Category: Writing

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The writing process – Spaced out

RLD

Probably one of the most obvious features of a book besides the title is the text. How this text is structured depends entirely on the content. It’s pretty fair to say that in order for the text to make sense and be digestible to read, the author will need to use paragraphs, the blocks of varying size that break up and build the flow of information on the page. Without going into the importance of a book’s opening paragraph which every author should know is paramount, I want to take a moment to explain what I have learnt about this … Continue reading The writing process – Spaced out

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The writing process – Look who’s talking

RLD

As promised, another instalment summarising some of what I have learnt as I pursue a path as an author of books. This post is dedicated to speech, dialogue, spoken word, the sentences between inverted commas that can bring a story to life. When I wrote Misspelt Yoof, there was obviously going to be a cast of characters and these characters would need to interact verbally. I open the book with a Preface in script format. It’s pretty much strict dialogue with brief descriptions of action or scenery. With a script the focus is really in the voice of the interlocutors … Continue reading The writing process – Look who’s talking

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The writing process – Write more to write less

RLD

What a title! What does that mean? It’s simple really: A writer must write a lot to then get the most out of a few words. Still confused? Ok, let me explain what I learnt about the importance of rereading and rewriting. Editing is no joke. When I write, and I’m sure it’s the same for others, the words tend to be a stream of conscience that just flow out of my mind and onto the page. The idea is in my head and it needs to get out as fast as I can type or handle a pen. As … Continue reading The writing process – Write more to write less