Mr McGuffin is back for some seasonal shenanigans, in which he’s visited by 3 characters who have a bit of a bone to pick with him…
Mr McGuffin’s Christmas Carol
Tag: irish blogger
The Last Book You’ll Ever Read
What’s more important to a book lover’s legacy… their last words, or the last book they read before they die? What might our last reads tell us about ourselves, life, death and all the rest of it?
A Passive Aggressive and Yet Somehow Loving Exchange of Views With My Internet Profile
My Blog sits me down for a difficult heart-to-heart, questioning my loyalty, sanity, and ability to survive without posting imaginary conversations with inanimate concepts. I have to admit, it has a point. Not that I’m admitting it to My Blog.
Why Writers Should Stop Torturing Their Goals… and Fail Better
I spent a lot of 2019 insulting my goals; poking them, calling them names, and generally hating on them. I’ve decided that in 2020 I should be kinder to them, and as well all know, whenever I decide something like that, I’m going to make a blog post out of it and insist that everyone should be doing it. You’re welcome.
Hey, Writers! Be Careful What You Wish For
Is it ever possible for a writer to be happy with what they’ve achieved? Or do the goalposts keep moving? Today we ask a most un-Christmassy question… is it much harder to succeed when you’re a success?
5 Bloomin’ Rules for Spring-Cleaning Your Overwintered Manuscript
On what felt like the first and long-awaited spring day of the year, I think about how the things we do in this season could also be applied to fiction that’s been in hibernation for any period of time.
(And if anyone dares to make a comment about how writing a blog post about something instead of actually doing it is the ultimate procrastination, I will sic Tark and Mara on you.)
11 Reasons Why Everyone Should Be The Worst Writer They Know
We all have something in common. We were once terrible writers. Perhaps you’re a terrible writer now. Perhaps you’ve never even tried. Perhaps you were a terrible writer last week, but have been something approaching genius since last Thursday. Most of us never find out. We should, though, because there’s a lot of value in bad writing.
10 Exciting New Ways To Get Offended Which Didn’t Exist 10 Years Ago
Ten years ago, we had woefully little to get truly offended about. There was little pleasure to be had in face-to-face confrontation, given its general ickiness and constant threat of physical violence. But now we have LOADS to get offended about, every day of the week! Whoever says that things aren’t better nowadays obviously just doesn’t have enough friends online.
Why You Should Never Live With A Woman From A Historical Period TV Drama
We can’t get enough of these modern historical TV dramas! Such feisty heroines! Such swashbuckling storylines! Such bosoms! Seriously, there are bosoms everywhere! Wouldn’t it be fabulous to have such excitement in real life?
But hold on a second… what would this mean for your olfactory well-being? Your ultra-modern duplex? Your HONOUR?
Is Your Reading Beating Up Your Writing?
We’re told that by far the best training for writers is reading. But what happens when what you’re reading is being a big bully? Tempting you with sweet nothings? Calling you names? Interfering with your confidence and ability to write? I have a conversation with an unbearably smug book to explore the concept, and discover something nasty.
Tara Sparling writes 