by Charlie | Jan 18, 2024 | Uncategorized
Perhaps the hardest part of writing a novel is reaching the end of a first draft, bringing into solid being something that doesn’t actually exist yet except as shards of ideas in your mind. Doing it alone with no support, accountability or people to tell you to...
by Charlie | Jan 10, 2023 | Uncategorized
Writing a novel alone with no support, accountability or people to tell you to just keep going and have faith makes a really hard job even harder. Your novel doesn’t exist yet, and some support along the way to making it a reality can make all the difference....
by Charlie | Mar 31, 2022 | Writing Life
The idea that it’s good to celebrate your success isn’t new, but I think sometimes people dismiss this as silly and unimportant or think that their small wins aren’t important enough to count. Actually it’s really powerful, and you...
by Charlie | Oct 20, 2021 | Uncategorized
Every few years some species of trees will generate bumper crops of seeds. It’s known as a mast year, and last year I spent a day in an ankle-deep carpet of spiky green cases picking glossy sweet chestnuts from them and trying (unsuccessfully, I’m sad to...
by Charlie | Jun 4, 2021 | Uncategorized
I started running writing retreats in 2008. 2008! There are kids in secondary school who weren’t born when I started running retreats. That’s mind-blowing. *sobs in grandma* And I’ve met a lot of writers in 13 years. I’ve seen people who...