Some Little Hints

When I was at school (rather a long time ago now) we had to write book reviews. I'll be honest - it was my least favourite activity. If I knew I had to review or pick apart a book, my enjoyment of it would decrease in line with the amount of thinking I was doing regarding the task that had been set. Some love it - I don't!

This puts me in a bit of a quandary. Many of my writing friends have brought out books in one form or another recently - there are some great fiction and non-fiction books around and of course I'd love to give a full review of everything I have bought/downloaded/been emailed but as soon as I try to analyse the book I'm right back in that classroom sucking my pencil and wishing for break time.

So what I've decided to do is to tell you lovely readers that if I have posted about a book on my blog, it is a given that I have read and liked/enjoyed/been amused by or been informed by it.

So... now that's out the way, I'd like to introduce Lynne Hackles' new writing 'how to' called Handy Hints for Writers which can be bought from Amazon at a snip for just 99p.

I was lucky enough to win Lynne's book in a competition and read it on holiday on the canal boat (maybe that's why I missed the heron!)  -  how better to introduce it than by listing my ten personal favourite handy hints from her book.

Thanks for these, Lynne.


1.  Train yourself:

Train yourself to look for ideas and to ask what if? Every person you meet is a potential character. Every place you visit is a potential location. Every problem you hear is a potential plot.


2. Too busy:

Never think you are too busy to write. Learn to delegate jobs, gardening, shopping housework. If you really want to write, make time. Real writers do.


3 Believe in yourself:

Ignore the voice in your head telling you that you are not good enough. Tell yourself you can do it and then get on with it.


4. Our unique voice:

Admire other writers, admire their styles but be yourself.


5. Write it down:

Keep notebooks and pens with you at all times. We all tell ourselves we'll remember that incredible idea for a story or article but wonderful ideas can pop into the mind as easily as they can pop in.


6. No clocking off

Writers never clock off. They work wherever they are. They meet people, see places, get ideas and inspiration.


7. Rewards:

Successes should be celebrated, however big or small.


8. Hup two three:

Physical exercise can help if the mind seizes up. Do anything active. It'll get the circulation going and stimulate those little grey cells.


9. What to take note of:

If yours is not the normal printed rejection but, instead, has something personal in it, then please take note. They do mean it.


10.  Be gripped by your story line:

If you aren't, why should anyone else be?



If you want to read loads more handy hints, Lynne's great book can her bought here.
and here is Lynne's blog.