The Siege
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Month: November 2017
A Fantasy Writer’s Guide to Castles and Keeps: Part II
The medieval setting has become almost synonymous with the fantasy genre (to the dismay of some), and there are no greater features on a medieval
Real Writing Stories #3: My Writing Day – Caroline Barden
Real Writing Stories returns with a fresh instalment. Continuing with the series My Writing Day, I’m delighted to introduce friend and fellow writer, Caroline Barden.
A Fantasy Writer’s Guide to Castles and Keeps: Part One
We’ve lost more than we know, but what we have retained has inspired some, if not all, of the greatest fantasy stories in one way or another. Taking the time to do a bit of research on what you’re writing about will empower your storytelling and, hopefully, enthral your readers. Today we’re besieging the fortifications which dominated the Middle Ages, and of course which feature in our beloved fantasy genre.
Real Writing Stories #2: My Writing Day – Forest Wells
Real Writing Stories returns for its second installment. This week, with the help of writer Forest Wells, I’m launching a new weekly feature called My Writing Day. Readers of The Guardian newspaper may have seen this before. A writer shares their average writing day—the process, the distractions, the strife, the achievements. The Guardian however looks at the writing days of more well-known writers only. They’re very insightful and inspirational pieces, but I think the stories of other writers at different stages in their journeys can be more interesting and relatable.
Plotting: Architectural Suspense
We’ve all read that novel where at some point you put it down and forget it ever existed until you trip over it one day and then in a state of annoyance donate it to the charity shop. It failed to grip you, to compel you to go on. Often the culprit is a lack of suspense—the glue that binds the reader’s hands to the covers.
Real Writing Stories: Part One
The stories of fellow writers really inspire me to keep bashing away at the keyboard. Learning about other people’s journeys, the difficulties they’ve encountered and overcome, their unwaivering passion for writing, can help me get through days when I feel like giving up.
