The Golden Pen Award

The Golden Pen Award - Writing Tips

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Writing can be a daunting task at first and most authors have a few tricks to keep them motivated and on track. Here are some words of wisdom from the very first Scribblers' guest authors who joined us for our inaugural festival, earlier this year. We have also created a handy list of pointers that can be downloaded here.

How do you know when a story is finished?

Well, you get to the end and there’s nothing important left to say. It’s easy to know the end. On the other hand, if you mean when do you stop fiddling and tinkering with the words that make up the story… there comes a day when my editor, Zöe, says we can stop. I listen to her. A.F. Harrold

When I know I’ve made my point. Soolagna Majumdar

I know it’s close to finished when I read it and I smile instead of frowning. Kelly Canby

When you find the perfect knock-out line to end it off. Bam! Done! Nicki Greenberg

When the deadline hits. Otherwise I could keep reworking stories forever. Campbell Whyte

If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be? 

Be kind to yourself, trust your instincts, go with the flow…(and make the most of where life takes you.) Tai Snaith

What looks like mess is actually your method. Don’t panic! Meg McKinlay

I would tell that young scamp to get on and produce a lot more books and to spend a lot less time fretting about the process. PJ Lynch

Where do you find your ideas?

All around me! Ideas are everywhere; you just have to close your eyes, reach out and grab one. The hard bit comes when you have to turn that idea into something; that’s the real work. Kelly Canby

My brain is constantly on the lookout for things that might spark a good story. Sometimes a phrase pops into my head, and the story grows from there. Nicki Greenberg

I am really inspired by popular culture, such as video games, comics, movies, cartoon series and so on, re-imagining them as personal stories. Campbell Whyte

On Writing

Have fun. Don’t worry about what other people think. And keep your stories (your older self would love to read them). AJ Betts

Creating stories feels like the most practical way of making sense of all the time I spend daydreaming. Soolagna Majumdar