During my time as a creative writing student, I was taught the building blocks of good writing and learnt how to write a short story with my eyes closed. Final year saw 3000 word stories with 2000 word commentaries. Now I love a short story, there's a skill and practice to it, but it doesn't … Continue reading What is discovery writing?
Author: Jester's Bauble
Create as if you're going to create forever.
What is The Pretty Boat?
When I started writing under the handle of Jester's Bauble (the remnants of which form this blog), I set myself quite a few points: This was to post at least once a weekThese can vary between different types, from fiction, to poetry, to game designThey had to be around 2000-3000 words It was a fun … Continue reading What is The Pretty Boat?
More than a distraction
So what has been going on? What's with the change of name? Who are you? It's been a wild couple of years, I think it has been for most people. Although there has been hardships with Covid and medical diagnosis, they've also been a couple of really good years for me, from getting engaged, becoming … Continue reading More than a distraction
Dumpster Fires and Self-Growth
At the start of last year, I wrote a piece called 2020 Vision - The New Year Zine, a reflective post about self-improvement and planning for the year ahead. To some extent it is a form of CBT mixed with zine making. I've been thinking about writing this blog post for a while now, an … Continue reading Dumpster Fires and Self-Growth
Sole
I've always had soft feet, but I suppose it's better than cold. A comparison of partner's feet. Even after saying it a few years ago, she still remembers. She plays with my feet, sometimes, And says that they are like a baby's, But maybe, a bit too big and hairy. With my right foot in … Continue reading Sole
A Day To Remember
Like the band, every cliche of returning home rings true. We're driving on the boundary Of the town they said we'd never leave, And every other cliche We wrote home about. And the boot's full and the tank's full And ahead there's a road just up ahead. If we drive for long enough We'll find … Continue reading A Day To Remember
We’ll be back after this short intermission…
Hey everyone, bit of an odd one this week and something I wouldn't do but wanted to give a personal update. This has been a tough year for everybody and trying to maintain balance between work, personal life, hobbies, and relationships has been tough. For those that have been following or saw my post on … Continue reading We’ll be back after this short intermission…
Camille (The Pretty Boat)
“Do you love him?” “Yeah.” “Do you love him like you loved me?” “I never loved you.” The room had lost most of the details now. What she knew were photos and memories of a life once lived, had become flat colours, his face, a blur of pinks and shapes. “And you’re going to give this … Continue reading Camille (The Pretty Boat)
The Boy That Didn’t Want to be Saved
The boy said he didn’t want to be saved, that there was nothing to save him from. He was sat with his legs dangling over the edge of a bridge like every cliché. The water beneath wasn’t so far, a sprained ankle at best with the depth of the water. He said he didn’t want saving, … Continue reading The Boy That Didn’t Want to be Saved
Underwood (Dead Eden)
There’s a smell you don’t recognise, a smell that you don’t believe has ever existed before in the world above. The walls, though originally white washed, are damp, and the colour comes away with your finger in the flicker of a hydrogen lamp. From walking in the wind across barren terrain, now you feel enclosed, the whistling nothing … Continue reading Underwood (Dead Eden)
AF Cowlin 