Skip to content

A Writerly Pair

Just a couple, of married writers

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Current Projects
  • Contact Us

Writing Advice for the Tired Parent

January 22, 2019June 11, 2020 Shirah OlafssonMatti & Shirah, Writing

Growing up, the only thing I wanted to be more than a writer was a mother. At seven, I would go with my mom to her La Leche League meetings and would be the self-proclaimed nanny of the babies and […]

Read more

Réttir: an Ancient Icelandic Tradition

October 15, 2018January 22, 2019 Shirah OlafssonHistory & Culture, Iceland

Greetings, internet humans! It is great to be back. We have been a bit out of service these last few weeks because of sickness and transitioning our toddler to her own room (no easy feat, lemme tell ya!) We have […]

Read more

Creating Deep & Consistent Characters

August 20, 2018October 17, 2018 Shirah OlafssonWriting

Character Building Even before world building and plot structure, character building is probably the most crucial element to creating a remarkable story. Sure, readers want to get lost in the world you have so carefully and thoroughly crafted. Yes, pacing […]

Read more

How We Decided to Co-Write “The Ragnarök Saga

August 9, 2018August 20, 2018 Matthias OlafssonMatti & Shirah, Writing

How does a project like our’s begin? Well in truth, it begins before Shirah and I met. We have both had our share of intrigue in the mystic art of writing. As a young pre-teen I created anything my mind […]

Read more

How We Harnessed the Magic of the Norse

August 5, 2018August 20, 2018 Matthias OlafssonHistory & Culture, Iceland, Writing

Disclaimer I must warn you that I have no idea what I’m talking about. 🤪 This post is just to share the process Shy and I went through to define the magic of our fantasy world. If you are writing […]

Read more

How the Early Vikings Voyaged Scandinavia (with an excerpt from Chapter One!)

August 2, 2018August 20, 2018 Shirah OlafssonHistory & Culture, Iceland, Writing

  A gush of salty ocean rushed over the keel of the knarr and an immediate shiver tore me from a dreamless sleep. A small part of me grew concerned for my wet clothes, but as I became aware of […]

Read more

5+ Sources that Inspired the Ragnarök Saga

August 1, 2018August 20, 2018 Shirah OlafssonHistory & Culture, Iceland, Matti & Shirah, Writing

I would like to begin our very first blog post by thanking computer scientists Larry Page and Sergey Brin for their beautiful brain child, the Google Search Engine. *Cue angelic choir. Thanks to the internet, it has become so much easier to more […]

Read more

We’re live!

July 30, 2018August 1, 2018 Matthias OlafssonUncategorized

After two years of research and constant writer’s block (having written the opening paragraph of our first chapter over a year ago) we’re off. Within a month we’ve completed nearly three chapters, formed an active review group, joined twitter and […]

Read more

Posts navigation

Newer posts

Drafting

Draft 1
27% Complete
24,343 of 90,000 words

Currently Seeking Representation

Dawn of Endings
100% Complete
126,607 of 126,607 words
Get Your Own Progress Bar

About Us

Heil og sæl! We are Matti & Shy and we’re currently seeking representation for our manuscript DAWN OF ENDINGS, a fantasy story inspired by Iceland and the Old Norse Myths surrounding Ragnarök.

This website serves as an outlet to gratify our need for expressing ourselves, while we take on the wonderful journey of publishing The Ragnarök Saga.

Here we share our successes, blunders, experiences and a little bit about ourselves. And when we’re feeling particularly cheeky, we’ll share teaser excerpts from our books.

Us on Instagram

awriterlypair

Matti & Shy Ólafsson | Writers
We may not have access to plumbing or electricity We may not have access to plumbing or electricity or even perishable food yet, but the view could be worse.
The lupine are beginning to awaken from their wint The lupine are beginning to awaken from their winter slumber 😌
Sunday drive to the lake Sunday drive to the lake
In another, more indulgent life, I'd own a boat. 😌
The Fagradalsfjall eruptions site is ~3 miles from The Fagradalsfjall eruptions site is ~3 miles from my house. Another mountain blocks our view, but every night as the sun goes down, I like to peak out my window to watch the red glow in the sky.
Love this use of negative space Love this use of negative space
Another rainy day in the 101 Another rainy day in the 101
Sunshine in Iceland is a sacred experience. Sunshine in Iceland is a sacred experience.
Instagram post 17881632158199473 Instagram post 17881632158199473
Iceland's brand is #Lego Iceland's brand is #Lego
This is Ronja. She only pays attention to me when This is Ronja. She only pays attention to me when I sit down to write. So I guess you could say we're writing partners.
This isn't an #AprilFools joke. Iceland really is This isn't an #AprilFools joke. Iceland really is this gorgeous.
"I stare at the void between my eyes and the wall, "I stare at the void between my eyes and the wall, my lungs rising and falling only because they know nothing else. Then, the blackness fills my eyes and I slip once more into a sleep untainted by time. I drift past the pain of before and the anger of now and the fear of tomorrow, where the blackness is waiting." #FromTheWIP #AmWriting
You may have heard that Iceland is green and Green You may have heard that Iceland is green and Greenland is ice. This is because in Iceland— whether there's snow, wind, or rain— it is always a perfect day for ice cream.
The best way to capture the northern lights is to The best way to capture the northern lights is to increase the ISO on your camera. This increases your camera's sensitivity to light. As we move forward during these dark and challenging times, perhaps we can look for more opportunities to increase our minds' sensitivity to the light. Look for the good in the world around you, BE the good, and find the beauty in the light.
Update: Iceland is still endlessly dark, cold, wet Update: Iceland is still endlessly dark, cold, wet, and windy. 🙃 Hope your holidays were great!
Old phone booth repurposed as a little library in Old phone booth repurposed as a little library in Reykjavík, Iceland
It is both serene and exhilarating. When the mono It is both serene and exhilarating. When the monotony of life grows static, it is the magic whispers of these wise trees that reawaken me.
These fall colors are already beginning to fade aw These fall colors are already beginning to fade away as the north winds bring in the months of frozen darkness.
The Winds By Shirah Ólafsson The winds never sto The Winds By Shirah Ólafsson The winds never stop here. They blow and they blow until the walls shudder. I pull my knees to my chest as some of the air leaks through the cracks worn by time. Sometimes that wind is nothing but a breeze like beguiling silk. On those days I can actually get up and hum a tune as I go about my house, the low vibration calming my nerves and drowning out the sound. Other days I manage to tend to some of the cracks. The winds blow harder, only to taunt me; to remind me it's there and will never leave. So I hum. Hum louder as I fortify my protective barriers. Then there are the times when the tempests rage and all I can do is stare at my hands. I have the strength to fix the cracks, but not the materials. It knows my weaknesses; sometimes detecting them faster than I can. I mustn't rest. I must never stop rectifying the ever crumbling façade. So the walls shudder. Shudder like chaotic drum beats against the violent gusts, and I shrink against the pummeling, praying this won't be the day it sweeps me away.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Us on Twitter!

AWriterlyPair Follow

@ ·
now

Reply on Twitter Retweet on Twitter Like on Twitter Twitter
Load More

Our Pinterest Inspirations

A Writerly Pair

  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Current Projects
  • Home
Powered by WordPress | Theme: Astrid by aThemes.