Knowledge is the only thing you’ll ever truly own
- Lightmaker.
Yes, I’ve been away. I daren’t even look at the date of my last blog post, but it’s been too long since my last post.
If I’d left milk alone for that long it would have developed civilisation.
I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions, that’s why this post is in March, but I aim to post once a month from now on.
And I’ve been busy.
Lightmaker’s sequel is shaping up well.
I’m never going to be a fast writer.
I tend to write with my hands.
I start writing with a broad idea of what a scene should do.
Later drafts revise and refine my writing to add fire and style.
This takes time, but I’d argue this adds an organic vitality to my writing. I’m not writing to appease some formula or template; I’m writing because a scene is needed.
Each scene should develop characters, or add tension, or propel the plot forward in fascinating ways, or even make people chuckle. Lightmaker’s sequel, provisionally called ‘Cradle of the Mind’ is getting there.
And I’ve written short stories. I’ve three new stories to add to my collection ‘Go When the Light Turns Red’. If you’ve already bought this, the new stories should automatically appear. If this isn’t on your virtual bookshelf why not pick up a copy?
Best of all, my writing course: ‘The Writer’s Secret Toolkit’ is now complete. The wonderful Sarah Jane Friedeswide has edited the course, and it’s looking good.
I’ll upload this as an online video course on platforms like Udemy.
I tried doing my own voice over to accompany the text, but that took ages, and I sounded like a constipated dalek (doing decent voice overs took more skill than I had).
So I cloned my voice. I spent an hour in a proper sound booth being recorded by people who knew their stuff. I’ve used the Eleven Labs software (thanks guys) to read out my text, and I now sound decent.
I had prepared a set of slides to go with the course, but writing the course taught me a lot about writing, so I’m revising those slides. You deserve the best.
Wow! I think that explains some of the reasons behind my absence. Differently busy, maybe.
I’ve booked to attend the World Fantasy convention in Brighton later this year, and I hope to launch the ‘Writer’s Secret Toolkit’ during that session if not before.
Until next time,
Kevin.