In September, my writer friend Hannah Doyle and I started brainstorming ideas for a play for the Brighton Fringe. After several months of work, it’s approaching reality, and will take the stage this May.
Announcing Joan: The Musical!
72-year-old Joan has it all. A glittering past as a West End dancer, a chocolate-box maisonette in Seven Dials, and fantastic hair. There’s one thing she doesn’t have, though: the power of self-belief.
Bruised and scorned by her ex-husband’s wayward ways, Joan tumbles down a rabbit hole that brings her face to face with her tattered confidence. Can Joan find her way back to the surface? Or is she destined to languish in the depths of self-care hell?
Joan: The Musical will take the stage at The Actors in Brighton on 3 and 4 May, at 1.30pm. You can get your tickets here!
2024 was the year, I decided: the year I was going to commit to my writing. I made a schedule and put in the hours. Now I’m looking back on the results and feeling just a little bit proud.
Things I Finished
I’ve had a few anthology publications.
Early in the year, my story “Like Mother, Like Son” was published in House of Zolo’s Journal of Speculative Literature, Vol. 4. My poem “Directions to the Underworld” appeared in Augur Magazine, and my story “Picking Hazelnuts With the Devil” was published in the Brighton NightWriters’ anthology Echoes of Light.
My story based on Prince Edward Island ghost ship folklore, “Ghost Ships Passing in the Night,” was selected for a beautiful illustrated anthology, Whispers in the Earth: World Folklore Reimagined. I’ve connected with a lovely community of writers through this project, including a Kickstarter launch event and meeting several participants in Glasgow at Worldcon. The ebook is out for the original backers, and the print edition will be out sometime in the new year.
I’ve also enjoyed some success writing scripts. Morley College Radio recorded a performance of my short radio drama Plan A. I participated in the Liverpool Fringe’s 24 Hour Play Fest, co-creating a play called Between Brighton Rock and a Hard Place with a talented team. It was a fun, adrenaline-fueled event where I wrote the script into the night, and the director and actors practiced and performed the play the following day.
I also republished a second edition of my short story collection, Dream Signs, which had gone out of print.
Things I Participated in
Networking and events have been a big part of my writing year, too.
I attended New Writing South’s Playwrights Industry Day, my first Worldcon, the London Festival of Writing, a London Songwriters retreat in the Peak District, and a writers’ retreat in Kenya. I joined writing-related online communities and the British Fantasy Society, and continued connecting with writing communities both online and off.
I read at the Echoes of Light launch, at Strong Women, Strange Worlds’ QuickRead event and Holiday Extravaganza.
I had a thoughtful interview with Gabriela Blandy about my book on the Enneagram personality model and hosted a creative writing workshop to raise money for Survivors’ Network.
I got more involved with the local queer community, donating books to the Ledward Centre and selling them at the Queery.
I’ll be doing more writing workshops and events in the new year.
Projects in Progress
I’ve had a few pieces of good book news.
My poetry collection The Heart Decided to Move is forthcoming from Read Furiously in April 2025. It focuses on my experiences moving to the UK and incorporates prose pieces and illustrations.
My novella Worth Working For is forthcoming in 2026, so I have two new books lined up!
I’m in the process of casting a short musical I co-wrote with a talented collaborator, for performance in the Brighton Fringe in May 2025. Stay tuned for more about it!
I also finished multiple drafts of a cozy fantasy novel. Stay tuned for more about that, too!
Prioritizing my writing (while maintaining my professional job) has been a good move. I had no idea what I’d be able to do in a year. I’m surprised by how much it turned out to be, and how much confidence I’ve found in the process of focusing my time on what I love.
Happy November! The weather is celebrating by getting chillier, the leaves yellower and more plentiful on the ground. I’m going out today to see if I can find any discounted Halloween candy.
Event Updates
Last Friday was the launch party for Echoes of Light, the Brighton NightWriters’ latest anthology. I read from my short story included in the anthology, “Picking Hazelnuts with the Devil,” which draws on some unusual folklore about the hazel tree. You won’t look at hazelnuts the same way again after reading it!
Anthology editor Tim Shelton-Jones emceed and read at the eventThe anthology cover featuring art by NightWriter Alanna MacIntyre
There were a lot of snacks at the event, so I came home with a bag stuffed with crackers, pickles, etc., which I’m now happily munching on.
If you’re not in Brighton and fancy a virtual event – a sort of SFF writers’ Christmas party – I’ll be participating in Strong Women, Strange Worlds’ Year End Party on December 14, from 1-4pm Eastern time. More details to be announced later, but it’s going to feature party games, readings, and gifts (though no jars of pickles, I don’t think). I’ll be participating in a “speed date a book” event, storytelling round robin, and giveaways of digital swag bags and books. Can’t wait!
I’m also in the early stages of planning another writing workshop fundraiser for Survivors’ Network. More details tbc.
The Brontës’ House
I made another literary pilgrimage last weekend, this time to the Brontës’ house in Haworth. Here are some pictures.
A lot of writing happened at this tableThe outside of the house
Haworth is built on a steep hill. The village extends down, down, down. It’s full of beautiful old stone buildings and plaques celebrating every Brontë-related thing you can think of.
The Cabinet of Curiosities is where Branwell Brontë used to buy his addictive drugs. I’m not even joking. Now it’s full of “apothecary”-type souvenirs.The town with its main road down
I looked for wild moors and found, well, sheep.
I hope you enjoy the Haworth pics, and if you’re within traveling distance, it’s worth a visit!
A few people may get lucky in the writing world. For most of us who look successful, good luck and bad luck whirl around in a sort of tango.
In 2021, a small press called Lost Fox Publishing published my short story collection, Dream Signs. They were a nice team and presented the book with a beautiful cover (thanks to Rob Chandler for the design).
Shortly after publication, Lost Fox closed. The other book I’d contracted with them is still sitting, unpublished, on my computer. Dream Signs, for a while, was nearly unavailable, with just a few copies online and on my shelf at home.
Now, I’m delighted to say that Dream Signs is back! I’ve published a second edition of the collection, which I read from last Friday at Strong Women, Strange Worlds’ QuickReads event. You can pick up an ebook or paperback copy here. Feel free to share – my book is available again, and hopefully will find new readers!
Anthologies and Events
I’ve had a bunch of publications at once. First, the e-books from the world folklore anthology Whispers in the Earth have been sent out to people who pledged in the Kickstarter. Below is Gabriela Houston’s beautiful linocut illustration for my story, “Ghost Ships Passing in the Night.” There’s an illustration for every story, and the book looks gorgeous. The hard copies will ship in December!
Second, my poem “Directions to the Underworld” has been published in Augur magazine, issue 7.2. You can read a few of the pieces (though not my poem) or get your copy here.
Third, my short story “Picking Hazelnuts with the Devil,” inspired by British tree folklore, has been published in the Brighton NightWriters anthology Echoes of Light. You can purchase a copy here, and there will be a launch party in Brighton on November 1.
I’ve had an exciting weekend of writing events, reading with Strong Women, Strange Worlds on Friday. Check out their events here, featuring women and nonbinary writers of speculative fiction! They include book giveaways and are always fabulous.
Saturday was the local Creative Writing workshop I hosted as a fundraiser for Survivors’ Network, supporting survivors of sexual violence and abuse in Sussex. We had a lively and engaged group participating in writing exercises and sharing best practices for getting that project started or finished. I loved doing the workshop and learned from everyone there. Thanks for coming, and for supporting a good cause! East Brighton Trust, the CIC that provided space for us, will post more about the event this week, and I’ll share their photos and blog on social media.
Now I’m catching my breath and basking in the quiet. Here are my intentions for October – a slower, more reflective time to do deep work on projects.
October is cozy. This month, I'll get things done slowly. October is pumpkins, coffee, and wine. October is easy, and everything's fine.
Recently, a few people have asked me “how I get so much done.” I may have thought guiltily about all the hobbies I’ve tried and abandoned, and the animal videos I’ve watched while procrastinating. But I seem to get things done regardless.
Here are my very personal productivity practices. They may or may not work for you.
I’ll start by acknowledging that much of how I get things done ties in to privilege. I’m lucky to work from home, which saves me the time and expense of commuting, and I’ve negotiated a schedule of compressed hours which gives me an extra day to write. I don’t have the level of responsibilities that many people do (I’m not a parent, I don’t have pets, I’m currently financially solvent and in good health, etc.). I also have a brain and temperament that focus well.
Along with the fact that I’m lucky in many ways, some of how I get things done comes from effort, and the trial and error of finding techniques that work for me. I’ve put a lot of work into improving in this area, especially in recent years. Here are 7 practices that have helped me.
Knowing my counterproductive tendencies
Studying the Enneagram personality typology helped me identify key things I struggled with again and again. Knowing about them made it easier to identify when I was getting in my own way and make different choices (well, at least some of the time).
It’s easy for me to get stuck in my feelings. I’m not someone who can set emotions aside to produce; I’ve learned instead to allow for them without giving them complete control. Knowing this helped me recognize when I’m overly invested in a feeling and question it – as it turns out, feelings aren’t facts or accurate predictors, and they don’t need to dictate behavior.
Choosing my trade-offs
Much of how most of us spend our time is dictated by needs (such as food and housing), but some of it is down to choices. Time and energy are finite, so I’m mindful of what I spend them on.
Just as I’m more likely to spend money on travel than clothes, I spend time on writing that some people might spend on other activities, and I’ve looked for ways to create that time. I used to freelance (on top of my job) and have taken a break this year to focus on writing projects, which means I’ve had less income but made more creative progress.
Scheduling what I prioritize
When I decided to trade freelance time for writing time, I set a weekly schedule and put it on my calendar. It’s amazing how much time life admin takes when you don’t have the things you want to do on the calendar – and how easy it is to never do the things you want to do. However, now that I have my writing hours, other tasks are not allowed to intrude on them.
Not doing things I don’t want OR need to do
Am I perfect at this one? Ha – no. But when I started tracking my writing time, I was surprised at how many things I was doing that I didn’t really want to do and I didn’t need to do, either. Some of these were time-wasters and procrastination. Others were activities I thought I should be doing, or things I thought would be fun which I did for a while, stopped (because they weren’t that fun), and felt guilty about.
More often, now, I ask myself if I want or need to do things before starting. I still feel guilty sometimes about things I’m not doing, but I can recognize that they aren’t priorities.
Conversely, I plan things I enjoy. This past weekend, I visited Monk’s House, Virginia and Leonard Woolf’s country home. Here are a couple of pictures from it (above and below).
Cultivating self-care habits
Self-care – what a buzzword! Are we talking bubble baths? Not necessarily. For me, self-care involves tending to basic needs. I’ve put time and work into creating habits that take care of these needs: weekly cleaning, batch cooking, exercise, regular sleep (exercise helps a lot with this), and social activities. I focused on creating habits one at a time over long periods, rather than overwhelming myself by attempting a bunch of things at once. Again, I’m imperfect and flexible on these things, but it helps to have some baseline habits built up that support my well-being.
Also important: pacing myself and watching my mental health. If I’m low on energy, I scale back my schedule and prioritize rest. It’s more productive in the long run.
Setting a deadline before the real deadline
I use this one a lot in my professional life, when I manage writing contributions from others. I make sure the deadline they’re given allows for a lot of lead time, and I give reminders. I leave room in the schedule for emergencies, because they do arise. If something is late, I’ve created a window for it to move into production by the time it’s needed.
I act similarly with myself, doing what I can to get projects over the line before necessary. This has been a huge improvement for someone who used to finish at the last minute (and sometimes not do the thing at all).
Rewarding myself
This is the fun one! When I do well at a significant task or get something big done, I take time to appreciate the effort and reward myself for it. Knowing that there’s a light (or maybe a slice of cake) at the end of the tunnel motivates me to finish projects that may feel like a slog when I’m doing them.
I find it difficult to feel good about putting effort into things unless they result in real world success. Often, projects don’t, but they certainly won’t get results if I don’t put in the effort in the first place. Rewards help because they’re tangible and within my control. They make it easier to value and feel positive about my hard work, whatever the result.
Rewards vary, since they have to feel rewarding for me at the time. Earlier this year, I bought a cookbook. Recently, I took a day to do nothing (on purpose).
So, for those who are curious, these are my personal best practices for getting things done. They may or may not work for your circumstances, brain wiring, and priorities. If some of this is helpful to someone else, then it will be worth the time I spent writing this post. 🙂
I’m back from another busy weekend, in London this time. It was my first time attending an event from Jericho Writers, which offers writing conferences and courses in the UK. I went to the weekend-long London Festival of Writing.
If you’ve been to a conference, you know a bit of what to expect: talks, buffet lines, networking. This one stood out because it featured a writing competition and a chance to meet one on one with literary agents.
On Saturday morning, I arrived to this view of the Tower of London flanked by shining modern towers looming over the Thames.
The keynote was delivered by bestselling crime novelist Vaseem Khan, who spoke about the “ingredients” that make a bestseller and shared his journey. He found success after working in India and writing about a setting that was fresh and unique for his audience. He also researched and created videos and a PDF guide about writing cultural diversity in fiction, which may interest some of you.
I met with two literary agents who had reviewed my query package and offered valuable feedback on what’s working well and what to improve. The first evening ended with a gala dinner and a competition called Friday Night Live (but on Saturday), where the finalists read the opening scenes of their novels to the room and attendees voted to choose a winner. Agents gave each finalist brief feedback onstage, and a few of them wanted to see the rest of the manuscript.
I attended sessions on crafting effective opening chapters in fantasy and science fiction, self-editing your novel, writing for children, juggling writing and a day job, and more.
Here’s some of my favorite advice from them.
Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson’s advice on opening chapters included moving from the norm of the world to the change that happens in it, identifying what the character stands to lose or gain (and there are effective stories where a protagonist starts off with little left to lose!), and planning your character’s emotional arc. I picked up a copy of her epic science fantasy novel, The Principle of Moments, and can’t wait to read it!
Holly Seddon’s talk on the writer/day job juggle offered practical tips for managing your time when working in both capacities. She encouraged us to think of ourselves as fitting our job around writing, rather than vice versa. My favorite ideas include finding ways to write in available slots of time (write on your phone, think about your story, etc.), making sure to schedule time for rest, and dividing your word count by available days to give yourself a deadline. Holly and fellow author Gillian McAllister have a fun and insightful podcast called the Honest Authors’ Podcast, which I’d recommend if you’re looking for something new to listen to.
Children’s author Eve Ainsworth offered a warm-hearted talk on writing for young readers. Write what you know, she advised; write what you love; and write what you want to see more of, whether it be a social issue or a niche topic of interest. For children, it’s often characters that grab and hold their attention. Eve sent off her first submission to Penguin at age 7 and it actually went into an acquisition meeting(!), though it took her many more years to find a path to publication. Keep writing, she encouraged us, and keep reading.
Marve Michael Anson, who has a forthcoming epic fantasy trilogy inspired by her Yoruba culture, gave a fantastic workshop on fantasy and science fiction worldbuilding with a long list of questions to think about: your world’s cosmology and metaphysics, ecology and biology, culture, the consequences of any changes you make, and more. We did an exercise using a picture as a springboard for making up a world, and found that our ideas were all different. Keep that in mind if you’re worried about someone “stealing your idea,” or about your concept being derivative.
Marve also gave the closing keynote along with her agent, Kesia Lupo. Hers is the kind of success story that rarely happens but can be inspiring to hear about. She attended several Jericho events over the years and was in the running for some of the awards. After self-publishing a thriller, she found an agent for her fantasy novel and got a 6-figure, 3-book deal!
The payments for these deals are spread out over the years, so it’s not as huge of a pot of money up front as it sounds, but her whole story is epic, with the acquiring editor going from “I love it and will take it to the meeting” to an offer of that scale in 48 hours. Her book is called Firstborn of the Sun and I hope to attend the launch event this fall, which will be a big Yoruba-style party.
I was impressed with my first taste of Jericho Writers’ offerings. They’re practical, business minded, and encouraging. Being published put me in a minority among attendees, but the prevailing feeling was that many others can and will get there. In this challenging industry, it’s wonderful not only to hear that message of “You can do it!” but to see hundreds of people coming together to help and support emerging writers in getting there.
I’ve been busy this month updating my website and social media. It’s a work in progress, to be sure, but it seemed like time to move on from the old “Inspire Envisioning” business name.
I’ve started a Substack newsletter, with a free story for subscribers: https://melaniebellwrites.substack.com/ I’m currently on a writing retreat in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, which is amazing, and I’m writing about it on Substack.
I’m thrilled to have a story in an illustrated world folklore anthology coming out later this year! Whispers in the Earth: World Folklore Reimagined had a Kickstarter go up just a couple days ago, and amazingly, IT’S ALREADY FUNDED! It’s happening! Now we’re onto the stretch goals, which will make it possible for us writers to get paid.
The Kickstarter page is here, and below is more information about this beautiful book that I’m proud to be part of.
Whispers in the Earth: World Folklore Reimagined is a collection of 20 short stories inspired by myths and legends from around the world.
Hand-printed linocut illustrations by Gabriela Houston breathe life into every fantastical world with a unique work of art, carved into lino, inked and printed by hand.
Kickstarter perks range from a stunning super-deluxe edition to affordable paperbacks and ebooks, so there’s a tier for every budget. Plus, exclusive limited-edition original prints are available for the true folklore fanatics.
This project began with a single linocut and a spark of inspiration. Now, it’s a collaboration of passionate storytellers and artists, brought to life by Broken Binding, a cool indie bookshop.
The anthology is illustrated throughout with linocut prints, with the print editions additionally benefitting from rich margin decorations.
Contributors include #1 Sunday Times Bestselling author Eliza Chan, bestselling author of The Witch’s Heart Genevieve Gornichec, Tweets from Tahrir co-editor Nadia Idle, and more.
My Prince Edward Island ghost ship tale is in the collection, along with stories of Anansi, dragons, ancient Egyptian gods.
Folklore changes and adapts. As people travel, so do their stories, taking on new meanings and blending with other traditions. With a diverse group of authors, we explore how folktales grow and mix in our globalized world.
The anthology’s editor and illustrator, Gabriela Houston, shares how and why the project came to be in an interview on The Silent Reviewer blog.
Here’s the replay of our virtual launch event where you can listen to contributors’ thoughts on the value of ancient stories in a modern world.
Please pledge and share if you can! I’ve ordered a deluxe hardback with sprayed edges, and if you like gorgeous special edition books, you can too. 😊
I’m back from my songwriting retreat in the Peak District, where I spent a week in a converted barn in the countryside with a group of musicians and our facilitator, Murray Webster, who arranged daily activities and masterminded the whole thing.
There was a lot of talent in that one living space! Guitar chords rang out, piano melodies took shape, and voices harmonized. We had an eclectic mix of genres, instruments, and areas of expertise as well as experience levels.
Each morning, we were given a brief to work on for the day, with a short introduction to the theory behind it. These mostly took collaborative forms. One day, each of us wrote a title, lyrics to someone else’s title, and music for someone else’s lyrics. Another day, we worked in trios to create a minor key tune.
We performed our pieces in the late afternoon and had songshares in the evenings, going around the circle and performing songs we’d written. We cooked and cleaned together, took country walks, nighttime walks to a pond full of toads, and outings to nearby villages.
The saddest part of the retreat was when one participant had to leave on the first day due to a pet’s death. She was a harpist and had brought a stunning instrument with her, only to pack it up and drive back to Glasgow in her malfunctioning truck.
While not perfect, on the whole, the group was surprisingly harmonious – kind of like our tunes. It helped that we all wanted to be there.
I wrote a lot and got some useful pointers on my rudimentary guitar playing. I also decided to let go of a project I’d been certain I would do for the past few years. At least in the iteration I had in mind, it was no longer the right thing at the right time.
I’m now collaborating on some songs with one of the other participants. And I found a second-hand alto saxophone in a local shop, a beautiful instrument with a black body and flower design. It’s an instrument I used to play but had never owned. Stay tuned – it may show up on a track at some point!
In other news, the draft recording of my short radio drama is done, featuring original music and an eclectic mix of accents, and one of my short stories was accepted for an illustrated folklore anthology coming out in the autumn. I can’t wait to share both of these with you!
In September 2021, I took a songwriting course with London Songwriters. Later this month, I’ll be joining facilitator Murray Webster and other songwriters for a retreat in the Peak District.
I’ve enjoyed making up songs since childhood, though not with the same intensity as I’ve pursued other types of writing. I look forward to making new connections, building skills, and enjoying some time in the countryside.
During my university days, I wrote a song I was quite proud of, inspired by Neil Postman’s book Technopoly. I’d like to think I’ve learned a few things since then, but the theme of technology and the value of the human experience (emotions, relationships) remains relevant. I’m sharing it below, with guitar chords (they remain the same across verses unless indicated otherwise), in anticipation of writing new music soon. Enjoy!
The Technopoly Song
Dmin C Forward turns the lever G Onward grinds the mill Dmin C And this earth we stand on G Follows where they will A Emin Jehovah’s chained by numbers A Emin That practice to deceive A Emin In this world of aimless masters A Emin Tell me, what can we believe?
Chorus:
Bmin F#min They say all roads will lead to Rome Emin D (A) Where is the path that guides us home? Bmin F#min Industryscapes where even love is mechanized Emin D (A) Is there a battle burning there behind your eyes? Bmin F#min Emin You take a step, beat steadying calls on certain drum Emin F#min Bmin Sing, will the sunrise in the city ever come?
We’ve been searching for our bearings While money paves the street Living as automatons With strings pulled at our feet We’ve harvested the oil wells We’ve ravaged all the wood Built a kingdom up of skyscrapers Just because we could
Chorus
Our legends have no heroes Disaster’s been foretold Schumacher held a candle While the masses mined for gold But in the bonds of boxes Searching eyes began to blink And in the halls of bars and malls Our souls began to think
Chorus
Take a moment to remember Surrender your control Your neighbours have begun to See, they are growing whole As we take time to breathe, to listen Bonds of friendship will grow tall Regaining what we’ve thought was lost, Maybe never lost at all.
They say all roads will lead to Rome, We walk the path that guides us home Knowing true love never can be mechanized Can’t you feel the passion blazing in our eyes? Take up the drumbeat, hand in hand, one by one Over the city can’t you see the rising sun?
They say all roads will lead to Rome, We walk the path that guides us home Knowing true love never can be mechanized Oh can’t you feel the passion blazing in our eyes? Take up the drumbeat, hand in hand, come everyone Emin Over the city can’t you see Emin Over the city can’t you see City, can’t you see the rising sun?
Advances in artificial intelligence have been key technological developments in 2023. And I’ve been fortunate to be involved in the action in my own small ways.
Mind Tools, the workplace learning company I work for, launched an innovative product called AI Conversations in collaboration with Learning Pool last year. AI Conversations allows managers to practice having difficult workplace conversations with realistic AI-generated “employees” and receive feedback on ways to improve their skills.
I was one of the team who created the characters and prompted ChatGPT to act out one of the scenarios. It reminded me of crafting characters and writing scenes for plays. I laid out parameters for the AI technology and it performed a bit like an actor would, making its own contributions.
It was an exciting skill to learn! I wrote about it in depth on Mind Tools’ blog, including the scenarios our team picked and the steps we went through to get from concept to product.
And I was delighted to see this Mind Tools – Learning Pool collaboration receive Silver in two categories of the Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Awards 2023: “Best Advance in Emerging Learning Technology’ and ‘Best Advance in AI and Machine Learning.”
AI is a topic that I, like many of us, have had a casual interest and curiosity about long before its current, fast-growing iterations.
One of the stories in my short story collection, Dream Signs, was about an AI program who was sentient and regarded his programmer as “Mom” – but she didn’t know about any of that, or about the work that he explored independently. Cue the misunderstandings!
I’m delighted to have that story, “Like Mother, Like Son,” included in a new anthology! House of Zolo’s Journal of Speculative Literature, Vol. 4 is the AI Edition, collecting short stories from 22 writers about the many things that artificial intelligence can mean and where it might be going.
“Siri and Alexa write each other love letters…
An AI Nanny is programmed to protect the children at all costs…
An Artificial Intelligence navigates an ocean of data in search of freedom…
A space explorer accidentally merges with their sentient ship…
A young man ponders his existence in a world where human-made art is forbidden…
As Artificial Intelligence becomes more and more embedded in our world, writers are speculating on what this could all mean for humanity. House of Zolo’s Journal of Speculative Literature Volume 4 offers readers incredible visions of what our future might look like. From capitalist dystopias to new definitions of love, the writers in this volume deftly examine the impact of Artificial Intelligence on our world, our technology, and on our relationships. Curated and edited by Erika Steeves and Nihls Andersen, this collection shows us the many ways that Artificial Intelligence reflects humanity back to us.”
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