Aliventures is on Hiatus Until Late October

The redesign is now underway. Please bear with me! In case you’re wondering: I’m not having another baby! But for some time now, I’ve been thinking about giving the Aliventures blog a bit of a revamp (and hat-tip to Charlie Gilkey for encouraging me on this). So, I won’t be posting over the next six (or so) weeks, while I:

• Finalise the new logo
• Get the new theme (the “look” of the blog) in place
• Reorganise things so it’s easier for old-timers and new readers to find their way around
• Get ahead with posts so that I can give you something new on a weekly basis

If there’s something you’d love to see – or love to not see – on the new site, just drop a comment below or email me, ali@aliventures.com.

Writers’ Huddle: Quiet Re-Opening

I’ll be opening up the Writers’ Huddle doors in a couple of weeks, so that new members can join in time to take our brand new seven-week ecourse, Launching Your Freelancing Career, along with existing members. However, unlike past openings, I won’t be posting here on the Aliventures blog about it, and I won’t be guest posting on other writing-related blogs either. So stay tuned on Twitter or Facebook, or make sure you’re getting the Aliventures newsletter, so you don’t miss out.

While I’m Away…

If you’re keen for something to read, check out one of these older posts on Aliventures: Are Your Writing Dreams Unrealistic? While some writers do have unrealistic and unreasonable expectations, most don’t. In this post, I contrast “realistic” and “unrealistic” dreams (and, hopefully, you’ll feel encouraged about your chances of achieving yours). Can You Call Yourself a “Writer” if You’re Not Currently Writing? This one feels rather apt for me at the moment, when I’m not blogging here at least! If, like me, you’ve taken a break from writing, you’re still a writer … and here’s why. The Three Stages of Editing (and Nine Handy Do-it-Yourself Tips) Whether you’re editing a blog post or a novel, simply starting at the first word and fixing every spelling mistake as you go along isn’t going to be an efficient way to work. Here, I explain the three stages of editing, offering tips to help you with each. 7 Ways to Write Better Blog Posts (Plus Seven Bonus Links) If you feel your blog posts could be stronger and more effective, check out these tips, and try putting one or two into practice this week. For each tip, I’ve included a link to (and brief summary of) an extra resource that can help you. Choosing the Right Viewpoint and Tense for Your Fiction (With Examples) Should you write in first-person, third-person, or even second-person? And should you tell your story in the past or present tense? In this post, I run through your options, and give you examples of each in practice. Happy reading and happy writing! I’ll be back in late October or early November with a brand new version of the Aliventures blog for you, covering the art, craft, and business of writing.