Blog: Mel's Muse

Book Club Discussion: I Am I Am I Am By Maggie O'farrell

We were nearly a full-house when my Book Club met, last night, to discuss our latest read, Maggie O’Farrell’s memoirs, I AM I AM I AM: Seventeen Brushes With Death. We all thought it beautifully written, though there were those who found the theme somewhat negative, and others who wondered,...

Posted at 13:46pm on 10th January 2020

In Her Words By Patricia St John - My Book Club Discussion

Although slightly reduced in number when my Book Club met this week, there was no less lively conversation and laughter. Especially when they discovered I’d bought Orange Club biscuits! The bottom line, though, was that we loved this book! A light, easy read, it nevertheless had plenty in it to...

Posted at 17:34pm on 15th November 2019

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Is Kayne West Boasting? Or Shining A Light?

Have you ever thought, on Remembrance Day, about how you would like to be known? Perhaps as who you are: husband/wife, father/mother, son/daughter? Or by what you do accountant/shopkeeper, secretary/ lawyer, nurse/charity worker/singer? Or possibly, by what you’ve achieved?

SUCCESS IS AWESOME

According to Premier Media, American music artist, Kayne West, wants...

Posted at 17:50pm on 10th November 2019

The Power Of Platform: How To Promote Your Product Without Being Pushy

As a writer, and author of books, do you ever feel – as I have done – that when it comes to promoting your product, you simply don’t have it in you? The prospect of booking speaking engagements is beyond you. The possibility of standing before an audience and persuading...

Posted at 16:02pm on 6th November 2019

The Battle Of Conflict - My Writers' Group's Take On Story

BATTLE – OUR GROUP BOOK

The main focus of our meeting this morning – midst laughter and chat - was the final construction and distribution of the booklet we have put together as a group. Titled Battle, and told in narrative, poetic and comic form, the theme confronts some of the...

Posted at 19:21pm on 23rd October 2019

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Book Club Discussion: The Storyteller By Jodi Picoult & An Elegant Solution By Anne Atkins

Talk about being a lousy leader!

‘We might find Jodi Picoult’s The Storyteller a lighter summer read, rather than the one I first suggested,’ I wrote to my Book Club.

That email was closely followed by another saying, ‘Oh, no! Perhaps not. Some of the reviews say it is quite harrowing. So...

Posted at 17:25pm on 20th September 2019

Creative Writing Workshop: Characteristic Conflict

In the last Creative Writing Workshop, we looked at the way in which we can go about Creating Credible Characters. Now I’m going to show you how you can bring creativity to the way you construct conflict. This is crucial when it comes to writing fiction and memoir (not to...

Posted at 18:43pm on 3rd August 2019

Creative Writing Workshop: Creating Credible Characters

When we looked at the issue of Crafting Character in the last Creative Writing Workshop, I said that Characters – whether in fiction or true-life stories – need:

Credibility – to be true to life Creativity – in the way they respond to conflict Complexity – the depth which makes them three dimensional

So...

Posted at 12:22pm on 27th July 2019

Creative Writing Workshop: Crafting Character

Today we're going to look at Crafting Character, and its importance in terms of plot and theme. This was the topic of the previous post in this series - the way in which The Riverbed of Theme runs through the narrative of a story, be it fictional or memoir. It...

Posted at 12:18pm on 26th July 2019

Creative Writing Workshop: The Riverbed Of Theme

We began this Creative Writing Workshop by asking Are You On The Right Track? We then moved on to think about the necessity of Digging Deep for Plots. I trust you found the list of prompts helpful – i.e. considering a modern take on a Bible story or a nursery...

Posted at 14:28pm on 20th July 2019

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