A to Z Challenge – Melissa Barker-Simpson

Zoning out #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand

Zoning out Today’s letter was always going to be a challenge (though I’m thrilled I made it to the end) because zoning out isn’t exclusive to writers. Our minds wander, it’s just the way it is. Sometimes we zone out by choice, by necessity, or because we don’t even realise we’re doing it. I’m a dreamer…
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Your sins will find you out #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand

Your sins will find you out Creating a whole new world can be incredibly gratifying. It can also be terrifying. You have a responsibility to all who live in it. The decisions are yours, you preserve the history, the governance – it’s all yours. And, okay, this might be an imaginary world so the…
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X Marks the Spot #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand

X Marks the Spot We’re not going to talk about how tenuous a link today’s title is. Nope, we’re going to skip right over that! Whether you’re the type of writer who plans everything to the last detail, or merely follows a loose outline, there will be a point when you have a particular…
Read more: X Marks the Spot #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand
World Weavers #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand

I’ve touched on this topic more than once during the challenge, but it’s worth expanding (don’t worry, I’ll keep it short!) World Weavers Today is about getting stuck in the worlds we create, and how this translates to both our work and home life. One of the things that can happen, when you’ve been…
Read more: World Weavers #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand
Under no illusions #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand

Under no illusions When my cousin was younger, she had an imaginary friend. Her parents would even set an extra place for her at the table. I remember wondering what my own dinner table would look like if I invited all my imaginary friends – the ones who follow me around in my head. …
Read more: Under no illusions #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand
Taking liberties #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand

Taking liberties I had intended to talk about titles today because, like the dreaded blurb, we often shy away from them. I won’t go as far as to say we’d rather write the novel than title it, but still…there’s pressure! Instead, I’d like to talk about creative/poetic license, or taking liberties – basically whatever…
Read more: Taking liberties #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand
Scribble away #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand

Scribble away Some people might wonder what all the fuss is about…so what if a writer uses ink instead of a keyboard to work their magic? Visually speaking, most images convey writers as sitting behind a computer or – something I’ve always dreamed of owning – tapping away at an old-fashioned typewriter. That said, if we’re…
Read more: Scribble away #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand
Rack your brains #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand

Rack your brains Let’s start with a scenario…you’re scribbling (or tapping) away, totally in the zone and the characters are behaving themselves so it’s smooth sailing. You’re totally going with the flow, your mind is racing, the words pouring forth, and you start to wonder why you ever thought writing was so hard. Then the…
Read more: Rack your brains #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand
Quiet please #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand

Quiet please Writers love their solitude. There’s nothing quite like being in the zone, able to give yourself over to the story without any distractions. Many writers crave the quiet, which is fine unless that develops into social isolation. It’s often hard to make the transition from being in a writing space, to being around others…
Read more: Quiet please #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand
Picking out of a hat #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand

Picking out of a hat Let’s talk about names. There are many techniques writers use to find the perfect name for their characters. We often talk about them as though they’re our children, so it’s kind of funny to get caught researching baby names on google and having to talk family members down from a ledge! But seriously,…
Read more: Picking out of a hat #AtoZChallenge – Peculiar ‘Pen fellows’ – Quirks only a writer can understand

Category: A to Z Challenge