Longform
Thoughts on #RIPTwitter
Twitter should stop throwing stuff at the wall to see if anything sticks, and instead focus on its true identity – and its core users. I’ve been a member of Twitter (@alex_roddie) since 2009. I didn’t really get it until at least 2012, but my following slowly grew.
On writing a trilogy, by Gordon Bickerstaff
An article on writing a trilogy by Gordon Bickerstaff, thriller writer. This article was originally published on the Pinnacle Editorial blog in February 2015. Today I’d like to welcome author Gordon Bickerstaff to the Pinnacle Blog. Gordon is a writer of thrillers, and it’s been my pleasure to
Reading habits in 2016 and beyond
Only a few years ago, physical bookstores were declining and it seemed the dominance of e-books was inevitable. Yet now there are signs that this trend is stalling. Is this really true, and if so, what does it mean? The revolution so far Let’s cast our minds back four
Writing effective dialogue in fiction
As an editor, I’ve seen all kinds of dialogue in fiction: poor, excellent, and every possible grade in between. In this article I’m going to give you some basic tools to improve your dialogue. I think that writers who develop great characters write better dialogue, and that’s
Starting from zero
Several times in my life, I’ve had to trim my possessions down to an absolute minimum in preparation for a move. At first this was terrifying, but I gradually began to see it as a uniquely freeing process – and even came to look forward to it. I’ve never
The photos you’ll never look at again
Twenty-five thousand. That’s how many photos I had sitting in a folder on my hard disk. Recently I set myself the task of getting my photo collection in order, and I learned some surprising things. Back in the nineties, the bottom drawer in my bedroom was where I stored
A Blizzard on Ben Nevis
No rational person would choose to seal themselves in a nylon bag halfway up Ben Nevis, for ten hours, in a blizzard – but, for reasons which still aren’t entirely clear to me, that’s exactly what I found myself doing on the 27th of November, 2008. The night before
Review: Grisport Peaklander hiking boots
I’ve had a pair of Grisport Peaklander leather walking boots on test for the last few weeks. I recorded my first impressions back in early October, but I’m now ready to share my full review. Read on for the details! Basic facts * Weight: 1.12kg per pair (size
Lightening the winter load: ice axe and crampons for lightweight backpacking
For years, I’ve used heavy and relatively technical winter mountaineering equipment. But my needs are different now, and I’ve succeeded in reducing the weight of my ice axe and crampons by almost 900g. Here’s how I did it. What I’ve used before I’ve used a