Kirsten MacQuarrie
Feb 9, 20184 min read
All that glitters: writing for a post-prize world
One month in, this year has so far been a strong one in terms of novel writing. I've managed to carve out space for a small writing...
Kirsten MacQuarrie
Dec 24, 201710 min read
Christmas Eve: A Short Story
The stolen coins in her pocket sit awkwardly against her hipbone. Kit feels their bulk at her side with every step she takes: their...
Kirsten
Dec 10, 20173 min read
It's beginning to look a lot like ... the last blog post of 2017!
A short and sweet post this time - perfect (I hope!) for the festive season! I'd like to start by saying a huge thank you to everyone who...
Kirsten (with guest blogger Sara McQueen)
Nov 30, 20178 min read
Feel the Fear and Write it Anyway: Addressing Anxiety in Fiction
Anxiety has been a feature of several periods throughout my life, and I’m not alone. Studies report that anxiety disorders (an umbrella...
Glasgow Gallerina
Nov 6, 20174 min read
Thinking Creatively about Creativity (with a little help from Hamilton!)
To quote Hamilton – a musical I have listened to on loop to such an extent that my collie Gypsy now barks along in tune! – ‘every...
Glasgow Gallerina
Oct 20, 20174 min read
Thimbles of Bravery: Art, Animals and the Act of Creating Character
One of my favourite modern works of fiction is The Goldfinch, a Pulitzer Prize winning novel written by Donna Tartt. With art and animals...
Glasgow Gallerina
Sep 4, 20173 min read
The Pentimenti Project!
‘Where the story goes today is up to you’ ... I wrote this line yesterday on a sign next to my novel-in-progress notebook, sitting on a...