Are older generation writers missing out on the power of social media to further their work? GUEST POST : Carolyn Doudge is a late-comer to fiction writing. She is currently studying for a degree in Creative and Professional Writing at Nottingham University. You would think that upwards of half a life-time hanging out on theContinue reading “Not knitting but blogging”
Category Archives: Writing Journal
Social media users – beware, the psychiatrist is watching you
Is Internet Use Disorder a 21st century mental illness? GUEST POST : Helen Durham is a part-time undergraduate of the University of Nottingham’s BA in Creative and Professional Writing, trying to learn Mindfulness to alleviate the stress of assignment deadlines piling up http://peaceinafranticworld.wordpress.com/ The fifth edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental DisordersContinue reading “Social media users – beware, the psychiatrist is watching you”
How the ‘Poetry Engine’ gives museum visits a whole new meaning
GUEST POST : Elaine is a Doctoral student in Education and also nearing the end of her BA in Creative and Professional Writing at the University of Nottingham. She runs Strange Alliances, a blog exploring different ways of creating narratives through different forms of media and can be found on Twitter @EMAldred. Next time youContinue reading “How the ‘Poetry Engine’ gives museum visits a whole new meaning”
It is a truth universally acknowledged that every writer wants to be famous
In this ever-increasing self-publishing explosion, how can you get yourself noticed? GUEST POST : Angela Foxwood is a budding author, singer, poet, part time student at University of Nottingham and mum of one. It is a truth universally acknowledged that every writer wants the world to know how brilliant they are. This used to involveContinue reading “It is a truth universally acknowledged that every writer wants to be famous”
Can’t print and digital media all just get along?
The debate over ebooks and their printed ancestors rages on. I see no reason for them to be at war with each other. GUEST POST : Emily Cooper (rusticwriter) is a freelance writer, typesetter and editor. She is a soon-to-be-graduate of ‘Creative and Professional Writing’ at Nottingham University and enjoys capturing the strangely beautiful andContinue reading “Can’t print and digital media all just get along?”
Are you wasting your time on social media?
The onslaught of online information is endless. Is the time thirsty sponge of social media just wasting your time? GUEST POST : Sadie Greening is an aspiring crime author, creative writing student and mother – follow her on Twitter @octaviagrey If it is then you are not alone. I’m new to the social media sideContinue reading “Are you wasting your time on social media?”
70’s era J G Ballard on the X-Factor
Previously unseen archival footage, or Jim Worrad buggering around in his front room? You tell me.
Selling Out is about trust not money
Imagine you are a doctor. The population you treat are sick. You have two medicines. One tastes bad and has some horrendous side effects but will over time make your patients better. The other tastes like honey and gets you high as a kite but has no real medical value, unless you count dying withContinue reading “Selling Out is about trust not money”
Writing and the attention economy
As a writer you are asking for the most valuable commodity your readers have. Time. Each of us gets a finite portion. No sum of money can buy us any more. And the demands on it are ever greater. The novel evolved at a period in history when the constituency of its readers had muchContinue reading “Writing and the attention economy”
Why Standard Manuscript Format matters more than ever
For the last few days I’ve been following the editorial pains of friend and fellow British Fantasy Award judge Hal Duncan on Twitter. I don’t know what it is Hall is editing, I’m just glad its not me having to do it! Like, actually, I think the Turkey City Lexicon should start with the GuessingContinue reading “Why Standard Manuscript Format matters more than ever”
Do you know why you write fantasy?
In his 1916 essay (not published until 1956) The Transcendent Function the psychologist Carl Jung describes his system of ‘active imagination’, the technique at the heart of the psychological process he named individuation. Put very simply, active imagination means to dive down in to our imagination and to bring back from it visions, dreams andContinue reading “Do you know why you write fantasy?”
The Density of Words
At anywhere between 80,000 to 150,000 words or more the average commercially published novel might seem like a huge space to fill. I know the idea of creating that many words is often intimidating to my writing students, who may never have written more than 2-3 thousand words on one story in the past. ButContinue reading “The Density of Words”
Damien Walter 