• Life of the Mind

    An Exploration of August Falling

    I’ve had one novella published, and there’s maybe fifteen unpublished manuscripts that sit on my computer in various states – from, This has potential, to I should revise this one day, to This should never see light again. One of my favourites is my most recent published novel: August Falling (Pantera Press 2018). I read a romantic comedy/relationship novel about six years ago. The writing was good. The voice was excellent. The story engaged me immediately. Then it proceeded to enrage me. It was a just happens to story. That means nothing was earned. No reaction was a result of somebody’s action. Things just happened because they needed to in…

  • Life of the Mind

    No Doubt

    As a writer, there’s lots of stuff you’ll doubt. On that list will be doubts … if your story works if the structure is sound if the plot/content is coherent if the characters are compelling if the prose is engaging if anybody will like it if everybody (who likes it) is humouring you if you’re any good. There’s other stuff. But that’s a shortlist. You try to control as much of it as you can. You do this through revision, by getting opinions from alpha readers, and – most of all – by being honest with yourself. Doubt’s a good thing, though. Well, in some ways at least. It forces…