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writing tips

Inspiration Ideas

May 16, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit:   Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos

One of the great things about getting out and about during the spring and summer months is this can give you plenty of inspiration for your writing. You don’t have to go far from home necessarily either. How come?

Partly the reason is you are doing something different. That in itself can inspire you to think differently and be more open to creative ideas. Even just walking the dog gets me out and about, gives me screen breaks, and it gives me opportunities to spot things I might get to use in stories later.

[Read more…] about Inspiration Ideas

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Tags: am writing, creative writing, ideas, inspiration, taking breaks from writing, using breaks for inspiring writing, writing advice, writing tips

Building On What Has Gone Before

May 9, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit:   Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

In all walks of life, we build on what has gone before. Well, there is no point in reinventing the wheel, so to speak. One person’s discovery often does lead to someone else taking that discovery and doing something special with it.

Isaac Newton confirms this thought with his quote, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

[Read more…] about Building On What Has Gone Before

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Tags: am writing, author interviews, building on what has gone before, creative writing, inspiration, learning from other writers, writing advice, writing tips

Author Interview: Introducing Joy Wood, Storyteller

March 21, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Joy Wood for supplying author shots, book cover pictures, and photos of her at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick. Screenshots and other images from Swanwick were taken by me, Allison Symes. Other images created in Book Brush using photos supplied by Joy. Some images are directly from Pixabay.

It is a pleasure to welcome fellow Swanwicker, Joy Wood, to Chandler’s Ford Today. I met Joy at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick and we often “cross paths” via Facebook. Say what you like about social media, and many do (!), but when used properly, it is a fabulous way to keep in contact with your writing colleagues.

Joy and I celebrate publications at Swanwick

[Read more…] about Author Interview: Introducing Joy Wood, Storyteller

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Tags: author events, author interview, creative writing, FeedaRead, fiction, Joy Wood, marketing tips, self publishing, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, the writing life, writing routine, writing tips

Author Interview – Gill James – Natascha’s Story

February 14, 2025 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:- Many thanks to Gill James for supplying author and book cover pictures. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos or images supplied by Gill. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is with great pleasure I welcome Gill James back to Chandler’s Ford Today. Gill is an author, editor, and publisher, being the mastermind behind Bridge House Publishing, Chapeltown Books, CafeLit and other imprints within the Bridge House “family”, including Walela Books. The latter published Debz Hobbs-Wyatt’s If Crows Could Talk. Chapeltown Books have published many authors, including me.

Gill has written across many genres including historical fiction (check out her Schellberg series) and science fiction (see her Peace Child books, an excellent series I’m happy to recommend). But this time she is back with a children’s tale, Natascha’s Story, with an unusual viewpoint – that of a Russian doll!

[Read more…] about Author Interview – Gill James – Natascha’s Story

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Tags: Bridge House Publishing, children's books, children's reading, creative fiction, fantasy in children's fiction, Gill James, joys and challenges of writing for children, marketing tips, Natascha's Story, writing for children, writing tips

Author Interview – Sophie Neville – A Creative Life on Water, In Film, and In Writing – Part 2

April 12, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Sophie Neville for supplying book and author pics. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos or are images supplied by Sophie Neville or are from Pixabay directly or are from the CFT archives. Screenshot taken by me, Allison Symes. Images from Sophie Neville’s website are used with her express and kind permission. Thank you, Sophie.

It’s a joy to welcome back Sophie Neville to Chandler’s Ford Today. If anyone could be said to have a life immersed in creativity, it is Sophie Neville. She has starred in films (best known role was Titty in Swallows and Amazons which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year); she has been on television in front of and behind the camera; she is an artist with many exhibitions to her name; and she is an award winning script writer.

That is only a brief summary! Do check out her news, YouTube and social media links, all of which are at the bottom of this interview.

[Read more…] about Author Interview – Sophie Neville – A Creative Life on Water, In Film, and In Writing – Part 2

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Tags: Funnily Enough, Sophie Neville, Sophie Neville artwork, Swallows and Amazons, the creative life, themes in stories, writing about chronic fatigue, writing books, writing scripts, writing tips

Ways Into Creating Characters

February 23, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit: Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos

Writers of short form fiction, including flash, need to find reliable, sustainable ways of inventing characters. Stories are character led. We’re writing a lot of stories. So we need to create a lot of characters, especially over the course of say a year.

[Read more…] about Ways Into Creating Characters

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Tags: am writing, characterisation, creative writing, ways into creating characters, writing advice, writing tips

Getting the Most out of Themes

December 8, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credit:   Images created via Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Book cover images from Chapeltown Books

Themes are the bedrock of any story told in any form (play, flash, novel, novella, short story et al).

[Read more…] about Getting the Most out of Themes

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Welcome to Writers’ Narrative Magazine – Interview with Wendy H Jones

July 28, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to all at Writers’ Narrative for sending me their fabulous author photos. Many thanks to Wendy H Jones for the publicity shots for Writers’ Narrative magazine. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images, one taken directly from Pixabay, and one of Wendy’s shots adapted in Book Brush for the Feature Image. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes.

I mentioned in my most recent round-up of what I’ve been up to, writing wise, Mom’s Favorite Reads had come to an end but a new monthly online magazine, Writers’ Narrative, was coming out. I’m pleased to say the first issue of this (the August 2023) edition has just been released (25th July 2023). A free subscribe link is included below.

The same editorial team, including me, is on board for Writers’ Narrative and its editor in chief is Wendy H Jones. It is a magazine by writers for writers.

Wendy H Jones
Sheena Macleod
Eileen Rolland
Maressa Mortimer
Pauline Tait
Allison Symes

[Read more…] about Welcome to Writers’ Narrative Magazine – Interview with Wendy H Jones

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Tags: Allison Symes, author interview, bringing a new online magazine to life, creative writing, editorial team, Eileen Rolland, fiction, Maressa Mortimer, non-fiction, online magazines, Pauline Tait, Sheena Macleod, Wendy H Jones, Writers' Narrative magazine, writing articles, writing tips

Character Creation

February 17, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:  Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

All great stories focus on their characters. Why?

It’s because we want to find out what happens in the story and that usually involves finding out what happened to the lead character in particular. Did they get their happy ending? Were they a rotter who deserved and got their comeuppance?

Only one way to find out and that is to read the story but the character has to interest you enough in the first place to make you want to read on. So how can that be done? I share some thoughts about how I approach character creation and hope you find it useful.

[Read more…] about Character Creation

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Tags: am writing, character creation, creative writing, writing advice, writing tips

Author Interview: Richard Hardie – Remember, Remember

February 10, 2023 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credits:-
A huge thank you to Richard Hardie for supplying author, location, and book cover shots (and one of the author’s assistant – Oscar!). Other images created by Allison Symes in Book Brush using Pixabay photos or taken as screenshots by her or are directly from Pixabay. One shot of Richard at a previous speaking engagement was taken by Allison at The Hiltonbury Farmhouse.

It is with pleasure I share the news Richard Hardie, author of Leap of Faith and Trouble With Swords, will be releasing his third book in his Temporal Detective Agency series. The third book is called Remember, Remember for reasons that will become apparent when you read it! Richard is also planning to release his fourth book soon too. This will be a collection of short stories linked to his Temporal Detective Agency.

Definitely time for another CFT interview then!

[Read more…] about Author Interview: Richard Hardie – Remember, Remember

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Tags: author news, book launch, fiction, Leap of Faith, local author, marketing, Remember Remember, Richard Hardie, short stories, Trouble With Swords, writing tips, YA novels

Names In Fiction

April 22, 2022 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credits:  Most images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images. Some directly from Pixabay. Book cover images from Chapeltown Books.

Names are as important in fiction as they are to us in life. Names give us a sense of who we are. They are a major part of our identity and names can reveal so much about ourselves.

Names can indicate someone’s likely social class, whether they’re traditionalists or not, and something of their family background too. Writers can play on that to help add depth to their characterisation. Names can also indicate the genre of a book. Well, you’re not going to find the likes of Frodo Baggins turn up in a Jane Austen novel, are you?

[Read more…] about Names In Fiction

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Tags: am writing, creative writing, fiction, inspiration for names for characters, naming characters, non-fiction, writing advice, writing tips

Prep Work

December 17, 2021 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credit:  Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

There’s plenty of prep work going on I suspect by the time this post goes out. I hope your Christmas preparations are going well. (I’m in the middle of mine with my food shop due next week and baking still to be done but I’ll get there).

[Read more…] about Prep Work

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Tags: blogging, creative writing, fiction, non-fiction, planning your writing, scheduling, writing tips

The Joys and Perils of Writing Humour Part 1 – Fran Hill and Ruth Leigh

August 13, 2021 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

I’m pleased to welcome back to Chandler’s Ford Today two of the funniest writers I know – Fran Hill and Ruth Leigh.

Fran’s second book, Miss, What Does Incomprehensible Mean?, ought to get some kind of award for most amusing title. The book (which is a memoir of life in the classroom) is both funny and moving.

Ruth has created a fabulous character in Isabella M Smugge (to rhyme with Bruge) in her debut novel, The Diary of Isabella M Smugge. Think Hyacinth Bucket deciding to write her own diary a la Adrian Mole. Great combination of ideas there. And Isabella’s exploits, while often laugh out loud funny, are also moving.

[Read more…] about The Joys and Perils of Writing Humour Part 1 – Fran Hill and Ruth Leigh

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Tags: Being Miss, creative writing, diary, fiction, Fran Hill, humorous writing, memoir, Miss What Does Incomprehensible Mean?, Ruth Leigh, The Diary of Isabella M Smugge, writing tips

Introducing Dawn Knox… The Chronicles Continue

November 27, 2020 By Allison Symes 11 Comments

Dawn Kentish Knox is a great friend and we have publishers in common – Cafelit and Bridge House Publishing in particular. We usually meet at the twice yearly Bridge House events (though technically the one in the summer is the Waterloo Arts Festival Writing Competition one, though Bridge House sponsor that). We are both missing these events this year though we have met on Zoom.

Along with Paula Readman, whom I interviewed a few months back, Dawn and I make up the photo that appears on top of the Scribblers Sans Frontiere Facebook group which is for authors published by Bridge House and its imprints (including Chapeltown Books).

Dawn Knox. Image kindly supplied by her.

[Read more…] about Introducing Dawn Knox… The Chronicles Continue

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Tags: being published, Bridge House Publishing, Cafelit, Chapeltown Books. The Macaroon Chronicles, creative writing, Dawn Knox, humorous prose, The Basilwade Chronicles, The Great War, writing tips

The Writing Game – and What to Watch For – Part 1

July 24, 2020 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

So much has changed in the industry since I started writing seriously. I’ve gone from using manual typewriters to laptops. I’ve gone from sending submissions in by snail mail to sending almost everything in by email. (There is still the occasional competition which prefers post but these are as common as the Dodo).

I don't miss typewriters either - I used an Olympia one and it weighed a ton - Pixabay
I don’t miss typewriters either – I used an Olympia one and it weighed a ton – Pixabay

In the joy of creativity, and unless you have decided to write solely for your own pleasure, which is fine, it is easy to forget writing is a business. As with any industry, there are charlatans out there.

It is only when you’ve been writing for a while, when you’ve had setbacks, you realise how much you don’t know. There are things I wish I’d been aware of when I started writing.

For this three part series, I share tips and contributions from writing colleagues. A big thank you to them for taking part in this series. We all hope you find it useful. There will be a brief bio for my colleagues plus links to their Amazon Author Central page and the like. Between us, we represent a very wide range of genres and experience in the industry.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

[Read more…] about The Writing Game – and What to Watch For – Part 1

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Tags: advice, Alliance of Independent Authors, Authors Reach, books, Brenda Sedgwick, creative writing, flash fiction, Francesca Tyer, local authors, Maggie Farran, Richard Hardie, scams, short stories, Society of Authors, Teresa Bassett, writing advice, writing tips, YA novels

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