Originally posted on Elfwriter:
There is a children’s movie just come out, Brave, with the heroine sporting a bow and arrow. Katnis, from the Hunger Games, was lethal with one. Legolas was extremely handsome even in the midst of a desperate fight for Helm’s Deep and never missed when he let fly. It seems that…
Digging out the Motivation
There’s blood hiding in the blizzard and the voices in my head are asking: Why is the protagonist acting so weird? Why is the heroine still friendly with her unfaithful ex? What’s driving this group of diverse characters forwards and are they heading for a memorable climax or just oblivion? I thought I had nearly … Continue reading
Rising from rejection: the search for recognition
The Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger shortlist has been announced – http://www.thecwa.co.uk/daggers/2012/index.html – and I didn’t make it into the chosen few. Am I surprised and dejected at what at first felt like rejection when I was desperate for recognition? Part of me is – the part that thought Spiral of Hooves had been honed … Continue reading
Time, Editing, plus Writing a Novel
As I slowly write my way to sixty – well 59 come August – I am increasingly aware of that precious commodity called Time and the need to juggle the commitments that life has thrown up. Writing is of course my chosen profession for retirement and therefore the one I should choose to focus on. … Continue reading
Editing that Novel
Originally posted on http://www.rolandclarke.co.uk on 17 May 2012 As I embark on editing my second novel, Wyrm Bait, it seemed a good moment to reflect back on the lessons I learnt editing the first one. Editing was one of the reasons why Spiral of Hooves took 12 years of writing before I had a final … Continue reading
Finding My Writing Wings
Originally posted on http://www.rolandclarke.co.uk on 14 May 2012 There was a time some years ago when MS had so clipped my writing wings that it was hard to write and I had to turn down commissions to write articles or even take photographs. Even the novel that I had dreamt of writing was a mess … Continue reading
