The reason I've been commenting on fashion - and various other ridiculous moments in life and not mumbling on about writing is cos I haven't been doing a whole heap of writing lately.

First draft of the novel is complete - and I'm putting off getting back to a full re-reading and editting session. I'm kidding myself that it's because I need the distance. I do need the distance.

On the short story front I've got two stories that have been needing a re-write for I don't know how long. But I seem stalled there too. Let's blame long work hours and overall fatigue for that.

Another thing I suspect about my writing is that if I'm not reading lots and regularly my own creative well tends to run a little dry. It's almost like I forget how to write. If I'm ready regularly I get inspired by the smallest of things. A nice word, a lovely turn of phrase, a clever plot turn or nicely penned character.

Often when I'm in the middle of something, if I get lost in how to express myself I'll rush to the bookshelf and find a book and scan through it until I see how that author punctuated a linked piece of dialouge, or how they described something. Then my mind goes 'ah... that's how it's done' and I take up again.

Things of Beauty - which has received some nice feedback - I wrote after reading China Mieville's (sorry about the spelling) Iron Council. It was a book which I didn't always enjoy - but threw language and ideas around in a way that I hadn't read before. My own story is nothing like China's work - but is inspired by the way he played with language.

So when I run to the bookshelf - I'm not looking to copy - I'm hunting for words that connect, or grammar or something.

So I've bought a few new books and I'll spend this weekend charging my creative batteries up again and see what comes.