I started writing the first draft for what would eventually become my debut novella, Izzy Hartley and the Luminal Magnifier, in 2008. Back then it wasn’t unrecognisable, but definitely different. The broad strokes of the plot were there, however, and that included the fight against fascism.
Personal
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It just so happens that today is my birthday. I’m a whole 28 years old! Much like most 28-year-olds, I’ve got hair growing on my chest, and I get all shy around anyone I find attractive. But that’s business as usual.
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So, this time around I was a little late to join in the party. The name of the party was “everybody see this movie” and everybody certainly did. In fact, it’s entirely likely that by the time this gets posted to my website, the movie won’t be in the cinemas any more. If you missed your chance to see Mad Max: Fury Road on the big screen, and have still managed to avoid spoilers, then don’t fret about this review.
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I get ideas from a lot of different sources. Sometimes when I listen to music, it’s like it’s part of a soundtrack to a movie that I can’t see, but I can definitely feel. I know the way the action should go on screen as I listen to the rise and fall, and from there an idea forms. I’ve got a big appetite for media, I like music, movies, games, books, television, radio, comics, theatre, and whatever else I’ve forgotten to list there. I drink it all in, and in turn it inspires me.
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We have endured years of a disastrous coalition government in this country, whose policies varied between incompetence, such as the continued insistence that austerity works despite all evidence to the contrary, and outright villainous, such as the state-sponsored murder of the disabled through cutting vital welfare programs. Be warned, that link is not for the faint of heart.
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Terry Pratchett, author and human being, died last week. Many people posted their thoughts and feelings on his passing, but I’m only just getting around to expressing myself here and now. This is because it can be very hard to react to the death of someone you have never met, never even spoken to, and yet who has also been a fixture of your life for many years. I suppose now I will never meet or speak to him now, which pains me a little. I’d think that we would have gotten along quite well.
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A lot is said about the need for writers to read, and while I won’t dispute this advice as being some of the most sensible you’re ever likely to get as a writer, I’m going to say that there’s more you can do. A good writer, I think, also needs to play.
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Let me start off by saying that I did not particularly like the new Star Trek movies. I had a soft spot for the neo-retro sort of look, but style can’t compensate for substance – or lack thereof. Which meant I was a little cautious about approaching the new Star Wars movie, not simply because of the same director, but because of the general way that Hollywood has been doing legacy movies.
I am so, so relieved that I had absolutely nothing to worry about.
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I’m a huge nerd and I love space exploration, so it’s no huge surprise that I saw The Martian this week — but my delight at semi-realistic NASA missions is not the only reason. I’m showing my support for a fellow self-publisher, Andy Weir, who made it big with his book-turned-Hollywood-blockbuster, and it gives me vast quantities of hope about my own career.
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Last year I touched on the importance of planning for writers, and I thought I’d revisit that with a look at how I personally like to plan out my stuff. Keep in mind that, like I said before, there is no “right” or “proper” way to plan. Do whatever works for you!
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