Category Archives: Swann’s Shack
An arty London jaunt
I like to think of visits to London as plugging myself in, like a phone that needs recharging, which is very silly. However, the occasional visit does remind me of all the little things I may not have heard about otherwise. If you’re a cheapskate like me have a look […]
Bath Fringe Festival
I love Edinburgh but there are so many other Fringes to explore over summer. Did you know they had Arts Festivals (Fringes) in Brighton, Camden, Buxton, Windsor and Llangolen, North Wales, to name a few? There’s even one in Chelmsford (Essex) called The Altogether Now Festival. Go to your local […]
From a life model’s perspective
Whenever I tell people I’m a life model they go a bit funny. Oftentimes they react with surprise, which you would expect, and sometimes they say things like, “Good on you,” or “well done!” It’s very sweet and they’re probably referring to the amount of confidence they think I must […]
How NOT to write a novel, apparently
I’m not one for how-to books but something compelled me to get ‘How not to write a novel, 200 mistakes to avoid at all costs’ by Sandra Newman and Howard Mittelmark. I’m currently editing my first book which makes me regress into a stroppy teen (no offence to any teens […]
The Overlord of the Paintings
I’d be really interested to get everyone’s thoughts on this one: I’ve been thinking about the internet and the explosion of artwork and literature available now. Is it good? Is it bad? Is it in between? Is anyone worried about it or so sick of the subject they’re planning their […]
Getting started in short stories
We’ve surveyed magazine writing so now let’s have a look at the short fiction market. Nothing reduces me to such wibbly states of joy as having fiction published – except maybe Monty Python – but there are certain things you have to remember. I’m definitely not an oracle, but I […]
Becoming a Magazine Journalist
So…you want to be a magazine journalist? I won’t bore you by mentioning how difficult and competitive it is, you already get that so often from everyone you meet that your eyes are about to melt so I’ll just stick to how you can make it happen. Number 1: you […]
Folkestone Creative Quarter
When I visited Folkestone last winter I was very surprised. I knew there would be sea, and walks by the sea, and tea by the sea, and maybe a town by the sea, but I had no idea what else was waiting. I’ll be honest; I expected to be so […]
