Category Archives: On Writing

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Posted on April 4, 2026 by crispina kemp

Biblio: noun, book Phobia: suffix, fear A: prefix, not Abibliophobia: compound noun, fear of running out of books to read. I fully understand that fear. With no kindle in tow, I’ll read the ingredients on a ketchup bottle. Interestingly – … Continue reading →

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Words On Writing #12

Posted on March 30, 2026 by crispina kemp

I’m reading the final book in an 8-book series, and to be this far through a series you know I’m enjoying it. Except for one niggly detail. The choice of a word. And that word sparked this week’s post. Annoying … Continue reading →

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Words on Writing #11

Posted on March 23, 2026 by crispina kemp

The Unknown Unknowns… …and how to discover them With any craft there are bound to be skills at which we totally suck. But if we know what they are, then it’s down to us to practice, practice, practice until we’re … Continue reading →

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Words On Writing #10

Posted on March 16, 2026 by crispina kemp

Show Don’t Tell This writing advice has become a modern mantra for fiction writers. But before I say more, let’s clarify: Showing is usually used for sensory details (hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, balance & temperature) action (kissing, killing, kicking) dialogue … Continue reading →

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Words On Writing #9

Posted on March 9, 2026 by crispina kemp

Hands up all those who’ve heard the advice “Write what you know.” Hands up if you thought this meant you should only include your own lived experiences in your writing. Example: You’re a married accountant, so you’re going to write … Continue reading →

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Words On Writing Issue 8

Posted on March 2, 2026 by crispina kemp

Question: What sort of stories do you like to read? I don’t mean which genre, but the storytelling’s general style. Genre is like saying you like evergreen trees. But the general storytelling style is like saying you like prickly trees … Continue reading →

Posted in On Writing, Thoughts | Tagged | 12 Comments

Words On Writing #7

Posted on February 23, 2026 by crispina kemp

It’s not ready yet… ‘What are you doing?’ ‘Editing.’ ‘Still? Nah, I reckon you’re procrastinating. Don’t want to submit in case it’s rejected.’ I’m sure most writers have had this conversation at least once in their career, their antagonist being … Continue reading →

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Words On Writing Issue 6

Posted on February 16, 2026 by crispina kemp

All writers have a weakness No, I don’t mean that craving for chocolate and cold coffee. I mean that one thing they struggle with, that doesn’t come easy, that feels like an entangled nightmare every time. My weakness is dialogue … Continue reading →

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Words On Writing Issue 5

Posted on February 9, 2026 by crispina kemp

Writing on Voices That is, First Person, 2nd, Third Experimentation Over the (very) long years of writing, I have experimented with voices. I’ve a persistent desire to write a story with multiple point-of-view (pov) characters, each telling the tale from … Continue reading →

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Words On Writing Issue #4

Posted on February 2, 2026 by crispina kemp

Biography of a work-in-progress. Saramequai was conceived in what now seems the long-distant past. It was then called Saram. Saram is the sky god of Dal Uest. Saramequai = horsemen of Saram. In its earliest version there are five povs … Continue reading →

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