too perfect. A character that is always morally correct no matter what, has all the male protagonists drooling themselves over her even though she would describe herself as plain, and is special without having to… Continue reading Why Do People Write Mary Sues?
I've seen several Instagram posts that say things like "is it sad that my characters are my best friends?" or "I have more conversations with my characters than I do with real people. Is that bad?" Yes. Yes, it is. Not because you're a wallflower with friends that exist only in your mind. That's perfectly… Continue reading Your Characters are NOT Your Friends: A Public Service Announcement for Writers
The Crooked Pen 