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After completing book 2 of my novel saga, I started thinking about ways that might help a writer find focus. To find that transcendental space. Or just helpful techniques to assist in the creation and shaping of a project. In this 8 Step Process, I look at ways that may help a writer achieve their goals and complete that awesome novel or project. One | Space Find a space with the best way you…

My sister's book is available on Kindle and as an awesome paperback.

A journal entry for the process of starting book 2 of my sci-fi space opera trilogy.

A new year, a new book! I’ve started writing book 2 of my epic space opera trilogy. I’d planned to begin writing book 2 on the 1st of January 2025 and besides the cold weather, I ventured out to sit in my favourite environment and begin the novel. Having struggled with the slow evolutionary process of book 1 (Fugue), I wanted this continuation of the story to be a tighter, quicker process. Many…

A Screenplay by JD FitzRoy INTRODUCTION This screenplay was written as an experiment in the art. It is inspired by various short stories and tells the simple tale of two characters in a moment of transition. What I find fascinating about reading screenplays is how, once you extract all the usual fluff of prose and sentence structure, you are left with a sharp and distilled look at character and…

In the last two months there’s been a great deal of creative fun as I ramp up the graphic design aspect of my work. With recent inspiration and a cool new concept, I’ve started work on a new card game. The process has been both challenging and very rewarding. Having played several card games, I began to form concepts for my own mechanic. I’d wanted to reshape and re-theme Bruce Glassco’s game…

A new micro-short from my writing challenge series. This time, a future noir crime thriller.

by JD FitzRoy Write a 750 word fragment as if taken from the middle of a bigger story or novel. Future Noir Thriller. Freed from the stuffy, damp basement, Buran breached into a ground-level corridor. Her torchlight, a silvery knife stabbing the gloom, yet unable to penetrate the full corridor length, whichever way she turned. Uniform in length and emptiness. Isolated from the sticky neon…

I wanted to write a little something on how details can shape and improve writing. Here, a selection of random characteristics and some examples. Hopefully, these will help identify problem prose or present spice like adding a burst of flavour to a good meal. DETAIL Sights, Sounds, Smells, Tastes; When describing a colour, what colour — be descriptive even in the hue. Don’t stop with “blue” or…

Just a quick update on my profile. As I complete work on more wonderful creative projects, I have updated and completed my Amazon Author Page. It’s looking a little sparse at the moment, but I have great plans for this year and beyond so please take a look. My sister (AJ FitzRoy) and I are already hard at work on a second volume of the Consumption short stories with lots more ideas and…

A 750 word short story challenge taken from the centre of an imaginary novel.

by JD FitzRoy Write a 750 word fragment as if taken from the middle of a bigger story or novel. Science Fiction. ‘You got that, synth?’ the general asked. ‘Yes, sir,’ I replied. I’d seen the voikit in use, all the organics had one. It was as common among them as yawns and toilet breaks. He’d turned the cube over in his ancient, leathery hand. They got so old, so quickly, momentarily drifting.…

A new post on my continuing experience of writing and editing a novel.

As I complete the editing of my first novel (part 1 of a trilogy), I turn attention to laying the plan for book 2. But while planning this, I find myself reflecting on book 1’s journey. Too often, I would get sidetracked in the writing process. Fiddly details like names, the starting sentence/paragraph or overall structure kept interfering with the flow. And too often, I would stop to resolve…

Need creative inspiration? Try some a found material project.

By JD FitzRoy Writing is a lengthy, time-consuming craft of patience, focus, and resilience. Balancing narrative sculpting with every-day distractions is tricky. Inspirations, note taking, organising research, and the not-so-simple act of weaving all these into something that flows, will always be hard but fun. Much like playwright Colin Teevan, whose historical dramas required research kept in…

Word salad for the day...

Trump comedy gold! The (tortured) Question In preparation, obviously, I would assume for an indictment, what are your thoughts of her, because there’s some, discussion, that she may have some questionable background, you know, there’s some, her father may or may not have been a Black Panther, I think that was discussed. She’s had, perhaps, incorrect relationships with some of the people, some…

Historical fiction. A writing challenge. Write a 750 word fragment as if taken from the middle of a bigger story or novel.

by JD FitzRoy Write a 750 word fragment as if taken from the middle of a bigger story or novel. Historical Fiction. ‘It is my pleasure.’ ‘Indeed, indeed. I must admit, I was surprised to find you so engaged. Especially for someone so… young,’ Charles said. Ada followed Charles up whispering stairs, into his study. Curtains drawn, the dark furnishings and thick drapes consumed the light.…

A new short story for my website.

By JD FitzRoy Drained of everything she once was, those doll-like eyes look, but they do not see. She cannot turn from them. She wants it to end. I am deluged by phosphorescence from a quintet of suns. Two bloated orbs kiss the horizon, the others more like bright stars, poised overhead. Squinting, my somnolent mind dials the luminosity down. Dirty pumps crunch over… not stones or sand, but ten…