Roz Morris's Blog, page 49

One for them, one for me: ghost-writers and their soul projects

Most writers have day jobs. Some of us ghost-write books for others – here’s my own, suitably censored, introduction to my ghosting activities. And some ghosts are also building our own body of work. I thought it would be fun to talk to some of my nebulous comrades to answer some questions: how do we […]

All aboard the ghost(writing) train… and get an early bird deal for my course

For the next few days, this blog will have a ghost-writing flavour. The reason? I’m launching my online course. It looks something like this: Now, if ghost-writing is not your thing, rest assured that this focus is temporary. So if you’re new here, or you’re worrying that the blog has taken an unwanted diversion, sit […]

‘The journey is more important than the destination’ – The Undercover Soundtrack, Toni Davidson

My guest this week describes music as ‘a portable environment’. His work patterns have taken him all over the world and he might find himself writing anywhere from a station waiting room to a hotel lobby or a scorching beach. No matter where he finds himself, the music will put him back where he left […]

AI, the Bradbury tradition and imagined futures – interview at One Giant Read

When astronaut Major Tim Peake blasted off for the International Space Station, the UK literary community launched a project of its own. One Giant Read is described as ‘a shared reading experience from Literature Works in partnership with the UK Space Agency, Royal National Institute for Blind People and supported by Gollancz, the Poetry Archive […]

How do you become an editor?

Rachel Anderson asks: How did you get into editing? Did you start writing first and then take on editing as a natural second, or was it out of necessity since there are more opportunities for editors than writers? Oof, talk about cutting to the quick. It’s certainly tricky to make a living as a full-time […]

‘The lowest note in the universe’ – The Undercover Soundtrack, Tracy Farr

Hands up if you know who Delia Derbyshire is. Don’t put them down yet. Keep them up, waft them gently and imagine you are conjuring a shimmering singing sound. That’s how you play a theremin, one of the first electronic musical instruments. Theremins are an abiding inspiration for my guest this week; her novel centres […]

How to blend a parallel, allegorical fantasy plot into your novel

I’ve had this interesting question from Kathryn Lane Ware Berkowitz on Facebook. Does it ever work to have a parallel, allegorical, fantasy-type plot going along with your story? If so, when and how should they be woven together? Aha – the perils and joys of combining genres. For the sake of argument, let’s assume the […]

‘To make art by the grace of other artists’ – The Undercover Soundtrack, Camille Griep

My guest this week has set herself the task of reimagining the Trojan War and she says she couldn’t have done it without music. Her soundtrack has a stirring, epic scale with storming emotional keys, from Florence + the Machine to Thomas Tallis. More intimate pieces by Amanda McBroom and Esthero illuminated the interior lives […]

Masterclass snapshots: why it helps to construct your novel in scenes

Here’s another great discussion from my recent Guardian self-editing masterclass. What is a scene? And why does it matter to know that? Those in the know will probably all have their own slightly different way to define a scene, but this is mine. I think of a scene as the smallest unit of a story’s […]

What can an editor do for me? Discussion video at Indie Author Fringe 16

If you’re friends with me on Facebook you’ll have seen a good bit of gallivanting this week at the London Book Fair. As soon as Olympia closed its doors, the Alliance of Independent Authors began its 24-hour marathon festival of  advice and information for authors. Whether you’re indie or not, there’s heaps of interesting stuff […]