Writing - Structure

 There are only three certainties in life, and today's blog is about one of those certainties, which, in fact, is change. If I’ve learned one thing in the last 7 ½ decades, it’s that change is almost constant, and the reason I bring it up today is that this is my first attempt to produce my blog using speech rather than typing away at my laptop.

I must admit I am totally impressed by these people who can sit in front of a microphone and just talk for 20, 30, 40 minutes or even longer. So I thought it was time that I had a go.

The subject of today’s blog really is about story structure and making it readable, accessible for people who like to read at night, but principally for anybody to read again at any time of the day. In the past, some authors have written long, wordy paragraphs and sentences and have been lauded by literary critics for their ability to write in English. When I wanted to start writing books, my aim was to make them as accessible as possible to as many people as possible, and I think I managed to do that by having in mind just a couple of strategies while I was actually writing.

At the moment, I am reading a book by Richard Osman, one of his Thursday Club mysteries. He is a very readable author, and obviously, to me, he seems to spend a lot of time planning and organising what he's going to write and then sticking to that plan, but it does one of two things.

Firstly, Osman writes short chapters. His chapters are probably no more than four or five pages long, and they are tied to specific parts of the story he's writing. For example, in all his Thursday club mysteries, he has chapters entitled ‘Joyce.’ Obviously, Joyce is one of the main characters in the stories. Not all these chapters are named like that, but every now and again, he'll throw one in and will write specifically about that one character and her view of how things are going at that point as a part of the plot. I think that's a sign his organisational style is really tight.

The second aspect is to be aware that, if you want your work to be as accessible as possible, is not to be too wordy. If you want to impress literary critics, then you may choose to write sentences that are long and full of polysyllabic words. On the other hand, if you want to entertain and help people feel relaxed and unstressed by what they’re reading, then you may choose a slightly simpler style, probably more like reading the Daily Mirror than reading the Times.

Richard Osman and many other authors seem to follow this basic strategy, and I think it’s a good idea, particularly if you're a new writer, that you actually consider very carefully who your audience is going to be and what your aim is in writing the book. Are you writing to entertain? Are you writing to impress critics and publishers? That, of course, is entirely up to you, but Richard Osman is a successful author, as is JK Rowling and Ian Rankin. Their styles are quite straightforward and not too verbose.

As a slightly amusing addendum which has nothing to do with what I’ve just produced but does concern most people around the world in these days of political turmoil, is Donald John Trump. As a child, if by some happenstance I broke wind, my mum or dad might say ‘have you just trumped?’ - meaning have I just farted. It seems rather apt that the man causing all kinds of trouble in his own country and all around the world should have adopted the name which means breaking wind.

God bless

 

Poetry Thursday 130 - Indecisive

 As you age, you expect your body and mind to change in several ways, perhaps not until you are older, but some changes may surprise you. 

Indecisive?

 

When the slightly shabby, dishevelled door closes,

real world separated by the blank portal,

decisions arise that once were not posers,

routine for an everyday mortal.

But now?

 

But when did all that change?

What stalled the everyday process?

When did decision-making have an age-range?

Where are the rules denying access?

But now?

 

New strategies are needed,

time taken may or may not be a factor,

a decision may be held until time is exceeded,

decision made without being the actor.

And now!

 One necessary act at this age is to avoid stress,

be forthright in doing absolutely nothing,

being passive probably won’t cause a mess,

observers will shake their heads at the abdicating.

It’s age.

©David L Atkinson February 2026

God Bless 

.Writing - Shorts beginnings

When choosing to write a short story, getting started can be the most difficult point. Inspiration can come from almost anywhere, so there are so many possibilities. You may decide on a subject, character, and place, then be very rigid in following your plan. That is good, but occasionally a phrase or sentence hits you, and you feel inspired. More fun but a little risky in that you may hit a creative brick wall. On the other hand, the sense of freedom is liberating. 

I was reading a novel last night when a phrase struck me as inspired. It was in the description of a scene by a character. The phrase was also a truth that anyone may come across. 

The idea concerning people living alone and as they age, how decision-making affects them. When the slightly shabby front door closes, what pressures affect decision-making? 

I suppose it struck a chord with me because in my reality, making decisions is becoming harder for many reasons. 

In fact, not only was I nudged to create a story, but a more immediate emotional reaction could be in the form of a poem. Watch this space. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 129 - Evolution stalled

 I wrote this poem four years ago and was focusing on the UK, but now it seems to be appropriate to the whole planet. 

Evolution stalled

 

As an outsider, observing the human race is pain,

watching how they don’t develop again and again,

hoping for improvement in everything they do,

admiring new trends that they accrue.

 

The way they race forward ignoring history,

repeating mistakes a confusing mystery,

plunging cultures into familiar conflict,

wasted time spent developing peace as a construct.

 

Creating collectives like NATO and G7,

to discuss securities and fiscal heaven,

when really the welfare of the millions of many,

is of little concern to the rulers’ activity.

 

Global warming, inflation, war in Ukraine,

issues to test the sharpest brain,

yet we are saddled with the likes of Trump,

a self-centred, dim-witted, glory-seeking lump.

 

Evolution of species is inextricably linked,

to whether they continue or become extinct,

judging by the quality of international leaders,

we are about to revert to bottom feeders.

©David L Atkinson June 2026 

God Bless 

Writing - Write your truth

 We are advised to write from our experience, or from where we're at. As I have outlined in previous blogs, this is not without risk. 

John Steinbeck 1902 - 1968 

Steinbeck's writing often drew on his experiences growing up and working as a manual laborer in the Salinas Valley, California. His works frequently explore themes of social injustice, the human condition, and the relationship between humans and their environment. 

His major works include:

• The Grapes of Wrath (1939): This novel, considered his masterpiece, tells the story of the Joad family as they flee the Dust Bowl for California. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1940.
• Of Mice and Men (1937): A novella about two itinerant ranch hands in California.
• East of Eden (1952): A multi-generational family saga set in the Salinas Valley, which Steinbeck considered his greatest work, exploring themes of good versus evil and the story of Cain and Abel.

Steinbeck complained publicly about government harassment. In a 1942 letter to United States Attorney General Francis Biddle, John Steinbeck wrote: "Do you suppose you could ask Edgar's boys to stop stepping on my heels? They think I am an enemy alien. It is getting tiresome." 

John Steinbeck won the 1962 Nobel Prize for Literature. 

Like many authors who were alternately lauded and vilified, Steinbeck wrote with passion. So write your truth and damn the consequences. 

God Bless 

 

Poetry Thursday 128 - Bucket Lists

The Bucket List has become part of our lives in the West. I remember when I was younger, there was no such term, and another that was absent from the language was 'gap year', but that is a different story. The idea of having a list of things you want to do before you die is either laudable or negative. The fact is in life you save up to do the things you want to do. If you can't save enough, then there are things that will always be out of reach. 

Bucket list

 

When you have time on your hands,

its a habit to make visitor plans,

to travel to places far and wide,

and see sights not previously spied.

 

To journey to all corners of the earth, 

to iconic locations deemed of worth,

and tick off a bucket list,

experiences previously missed.

 

But sometimes we overlook,

sites in our own nations handbook,

places closer to home,

no need the world to roam. 

 

Instead of the pyramids of Giza,

or the leaning tower of Pisa,

a visit to Niagara falls,

or walking on Chinese walls.

 

How about a walk on Roman walls,

or Cautley Spout waterfall,

a canal boat ride on the Falkirk wheel,

or a visit to the museum of the automobile.

 

It may be the ideal year,

to walk on the Wigan pier,

or to go to Cheddar Gorge,

and experience the history of Wortley Forge.

 

Try not to forget our gems at home,

temper the drive to wander and roam,

learn more about this diverse land,

appreciate the bird you have in hand.

©David L Atkinson January 2026

God Bless 

Writing - Be Positive

 It's always a bit of a trial putting those first words down on paper after you have made the decision to write. However, there is only you who will not make that initial step, and you shouldn't allow any naysayers to change your decision. 

I was fortunate in that my support was generously given, and criticism was constructive, and at no point did anyone tell me to give up. Looking back, my early efforts were riddled with issues, but within a couple of years and three books, I was receiving fewer criticisms and more praise. This spurred me on to complete 13 novels and three collections of poetry. 

Improvement in writing continues throughout the experience. This is particularly true if you continue to read other authors of all types. In doing so, it is also possible to see the development in other authors. 

Two of these very successful authors are Colin Dexter and his Morse series, and Ian Rankin with the Rebus series. Both collections are great reads, but they all started off tentatively and became increasingly strong as the series developed. If you enjoy crime fiction they are well worth a read. 

Obviously, some authors set off at a gallop like J K Rowling, whose Potter series hit the ground running, but even with that magnificent saga there are one or two books that didn't quite progress as smoothly. So when you are writing, you do need to concentrate on the quality of what you produce, as success isn't guaranteed.

The bottom line is to remain focused and positive about what you want to achieve, and at the same time, remember to congratulate yourself on what you have achieved when you produce 50k plus words in a book. That is no mean feat. 

God Bless