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Having an Audience

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Writing is profiled as a solitary exercise. It’s the toiling labour of the lonely few, at the desk in front of a piece of paper or a glowing screen. Some … Continued

The Comfort Zone

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The eleventh issue of page seventeen is starting to take form, slowly but surely. But I wouldn’t be a head editor of a collection without airing some gripe from the … Continued

Role of the Editor: Part I

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Lots of authors have misconceptions about the role of an editor. This can lead to issues when an author thinks an editor hasn’t fulfilled one (or more) of their duties … Continued

The Three Profiles of Fiction

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In an earlier post, ‘No Offence?’ I touched on the idea of certain modes of storytelling, and how important the ‘profile’ of certain content can be to determining its effectiveness … Continued

Unnecessary Shortcuts

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As writers, we are warned not to use clichés in our writing. Clichés are overused phrases which no longer have any real meaning. When Gloria left me, she broke my … Continued

Keep the Faith

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As we speak, page seventeen is digesting the submissions that have come its way between April and June. Hundreds of meaty short stories. Scores of spicy poems. The reading process … Continued

Dialogue

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Something a lot of us struggle with is writing dialogue, even though talking is a necessity of our everyday lives and we’re subjected to constant chatter from one person or … Continued