Category Archives: Miscellaneous

What makes J K Rowling’s Harry Potter so successful?

Posted on August 11, 2013 by

Copyright © 2013 Jerry Dunne We’ll look at Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first book in the series, which set the pace and standard for the others to follow. Certainly the book’s success partly reflects readers’ love of … Continue reading →

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The creative writer in a state of idleness

Posted on July 10, 2013 by

Copyright © 2013 Jerry Dunne Lazing on a bench by the river Nidd in the old market town of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, I was staring at people climbing in and out of hired rowing boats. A couple had just settled … Continue reading →

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Types of research material for the fiction writer

Posted on May 1, 2013 by

Copyright © 2013 Jerry Dunne This post briefly describes the main types of research material available to the creative writer with some pros and cons offered on each type. What are primary and secondary sources? These terms are common to … Continue reading →

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Research and the fiction writer

Posted on March 30, 2013 by

Copyright © 2013 Jerry Dunne This post looks at why the fiction writer benefits from research, the best way of handling research, and ends on a warning of how researched material may easily drown rather than enhance the story. Why … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous, Writing fantasy, Writing fiction, Writing short stories | Tagged | 2 Comments

The emotional investment behind writing fiction

Posted on December 30, 2012 by

Copyright © 2012 Jerry Dunne The following is a recent conversation I had with a friend that I thought would make a good blog post. I have written it up here as closely as my memory allows. We look at … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous, Writing fiction | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Are your core values similar to your childhood ones?

Posted on September 25, 2012 by

Copyright © 2012 Jerry Dunne A person changes, an average person must change, mature, quite a bit over time; but I sometimes wonder how much we change deep down. Do we have similar core values to those we had in … Continue reading →

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A writer’s pennies from heaven

Posted on July 24, 2012 by

Copyright © 2012 Jerry Dunne I was out for the day, walking by the river Nidd in the old market town of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. Under a blue sky, the river was rippling and gleaming, reflecting the diversity and eccentricity … Continue reading →

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