It drives me crazy when I hear writers discuss the strict writing regimen they must follow to get the job done. Many authors talk about writing as though it’s a job where you can clock on in the morning, then clock off in the afternoon having written many thousands of words.

I’ve got a lot of literary balls up in the air at the moment! The dilemma I find myself facing is that I’m only focusing on one of those balls…

I’m not a high-tech writer. I don’t use Evernote or OneNote. I don’t even insist on a top-notch fountain pen – any old ballpoint will do. However, there are six essential tools I need to be an author.

I often use my morning walk with Mick (my dog) to plot my novels, plan scenes and rehearse dialogue in my head. This morning I found myself in deep and delightful discourse with two of the characters from The Lark’s Call.