So here we are at the end. If you've followed my previous posts on writing a book then I hope you've found them helpful. If you haven't you can find all the posts guiding you through the full process: Research Characters Plotting First draft Editing This post focuses on what to do once your book... Continue Reading →
Your plot is in place, your research is solid and your characters are ready to go. It's time to write the first draft. Writing is what you love so this part should be easy, right? Well not always. Read on for some advice on tackling your first draft. Accept your first draft will be rubbish... Continue Reading →
Are you a plotter or a 'pantser'? There's no right or wrong way to write a book, but it's probably more usual to plot out your book before you start writing. But there are writers who simply sit and go - flying by the seat of their pants hence 'pantsers'. Douglas Adams for example was... Continue Reading →
Hello there! So you've finished the first part of my blog series about writing a book. Great. Let's start on part 2 then. But as I mentioned in part one, research keeps going throughout the whole writing process - including character development. After all, you might not have a clear idea of all the research... Continue Reading →
Want to write a book and don't know where to start? Well, you're in the wrong place! No, but seriously, in this six-part series, I'm going to share some advice I've gleaned over my years as a writer. But, I'm not a writing expert and this is NOT a definitive 'How to write' guide -... Continue Reading →
For every writing problem you have, there is an answer. Not necessarily an easy answer that involves lamps and Genies but an answer nevertheless. We've all been there and done that when it comes to writing. So if you're struggling to write, here are four common things that can stop you from writing - and how... Continue Reading →
If you mention Chawton to any Jane Austen fan, they will immediately think of her home, an unassuming cottage in the village. At some point, I'll do a blog post about that - but for this post we're going to visit Chawton House, the home of Jane's brother Edward. Sited just down the road from... Continue Reading →
One more addition to my "3 Things" series (there's a whole bunch, go check them out). Now we're onto realism. 1) How to make things feel authentic Realism needs to feel authentic - but this can apply to other genres too. Unless you want to go out into a surrealistic narrative, having a thread of... Continue Reading →
There's no fool-proof formula to being a successful writer (no matter what anyone says) - and of course, "success" differs for everyone anyway. I often post advice and tips about writing on this blog, but these are never must-dos - they're suggestions to try out. That's what advice is meant to be. That being said,... Continue Reading →
If you're a fan of anything in the fantasy genre, you're probably aware of "The Witcher". The series started as books, then became video games, and now it's a popular TV series on Netflix. I became familiar with "The Witcher" via the games first, then the TV series, and now I'm trying out the books... Continue Reading →
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