Picture a writer. What do you imagine? The stereotype is usually someone with big dreams but who turns out to be extremely sensitive when it comes to criticism. And has a caffeine addiction to boot. It's true that a degree of sensitivity and introspection can aid the creative process. But this ends up in tension … Continue reading Daft Things People Say to Writers
I had a strange experience this weekend just gone. I was at a festival, queuing up to get a drink, when a colleague volunteering at the cafe said "You need to check out the book tent!" So I wandered over to the big marquee full of lovely books, music and stationery (aka Claire's favourite place … Continue reading Imaginary Conversations
Do you have a long list of things you'll do just as soon as life gets a bit less busy? Or is there one big dream you can't seem to make time for? Last night I spoke to a friend who's planning a novel and needs time and space to actually write it. We talked … Continue reading Retreat!
Do you need a bitter black coffee or a syrup-sweet cup of froth to get your writing back on track?
We love seeing our heroes meet. It's why a film featuring Batman and Superman is generates more excitement than a film with just one of them (as long as the plot still makes sense, but that's a conversation for another day). So my brain made an excited squeaky noise when I saw that there's going … Continue reading Meeting Heroes
If you've seen Damien Chazelle's latest film La La Land, you'll know it has stunning visuals, gorgeous music and some really moving performances from Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. But I'm not here to talk about that today. I'm going to talk about just how relatable this film is for anyone with a shred of … Continue reading La La Land: the 5 Most Relatable Moments for Creative Types
You can do this. No really, you can. I know, I know: the self doubt, the time restraints, the frustration you feel when your first draft isn't award-worthy, but let's just set that aside for a moment. You have a story to tell. A bright, beautiful story bubbling away inside your imagination. And there's a … Continue reading A Writer’s Pep Talk
One of the most fascinating things that has happened since I shared the news that my first novel is getting published, is the sheer number of friends, colleagues and acquaintances who have shared with me that they too love writing. I mean, it makes sense. When I look at the people I've connected with over … Continue reading The Secret Writers’ Guild
I decided to do something a bit different today. I've seen a lot of posts following the '17 things you should NEVER say to a...' format. Now, the part of my brain that overthinks EVERYTHING wonders if I'm seeing a bit of subtext here: 'we (the named group in this post) are just so misunderstood. And … Continue reading 10 Great Things to Say to a Writer
Claire Wong Writing 