Stuck in a room full of writers for an entire weekend? It would be some people's idea of a nightmare. It was my idea of Heaven at the inaugural National Writers' Forum in Auckland. The forum was the brainchild of the New Zealand Society of Authors (of which I'm a member). Sometimes inaugural events have…
Me and my big mouth
It's interesting what you do if you just have to. I've been having some ongoing shoulder issues, so I've been learning some hard lessons about slowing down and adjusting my work habits. I won't bore you with the details, but I had a steroid injection in my right shoulder on Monday and I'm having to rest it…
Choosing a Title
A short thought today on titles - specifically, choosing one for your story or novel or poem. Each time I start a new post here I am invited to fill in the "Title" section at the top. I used to struggle with this. I tried to come up with something creative and intriguing and clever,…
Ten tips to beat writer’s block
This is an extension of my last post (Writing tips: come and get 'em). It repeats some of the tips, but I've added five more, and some other new stuff. Keep reading. "Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead." -…
Writing tips: come and get ’em
I've just added a new string to my bow: as part of my business I now offer a Writing Advice service as well as proofreading, editing and writing assistance. Check out the services I offer here. This came about because in the course of proofreading and editing book manuscripts and other documents, I found I was spending…
Show, don’t tell
“Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” This quote by Chekhov may be familiar to some of you. It encapsulates perfectly one of the rules of good fiction writing: Show, don’t tell. Even my eight-year-old daughter knows what it means – they’re taught it at school.…
The Book Exchange
I’ve achieved some rather major literary goals this year, and last night I celebrated with two lovely women. There's me in the middle. (Those holes in my top are a design feature, not a result of drunken undressing in the dark. I wish.) On the right is Joanna, and to the left is Sara: the…
How to Avoid Huge Ships
I want to share with you a marvellous book I was gifted earlier this year. I'm the first to admit I am a little anally retentive. That's one of the reasons being a proofreader is the perfect profession for me - I love finding mistakes and correcting them. (Friends and acquaintances reading this: you may now scrape…
Employing a Professional Proofreader
This is an article I wrote for NZ Business and Management Magazine. It's in the November issue, which is out now. You’re a business that prides itself on communicating effectively to its clients and prospects. You produce brochures, flyers and other written marketing material. Your website is a major component of your communications plan. Your company produces…
The Singing Bellbird
Music has always informed my writing process. I'm a singer and have been involved in musical theatre for years, so it's hardly a surprise that I try to make my words sing and my sentences lyrical and easy on the ear. It’s important to me that my writing not only reads well, but sounds beautiful.…
Patricia Bell, Author 