Category: Writing

  • 5 Steps to win NaNoWriMo

    5 Steps to win NaNoWriMo

    Hello, I’m so glad you’re here and that you want to read these 5 steps to win NaNoWriMo. You being here is already a step in the winning direction. Firstly, what is NaNoWriMo? NaNoWriMo stands for National Write A Novel Month. Every November thousands of writers from all over the world set out to write…

  • How to write better prose and turn your pages into beautiful pieces of art

    How to write better prose and turn your pages into beautiful pieces of art

    What is prose? Prose is writing sentences in their most ordinary form. Some authors lean towards shorter, minimalistic writing styles while others prefer long complex syntax. In this post I chat about how to write better prose easily.   It is important to remember that it doesn’t matter what writing styles you prefer, what does matter…

  • Show don’t tell ~ a writing exercise you can have so much fun with

    Show don’t tell ~ a writing exercise you can have so much fun with

    We’ve all heard the advice “show don’t tell” but this isn’t nearly as easy to do as it sounds. But why is the “show don’t tell” rule such a tough rule to grasp? Well, readers don’t read for information, they read for entertainment. The reading experience of a book should be better than that of…

  • 10 Steps to Revising Your First Draft

    10 Steps to Revising Your First Draft

    You’ve finished your manuscript. CONGRATULATIONS! Now you have to start revising your manuscript, but how? Where could you possibly even start? In this video, I explain my techniques of revising a novel. I promise that if you follow these ten tips completely your book will be transformed before you can even get to start editing…

  • Taryn Leigh Interview | Writer’s Stories

    Taryn Leigh Interview | Writer’s Stories

    I had so much fun interviewing fellow South African author Taryn Leigh about her debut novel Perfect Imperfections. I loved chatting with Taryn about her book Perfect Imperfections as well as her writing process and how she got published.   BUY PERFECT IMPERFECTIONS BY TARYN LEIGH PREVIOUS REVIEWS: https://megg.me/category/reviews/ If you enjoyed this video, then don’t…

  • NaNoWriMo ~ 30 Days of Writing

    NaNoWriMo ~ 30 Days of Writing

    It’s time for NaNoWriMo again. This is one of my favourite times of year and I cannot wait. Actually, I think I must be slightly crazy taking part in NaNoWriMo again but I simply can’t resist. I took part in NaNoWriMo in 2015 for the first time, and again here in 2016. This year I…

  • Helen Scheuerer Interview | Writer’s Stories

    Helen Scheuerer Interview | Writer’s Stories

    Helen Scheuerer just released her debut novel Heart of Mist. I enjoyed chatting to Helen so much. And I have loved reading Heart of Mist too. In this interview, we talk about her debut novel (Heart of Mist) as well as the second novel in the Oremere Chronicles trilogy. I have so much in common…

  • September Book Haul – My First Book Haul Video Ever

    September Book Haul – My First Book Haul Video Ever

    I am so excited to share this September book haul video with you. This is my first Book Haul video, ever! Whoop Whoop! I bought all of these books from a girl selling them on a Facebook group in my area. I’d love to hear from you. Which books should I read first? I have…

  • How To Name Book Characters: 4 Things To Remember

    How To Name Book Characters: 4 Things To Remember

    How to name book characters is such an important question to ask when writing a book. I think, often a name pops into our heads and we’re inclined to use the name before really thinking the name through. In this video I give an example of a character introduction of a cute little girl and…

  • Have you always secretly wanted to write a book?

    Have you always secretly wanted to write a book?

    For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to write a book. When I was a little girl I used to stand in front of the very tall bookshelves in book stores and dream of seeing my name amongst the other names. That dream never faded. Deep down I knew I always…

  • Writing a novel is easy!

    Writing a novel is easy!

    Okay, so I wrote my first novel. It was so easy. I wrote it in a month. Every night after my kids went to bed I would sit for about two hours and write, and write, and write. I wrote around 2000 words a day. And within a month, my book was done. Easy. I…

  • I didn’t just finish NaNoWriMo 2016, I won it!

    I didn’t just finish NaNoWriMo 2016, I won it!

    Finish NaNoWriMo 2016. A goal, a plan, some action, a win. If you’re not familiar with NaNoWriMo, anyone that reaches the goal of 50 000 words, is a winner. I am winner. And, in many more ways than one. I achieved one of my yearly goals through completing NaNoWriMo. I have just about completed the…

  • I am busy preparing for NaNoWriMo 2016, are you?

    I am busy preparing for NaNoWriMo 2016, are you?

    This will be my second time taking part in NaNoWriMo and this year I am coming prepared. Last year was a huge learning experience for me and I came out the other side stronger and way more knowledgeable about writing and about myself. This is what I learnt from last year’s NaNoWriMo. I wrote 27481 words in…

  • Does your inner critic have its own persona?

    Does your inner critic have its own persona?

    Have you ever considered thinking a little bit more about your inner critic? No? Most of us avoid our inner critics. When we write something or do something that has taken so much time and effort we often want it to just be right. Even though we have that inner voice nagging at us saying…

  • The Creative Process Behind Writing – Carole Matthews

    The Creative Process Behind Writing – Carole Matthews

    Carole Matthews is one of my favourite authors and I am beyond excited about having the opportunity to interview her. I have been reading Carole’s books for years and have wonderful memories of my University days and rainy afternoons when I think of her books. She has also just released her new book The Chocolate…

  • The Creative Process Behind Writing – EM Kaplan

    The Creative Process Behind Writing – EM Kaplan

    I just loved doing this interview. Emily is a lot of fun and I’m so glad I came across her and her work. Who you are and what you do? I’m EM Kaplan—Emily to most people. I write humorous mysteries with a lot of food descriptions—and also epic adventure fantasies with “real” characters. By day,…

  • The Creative Process Behind Writing – Nichelle Suzanne

    The Creative Process Behind Writing – Nichelle Suzanne

    This is the second interview on the creative process behind writing and it was such a pleasure. Nichelle is really friendly and as you’ll read below doesn’t just have a blog but loves dance as well, which is very close to my heart too. Who is Nichelle and what does she do? Nichelle Suzanne’s dance…

  • I'm creating my own mini writing retreat at home

    I'm creating my own mini writing retreat at home

    I was listening to one of my favourite podcasts by Gabriela Pereira called DIY MFA and she discussed how important going on a writing retreat can be for a writer. All I kept thinking was “I wish!”. And then I poured myself a glass of wine and started cleaning up my kids toys. I would…

  • The art in choosing character names

    The art in choosing character names

    Once upon a time, there was a beautiful little blonde haired, blue eyed girl who danced in the rain and sang with her face angled up towards the sunlight. This little girl had a vivid imagination, would play with the fairies in her garden and sing songs she made up all afternoon long. This little…

  • The Creative Process Behind Writing – Kirsten Oliphant

    The Creative Process Behind Writing – Kirsten Oliphant

    This is the first article in my series on the creative process behind writing. The plan is to ask writers a set of questions, which they will then answer in order to help other aspiring writers find their way within the writing world. The first featured interview is one from Kirsten Oliphant. Kirsten is from…