I set up this website partly because it’s good for writers to have a web presence these days – though I admit to being turned off by the hard-sell author sites you come across sometimes, with BUY NOW signs flashing all over the place; partly for the fun of designing a site, helped immensely by Digitalplot, and partly to share my thoughts on creative writing, drawing on my experience of teaching the subject at university level and studying the process of novel writing in-depth as part of a PhD.

The creative process of writing is often considered to be dreamlike, private, even slightly mysterious. This site is intended to be useful to those interested in this process. Whether you’re just beginning to write fiction or poetry, or whether you’re an established writer, or else simply someone who loves reading and is intrigued by the unconscious processes that go into imaginative writing, I hope there’ll be something on this site to interest you. On the Bookshelf page there’s a list of recommended creative writing books, as well as other good reads.

I’d love to hear from you, so do send me a note through the comments box on this page, if you’d like to. I’m thinking of maybe setting up an image bank at some point, displaying a selection of short, vivid imagery sent in by visitors to the site who’ve tried out any of the writing exercises which appear here – see the On Writing page and my Drowning in Imagery blog post. So if you’re happy to share your most surprising, original images with others, please send me short (max 30 words) images born out of your flow writing. I’d also be fascinated to hear what you think of my novel, Breathing in Colour.

Enjoy exploring and I hope you’ll find something that interests you!

Clare