SHIT AND WHIMSY

THE WRITERS' HQ BLOG

#Submit2022 Challenge

Write. Submit. Repeat. And make a commitment to hurlng your writing out into the world this year.

image of someone sitting cross legged on the floor surrounded by allen keys and furniture pieces, reading a set of instructions

WRITING EXERCISE: Follow the instructions

Create your own fictional instructions for writing a story and come up with a weird and wonderful tale

12 Ways To Kick Procrastination Up The Absolute Bum

Spending more time faffing about on social media and less time actually WRITING? This is the blog for you.

A gigantic ornate museum room with sunlight filtering down through the windows

Behind the Scenes at the Museum

Dive into the wonderful world of museum collections and craft a story from an artefact...

A shelf of books on a green background

What Does An Agent Look For In A Submission?

Get inside the head of a real life literary agent (the lovely Samar Hammam) to find out what they want from your book!

A woman sits on the floor beside a window with a laptop in her lap and a cup of coffee in her hand

How to Get Objectivity for Editing

It's SUPER hard to look objectivity at your own work. So how do you get the distance you need to really hone your story? 

close up of a printed manuscript with mark-ups in red pen

Common Manuscript Issues – Advice from An Editorial Consultant

Expert tips and tricks on editing and fine-tuning your novel

What Is A Novella-In-Flash (And How Do I Write One?)

Sophie van Llewyn on how to craft (and what the heck even is) a novella-in-flash - from character to structure to getting it published.

Imagery in Flash

'Flashy' Kathy Hoyle gives us four brilliant writing exercises on developing imagery in your stories.

six hands stacked on top of each other above a desk covered with papers and a laptop

Writing is a Team Sport

Writing takes a village... Cast off the idea of the solo tortured writer genius and get a little help from your friends.

Speculative Fiction Genre Labels – What are They (and do they matter?)

From space opera to slipstream, Krishan Coupland runs us through the many speculative sub-genres.

Do I Need a Sensitivity Reader?

A sensitivity reader is someone who reads over a manuscript for any potentially insensitive issues that may crop up in your writing.

Misty forest at dusk with a person walking through the trees

Writing Horror – What Are You Afraid Of?

What are the elements of a good horror story?

Is Journaling Good for Mental Health?

Ahh, journaling - the 'eat your greens' of the writing world. But can it really be used as a therapeutic tool?

What To Write When There’s Nothing To Write

Lost your creative mojo? Here's how to reclaim your writing even when you're an empty husk.

Journaling Exercise: How to Escape…

Working From Home: Which Literary Character Are You?

Working from home? Bring a fresh vibe to your next team Zoom by embodying your favourite literary character

A Guide To Assistive Technology for Writers

Carrie J Williams offers advice on a range of assistive technology and software for writers.

8 Ways To Fit Writing Into Your Life (Even If You Think You Can’t)

How to prioritise, focus, and weasel those extra minutes and hours out of real life.

Ten Top Tips For Writing Flash Fiction

Our resident flashionado, Kathy Hoyle, offers up her top ten tips for writing stellar flash fiction!

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Eek we're glitching. Refresh and try again

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