Tag: monday

The First Story You Finish Will Change You – Celebrating the Importance of Finishing, Not Perfection

~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

Every writer has scraps of stories lying around. Half-started drafts, notebooks full of beginnings, that one chapter you wrote years ago that you still kind of like. I’ve got folders of the stuff. Ideas that caught fire for a few days and then fizzled. Stories that seemed like the best thing I’d ever come up … Continue reading The First Story You Finish Will Change You – Celebrating the Importance of Finishing, Not Perfection

Digging Deeper: Research Beyond the University Walls

~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

Research at University: The Foundations When I think about research at university, I picture myself surrounded by open books and tabs of academic databases, scribbling notes in the margins of articles while glancing at the clock to make sure I stay on track. The goals are usually clear and structured: find a handful of reliable … Continue reading Digging Deeper: Research Beyond the University Walls

What It Feels Like to Kill a Story That Wasn’t Working – The Graveyard of Drafts

~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

Every writer has a graveyard. It might be a drawer, a folder, or a hard drive, stuffed with stories that didn’t make it. Some sputtered out after a promising start, full of energy but unable to sustain themselves. Others ballooned into sprawling, unmanageable forms, leaving me tangled in their ambitions. And a few simply refused … Continue reading What It Feels Like to Kill a Story That Wasn’t Working – The Graveyard of Drafts

Why I Keep Coming Back to Horror – A Personal Essay on Horror and What Draws Me to Unsettling Stories

~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

Horror is a genre I cannot seem to leave behind. I might stray into other territories—comedy, science fiction, even the odd experimental piece—but horror always remains the gravitational centre of my writing. It pulls me back, again and again, in a way that feels almost inevitable, as though some invisible force constantly tugs at my … Continue reading Why I Keep Coming Back to Horror – A Personal Essay on Horror and What Draws Me to Unsettling Stories

The Art of Writing Without Overthinking: Discovery Writing and Trusting Your Instincts

~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

There’s a particular kind of paralysis that creeps in when you stare at a blank page for too long. You’ve got the idea. You’ve got the characters (or at least a whisper of them). You’ve got the mood, the spark, the itch to write. But then your brain, ever so kindly, decides to intervene: “Hang … Continue reading The Art of Writing Without Overthinking: Discovery Writing and Trusting Your Instincts

Time For….

~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

I’m not quite sure how to begin this post, because in all honesty, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that it’s done. Four years. Dozens of essays. Hundreds of books. Early mornings. Long days. Countless cups of coffee. More than a few existential crises. And now, it’s over. I’ve officially finished … Continue reading Time For….

Final Stretch: Reflections on My Creative Writing and English Literature Degree

~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

I can’t quite believe I’m writing this, but here I am: in the final few weeks of my Creative Writing and English Literature BA. It’s a strange mixture of emotions—excitement, dread, exhaustion, pride. The kind of cocktail you only really get at this time of year when the finish line is in sight, but there’s … Continue reading Final Stretch: Reflections on My Creative Writing and English Literature Degree

Get Ready for a Shock: ARC Sign-Ups for Short Sharp Shock Are Now Live!

~ Gareth Ellis ~ Leave a comment

The moment I've been waiting for (and nervously anticipating) has finally arrived – sign-ups are officially open for ARC copies of Short Sharp Shock! It’s surreal to be this close to sharing my collection of horror stories with the world, and I’m excited to offer a sneak peek to readers who crave chilling tales and … Continue reading Get Ready for a Shock: ARC Sign-Ups for Short Sharp Shock Are Now Live!