I’m writing this blog on Oíche Shamhna from an old château in the South of France. Sometimes it really is a case of being in the right place at the right time. I’m well into the second week of my residency at La Napoule Art Foundation, on the coast in the Bay of Cannes, and I’m having a ball. It’s…
The process of reading through my current draft of Attrition continues. I delayed it by a couple of weeks while I worked on a smaller project, which I’m fairly happy with, and it was good to give myself some distance between drafts. I was hoping that this was going to be a read through, mostly focused on taking notes about…
June has been fairly chaotic, primarily because I’m in the middle of selling my home and buying to a new one. This has been a decision with a lot of mixed feelings. I currently live in a lovely Victorian redbrick terrace, full of character and charm, that I’ve been in for the last 8 years and was the first house…
I’m happy to report that January has turned out to be a hugely productive for me, writing wise at least. I was too busy to have the January Blues and if anything, the long month meant that I actually got more work done! That’s not to say that what I’ve done will be winning a Pulitzer anytime soon but I’ve…
The final blog post of the year is always a strange one; it’s that time when I feel compelled to look back on what was while also making plans for what I want the coming year to be. I’ll just say that 2018 was a very strange year, though each year now seems to fall into that broad category. Some…
We’re well into my favourite time of year; between now and January is usually my ideal season. I know it’s probably not the most popular opinion but I’m glad the summer is over. There seems to be a backlash against “fetishising” autumn, which is understandable when every second thing is pumpkin spice this and that, but that doesn’t mean that…
I’m writing the second half of this blog entry almost 5000 kilometres away from the first half. Time and distance gives, or at least changes, perspective. Breaking my foot in New Hampshire altered my experience of The MacDowell Colony so it’s hard to give an accurate overview as what it would be like under normal circumstances. I also believe that…
No rest for the wicked. Well, perhaps a little bit of rest for the wicked. This month has been a total whirlwind and it’s probably the first time ever I can say that it’s absolutely flown by. January can have a tendency to drag its heels but 2018 really hit the ground running for me. I’ve been very busy in…
The collective anticipation of NaNoWriMo is almost palpable. Only one more day and then the manic month of writing begins. I have no reservations about participating in NaNo this year. Yes, it’s a tough slog and certainly not without its stresses but it’s also an opportunity to get a good chuck of a first draft done. Of course, writers don’t…
This Creative Writing Course is for those who are ready to begin their journey of creative writing in fiction and need a little guidance. If you don’t know where to begin or don’t know what to do next then this is the course for you. The course will focus on starting points, characters, structure, plot, theme, and point of view…
David Keane 