Category: The craft of writing

The comeliest daughter – walking the Talk IV

Today, I put on a pair of deerskin breeches, a red coat with tails, and a kepi, adorned with a fistful of white ostrich feathers.…

Harry 1 March 2024

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Walking the Talk – part three in a series

An odd topic this time: the author’s note. I’m currently writing a note for The House at the End of the World and realised that it’s a…

Harry 23 February 2024

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Walking the Talk – part two in a series

For Feedback Friday last week, we wanted to look at whether your characters are multi-dimensional. We asked: does your character have physical sensations? Memories? Characteristic…

Harry 16 February 2024

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Walking the Talk – the first in a series

As you know, I’m a writer – or I used to be. But a little while back, I had the idea of making the Writers…

Harry 9 February 2024

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The golden thread

Here’s a challenge that we all experience, a challenge that in some ways grows larger the more imaginative and effortless you are. The challenge is…

Harry 10 November 2023

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The wise woman and the fool

This email is something of a follow-up to last week, so if you didn’t like last week’s missive, I strongly suggest you ditch this one…

Harry 31 March 2023

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A 1948 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith

Super-quick housekeeping: We’ve just launched a new course – Jumpstart Your Novel – that offers a really serious way to get started with a book.…

Harry 24 March 2023

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But have we had any fun?

Benjamin Jowett was a Victorian professor of Greek, a theologian and a college reformer. Photos of him have a somewhat stern and whiskery air, but…

Harry 17 March 2023

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Meet Amy, Baz, Charlie, Dino and Esmerelda

I’m reading a book at the moment that came recommended, a psychological thriller about a small, close group of friends. I’ve started the book. I’m…

Harry 10 March 2023

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Bad Beginnings

The start of your book is a delicate, beautiful thing. It has a joyous quality for sure. Something like cracking open an egg, the peep…

Harry 3 February 2023

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