Simon Wright's Writing Resource Zone

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Basic Information about Me

Writing is always been something that I have enjoyed doing and aspired to achieving success at. One of the difficulties that many writers face is gaining access to a range of useful writing resources, so the purpose of my Helium zone is to provide a little bit of assistance in this regard, based upon my personal experience.

I guess it's worth briefly outlining a few of my writing achievements, to add some credence to why I should feel qualified to offer writing guidance. Perhaps my principal achievement, to date, has come in the field of writing comedy sketches. I have had sketches performed at venues in Scotland. Additionally, in conjunction with a writer friend, I also staged two comedy shows under the banner of Wright side of the Moone.

Away from comedy, I have also built up a large portfolio of articles, written across a wide range of topics. The majority of these articles have been written for Helium, where I have also been a steward for the Personal Finance section. I have sold a number of articles to Marketplace publishers via Helium, and additionally have been commissioned to write articles for other publications.

As well as comedy sketches and articles, I have also tried my hand at poetry, short stories and novel writing and have had poems and short stories published.

I hope that you will find my zone useful and fun.

What I Like to Write About

The themes that I write on differ greatly depending on the type of writing that I am doing. With regards to Helium articles, my main areas of contribution have been personal finance (which is my vocational area of expertise), sports (one of my main passions) and the art of writing. When I write comedy, the topic could end up being anything; it's usually just a case of observing something that perhaps is slightly odd or worthy of comment that I feel can be ripe for a bit of comedic treatment. My short stories tend to be in the fantasy, sci fi or horror genres and the first full novel that I've written is a vampire novel!

I enjoy writing on things that I am knowledgeable and passionate about, however it can also be fun sometimes to take on the challenge of researching and writing on a topic that I have less familiarity with.

 

Maximising your writing potential:

  • Whether you aspire to being the next Philip Pullman or just want to be able to write better reports at work, then hopefully the tips provided in this article will be a good starting point.
  • We've all been there. You're sitting at your computer staring at a blank screen. No matter how hard you try, you just don't seem able to get any flow of words going. Here are some tips to reignite your creative juices.
  • Not all writing is concerned with creating novels or short stories. Sometimes you may find yourself having to interview someone and then write up the notes into a compelling article. If you're new to this discipline, then here are some tips that may help.
  • Does there come a point when it's best to give up on a writing project or to give up on writing entirely?
  • Good writing isn't just important for the budding novelist or aspiring journalist. It's also something that can make a difference for students, at school or college, who are faced with the task of writing an essay. Whilst knowledge of the subject matter is important, to really maximise your marks you need to have mastered the art of writing essays.
  • The best novels often have a ring of authenticity that comes from the writer having melded his or her personal experience with a good dollop of imagination. This article explores how you too can make the most of your personal experience to augment your novel.
  • You want to take that next step as a writer and are aware that, to do this, you will need to promote yourself and your writing. This article looks at the importance of branding and dispels the common misconception that branding is just about logos and your brand name.
  • Dialogue is a key part of writing a novel or short story. It can help to bring your story and characters to life. However, it is an aspect of writing that some writers find difficult, so here are some hints and tips to ensure that your dialogue is effective.
  • They say that everyone has a novel in them but the challenge is often to get that novel out of you and down onto paper! Here, then, are some steps that can help you to get started on your long planned novel.
  • Ask this question to most profesional authors and the chances are that they will come down on the side of effort. In this article, I explain why this is the case.
  • If there's one thing likely to cause a writer to break into a panicked sweat, it's the prospect of having to write a love scene! Indeed, there have been many excellent writers who have committed embarrassing atrocities in this regard but maybe they wouldn't have if they'd checked out this guide on how to write a romantic fictional love scene.

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Comedy Sketches

  • I wrote my first comedy sketch after watching a comedy sketch show and had it accepted for the next staging of the same show. Drawing on my experience, I provide tips on how to write that perfect comedy sketch.
  • This article's aimed at people who have built up a portfolio of comedy sketches. Maybe the time's come when you want to stage your own show. It could be the perfect way to showcase your talents and it can be great fun too. (By the way, the photo featured in this section is from the second comedy show that I staged in conjunction with a writer friend, John Mooney. The show went under the banner of Wright side of the Moone)
  • One of the challenges for comedy sketch writers is how to make each character stand out from their peers. This article explores how writers can achieve this to enhance the appeal of their sketch.

Simon Wright's Helium AboutMe Page

  • My Helium AboutMe page is where you can get more information about me and links to additional articles that I've written.

Showing Comments 1 to 1 of 1

Ruth Belena
Posted on: May 29, 09 at 01:37 PM
It's good to see some useful writing resources on your zone. Congratulations on your comedy sketch writing success and thanks for sharing your experiences.

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