… and how to put them right! Advice and opportunities for new, aspiring and upcoming journalists and writers of non-fiction
So, the following tweet caught my eye the other week … … and I found it pretty cynical and depressing. I have judged a writing competition, for The New Writer, and I can assure you I did not choose the winners by means of a lottery. I spent a number of evenings reading the shortlisted …
Many new writers tell me they’ve been told they have talent for writing – perhaps by former teachers who read their compositions for years, or friends who have received their letters, or colleagues who’ve found their emails entertaining, even when concerning mundane office and business matters. Some tell me they believe themselves to be talented. …
“I’ve occasionally found myself hesitating to offer work to someone who shared an email address with their partner,” an editor of my acquaintance told me recently. I’ve seen email addresses like that too. I’m sure you have, as well. Martin-and-Moira77@yahoo.co.uk. Baz-and-Bess@yeehah.co.uk. It’s a non-issue for me, as I’m rarely in a position to commission work …
You’ll be taking your holiday soon. You’ll be heading off somewhere nice. Possibly abroad. Two weeks of sights, sea, sun, sangria – and certainly no writing. Those fingers need a rest, right? But does that mean you ought to ‘switch off’ entirely? If you’re planning on writing about your holiday – and you can find …
“You can’t use up creativity,” said Maya Angelou. “The more you use, the more you have.” I imagine Angelou was thinking about fiction when she made this remark, but it applies to non-fiction and magazine writing too. Coming up with ideas is a creative process. You may think of a subject first, then develop an …
The Writer Magazine tweeted a darned good word of wisdom courtesy of writer Sarah Einstein in April, and here it is. Good revision cannot occur until you fall out of love with a piece. Time and distance are essential. The second I read it I knew it was a winner. To fall out of love …
Every bald man (raises hand) needs a hat, and every bald man of a certain age (raises other hand) tends to amass a substantial quantity of them. Here are some of mine, now collected on my new hatstand, bought from a shop fittings supplier, since every other hatstand available from conventional consumer stores bore insufficient …
Be a bit cool when you pitch. Be a bit chilled. Imagine (imagine only) you’ve had half a glass of wine and you have a smile on your face and that it matters – but doesn’t matter that much. Some writers fret too much. I see their covering or proposal letters and they’re filled with signs …
I’ll admit from the off that this is partly fuelled by an irrational pet hate that has been simmering for years, probably due to having a background in mathematics, but I can no longer keep a lid on my feelings for the abuse of the word ‘random’. Random is a terrific word, with a useful …
I’ve just spent a productive month or so revising one of my books for a new edition, due out later this year. I wrote the book four years ago, and a lot has changed in the field (coeliac disease – ie a severe form of gluten intolerance) in that time, which has involved a lot …
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