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Horsey Snapper
The weather over the past few days has been changeable – to say the least, and during wilder weather the horses on the Long Mynd often drop into the valleys for shelter. It was while doing my walk today that I spotted several of them […]
The Magic of Mistletoe
At the beginning of December last year, I had a fabulous day out in Tenbury Wells at its Mistletoe festival. This year’s event was supposed to take place on Saturday 5th December but, sadly, because of the pandemic, this year’s event has been cancelled. But […]
Mystery Snapper
I took a slightly longer route yesterday on my walk (because the weather improved) and snapped this little shot: Then, first thing this morning, while watching BBC Breakfast, I caught the Midland’s regional weather forecast, and look what I spotted … No credit, but it […]
Unwrapping ISBNs
Why pay for an ISBN for your next self-published book, when some platforms will freely gift one to you? All businesses want lower costs to maximise profits, and that goes for our writing businesses too. Going for the free ISBN option seems good business sense. […]
I’m Judging the 2021 Evesham Festival of Words Short Story Competition
I’m delighted to share the news that I’ve been invited to judge the 2021 Evesham Festival of Words Short Story Competition. The competition is now open and accepting short stories on any theme of up to 2,500 words. The closing date for entries is 5pm […]
Autumnal Snapper
I met up with friends today for a walk (while current restrictions still permitted it) around Much Wenlock, and we wandered for a short distance along the disused railway line. I decided it was worth a WeatherWatcher photo, and snapped it, then uploaded it. When […]
Soggy Sunny Snapper
You wouldn’t think it when you look at it, but I got soaked today when I went out for my walk and took this photo!
Sheep Snapper
I wasn’t going to climb Ragleth Hill today, but the weather suddenly improved, and it seemed too good an opportunity to miss. Glad I did, as Shefali used this snap in the evening broadcast of Midlands Today!
Bring In The Harvest
The freelancer’s world can be one of feast or famine. Simon Whaley investigates how to spread the harvest more evenly. Traditionally, this is the time of year when farmers across the country bring in the harvest. Suddenly, there’s an abundance of food which, if carefully […]
October Sunshine (Before the Storm)
Well, I hadn’t planned on climbing Ragleth Hill today, but as it was such glorious weather, and Storm Alex is on its way tomorrow, it seemed the sensible thing to do. And it’s just as well I did, as my snap of the October sunshine […]
BBC Countryfile Double
The latest issue of BBC Countryfile magazine is out with not one, but two pieces of mine!
Sunny Snapper
After getting an Editor’s Pick two days, I was rather surprised to find another Editor’s Pick this evening, with a photo of some sunshine on the lower flanks of Hope Bowlder Hill.
Needle’s Eye Snapper
I set off early this morning towards The Wrekin to tackle a route for Country Walking magazine. The national forecast had said that any cloud first thing this morning would soon disperse. So, it was with a little trepidation that I drove along the A49 […]
Make Poetry Pay
The latest article in my Business of Writing series in Writing Magazine. The poet Robert Graves once claimed, “There’s no money in poetry, but then there’s no poetry in money.” Generating an income from our writing can be challenging, but for poets, it can be […]
River Onny and Hopesay Hill
The September 2020 issue of Country Walking has my River Onny and Hopesay Hill route in it. This was the second route I walked after they eased lockdown restrictions (for exercising) and I hardly saw another soul all day. Which was such a shame, because […]
Don’t Mess With The IRS!
Don’t let the IRS take a third of your self-published royalties. Simon Whaley takes you step-by-step through the IRS tax interview process. No business likes giving away 30% of its income when it doesn’t have to, and that applies to your writing business too. If […]
Shower-Dodging Snapper
I’m sure it was the confused message my photo illustrated that made Rebecca pick it. Some cows are lying down, while others are standing. Then again, with a mixed message like that, it really illustrated the mixed weather. Sunshine and showers!
Writing Magazine’s Inspiration Month
To help inspire writers across the country, Writing Magazine has designated July as Inspiration Month, and has asked writers and some of its contributors to make a short video offering advice and inspiration. So here’s mine … recorded at the top of my local hill […]
Countryfile Snapper
Last night’s Countryfile programme was from Shropshire – in fact, it was from just the other side of the Long Mynd, here in Church Stretton. I’d already climbed Ragleth Hill earlier in the morning, appreciating the sunshine we hadn’t seen for a few days. Walking […]
Proposing Prose
Securing a non-fiction book contract means having a business plan. Simon Whaley reveals what to put into your next book proposal Do you have an idea for a great non-fiction book and want to secure a traditional publishing deal? Then what you need is a […]
Outstanding Oswestry
I nearly called this piece Oscillating Oswestry, such is the number of times it has moved (from one side of the Welsh Borders to the other). Although it’s most recent move came courtesy of the Ordnance Survey. To find out why, you’ll have to check […]
Sizzling Snapper Simon
It was hot, hot, hot yesterday! It’s not often the Welsh Borders gets up to 30 degrees, but we hit it yesterday (and I think today will be even hotter). But at least I got up early and climbed Ragleth Hill before it got too […]
Shropshire’s Lake District
The July 2020 issue has my Ellesmere route in it. It’s a classic route because it’s one of the best ways to see three of the largest meres in Shropshire. First, though, there’s the small matter of negotiating the 80-metre Ellesmere tunnel. (It is possible […]
The Complete Article Writer’s Box Set
It was while updating Photography for Writers, that I realised I had the perfect opportunity to create a box set, combining this book with The Complete Article Writer. Now available in eBook format (via Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, etc), The Complete Article Writer’s […]
Photography for Writers – Take Two
I can’t believe it’s been six years since Photography for Writers was first published. At the time, I wasn’t able to pursue my goal of including photographs within the book. Sadly, the publisher explained that would make the book uneconomical.
Shropshire Snapper
If I could ask the BBC WeatherWatcher service to make one minor change, it would be to show where our images had been used. You see, this morning, a friend messaged me to say they’d seen my photo on the telly last night. Puzzled, I […]
Enchanting Exmoor
This week’s issue of The People’s Friend (dated 6th June 2020) has my travel piece about Exmoor on the front cover.
Office Locations
Virginia Woolf famously called for a ‘room of her own’ in which to write. Simon Whaley chats to three wordsmiths about where they work and why. A year ago, the Royal Society for Literature released the results of a survey in which 80% of writers […]
A Pride of Barbers
This week’s issue of The People’s Friend (30th May 2020) contains my article about a fascinating organisation: The Lions Barber Collective. It was set up by barber, Tom Chapman, after the sudden death of a friend through suicide. Tom realised that a barber shop was […]