I think it was the Prussian general and military theorist Carl von Clausewitz who suggested that ‘nobody in his right mind tries to cross a broad ditch in two steps.’ If one is going to get from one side to … Continue reading
‘That’s not a word!’ ‘Well, actually it is. The writer wrote it – and, as far as we can tell, a good portion of her readers understood what she meant in using it. So, for all practical purposes, it’s a … Continue reading
When I first started writing for a living, one of the senior sub-editors took me to one side and gave me his ‘new boy chat’. ‘Most people’s writing is heavily influenced by their reading,’ he said. ‘So read widely, but … Continue reading
Young writers, inexperienced writers, often ask: How can I know what my readers will want to read? It’s a question I used to ask myself. What will hook my readers? What will keep them reading? What will send them away … Continue reading
Writing well is all about making decisions. In a sense, you begin by deciding on your first word. Although, in practice, most writers begin by deciding on their first sentence. Then you decide what follows those first few words. And … Continue reading
An old friend died recently. His death wasn’t unexpected; he was nudging 90 and he had been unwell for almost two years. As a young man he had survived The Great Depression and The Second World War, and, despite coming … Continue reading
In the English language, the meaning of words often changes with time. It seems that it has always been thus. When I was growing up utilise generally meant to make use of something which might otherwise have been lost or … Continue reading
My first grown up writing job was with an advertising and communications consultancy. My boss was a former accountant with a degree in economics. But his real passion was for words. ‘Tell a story,’ he used to say. ‘And tell … Continue reading
I love radio. I grew up listening to light static interspersed with music, comedy, news, and drama. Is there a radio gene? I suspect that there might be. My father was a big fan of radio (‘wireless’, as he called … Continue reading
Find something that you love doing and you’ll never have to work another day in your life. At least that’s what we are often told. My maternal grandfather combined his aptitude for things mechanical with his love of music to … Continue reading