New Posts
My 2026 writing course on Lesbos
I’m leading a writing course on the beautiful Greek island of Lesbos from 5-12 September 2026.
Who’s afraid of autocracy?
“Mr Nobody against Putin” and “The Wave” highlight the seductive danger of autocracy, and why we should never assume “it couldn’t happen here”.
Based on a true story? “The Hotel Stories”
Based on a true story? Can you use your experience to create great fiction? My book “Seven Hotel Stories” uses many actual stories
How to write a book – or ten
Writing a book: when should you write? How can you find time to write a book – or eight? Do writing targets – eg two hours per day – help?
Spanish Flu and Coronavirus
The Spanish Flu of 1918 offers some interesting lessons and parallels as the world of 2020 struggles to contain the Coronavirus.
How to publish a book: self publishing: how many can you sell?
How to publish a book: if you are a self-published author, how many copies should you aim to sell? Managing your expectations may help.
Lost texts: the vanished prologues to “Eternal Life”
Lost texts: when you write a novel, excellent material can end up being sacrificed in the interest of brevity and pace. An example.
Difficult English pronunciation – Turkish, Russian and German are easier
Difficult English pronunciation: a famous poem highlights challenges. It is easy to start learning English but pronunciation is tricky.
The Overton window – what is it?
The Overton window is the acceptable range of political culture at any moment. It’s worth understanding in the context of climate change.
How to start writing a book
How to start writing: many people seek writing prompts or ideas for how to start a book. A couple of tips, including: start today!
Uncertainty: 4 ways to cope
Uncertainty: how to cope. Many of us face uncertainty around a personal or wider crisis. Practice and a bit of structure can help all of us.
Unsheltered: 9 reasons (not) to despair
Barbara Kingsolver: Unsheltered – a review, reflecting on what it says about the mood of contemporary America. With quotations.
Reasons to like Austria – and 30 exclusive pictures
Reasons to like Austria, ranging from flak towers in Vienna to lakes, mountains, counterculture, art, traditions and ancient mysteries.
English passion, Finnish passion, German passion
English passion? Or German? It is risky to draw generalisations about the sex lives of other nations. But sometimes it’s amusing to try.
Should you read W Somerset Maugham in the 21st century?
Should you read W Somerset Maugham? The one-time master of the short story has fallen out of fashion. But his tales can still electrify. You
Leigh Turner videos: the YouTube channel
The “Leigh Turner Videos” YouTube channel is a great way to get to know Leigh Turner and his writing. Check it out now.
Pictures of Lesotho – the mountain kingdom
Pictures of Lesotho – and reasons to love this beautiful mountain kingdom. Feast your eyes and cheer yourself up!
Robert Pimm readings in Berlin and Vienna – and a Reichstag tunnel
Robert Pimm readings: in February 2020, before Coronavirus, I did two readings in Berlin from my thriller Blood Summit, and one in Vienna, from my black comedy Seven
Interview with Leigh Turner: Sixty Seconds of questions
Interview with Leigh Turner: someone recently did an interview with me using the “60 Seconds” format. Here is the result.
Ten reasons to like Turkey – and 14 beautiful pictures
Reasons to like Turkey? I know at least 80 million. Turks are tremendous people with immense culture, wonderful history and a great language.
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