I didn't used to believe in writer's block. I always thought it was one of those fairy tales like Santa Claus or God or a happy marriage. Ordinarily, when fellow writers have said to me that they've been suffering from writer's block, I've made appropriate sympathetic...
Let's Get Critical or —you show me yours, and I'll show you mine— I've mentioned before that writing is a solipsistic occupation. I'm not sure if I used that posh word at the time—I've recently had a head transplant with a brainy person and my vocabulary has increased...
An advertising executive once told me: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. By that point I'd already decided he was a wanker, but that detail is immaterial. His observation (actually, it's a truism that's fast becoming a cliché) is worth bearing...
One of my writing tutors brought some bread into class last week. It was a profound experience. The writing class was littered with the usual Tuesday afternoon scribes and wannabes. I was sitting behind a half-used notepad facing two damned good writers and sandwiched...
One of the great pleasures of being a book reviewer is receiving unexpected books through the post. It's a little like having unexpected Christmas or Birthday presents appearing when you weren't expecting them. Many of my days have been brightened by the arrival of...
In the past I've often been glib and said that a writer only needs two things to write: pen and paper. Obviously, I've modified this to suit various circumstances (sand and a stick; snow and a penis) and I've updated it accordingly with technology (a word processing...
I know this subject has been touched more times than a glamour model's tits. And I know it's as sensitive as the haemorrhoids of someone who uses sandpaper toilet paper. But I've been a member of ERWA for many years now, and I've watched the topic rise and fall...
There are many myths surrounding the common synopsis. I've known authors — professional, published authors — who flinch at the prospect of having to write a synopsis. I've encountered aspiring writers who've given up their dreams of publication because of the...
We all know not to judge a book by its cover. But what about the title? The first book I ever sold started life as The Pentagon Agency. I wrote the book, submitted it to Nexus and the (then) editor said, "I want this one: but I hate the title." This taught me a very...
"I liked your book. I just didn't like the fact that all the characters were twenty-somethings with perfect bodies." —Fat Joyce The above quote, from a friend of mine called Fat Joyce, illustrated two things: a) Fat Joyce had not properly read my book. b) People...