May 15, 2022
I recently spent a happy few days in Tudor England, reading two very different historical novels. Execution by S. J. Parris is a spy thriller cum whodunnit that weaves its way through the seedy backstreets of Elizabeth I's London and a tangle of plots and counterplots. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell imagines the life of Shakespeare and his family from when he met Agnes (Anne) Hathaway to the years following the death of his son, Hamnet.
In many ways, the two books couldn't be more different. Execution has a first person narrator and a straightforward chronological construction, whereas Hamnet uses multiple points of view and moves backwards and forwards through time. Execution moves at a fast pace; Hamnet takes its time. However, both novels wear their scholarship lightly, giving readers the small details and insights needed to conjure up the atmosphere and scene without overloading them with historical facts.
Although both novels are inspired by historical events, they could be reset in the present day. Despite telling their stories in very different ways, ultimately their themes and characters, their hopes and anxieties are timeless. They'll no doubt be as popular in 20 years' time as they are now, and that, surely, is something every writer desires.
Posted by K. S. Dearsley.
April 5, 2022
I know I'm not alone in finding that rather than inspiring me, catastrophes seem to paralyse my creativity. Many people were inspired by COVID-19 to write poetry, essays, diaries and more, whereas I struggled even to find a tweet on the subject. Now, just as the worst of the disruption caused by the pandemic appears to be over, another catastrophe has emerged, with bombardment, death and grief, and I find myself without words adequate to the situation. Writing fiction feels too trivial. What ...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Inspiration
February 22, 2022
You know what it's like when you decide to have a tidy up and throw out the things that you no longer need. You end up going through everything, reminiscing or rediscovering old loves. I finally got around to sorting through my handwritten drafts and notes for the Exiles of Ondd series, and found early incarnations of the novels, several deleted scenes, characters and discarded plot lines that I really did not want to put in the recycling bin. I even found an Iyessi lullaby that I'd forgotten...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : FantasyFiction
February 7, 2022
It had been one of those mornings. I had checked the submission requirements for several publications, sorted out the pieces of work that I thought would appeal to them, and formatted them according to the instructions. I went back online and filled in the submission forms, and in each case when I clicked on submit I received a message that submissions were closed for the time being. It was all the more frustrating because putting the message at the top of the submissions page instead would h...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Coming Soon
January 31, 2022
My first is in puzzle, but not in quiz; my second is in bubble, but not in fizz, my third is in snappy, but not in bite; my fourth is in sunny, but not in light. What am I? Too easy? You don't have to be a literary genius to work it out, but few readers or writers can resist word puzzles. They might seem like a waste of time, but writers have a good excuse for indulging.
Crosswords are great for waking up and/or extending your vocabulary. Codewords where you are given a couple of letters on ...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley.
January 25, 2022
Contests can be great for writers. If your work is shortlisted you know it's of a high standard, and if it's a prize-winner both your bank balance and your reputation are likely to benefit.
Most writing contests are run by people with literary or publishing experience, some are organised by charities, and some are organised by charlatans. The latter will take your entry fee, and it's doubtful that any of the entries are ever read, let alone judged by anyone with any literary credentials, and ...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Competitions
January 16, 2022
Pardon me, but I want to mention one last thing about Christmas before everyone starts thinking about St Valentine's Day. One of the maddest things of all the Christmas madnesses can seem like sending Christmas cards. It can feel rather pointless and simply an extra chore that people only do because it's expected of them. To be sure that the people you send cards to know that you've truly given them some thought and care, you don't have to buy big, fancy cards that will cost as much again to ...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Inspiration
January 8, 2022
I don't believe in 'em–New Year resolutions that is, mainly because I know I'll have fallen short before the end of January. However, I do have a long writing to-do list.
While I was writing the Exiles of Ondd novels, I gathered a big folder of ideas for everything from novels to essays, micro-fiction to monologues, and I want to dive into these. I'm not daft enough to think I can write them all in a year, even if I did think they were all worth it, but I should at least be able to finish s...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Inspiration
January 1, 2022
This is such a strange time of year. All the anticipation leading up to Christmas has gone, but the new year has not really got into swing. Many people have been back at work already, but the decorations are still up. Before you can decide what might happen and what you'd like to achieve in 2022, you need to assess where 2021 has brought you.
Personally, I expected to complete
Discord's Shadow far sooner than I did. By the time it was finally launched on 6th November there was little time lef...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley.
December 26, 2021
This is the time of year when submission calls and competition deadlines can be thin on the ground. Editors and contest organisers deserve a break too! It gives writers a chance to look about them and gather some ideas for all the opportunities that are coming up in January. Here's a round-up of a few.
Playwrights should get writing now if they want to send work to the next BBC Script Room call. They're looking for stage, television, film or radio scripts at least 30 minutes long. You'll have...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Competitions
