Strange things happen when you embark on a life writing fiction. Your characters start to come alive in your imagination, developing quirks and attitudes you hadn’t anticipated. Your sleep is hijacked by new ideas and insights which come to you in the dead of night. Novels are notoriously difficult to write – or at least to stay the course long…
Tag: writer
Q & A with author Nicky Shearsby What drew you to writing initially? I have always been fascinated by words, how stories can come to life on paper and last forever. From an early age I knew that I wanted to be a writer, crafting untold stories so that a little piece of me would live on when I’m gone.…
Live performance has many things going for it, not least the ability of the actors taking part to connect with an audience on a truly visceral level. The experience is unique and intimate, and doesn’t rely on special effects to create tension. Doppelganger Performance Group put on an intriguing and entertaining showcase of stage plays at Bournemouth University on Saturday…
Novelists often complain that reading their earlier work leaves them with a distinct feeling of unease. The passage of time between one piece of work and another inevitably leads the author to a different place – greater maturity and depth of insight, perhaps, or simply an earnest desire to improve upon his previous attempt. Writing a novel requires a considerable…
For the shy and retiring among us the thought of pitching a screenplay to a panel of movie experts and a live audience would be horrifying. But that’s exactly what this humble narrator did in London recently, and this is a brief account of what happened …. Armed with my carefully constructed wording, I made my way to the The…
Delighted to have a feature article in the June edition of Dorset Life magazine! If you can’t get a copy, it will be available online in July by clicking http://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/articles-archive/ The article details the crimes of ex-RAF pilot Neville Heath, whose murderous exploits captured the imagination of post-war Britain and are the subject of my screenplay, Heart of a…
I’m currently reading The Confidence Game by Maria Konnikova, which looks at why we are so easily taken in by the scheming of others. The book cites major frauds and audacious imposters as examples, and explains why we as gullible victims make their work so much easier for them. As a novelist, I’ve always been interested in deception as a theme.…
Starting a new screenplay can be a daunting prospect. You’ve had the idea in your head long enough, now’s the time to transfer it to paper. But what about the groundwork – the fleshing out of the bare bones before you begin? I used to think that writing an outline was a waste of energy. Why sit and write a…
Novelists can usually be divided into two camps: those that enjoy research, and those that loathe it. I belong to the former, and spend hours trawling through books and articles for subject-related matter. But how much detail should end up in a novel is open to debate. Too much and you risk the reader’s irritation. Yes, some readers enjoy textbook…
Making a movie is easy. You just get a bunch of actors, point the camera, and it’s done. Actually, there’s a bit more to it than that. You may also need the following: Script Location Director Editor Bags of cash With these things in place there’s a chance you’ll make good progress. But when the shoot is finished, how do…