A look at my various workspaces over the years, from desktop PCs to laptops, corner desks, standing desks, and dedicated offices.
Tag: writing
How Do You Describe a Cigarette You’ve Never Smoked?
I noticed my earlier post about how I got started writing proved popular. As I cast my mind back to those days, I recalled the gig that required me to write copy in for a website or print catalogue of Eastern European cigarettes. The odd thing about this is that I was a…
A Bit About How I Started Writing For Money
I suspect the neighbours think I sit on my backside all day long watching TV or playing videogames. Since this day in 2010 I have been earning money from writing, mostly for websites and magazines, and in 2014 I added editing to my skillset. A key advantage of all of this is that…
A Life in the Day of a Tech Writer
You probably know the format. It’s a description of a typical day, famously occupying the back page of the Sunday Times Colour Supplement ( I believe they call it a “magazine” these days) with a focus on the notable in culture and society. The Tom Baker one is a scream. It’s also a…
Writing for Myself
Exploring the benefits of writing for yourself, rather than to a preconceived idea of what agents and publishers are looking for.
Forever Awesome
I’m awesome, you’re awesome, we’re all awesome. Equally, we’re pretty awful at times. We all make mistakes, carry guilt, have regrets – often for things that have been forgotten by everyone else – and, basically, are human. Social media is a place where mistakes are amplified. Minor infractions seem to get the same…
Lockdowns: Great for Writers, Not So Great for This Writer
It’s been months since my last blog here. It’s funny; I wouldn’t have previously believed the saying “The road to hell is paved with good intentions” but the past 12 months seems to have proven this to be the case. A by-product of lockdowns and tiered restrictions has been home schooling. And where…
Keep Going When Writer’s Block Strikes
It’s true of anything. At some point, you’re going to wake up one morning and hit The Wall. You can’t be bothered. It’s not working out.You just can’t get started. And then the self doubt arrives. Was it all a mistake? Have you been punching above your weight this entire time? Are you…
Revive Your Darlings: Reusing Old Material
The popular mantra, “kill your darlings”, attributed to Allen Ginsberg (or was it Arthur Quiller-Couch?) instructs writers to cut material they’re proud of if it will improve the readability of their manuscript. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be used at all. Whether cut or abandoned, old material still has some worth. A case…
Story: Pete’s Fish
The sunlight strobed across still, rippling sea, the reflection dazzling Pete’s eyes. Distracted, his half-full wine bottle toppled off the wooden picnic bench, exploding on the pale concrete. He stood to wipe himself down with the sleeve of his already-grubby tunic. Already, he was worrying about the fish. If it wasn’t the weather…
