As you may know, I’ve been exchanging letters online with Rebecca Holden. We agree that we’d write three letters each. We’ve enjoyed the experiment so much that we’ve decided to continue with it after the Christmas break.
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Snow in station by Terry Freedman
A Sunday break
Here in England it’s cold, though not quite as cold as it has been, and walking and cycling are treacherous.
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An outdoor cafe, by Terry Freedman
Some creative non-fiction
I’ve written a piece called My Life in Cafés. I wanted it to be bittersweet, a mixture of pathos and humour.
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Click the image to see this book on Amazon (affiliate link)
Review: Breaking the News
in Journalism, Reviews
It is easy to believe that ‘fake news’ is a modern phenomenon, brought about by social media and promulgated by politicians. Yet as the British Library’s event, ‘Breaking the News’ exhibition demonstrates, fake news – or that unforgettable phrase ‘alternative facts’ – have been features of news reporting for at least 500 years.
Read MoreReview: How to Teach Economics to Your Dog
You might wonder why I’ve included a review of it at all on this website, given that the target readership of the website is writers, and people thinking about writing.
Read MoreReview: Blurb Your Enthusiasm
I was commissioned by Teach Secondary magazine to review this book. I’ve included here both the review I submitted, and the lightly edited version published in the magazine.
Read MoreWriters Earnings in the UK 2022
in News & views
A couple of days ago I attended the launch of a new report into writers’ earnings in the UK. The quick summary is…
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mail, by Terry Freedman
Epistolary writing -- it's in the post!
Have you read any works written in the form of letters? Or have you written anything like that yourself? I've been interested in that genre for a long time, so I was delighted when, a few weeks ago, a course came up at the City Lit institute looking at epistolary fiction.
Read MoreQuick looks: Oulipo and the Mathematics of Literature
in Bookshelf, Quick looks, Oulipo, Reviews
Berkman has written an interesting and very academic examination of the links between maths and literature.
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Bookcase, by Terry Freedman
7 books set in 6 different countries: England, Colombia, France, Germany, Spain, USA
The news a few months ago that Annie Ernaux was going to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature prompted me to think that a round-up of reviews of books by non-English authors, or set in foreign countries, would make quite an interesting article. Some of these have been reviewed here before, but I thought you might enjoy having them all in one place according to a theme. Enjoy!
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Reference books, by Terry Freedman
5 reference works for writers, and 4 kinds of useful works
Specific books, and general categories. Some of these books have been reviewed here before, but I thought it might be useful for people to have all of them in one place.
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Someone suffering from FOMO, by Terry Freedman
Course: Writing For Blogs -- A Taster Nov 2022
in News & views
If blogging was a person I can imagine it saying, like James Cagney, "I ain't dead yet!"
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Review: Story Craft
Why shouldn’t nonfiction writing be as well-crafted, interesting, even exciting as fiction?
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Me reflecting on stuff. Photo by Elaine Freedman
I don't only write about writing!
I write about literature, life in general, odd things that have happened, the odd bit of fiction, experimental writing.
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Review of How to be a writer, by Marcus Berkmann
The life of a freelance writer is one of unreliable remuneration, shifting loyalties and sudden endings, as this book makes abundantly clear.
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Juice, by Terry Freedman
In the next issue of Write!
In the next issue of my creative nonfiction newsletter for writers, I’ll be covering book writing, translating and the corporate mindset, as well as reviewing seven books for writers.
Read MoreThe value of low-paying gigs (updated)
in News & views
The next time you’re offered the opportunity to write for a periodical that doesn’t pay as much as you’d like, don’t just dismiss it out of hand.
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Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
Three memorable meetings
It’s a very rare occasion that finds me attending a large-scale meeting. In my experience, quite often nothing gets done as a result of it.
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books to be reviewed by Terry Freedman
What's the point of book reviews -- updated with further thoughts
in News & views
So many authors think they ought to be the recipient of the Nobel prize for literature.
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Click to see this on the publisher’s website
Two reviews for the price of one! Engineering in Plain Sight
in Bookshelf
I submitted my review of this book to Teach Secondary magazine, an educational magazine in the UK. The first review below is what the magazine published.
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