Sunday 8 June 2014

Telling Tales

So I've been writing short stories and fiction generally for as long as I can remember. Ever since I was in secondary school, I would come up with ideas and begin to write them down. They always petered out though, as I would lose interest, or realise that the tale I was telling was just some blatant rip-off of another author's works.

More recently, University intervened and I haven't written anything in months. Now that I am done with higher education, and as yet still on the job market (not through lack of trying, let me assure you), I am returning my hands to the world of fiction. In truth, I have had the outline of a novel in my head for the better part of a few years now, but until recently had never tried to write any of it down. When I did, I was rather stunned to see that I'd lost my touch (if I ever had it) and could not write in a way which seemed compelling to me.

I took to the Internet, for where else does one turn when in a crisis? For the budding writer there are a vast amount of resources online with which to begin, track, compare, edit, and ultimately release a work of fiction (or, I suppose, non-fiction). There are websites brimming with advice on how to get started, and the most common piece of advice was write every day. Or if not every day, then at least (they advise) on a regular basis; set yourself some time aside regularly to do some writing. And then, write anything. It doesn't need to be good, it doesn't need to be pretty, just write.

So I'm doing just that. I'm going to set aside some time every week to plan, write, edit and publish a short story for the enjoyment of you lovely people out in Internet land. Where do you go to read these wonders marvels random bits of fiction, cobbled together from a very disordered mind? Just have a look at dontgotellingtales.blogspot.co.uk and you'll see my work. I can't promise that they'll be good, enjoyable, earth-shattering, compelling, or even particularly readable. But I can promise that they'll be regular, published every Sunday for the foreseeable future.

Enjoy!

B.