It’s nearly time to launch my online teen novel writing course and I’ve been challenged to offer the first 10 places at a 50% discount as a pre-launch gift. You can watch the introductory video over at http://www.writerontheroad.com and download the free ebook, The Voices in your Head. And anyone who signs up also gets a bonus interview with Cracker, author of our middle grade Mystery Series. His advice; get your sister to do it:)
Archive for the ‘How to write’ Category
Seeking Teenage Story Slingers – online novel writing course for teens
Posted in How to write, Online writing courses, teens and creativity, teens and writing, tagged novel writing for teens, Online writing courses, teen writing courses, writing advice for teens, writing tutorials on August 24, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Non-fiction cover designs
Posted in Cover designs, How to write, tagged Book covers, Non fiction writing on May 25, 2016| Leave a Comment »
My graphic designer just sent these through as draft cover ideas for a set of books that I’ll be launching in conjuction with my Writer on the Road Podcast – Book 1 will be perma-free to anyone who signs up to my podcast mailing list. I’m not sure the cover for Book 1 works. What do you think?
On planning, writing and publishing your middle grade novel…
Posted in creativity, fiction writing rules, How to write, middle grade fiction, tagged a writer's life, middle grade fiction, philip pullman, writing fiction on April 13, 2015| Leave a Comment »
In ‘Novel Writing, a Writers’ and Artists’ Companion’ Philip Pullman says, ‘Don’t make plans. A plan is not a map, it’s a straitjacket. Your imagination needs the freedom to roam wherever it wants to go, and if you constrain it the book will suffer.’
And I have to agree.
There is so much advice around now in the Indie Publishing world that says outline your novel, fill in the blanks, press ‘publish’, and you will make thousands. Alas, there is little written about the creative process itself in comparison, a process that takes time, lots of it, sweat, lots of that too, and tears…in order to to trust your imagination and give it the freedom to roam you have to step back at see where it takes you…and nobody can sell you anything to make the process any easier.
Remember, the best things in life are free. All they take is time, hard work and tears…there are no shortcuts.
How To Blog A Billy-Cart: Writing Middle-Grade Fiction
Posted in How to write, middle grade fiction, non fiction, series writing, Writing, tagged middle grade fiction, Writing books on December 5, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Our summer project: 
We’ve made the how-to-build-billy-cart youtube video, written Dirt Busters, Book 2 of our Cracker & Gilly Middle Grade Mystery Series, and now that school’s out for the summer it’s time to work on our non-fiction book, how to write middle-grade fiction.
We have quotes from great authors, examples from illustrators and wise words from readers…and now it’s time to share.
Over the summer we will upload chapters, quotes and advice from successful authors…but we also want to hear from you, so let us know what you think as we share our work with you.
The Time To Write
Posted in Books, Choosing the writing life, How to write, indie publishing, marketing fiction, middle grade fiction, Reading, Stories, Time to write, Writing, writing inspiration, writing life, tagged Gregory Maguire, Kate Forsythe, marketing books, Reading books, The writing life, Writing books on December 3, 2014| Leave a Comment »
find something worth reading
do something worth writing
creating something worth selling
School’s out and it’s time to get back to the world of writing – do I hear you groan brother dear – with books to read, books to write, books to publish and books to market… 
Making the time to write…NaNoWriMo
Posted in creativity, How to write, Inspiration, Stories, Teen Fiction, Writing, writing inspiration, writing life, tagged fiction writing, NaNoWriMo, novel writing, Writing inspiration on November 22, 2014| Leave a Comment »
At school this week one of my students told me she was up to 35,000 words of her NaNoWriMo project…do the rest of us have any excuse if a fourteen year old can achieve such a result on top of school work, assessment and end of year co-curricula activities?
My student is aiming for 50,000 words and beyond. This is her first novel. And my excuse for not writing? I’m too busy…
What’s your excuse?
What we can learn from Marcus Sedgwick
Posted in books and creativity, Fiction, How to write, Teen Fiction, tagged Reading like a writer, Thinking like a writer on November 14, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Sedgwick has written a story in four parts that can be read in any order, so the author says…one section written in verse, one about witch hunts, another set in a mental asylum in the nineteen hundreds and one set in the future. How does it pull together as a cohesive whole, is the question. And the answer?
The best how-to-write book ever…
Posted in Fiction, How to write, Teen Fiction, teens and creativity, teens and writing, Writing, tagged how to write books, Writing books, writing fiction, writing instructions on November 3, 2014| 2 Comments »
Okay, I admit I don’t write fantasy…but I defy you not to love this book!!!
And the reason I set this challenge??? Well, I’m trying to write a how-to-write book. I even have a title, ‘a (non) writing instruction book for young writers’….
Stay tuned for my first chapter…but how I compete with ‘Wonderbook’ I’ve no idea…
growing up writing 