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YA Workshop – Week 4 A – Writing Habits

On November 3, 2011 By

We opened our fourth workshop with a chat about writing routines and practical goals– whether you prefer to set yourself a word count limit, or spend a set amount of time writing every day.

My routine sees me writing every weekday morning, in the same cafe, for one hour, like clockwork. I also write at [...]

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YA Workshop – Week 4 B – Action, Setting, Memory

On November 2, 2011 By

I had an eye-opening moment in last week’s workshop.

We’d discussed action and setting, and read the wonderful Underwear Incident from Natale Ghent’s Gravity Brings me Down. (I think I almost succeeded in bringing maximal Nataleness to it in my interpretation, but for a few points where the giggles [...]

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YA Workshop Notes, Week 3 : Plot

On October 26, 2011 By

Last week we discussed the one thing I’ve had to work hardest at in my own writing: plot.

Despite all my hard work, I’ve come to the conclusion that most of us worry too much about plot. There are very few musts as far as plot is concerned.

Plot Musts Have one.

So yes, make [...]

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YA Workshop Notes – Week 2 – Voice

On October 20, 2011 By

We got a lot done in week two.

We began with a discussion of first drafts, and how they’re supposed to be difficult and awful, but you have to finish them anyway to find out what your story’s about, and of course because it’s the only path to the next draft. I won’t share those [...]

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