Currently Browsing: Emma Venables
20 Dec 2012
2012 – The Year That Was…
At the beginning of the year we were asked to come up with a writing project for 2012. As some of you will be aware, my writing project kept changing as some major life changes occurred. My main project for the year was applying and getting a place in which to study for my much-coveted PhD . I am proud to say that this aspect of my project was achieved. After many knockbacks and scathing responses to my... read more
12 Dec 2012
My Motherboard, My Self
Those of you familiar with Sex and the City will recall the episode in which Carrie Bradshaw’s laptop broke. You will recall how distraught she was, how she wrapped it up in a shawl and rushed it to a repair store. You will recall how she snapped at her boyfriend (Aidan) whenever he tried to calm her down. That was me last week. I somehow managed to slosh tea all over my beloved laptop’s keyboard. The... read more
20 Nov 2012
Taking it on the Chin
Ah, the hardest thing in the world! You’ve spent weeks, maybe even months, nurturing and developing these characters and their stories. Now is the time to let them go. Out into the ether goes that all important first draft. And if you’re lucky, only minor corrections are demanded of you by your faithful readers. But, more often than not, it comes back drowning in red pen. Yes, there are the minor... read more
23 Oct 2012
Goals
Is every writer’s goal really to get published? If the answer is ‘yes’ then I am a bit disheartened. It seems a rather shrewd and uninspiring goal. Surely a writer’s goal should be to create something that, first and foremost, THEY are proud of. That should be the driving force while they are writing regardless of what awaits them at the end of the proverbial tunnel. I don’t write with the sole... read more
5 Oct 2012
When Life Gets in the Way…
Somewhere between all the boxes and paperwork and goodbyes that come with relocating, I lost my creativity. I think I subconsciously gave myself the excuse that because life was so hectic and I had so many goodbyes to say to dear friends it was OK to avoid my notebook. But, with hindsight, it wasn’t…I should have jotted my experiences down on paper. I had so many thoughts and feelings that... read more
28 Sep 2012
A Space of One’s Own
Do you have a writerly space? A space where you write best? I write best when slumped across my bed, clad in comfy clothes, with my laptop. I’m afraid it isn’t a very glamorous image. But it is what it is. Oh, and of course, on a nearby sturdy surface there has to be a cup of tea! Another favourite place of mine to write is a corner of the kitchen back at my parents which my dad has named... read more
14 Sep 2012
I Heart Deadlines
How do I know when I’m done with a story or a piece of writing? The answer is simple: deadlines. Delightful deadlines dictate my projects completion. I’m a bit of a geek – I like deadlines. I like how they encourage a certain structure to my projects and writing. I have to plan how much time I’m going to spend writing, re-writing, drafting, re-drafting and polishing the project to completion.... read more
24 Aug 2012
Finding the Story
So I’ve set myself the challenge of writing at least one short story before the summer is over and I begin my PhD in Creative Writing. It’ll get me back into the swing of writing and give me a chance to play around with some of the techniques I intend to incorporate into my future creative work. But, the question is, where to start? I’m afraid I haven’t got a character constantly nagging at me,... read more
