Rae of Light

As promised, here is the first of my writing about writing posts.  I believe I said we'd be starting with Setting.  So here goes. When I was 15, my very first novella was set on a farm in South Africa.  The reason for this was the characters felt as though that was where they wanted to be.  Perhaps there was also an element of my own desire to be in that particular landscape.  I’ve never lived on a farm but was lucky enough to know people who did and had watched an abundance of Little House on The Prairie .  Young and naïve as I was at this writing lark, I thought that was all I needed to know. Now however I never think too much about where I set my writing.  But countries, cities and particular areas I visit, work and play in, always predominate. During my university days and for a while after, I studied and lived in Manchester and its surrounding areas.  So I have a great fondness for tit North.  It will come as no surprise ...

Recently, perhaps because I’ve been rewriting as well as editing, it's set me thinking about various aspects of my writing.   Why do I write the characters I do?   What prompts my choice of setting?   Do certain themes reoccur? Being the opportunistic blogger I am, I realised this would make a series of posts.  So am currently working my way through all of the above. It has been a fascinating process for me, this analysis of my own writing.  Rewriting has made me aware of how much my writing has evolved.  I’m pleased to note this change and am immensely proud of myself for struggling through unemployment and sticking by my conviction to write. But more than anything, I’m grateful beyond words to the friends and family who have stood by me and encouraged me every step of the way.  Knowing I have their unfailing support is what makes this even easier for me to do. The programme of posts about writ...

Chantelle Atkins   was born and raised in Dorset, England and still resides there now with her husband, four children and multiple pets. She is addicted to both reading and music, and is on a mission to become as self-sufficient as possible. She writes for both the young adult and adult genres. Her fiction is described as gritty, edgy and compelling. Her debut Young Adult novel The Mess Of Me deals with eating disorders, self-harm, fractured families and first love.  Her second novel, The Boy With The Thorn In His Side follows the musical journey of a young boy attempting to escape his brutal home life. She is also the author of This Is Nowhere and This Is The Day.  Her next release will be a short story collection related to her novels, followed by the YA dysopian novel The Tree Of Rebels. She also runs Chasing Driftwood Writing Group, providing creative writing workshops for adults and children.  I love where I live because I have the bes...