Stuart Aken's Blog, page 195

Creative #Writing #Contests Page Updated

Here’s this week’s reminder that I’ve updated the contest table. Get your entries in early and see if you can gain some cash and kudos for your writing. The table updates each time I ‘save’ to the table; whenever you visit the page, it will be as up to date as it is on my […]

Searching for the Right Word? Tip #1

In this series of posts, I’m looking at how certain words can influence readers. Do you want to inspire with joy, encourage fear, romance with love, or does your story now need the reader to sink into despair along with your protagonist? This set of posts will look at ways of influencing mood by selecting […]

A Shackled Inheritance, by Madeleine McDonald, Reviewed.

Romance in the days of slavery, set in the West Indies, is here given a treatment that’s both thoughtful and inspirational. This is a tale of love against the odds. Two young people thrown together by circumstance are trying to deal with differences in outlook based on their individual ignorance and prejudices. And the threat […]

Seems I’m One of Goodreads’ Top 1% of Reviewers!

I feel I should share this piece of good news with you all. I hope you’ll find it interesting. It’s a copy of an email I received today: Hello Stuart, In our community of readers, you stand out in a notable way:You’re one of the top 1% of reviewers on Goodreads! With every rave and […]

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 50.

This series, concentrating on ways to trim writing, whilst providing examples aimed at stimulating imagination, has come to its natural end with this post. Next, I’ll be looking at expanding effective vocabulary by using the right words to convey the idea, mood, or meaning. Lift up: It’s pretty difficult to lift in any other direction, […]

Creative #Writing #Contests Page Updated

Here’s this week’s reminder that I’ve updated the contest table. A few good contests ended on the 31st March; I hope you didn’t miss that deadline. Get your entries in early and see if you can gain some cash and kudos for your writing. The table updates each time I ‘save’ to the table; whenever […]

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 49.

In this series, I’ve aimed at trimming our writing. I’ve tried to include examples that might seed ideas for your writing. Our readers will appreciate the absence of common redundancies and flabby expressions. This post, however, is the penultimate offering on the topic. Next, I’m going to be looking at expanding effective vocabulary by employing […]

Fear of Flying, by Erica Jong, Reviewed.

This book needs no more reviews; but I’m a compulsive reviewer, so here goes. I’m of the generation the author writes about in this modern classic and found so many points on which I was able to connect that it was like making a visit to my early home. However, my enjoyment of the period […]

Cut The Fat; Make Your Writing Lean: #Tip 48.

Writers enjoy sharing ideas to improve our craft. This series aims at trim writing, using examples intended to stimulate the imagination. Readers will appreciate the absence of common redundancies and flabby expressions. Penetrate into: Is it possible to penetrate out of? No, I didn’t think so. e.g. At that exquisite moment of union, the man […]

Easter Walking in the Forest of Dean

Some places inspire. The Forest of Dean is one such place for me. Living within the forest, with access just a hundred yards or so from our front door, we have the opportunity to walk amongst the trees every day, and do our best to do just that. The weather has been very variable this […]