Discover what ‘show, don’t tell’ really means in creative writing, why it works, and when it’s okay for authors to break this classic writing rule.
What does “show, don’t tell” actually mean? (And when can you ignore it?) Read More »
If you’re struggling to get started with your novel or short story, discover what you need to know about writing that all-important opening line.
Why you can’t write your story’s opening line until you’ve written the closing line Read More »
Get to grips with the perfect tense in fiction: what it is, how it works, and tips to use it effectively, without losing your story’s immediacy or connection with readers.
Getting It Perfect: Understanding the Perfect Tense in Fiction Read More »
Learn how to make your readers feel as though the events you’re describing on the page are real, present, and actively happening in front of them.
Immediacy in Fiction Writing: What It Is and Why It Matters Read More »
Learn how to use your fictional settings not just to describe where events take place, but to build an atmosphere in words that draws readers into your world.
Using Settings to Create Mood and Atmosphere in Fiction Read More »
5 ways to meet your writing targets in 2026 (plus one crazy wildcard) Is your new year’s resolution to write more in 2026? Mine too. (I mean… I don’t do new year’s resolutions, as a general principle, but I definitely need to get my thumb out this year, which is resolution-adjacent, at least.) The thing
5 ways to meet your writing targets in 2026 (plus one crazy wildcard) Read More »
Learn how to build an author website to showcase your novels (even if you’re not tech-savvy), with advice on buying a domain name, web hosting, which pages to include, and more
How to build an author website: a step-by-step guide Read More »
Why your story needs visible and invisible narratives Stories are rarely just about what happens on the surface. The best narratives work on more than one level—they have an external plot that keeps us turning pages or glued to the screen, but underneath that is a deeper, often invisible emotional journey. This is what I
Why your story needs visible and invisible narratives Read More »
Discover how subplots enhance your novel and learn how to create secondary storylines that support the main plot without overshadowing it
The role of subplots in your novel Read More »
The unnecessary prologue: How to avoid the info-dump trap I keep hearing that the publishing industry is fed up with prologues. I keep seeing new novels with prologues get published. Clearly, the publishing industry is not so fed up with prologues that it won’t publish novels with prologues. So what gives? Well, I’m not a
The unnecessary prologue: How to avoid the info-dump trap Read More »
