If you saw my post yesterday, you’ll know that I have a creative writing prompts book for kids available from Amazon. I have decided to offer this book for free for 5 days, so anyone who thinks it will benefit their children during self isolation or homeschooling can grab a copy at no cost.
Get your free copy here: 50 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
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With the current state of the world, a lot of us are now having to take on the role of teacher, and I know it can be daunting to find ways to encourage our children to learn at home. That is why I wanted to share my creative writing prompts for kids book with you. It is currently just 99p/ 99c on Amazon, and a great way to get your kids inspired to write and tell stories.
Get your copy here: 50 Creative Writing Prompts for Kids
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I am now back in my full editing swing, and I have been chatting to a writer friend about our editing processes. We got onto the conversation of printing out the draft, and this is where we differ. I don’t ever print mine out. She was shocked by this.
I’m not here to say there is a right way for any part of the writing process, I just want to share my process and why it works for me.
There is a very simple reason why I don’t print my drafts and that is the amount of paper used. I understand if I was traditionally published, I would be sent a whopping amount of papers during the editing process, but I have the option and chose not to.
Secondly, I have a system that works for me. The main reason for printing out your manuscript to edit is to see it in a different way. I totally agree with this. We can all make errors when we’re looking at the same thing on screen for hours on end, but for me, this works by changing the font, size, and colour. I can simply do this for every draft I need to edit and it works well for me.
I do make handwritten notes in a small notebook, but 95% off my editing is done on the screen.
Finally, and this is a ‘Mum’ reason… my kids are into everything and it wouldn’t take long for my toddler to find and misplace my work. I’m not much better because I’m not always on the ball for putting things away safely and that is a recipe for editing disaster.
Do you edit on screen or prefer to print your work? Like I said, no judgement here just our own preferred methods.
You can check out the other #authortoolboxbloghop participants and their posts here.
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A vivid recreation of the interwar period, Michel Déon’s fictionalised memoir is a touching and very true depiction of boyhood and how our early experiences affect us.
Édouard (Michel Déon’s real name) looks back on his 1920s childhood spent in Paris and Monte Carlo. Within a bourgeois yet unconventional upbringing, ‘Teddy’, an observant and sensitive boy, must deal with not just the universal trials of growing up, but also the sudden tragedy that strikes at the heart of his family.
Michel Deon has a way for description, even if he does focus a great deal on describing overweight people. It was just something that stuck out for me, especially his fascination with Evangeline’s description.
Although, I found the look back to 1920’s Paris and Monte Carlo intriguing, I wasn’t totally enamoured with the narrative. That being said, this fictionalised memoir of Teddy is well written and the voice of Teddy does grow as he grows.
The opinions expressed here are those of K.J. Chapman and no other parties
All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman
K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review
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Loyal Creatures is the deeply moving story of war horse Daisy and her 16-year-old owner Will, sent from the Australian outback to the gruelling Middle Eastern campaign of the First World War. Their skill in finding water is vital to their regiment in the desert, but their devotion to each other is what keeps them alive in an overwhelmingly hostile environment. Is their unwavering loyalty enough to determine their destiny?
A powerful tale about the Australian Lighthorse Brigade in World War One. Frank is just a boy when he signs up with his Dad and Daisy, his trusty horse. This is a story of friendship and loyalty between men and animals.
Although the writing style makes this an easy, quick read, I can’t believe this is a middle grade book as the ending was so gut wrenching and sob inducing for me. Loyal creatures indeed, and such a tragic end for them.
I appreciate the honesty in this story and how there really is no happy ending in war.
The opinions expressed here are those of K.J. Chapman and no other parties
All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman
K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review
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This post is more of a motivational, encouraging pick-me-up for anyone who needs it. I wanted to share the one thing that I have learnt in my time as a self published author, and that is to write for you.
Why did you start writing? Passion, a creative outlet? Has that changed over the course of your journey and are you asking yourself ‘what is the popular genre of the moment? Do people want to read this? Should I change something I like because statistics say my target audience won’t buy it?’
I’m here to tell you that the only person you need to impress is you. Yes, it is great to get sales and amazing reviews, but at the end of the day, you need to be happy with your process and your work.
I believe that your best writing comes when you stay true to yourself, your beliefs, and your style.
I just wanted to put this thought out there today, and if you are writing today, remember to make yourself happy.
You can check out the other #authortoolboxbloghop participants and their posts here.
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Set during the final 24 hours before the armistice at 11 a.m. on 11th November 1918, the story follows a German storm trooper, an American airman and a British Tommy. Their destinies converge during the death throes of the first ever conflict to spread across the globe. War becomes incredibly personal as nationality and geography cease to matter to each of these teenagers on the Western Front, and friendship becomes the defining aspect of their encounter. But who will live and who will die before the end of the day?
This story follows three men: two soldiers and a pilot in WW1. A German, a Brit, and an American. The story is told from the three points of view in the 6 hours after the Armistice was signed and the bigwigs involved decided the war would end 6 hours later at 11am.
What really got to me was the fact that so many lives were lost despite the war being over because it was decided that it would continue for another 6 hours.
Dowswell captures the sheer horror of war and horrific conditions both the Brits and German infantry had to endure. Delving into the mindset of men who are potentially one bullet or shell away from death was fascinating and upsetting to read.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in wartime books as it has been researched well, and the narrative has been well developed.
The opinions expressed here are those of K.J. Chapman and no other parties
All books reviewed on this blog have been read by K.J.Chapman
K.J.Chapman has not been paid for this review
Content belongs to K.J.Chapman
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