Stuart Aken's Blog, page 170

Laid in Earth, by April Taylor, Reviewed.

Georgie Pattison sings again in this continuation of the amateur sleuth’s adventures. This is a heroine with all the self-doubt, anxieties and fears of any normal woman, but with the courage and sheer bloody-mindedness to find the truth. Justice matters to this lady and she’s willing to take personal risks to find it. Once again, … Continue reading Laid in Earth, by April Taylor, Reviewed.

Looking for the Best Word? Tip #40

There’s help here for writers who like to make their work more interesting, varied, accurate and effective by using the most appropriate words. And there are insights into some peculiarities of English for those learning the language. A good thesaurus gives substitutes for the idea of a word, but not all are true synonyms: context … Continue reading Looking for the Best Word? Tip #40

Creative #Writing #Contests Table Updated

  Here’s your monthly reminder that the writing contest table has been updated. I update frequently; in fact, whenever I come across new contests. I also subscribe to a few sources for information to pass on to you here. Make sure you get your entries submitted in plenty of time, there are some spectacular prizes … Continue reading Creative #Writing #Contests Table Updated

Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

I’m currently reading each chapter and then feeding them through grammar checker, Prowritingaid.com. This removes unintended repetitions, weak verbs, and many of other small errors the eye misses when reading from the screen. It’s a fairly intense process. So far, I’m at page 165 of 412 in a Word doc that’s double spaced. After that … Continue reading Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

Looking for the Best Word? Tip #39

Some help here for writers who want to make their work more interesting, varied, accurate and effective by using the best words. Also insights into some peculiarities of English for language learners. A good thesaurus gives alternatives for the idea of a word, but not all of these are true synonyms: context is vital. One … Continue reading Looking for the Best Word? Tip #39

Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

The work continues. All characters have now been subjected to scrutiny for consistency in their various appearances through the book. Some selected words have been substituted, and certain terms have been introduced. One or two special features are now included to make the story more in keeping with the future in which it’s set. I’m … Continue reading Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

Looking for the Best Word? Tip #38

Some help here for writers who want to make their work more interesting, varied, accurate and effective by using the best words. Also insights into some peculiarities of English for language learners. A good thesaurus gives alternatives for the idea of a word, but not all of these are true synonyms: context is vital. One … Continue reading Looking for the Best Word? Tip #38

Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

The first rewrite is complete! Whoopee! But that’s by no means the end of the process. Having made the changes to the story elements, I’m now checking for consistency on all 36 named characters over the 54 chapters. So far, I’ve done two of the major players and two minor ones. It’s a check to … Continue reading Progress on the WIP: #SciFi in the Making.

Dreaming of Steam, An Anthology from Fantastic Books Publishing, Reviewed.

Subtitled, ‘23 tales of Wolds and rails’, this book of shorts contains a veritable trainload of charming stories. There are histories, romances, memoirs, ghosts, crime, and even some science fiction and fantasy displayed in this box of delights. Although each story has a different author, there’s unity of approach and style that makes the volume … Continue reading Dreaming of Steam, An Anthology from Fantastic Books Publishing, Reviewed.

Looking for the Best Word? Tip #37

Some help for writers who want to make their work more interesting, varied, accurate and effective by using the best words. Also providing language learners with insights into some peculiarities of the English language. A good thesaurus gives alternatives for the idea of a word, but not all of these are true synonyms: context is … Continue reading Looking for the Best Word? Tip #37