If your short stories consistently fail to hit the mark in competitions, it may be that the writing is falling into the common traps. This is what I found when I was a judge in the Tasmanian Short Story competition, which attracts entries from all over Australia. In a recent post we looked at how … More Four Tips on Writing a Short Story
Do your short stories consistently fail to hit the mark in competitions? When judging the Tasmanian Short Story competition, I found that many entries fell into the same classic traps, falling short of the mark and sending them to the bottom of the slush pile immediately. Here are my two top tips on how to … More How to begin a short story
We’re at home today with one child, two from tomorrow. Obviously English is one subject I feel a bit qualified to help mine with. So here’s the first assignment I’m setting my year eleven daughter. It’s based on the film Love Actually, which we’ve watched a few times recently in an effort to keep cheerful. … More Home schooling questions on the film 'Love Actually'
I’m a creature of habit, when I’m writing and when I’m not. Every day I have the same breakfast, the same snacks, and morning coffee at the same time. No thinking is required, it’s fuel. My new snack of choice is Vegan Bliss Balls. They’re nutty and sugar free, as required by my doctor. Sometimes … More What food in fiction
