I enjoy listening to people talking about their beliefs. This is a source of inspiration for me. So here are my insights from some recent conversations – and they’re about the Virgin Birth, the electric monk, and package deals of beliefs. Many of us can fall prey to a certain mental habit: we believe what we want to believe,Continue reading “Virgin Births, Electric Monks and Troublesome Beliefs”
Category Archives: British mystery romance writer
How Can Carl Jung’s Theory of Synchronicity Help You in Your Creative Writing?
Among his many theories, Carl Jung includes “synchronicity”. This may be defined as “the meaningful patterning of two or more psycho-physical events not otherwise causally connected”. I’ve known of this theory for several years, and have seen it operating not only in my life but in the lives of others. Now I realise how it canContinue reading “How Can Carl Jung’s Theory of Synchronicity Help You in Your Creative Writing?”
Rob Parsons: A Wise and Entertaining Guide to Good Family Relationships
Rob Parsons has beguiled,moved,and doubled me up in laughter several times on this subject, both in person as an inspirational speaker, and in writing. Now he has again written on a topic that should be closely studied by policy-makers. If you’re a parent, and you’d sooner your child achieved their critical acclaim and professional successContinue reading “Rob Parsons: A Wise and Entertaining Guide to Good Family Relationships”
Novelists and Screenwriters – Where To Find All You Need To Know About Story Structure
Several years ago, I nearly signed on for Robert McKee’s “Story Structure” workshop in London – tempted by the testimonial from John Cleese, who attributed his success in creating the Fawlty Towers scripts to what he learned from this workshop. But I saw it was essentially for screenwriters, and chose to pass on it. I have sinceContinue reading “Novelists and Screenwriters – Where To Find All You Need To Know About Story Structure”
Inspiration for Creative Writers From Artists
Honesty and truthfulness – these are the outstanding virtues of a great artist. And as a creative writer I have in recent times found inspiration from two contemporary artists, Grayson Perry and Tracy Emin. Both artists hold personal challenges for me…
The Christmas List
Who else finds writing Christmas cards the cause not just of gladness but pain and sorrow? I put off “doing” my Christmas list until I’m in the mood – and light a candle and have a glass of sherry or wine to help create that mood. Why? Because each year I have to engage with the majorContinue reading “The Christmas List”
How to Develop Villainous Characteristic Traits in Your Writing
An effective fictional villain has, to my mind, one essential characteristic. The villain should build up in the reader a passionate desire for his or her comeuppance.
What’s Creative Writing? Tips for New Writers
Creative writing starts with passion. Therefore, if you want to be a creative writer, the first thing to do is identify your passion.
Dangerous Interpersonal Tensions at The Wheel of Love, Esoteric Spiritual Group
As a novelist I enjoy writing about relationships. I’ve spent years observing people’s behaviour in all sorts of situations – within romantic relationships, family relationships, within groups both informal and structured, at dinner parties or self-help therapy groups or in other group situations such as writing workshops. In my mystery romance novel “Mystical Circles”, I create aContinue reading “Dangerous Interpersonal Tensions at The Wheel of Love, Esoteric Spiritual Group”
How To Answer The Question at a Writers Workshop “Does Anyone Here Want To Become Rich and Famous?”
At a recent Writers Workshop which I attended in London, one of the delegates asked this question of all of us who sat at my table: “Is there anybody here who wants to become rich and famous?” A silence followed, of about three seconds in duration, when it seemed that no writer present dared toContinue reading “How To Answer The Question at a Writers Workshop “Does Anyone Here Want To Become Rich and Famous?””
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