Planning a novel
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Virtual Tour of the Solent and Beyond ~No 15~ India ~ The last Post
This is my last post in my virtual journey to the various locations in Ancasta Guide me Swiftly Home and it’s a place I never expected to go to when I planned the novel. Although I made an outline before I began to write, for me it’s always the research, as well as intuition and…
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Location, location, location ~ How important is a sense of place in a novel?
Is a strong sense of place important for a novel’s success? Good characterisation is vital for a successful novel, as is a sense of the time period. In fact the era, whether a modern setting or in the past, needs to seep into every nook and cranny of the plot, dialogue, setting and language too, but I…
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Home is Where the Heart is ~ Truth or Cliché?
Where is your home? Is it the bricks and mortar or the shack on the beach which you currently live in or is it a far away place you only dream of? Where ever you live, do you frequently think of the place you were born or where your family roots are and how much…
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It’s just a ‘Wet Bank Holiday Monday’ sung to the tune of ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday!’ or making a novel memorable
The Monkees song ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday’ was rolling around my head but more the tune to words ‘It’s just a wet bank holiday Monday!’ At this point I would like to pay a tribute to Davey Jones who died at the relatively young age of 66 years in March this year. I admit it. I…
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A novel impression – unsung heroes v familiar friends and foes
Have you ever thought of the people who never experience the accolade they deserve for their contribution. Last week we focussed on Steve Jobs, remembering his greatness rather than the technology he created. When you listen to a wonderful rendition of Mozart, Bach or Beethoven do you ever think of the individual violinist or percussionist? When you watch a…
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There’s a time for every season – Which period to choose?
I’ve never written in the here and now. Always inspired by social history and the classics it was not a surprise that I chose the Victorian Age for Riduna. Writing its sequel in the Edwardian era and through the First World War has been an even more rewarding journey since I have reseached a period in history which I…
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Which characters – Who gave you inspiration?
Choosing the right characters for your novel is vital but how do we do it? I have already written about the joys and pitfalls of choosing a name on another blog but where do we begin choosing characters? I must admit that my characters seem to creep up on me like new aquaintances many of whom, over subsequent months,…