Writing
Using the right tools to edit a novel
I’ve never enjoyed editing. Have avoided it like the plague, in fact. Until now.
Productivity
Serialised storytelling is perfect for busy writers
This is the story of how serialised writing has helped me write two books, one of which won an award and has been read by over 27,000 people, while having a busy day job and not annoying my family.
When I grew up, I was going to be a writer. As a kid, I was always writing short stories, poems, screenplays and anything else that came to mind.
Then I got distracted, went to university, studied film and English and stumbled down a visual effects rabbit hole for 14 years. I got married, had a kid. These were all great things in their own ways, but I never quite found time to realise that childhood writing dream. (more…)
Productivity
Online serialisation – free webinar!
Last weekend I was part of the Publishing Day School at Writers’ Centre Norwich, speaking about online serialisation alongside an excitingly broad mix of traditional, digital and self publishers. Here’s a webinar version of the talk:
About eight years ago I went to Eastercon, my first science fiction convention. It was a great weekend full of fascinating panels, including the likes of Neil Gaiman, Cory Doctorow and China Mieville. As engrossing as the discussions were, there was a narcissistic room in the back of my brain which wanted to be up on the panel, rather than sitting in the audience.
Being part of the Publishing Day School, sitting on a panel alongside other writers, I achieved that goal. It was another critical step along the road of becoming a writer.
(more…)
Writing
5 things Wattpad needs to do if it wants to be taken more seriously
I love Wattpad, because Wattpad turned me into a writer. I’d always claimed to want to be a writer, and had always been writing bits and pieces here and there, but I’d never published anything or even really finished a project. Writing had become something I did at work in my capacity as a copywriter, while my dreams of being a novelist flapped about in the winds of nostalgia.
A couple of years after publishing on Wattpad I had a novel called A Day of Faces, 116,000 reads, a Watty 2016 award and a lot more confidence. In April I’m talking about my experience as part of the Publishing Day School at Writers’ Centre Norwich. Wattpad even ended up on the International Literature Showcase last year.
But it ain’t perfect. In fact, there are gaping holes. It aspires to be YouTube for words, yet is failing to even replicate that platform’s basic features.I love Wattpad, so hopefully this insight will prove useful to the engineers over there… (more…)
Writing
On converting Wattpad readers into patrons (or not)
I started a Patreon last year, coinciding with starting work on the A Day of Faces audiobook, The Mechanical Crown and the How To Write Serialised Fiction guide. Given the success I’d had with A Day of Faces on Wattpad, I’d hoped it would have a steady start.
As of right now, I have one patron. He’s the best kind of patron: always has interesting feedback, frequently sends over suggestions for improvement, and is generally supportive. But he’s my lone Patreon supporter, which makes for a slightly awkward situation. (more…)
Writing
A Murder in Four Dimensions – my next short story
There’s another Wattpad Block Party approaching, which means I’ve penned a new chapter to contribute to the month-long celebration of online literature. Previously I’ve written behind-the-scenes articles, partly because I was right in the middle of working on A Day of Faces and also because I didn’t feel confident about exposing Read more…
Writing
NaNoWriMo, audiobooks and tons of writing
This month I’m attempting NaNoWrimo which is proving very difficult. I’m dangerously behind schedule. That means this blog is going to be short and sweet. I have been super busy, though, so here’s a sampler: Evinden is now up to chapter 3! The story is already pretty exciting and super mysterious, so Read more…
Writing
The A Day of Faces audiobook is here!
Chapter 1 of the A Day of Faces audiobook can now be listened to, entirely for free! Yay! This is super exciting, being the first time I’ve done anything like this. I’m really pleased with how the audiobook is coming out – it sounds about as professional as I’m going Read more…
Chapter notes
Writing chapter 60: Senescence
- Read A Day of Faces for free here.
- Read this specific chapter here.
- Read all the writing notes here.
I’m heavily influenced by J Michael Straczynski’s writing. His 90s show Babylon 5 was formative for me in more ways than one, as has been much of his subsequent comics writing.
‘Senescence’ is riffing on two specific JMS endings: the bittersweet feel of B5’s Sleeping In Light and the story of Jason Miller in Rising Stars. In the latter case he’s a figure who goes to extraordinary lengths to make amends and change the world with serious personal consequences, and that was a feeling I wanted to capture at the end of Cal’s character arc. (more…)
Chapter notes
Writing chapter 59: Transfiguration
- Read A Day of Faces for free here.
- Read this specific chapter here.
- Read all the writing notes here.
That opening chapter is ADoF at its most meta. I knew going in that this was the penultimate chapter of the book and could feel the pressure of all the previous chapters. Fumble the ending and you can mess up everything that came before.
This is Kay’s tipping point moment. It’s when the groundwork they’ve spent so long laying finally pays off. It’s a very deliberate choice that everything goes down in a peaceful manner. This is an intellectual and experiential revolution, with Kay outlining her view and story, then Cal providing the proof. The social momentum she’s built throughout Arc 4 carries the idea forwards with such force that there’s no stopping it. (more…)