Tuesday 27 January 2015

Word of the week (23)



The writer frowned at the sentence she’d just written.
WEIRD looked weird.
‘I before e except after c,’ she muttered, but WIERD looked even weirder.
She checked it, and wondered how often dictionary compilers make mistakes.
Perhaps she should use an alternative version. WYRD worked for Terry Pratchett. (But she didn’t want her readers to think she couldn’t spell.)
She rewrote the sentence using a different word.
It didn't work. STRANGE wasn’t weird enough.

Which correctly spelt word looks wrong to you?

Thursday 22 January 2015

How this writer’s mind works (6)

Looking back over my writing records for 2014, I realised that – apart from blog posts – I’d only written fiction during the whole year. Nothing wrong with that, and I don’t think I could stop writing fiction even if I wanted to, but as one of my 2015 ‘hopes’ is to earn more money from writing, producing the occasional non-fiction article seems a sensible thing to do. In the past, I wrote non-fiction on all sorts of subjects and usually found it easier to sell than my stories.

I started by checking the latest editions of the women’s and lifestyle magazines in the newsagents. I couldn’t afford to buy every one that caught my eye, but I bought a couple of my favourites to do some in-depth research at home and quickly leafed through the others.

In almost every magazine the main features were about dieting and/or fitness. (Am I the only woman in the country who hasn’t made a New Year resolution to lose weight or run a marathon?) The second most popular subject seemed to be about saving money. There were headlines such as:
  • Save £££s on Household Bills
  • Best Budget Beauty Buys
  • Feed The Family For Less
  • Low Cost Travel
  • Thrifty Home Décor Ideas 
Inspiration! I was certain I could write a similar article. After all, I’ve spent all my life finding ways of living within very moderate means. I’m an expert in saving pennies here, pinching pounds there. All I had to do was choose a subject that a magazine hadn’t already explored. The answer was right in front of me.
 
How To Cut Your Magazine Bill.


Once I started brainstorming, the ideas came thick and fast. I could include tips for starting a magazine-swapping club. I would advise readers to seek out magazines online and in libraries. I could list sources of free and discounted magazines …

And then I noticed the one, tiny flaw in my brilliant article. Which magazine will want to publish it? 


Sunday 11 January 2015

Not a Happy Bunny



… but it’s awfully difficult when you’re coughing and sneezing and your brain has mysteriously turned into a lump of soggy cotton wool.
Almost everyone I know has been battling a bug that’s not as bad as flu but seems to last a lot longer than an ordinary cold.

If you’re suffering – Get Well Soon!
  

Thursday 1 January 2015

Word of the week (22)



It was the writer’s favourite day. She had a new diary, new notebook, new list of new goals, new stories to write, new markets to crack, new competitions to enter, new books to read, a whole 365 new days of possibilities …

Happy New Year!

What new things are you looking forward to in 2015?