couch to 80k

In this episode I chat about what to do once you finish the Couch to 80k Writing Boot Camp. How to fill the weeks and months that follow? How to keep the momentum going and capitalise on your gains?I reveal The 7 Pillars of Finishing Your Novel. They’re a thing that I just made up, … Read more

So here it is. The final episode of the Couch to 80k Writing Boot Camp. 8 weeks and 48 episodes are now available online for anyone to stream or download for free. It’s a full free writing course with daily 10 minute exercises that cover everything from how to come up with ideas for stories, … Read more

Penultimate day! Um, I know I said I was going to keep it short and sweet, but this episode goes a little bit long – if you listen you’ll hear why. I hope you’ll take the time to listen, and act on it if you feel that’s right for you. See you tomorrow for the … Read more

Here’s the latest episode of the Death Of 1000 Cuts Couch to 80k Writing Boot Camp. Only two days left after this! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing and recording this course and I’ll have some followup episodes where I sum up some of the lesson I’ve learned from doing it. Really, really useful to think about … Read more

Here’s the latest episode of the 8 week writing boot camp. We’re nearly done! Wow. If you’ve got this far, nice work. If you’re new, welcome. Start here. The best way to support me if you like what I do is to buy my novel, THE HONOURS. If you’ve already got it and you’re getting … Read more

And here’s Day 2 of our final week. Just 4 days to go. Then I’ll collapse in a heap of cushions (only to be bopped on the head by my daughter who wants to play, no doubt, but that’s fair enough). – If you’re new, welcome. Start here. The best way to support me if … Read more

Oof. We’re in the final week. Or, at least, I’m in the final week of recording. I don’t expect anyone to have got this far yet. There’s no ‘starting late’. This course is meant to be available for you to work through whenever you’re ready. – If you’re new, welcome. Start here. The best way … Read more

Here’s the latest episode of the podcast. Enjoy! – If you’re new, welcome. Start here. The best way to support me if you like what I do is to buy my novel, THE HONOURS. If you’ve already got it and you’re getting value out of the podcast, you can drop me a few bucks to … Read more

And here it is. The final episode of Week 7. We’ve only got one more week to go. My slight melancholy is tempered with satisfaction and excitement at the prospect of having a full fiction-writing course by podcast up online and ready to go, for anyone to use. Friends, I feel happy of myself. That … Read more

The latest episode is up! If you’re new, welcome. Start here. I have a novel out called THE HONOURS. If you like atmospheric adventure, beautiful-looking books and/or supporting artists you can buy one/several and scratch that itch. Also, hey, if you’re getting value out of the podcast you can drop me a few bucks to … Read more

Hey friends – here’s the latest episode of my Couch to 80k Writing Boot Camp. I hope you had a happy and relaxing festive period, or if not that you at least survived it. I’m looking forward to finishing up the boot camp – then it’ll be completed, done, just existing as a resource that … Read more

Oof! Another dose of daily motivation and focused training hits you in the gut like a push-passed American football. But you catch it. And you undo the laces and inside is the small jade statuette you need to unlock the door to your grandfather’s vault. Well done. You’re almost there.

Here’s one of my periodic longer episodes where I talk more broadly about fiction writing, and my thoughts that have come up over recording the course so far. In this episode I drill into the problem of setbacks in our writing, and how to deal with them. If you’d like to try the 8 week … Read more

And there you have it. Another week done, dusted, polished, placed under a protective layer of plastic and sealed inside a shipping container for the long, perhaps endless, voyage into history. If you’re new here and you’d like to take part in my 8 week Couch to 80k Writing Boot Camp, ideal for writers of … Read more

Ooh! Another episode. More metaphor-meta-fun as we play madlibs with great works of literature for our personal pleasure and profit. MWAHAHAHAHAHA.

And here’s another episode of my 8 week writing course – this week we’re working on metaphors, similes, and transforming language in your fiction.

SORRY for the delay, diligent writing pals. Of course unless you’re following these posts as they go up you probably won’t have noticed the time lag between this post and the last one. I was ill! I came down with fever and a cold simultaneously, and a poorly daughter and wife. We’re all over the … Read more

Here’s Day 2 of Week 6. We’re looking at pushing metaphors to their metaphorical limit – and then going farther, just to see what happens when your metaphor density reaches CRITICAL.

Week 6 has started! Eeek! This week it’s all about lyrical language, metaphor, simile, the sound and feel of your writing, and powerful imagery.

Here’s the last day of Week 5, our journey into your writing’s emotional core. If you haven’t listened to any of the course yet, you can start here. I’m only asking you commit to 10 minutes of writing a day, 6 days a week, over an 8 week course. I’ll tell you what to write … Read more

Apologies for being slightly behind with updates. A cold-real life combo set me back slightly, plus these episodes felt like the ones I least wanted to fuck up, so I took my time getting them right. I hope you find the exercises rewarding.

Hey hey hey. Welcome to Week 5 Day 4 of the Couch to 80k Writing Boot Camp. If you’re new and you’d like to join in, click back and start at Week 1 Day 1. Today’s episode discusses unstable early memories.

Here’s the latest episode of my 8 week writing course. Today’s was a tricky one to record – it took me a while to work out what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it. If you have a listen you’ll hear why. I hope it’s helpful for you, however you choose … Read more