Andrew Ferguson
Children's/YA Author
Archives
Throwback Thursday: Persevere With Your Idea
Posted on October 22, 2020 Leave a Comment
I never started writing with a bad idea. In fact, I’m not even entirely convinced there is such a thing as bad story ideas or good story ideas. There are just ideas, some of which are well executed, some of which are badly executed and some of which are never executed because the would-be writer cannot decide the best way to do it, or is unwilling to try (though I feel that in the interests of public safety, I should point out that this only applies to story ideas; other kinds of ideas, like deciding to use Tabasco sauce as an eye-drop, really are bad ideas).
So, why do the marvellous ideas we start with so quickly turn into half-finished manuscripts that we are unable to finish and are ashamed to have even begun?
I’m beginning to learn that it comes down to perseverance (or a lack thereof) and perfectionism.
Throwback Thursday: Are Idea Generators Ever Any Use?
Posted on October 1, 2020 Leave a Comment
If you’re struggling to come up with an idea for your story, you might be tempted to Google story idea generators to help you out.
But do these little miracle makers really deliver the goods?
Throwback Thursday: Should You Use Profanity in Your Story?
Posted on September 24, 2020 Leave a Comment
This all got me thinking about the use of profanity in fiction. We authors walk a fine line between realism and rudeness, especially when it comes to writing dialogue. Where do you draw the line?
Well… it depends.
Throwback Thursday: 5 Ways to Write a Terrible Novel
Posted on August 13, 2020 1 Comment
If you are a writer, you’ll know how insistent that little Inner-Writer’s voice can be, constantly banging on about the different ideas he’s come up with that you absolutely have to write. You might find it simply impossible not to write.
But fear not, ye who are enslaved by the urge to write. Your salvation is at hand. If you dread becoming a full time author, but cannot resist the urge to write, there is another solution: write badly.
It’s easy to do. Just follow these simple steps.
Throwback Thursday: Can’t Afford Scrivener? Try yWriter.
Posted on June 25, 2020 Leave a Comment
Many years ago, when I decided to make my first serious attempt at writing a novel, I did what a lot of enthusiastic beginners probably do: I searched high and low for the perfect novel writing app. I didn’t know about Scrivener back then (in fact, I’m not even sure it was available for Windows at that time) but I did come across another app in a similar vein called yWriter by Spacejock Software.
Throwback Thursday: 5 Signs You Should Quit Reading That Novel
Posted on June 18, 2020 2 Comments
If you’re reading a novel you’re not too sure about, here’s a few warning signs that it might be time to abandon it altogether, randomly illustrated with Star Trek gifs.
#NewPost #amwriting #amreading #reading #fiction #stories #novels
Throwback Thursday: Little Thieves Are Hanged
Posted on June 4, 2020 Leave a Comment
What follows here is entirely my own work and has not been published anywhere else in the world, whether on print or online, nor do I expect it to be. And so, without further ado, I give you, LITTLE THIEVES ARE HANGED by. A Ferguson
Throwback Thursday: Mr. Holmes (Film Review)
Posted on May 7, 2020 Leave a Comment
Last year, I was standing waiting for a bus when one passed by (not the one I was waiting for) with a poster on the side, advertising a new film that was about to be released. The poster was plain white apart from a very well dressed and sour faced Ian McKellen. The title of the film was Mr. Holmes.
‘Oh, a new Sherlock Holmes film.’ I thought, my interest piqued. ‘I must remember to make time to go and see that.’
Suffice it to say I did not remember and, whether it was because of my own poor fortune or because the film was inadequately publicised, I did not see hide nor hair of that film again until this very year when I was perusing Amazon for something to watch and it recommended this little gem to me. The reviews on Amazon were generally good but there were also enough negative reviews to give me doubts. However, being a big fan of Sherlock Holmes and knowing that Ian McKellen’s acting is always a joy to watch (no matter how bad the rest of the film is) I decided to give it a chance.
Throwback Thursday: 5 Types of Story Ending
Posted on April 30, 2020 Leave a Comment
Don’t you just hate endings? For me, they’re one of the hardest bits of the story to write, but they’re also one of the most important. Your audience will (usually) put up with a fair amount of uncertainty in the middle of a story but by the time they reach the end, they want their ‘i’s dotted, their ‘t’s crossed and all their questions answered. And who can blame them? They’ve devoted a considerable portion of their valuable time to reading/watching/listening to your story. The least we owe them is a good ending that doesn’t leave them scratching their heads (or worse, venting their hatred for you on Twitter). And so, it is my pleasure to present you with a whistle stop tour of the pros and cons of five common ways to end a story.
Throwback Thursday: Figuring Out Foil Characters
Posted on April 23, 2020 Leave a Comment
A foil is a character (or sometimes an object or idea) who highlights the traits of another character (usually the protagonist) by contrasting with them. But apart from that, these characters can play just about any role in your story you like.
Andrew Ferguson 