Ed James
banner
erdjames.bsky.social
Ed James
@erdjames.bsky.social
Writer, not yet author…
Alistair and Isabel have two fights and whatever one they start fighting about leads to the other. Alistair wants children but Isabel doesn’t - Isabel wants more autonomy, she wants to explore the world, Alistair wants to build a home and would be happy never leaving the valley. #writingcommunity
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

Let's talk about conflict!

What is something your character and the person closest to them fight about?

Is one side clearly in the right, or is it ambiguous?

How do they resolve their dispute? Or do they?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
February 12, 2026 at 6:26 PM
An extract from the memorial procession following the Blight - a chance for the Kine to mourn - and to add their names to the list of those that have died since the fall of the modern world…

#writingcommunity #writingprompt
February 12, 2026 at 3:43 PM
A walk through the Kine valley as the pleasant summer turns to a baking Autumn

#writingPrompt #writingcommunity
February 11, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Trying to get back into the prompts - but apparently my work has no vibes! Atmosphere will have to do…

Alistair and friends are trying to recapture the joy of an earlier gathering but they cannot escape the growing realisation that something in the Kine is wrong… #WIPSnips #writingcommunity
February 11, 2026 at 9:50 AM
First prompt in a while - and from the new WIP!

Something is infecting the Kine - but at this point the extent is not known - both Alistair and Isabel can feel the oncoming storm but they cling to the hope that it will pass…

#writingcommunity
February 10, 2026 at 8:05 PM
Part 1 of WIP edited and printed - going to leave a week before reading and starting on Part 2. In the meantime doing some letter writing to family because yes I am actually from the nineteenth century…

#writingcommunity
February 9, 2026 at 9:49 PM
In a state of hyperfocus on writing. Interesting at the same time the emotion of music feels heightened. Almost viscerally. Music has always been inextricably linked to my writing but I wonder if I am feeding on that emotion - or if I am projecting that emotion onto the music #writingcommunity
February 6, 2026 at 9:44 AM
Oooh just thought of the perfect ending to part 1 of my WIP - was struggling with the transition 1-2 but it’s funny how just one line can change the complete outlook - Alistair is vindicated as his community votes to stay in the valley but Isabel (his wife) votes to leave…
#writingcommunity
February 2, 2026 at 6:26 PM
Baby sick on Tuesday night, wife and daughter sick yesterday - to paraphrase Pippin from #lotr ‘I don’t want a sickness bug but waiting on the edge of one that I can’t escape is even worse!’
a man with curly hair is asking is there any hope , gandalf ?
ALT: a man with curly hair is asking is there any hope , gandalf ?
media.tenor.com
January 9, 2026 at 7:07 PM
Just a big old bunch of chrysanthemums!

#writingcommunity
Build a bouquet for your Book/WIP based on flower language! #WritingPrompt
January 6, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Part 1…of 3

#writingcommunity
January 6, 2026 at 2:24 PM
Another reminder - to myself more than anyone - sometimes leaving your WIP alone for a couple of days - especially when you are fighting the writing - can make a huge difference. I was struggling with a section that wasn’t working but a rest and a spark and the scene is revealed.

#writingcommunity
December 26, 2025 at 10:33 AM
The moment that you let someone else into your written world is always somewhat terrifying for me - even if it is my wife! - fortunately initial chapters have had very positive feedback - apart from my character names - apparently no baby should be called Eric 😂

#writingcommunity
December 22, 2025 at 9:29 PM
It’s an ongoing one for me - no matter how many times I do it I always judge myself on the early one or two drafts - I am on version 4 now of my current WIP and it is only now that I am getting close to something I am happy with. I should have learnt from this by now!!
What early draft mistake taught you the most? One doesn’t stand out to me; however, I’ve learned to plot just a little ahead so that I can see the different elements of the story from various angles #writingq #WritingCommunity
December 22, 2025 at 6:39 PM
There is a scene that I have had in my mind for about 5 years. It’s the ball that follows the defeat of the Jacks. I can see Alistair and Jessica dancing, I see Erin and Mohan’s tears and Megan playing the viola. I need to write it but I worry it won’t live up to my minds eye! #writingcommunity
What’s something you’re looking forward to writing? A scene? A particular book? #WritingPrompt
December 19, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Alistair leaves the valley Kine for the first time - following Jessica he finds the ruins of a far greater town than anything he has seen. The realisation that something so much bigger than his own community failed to survive shakes him. He realises he will never achieve his dream. #writingcommunity
What’s the point of no return for your MC in your book/wip? What changes then so fundamentally they can never be who they were again? #WritingPrompt
December 16, 2025 at 8:14 PM
I think when I started writing this book I was writing the story that I felt I needed to write. Finally after 4 versions I think I am getting to the story I want to write. The story that consumes my mind and breaks my heart a little

#writingcommunity #amwriting
December 13, 2025 at 4:29 PM
There was nothing you could do. Nothing any of us could do. “I know. But I gave them the bread. They said it tasted funny and I ignored it - told them to eat it. I cannot forget that. I see it in the scars on Sophie’s face every day.” We fall silent. What is there to say.

#writingcommunity
Share the last line you wrote in your wip! #WritingPrompt
December 12, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Ahhh now I remember how my first novel took so long! I start with a relatively slimline narrative - then fall in love with all my side characters and spend the next two years writing their stories too!!

#writingcommunity #amwriting (again!)
December 10, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Second revision of Lives of A. Mann progressing nicely - Alistair’s character developing - moving from being angry and just a bit of an arse to genuinely feeling quite broken from the start - if not entirely an entirely sympathetic man he is becoming more understandable

#writingcommunity #amediting
December 5, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Alistair’s love for Jessica is rather one sided. There is no one moment but I think he starts to feel it quite early on - she doesn’t conform to his expectations but she challenges him in a way that allows him to grow. They can disagree without antagonism - something new to him.

#writingcommunity
What made your MC really start to fall for their love interest in your book/wip? #WritingPrompt
November 30, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Alistair has a bookshelf full of random (and useless) items from the modern world (pre disaster).

It tells us a lot about Alistair - a thing is never just a thing to him - he needs to find meaning in everything. An object cannot just be an object it has to have a story. Meaning.

#writingcommunity
What's a seemingly inconsequential detail about your MC that actually informs a lot about their character? #WritingPrompt
November 25, 2025 at 10:00 PM
I think I have the title - finally!! May need some refining but I think I have it! Who says a 2 hour commute is a waste of time! 😁

#writingcommunity
November 11, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Woof - re-reading my original WIP after changing to first person present tense in the prequel. Wow did I write long sentences!! Think I will end up cutting the word count in half with the updates!!

#writingcommunity #amediting
November 7, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Line edits v1 complete for WIP - now to let it go for a moment - I will try a month but no promises! Then onto edit v2 - we are getting there.

Just need to get a title sorted! So frustrating that I cannot think of anything better than the working title which I don’t like!

#writingcommunity
November 5, 2025 at 4:20 PM