Welcome to my blog
Here you’ll find writing tips, techniques and prompts. If you’d like weekly updates on my current writing process and projects, please subscribe to my Substack newsletter, Awen.
Relaxed writing
Last weekend, I saw British rock climber, Pete Whittaker, talk as part of the Speakers From the Edge tour. He spoke about free solo climbing in Norway, which is climbing up a mountain without ropes. This seems terrifying. One mistake and it’s over. You’d think that he would be on the edge of his nerves for the entire thing. But what surprised me was that he talked about cultivating two states of mind during a climb like this:
Giving gifts to yourself!
Gift giving and receiving is part of this season for most of us but not something we all have an easy relationship with. It’s a rich source for writing and journalling. I began to think about what gifts I’d like to give myself and I’m not talking about wrapping up something to leave under the tree…
Colour writing prompts
Using colour to inspire or deepen your writing. Use colour in autobiography, story, poem or memoir to create mood and atmosphere.
How to Write a Sestina
The sestina is a poem made of six stanzas of six lines each, plus a three-line envoi, which sums up what the poet wants to say. The interesting thing is that six words are used as end words in a different order in each stanza. The order of the end words is set and always the same.
Self-care for writers
Self-care for writers when writing therapeutically for memoir, autobiography, or journals. This also helps with writing for wellbeing.
Lists
Lists - a technique inspired by Sei Shonagon’s The Pillow Book for journalling, for list poems and to blast writing blocks. Play with lists often!
Fairy Tales
How to use fairy tales to inspire and structure your own stories, while also reimagining the stories we live with.
Using moon cycles to plan creative projects
Planning creative writing projects using the cycles of the moon. Making the most of days that are better for generating ideas or days that are better for planning, editing or proofreading. Set intentions each new moon.
Steppingstones
A journalling technique using key moments to tell your life story. Also helps to structure memoir or a novel.
Character Questions
Character Questions - getting to know your character for short stories, novels, memoir.
Point of View
Three quick tips when considering point of view in your story.
How to write dialogue
Four quick tips for writing dialogue plus an example from Julie Corbin’s novel in progress.
Where to find story ideas
It all begins with an idea.
Interrogating story ideas
Interrogating story ideas
Honesty Box
Photo credit: Madalyn Cox on Unsplash
Imagine this is a roadside honesty box where I share what I know how to do with you - open the wooden door and you’ll find little envelopes of techniques, prompts, reading suggestions, workshop ideas and creative inspiration. Next to these envelopes is a box where you can slip in some coins or if you’re feeling particularly generous, a £10 note or two!
I love to think of you reading, feeling inspired by and using what I've written but it does take time and for me to be able to continue, I am trying out ways to make it pay without adverts, paid subscriptions, memberships or paywalls. Instead, I'll continue to provide this content for free, with an invitation to you to donate to my honesty box if you can and would like to. Click on the button below to donate. Thank you!