It’s 1983 and I’m sitting in the food court of the Rideau Centre, Ottawa with three of my friends. All around us conversation hums, the clatter of cutlery, the crunch of plastic. We’re all feeling pretty cool, sitting there in our pastel outfits. Just to be extra cool, today I’m sporting my entire collection ofContinue reading “An Observation – Part 2”
Author Archives: Helen Jones
You’re So Vain
Vanity Publishing: Whereby a writer pays a publisher to produce their work, often signing over rights in return for royalties. Not to be confused (although it sometimes is) with self-publishing, where the writer retains the rights and manages the publication and marketing themselves. I really dislike the term ‘vanity publishing.’ I’ve been thinking about thisContinue reading “You’re So Vain”
Back To School
The house is quiet. Blissfully so; a warmth and silence to the air. Daily walks have resumed, looking for our favourite cats and trees and birds along the way, discussing the day and what’s to come, or what’s already happened. Work continues, writing for myself and for others – pitches to be made, submissions toContinue reading “Back To School”
Updates!
Autumn is nearly here, my favourite season. The days still warm with a promise of sun, the nights cool enough to sleep comfortably. Fields full and hedgerows heavy, a feeling of ripeness and depth in the land. The trees start turning to gold, bittersweet before the barrenness of winter. It’s a season when, for someContinue reading “Updates!”
Killing Your Darlings
I’m not the first writer to use this phrase, nor will I be the last. In fact, it comes from the lectures of Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, a professor, journalist and literary expert who used the term to describe removing fancy words and overblown description from your writing. But here I’m using it to talk aboutContinue reading “Killing Your Darlings”
Show, Don’t Tell – Part 2
After posting this blog yesterday I had a discussion with a fellow writer who, in the nicest possible way, reminded me that the distinction between ‘show’ and ‘tell’ is not simply confined to narrative vs dialogue, but also in how we, as writers, choose to inform the reader. So you could say either ‘Joe lookedContinue reading “Show, Don’t Tell – Part 2”
Show, Don’t Tell
God. These three words. Honestly, they are one of the biggest net of knots in which a writer can become tangled. Should I show? Should I tell? Am I telling too much? How can I show this bit? It is an art and something that only comes with practice and feedback, unless you are someContinue reading “Show, Don’t Tell”
Hacking Away
There are a lot of articles on the internet these days about “Life Hacks’. Ways to do things quickly, to get things over with so you can move on to the next thing and not waste any precious moments. Some of them are actually pretty cool and useful, but I am concerned that, as theContinue reading “Hacking Away”
Don’t Stop at the Beginning
It’s that time of year again. Blackberries are starting to ripen, dark and glossy against bramble and green leaves, treasure hidden in the hedgerows. The gorgeous child and I will go and pick them soon, braving wasps and spiders and thorns to fill our plastic containers with juicy berries, ready to be washed and frozenContinue reading “Don’t Stop at the Beginning”
A Grateful Heart
And before you think we’re going to descend into some sort of hippy dippy schmaltzy crap, don’t worry. Life isn’t all rainbows and butterflies, I get that. We all have sh*tty days, days when nothing seems to go right. We all have our battles, our crosses to bear. Some are bigger, more ferocious, heavier thanContinue reading “A Grateful Heart”
Helen Glynn Jones 