Jeeps, it has been an age since I posted here. A deep sadness has been with me for the past year, and honestly, I didn't feel much like writing. In July, I lost my Dad to cancer unexpectedly, and my heart completely broke. But before he died, he got to see one of the...

Today I want to talk about editing because it is not one of my strong points, and I assumed editing was all grammar focused. Once I eliminated that idea, I began to enjoy the process. After all, I can outsource the proof and line edit to someone good at that job. One...

'Overwhelmed by the beauty and mystery of everything, he rolled over and over and right off the deck of his boat and into the sea.'Amos & Boris is the first book I have read by William Steig. As the creator of the infamous Shrek character, I am surprised I haven't...

A Man's Place by Annie Ernaux Apart from writing, reading is one of the things I have committed to doing a lot more. I have a particular liking for Novellas. And when I came across 'A Man's Place', I had to add it to my reading list. Happily, I decided to take a break...

Crafting characters has been on my mind for the last few months. Initially, when I wrote the first draft of my novel, I only touched on the characters' backstories. My primary concern had been to get the 1st draft finished, which I did. At the moment, I am working...

1. Focus on a single moment or idea:  Flash fiction is all about brevity, so focusing on one specific moment or idea is essential. Think of a snapshot in time that captures the essence of your story. This could be a single image, a brief conversation, or a fleeting...

1. Start with a clear idea: Have a clear idea before you begin your story. The idea can focus on a plot point, a character, or a theme.     2. Keep it concise: Short stories are just that, short! Keep your idea as concise as possible. Focus on one central idea or...

At this stage, I have lost count of how many times I have attempted to return to this book. 'Attempted' being the central theme here, I never got past the re-read of the first draft. To rectify this, I have cleared a space, fixed my desk, and ordered my random filing...