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The Problem With YOU.
It was a common opinion that you simply do not write in second person POV. No one really went into detail about why. It was one of those typ
Jan 30, 20222 min read


The Secret of Using Story Goals to Maximum Effect.
Your story will have many problems that arise – Fred not having any peanut butter is a problem, but it’s not THE problem
Mar 28, 20214 min read


World-building: More Than Just a Setting
Whereas a setting provides the physical environment for the scene, world building adds the abstract. It encompasses the setting while also
Jan 24, 20218 min read


Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival Highlights
The industry panellists in the crime writing master class: Oli Munson, literary agent; Alex Saunders, Fiction Editor at Pan Macmillan; Vikki
Sep 28, 20207 min read


Time Travel - What's Wrong With It?
I always go into a submission with an open mind, but lately, when time travel becomes the obvious subject matter, I find myself groaning...
May 24, 20204 min read


Please, Make Something Happen!
Have something happen in your story. Seems obvious, yes? And yet, we receive so many stories at the mag where this is not the case.
May 3, 20207 min read


Is it Ever OK to Stereotype Fiction?
But the other thing a stereotype does within a reader is to trigger their prejudices without them even realising it, and you can play on tha
Feb 16, 20208 min read


Character Development: A Christmas Carol.
Without his characterisation such as it is, the ghosts would never have visited, meaning the plot would never have taken its first steps for
Dec 22, 20197 min read


NaNo: The Ultimate Guide P3 - Keep Momentum Moving
Our preceding posts this month have emphasised the need for planning in order to succeed at reaching our 50k goal in November. But no...
Oct 27, 20196 min read


Nano: The Ultimate Guide - P2 - Schedule
WriMo’s Ebbs and Flows NaNoWriMo tends to have its own pacing structure that many-a newbie unwittingly falls into. Here is an idea of...
Oct 20, 20195 min read


NaNo: The Ultimate Guide
Success is All About Preparation If you are not familiar with NaNoWriMo, its name stands for National Novel Writing Month, or more...
Oct 13, 20196 min read


Quick Writing Q & A + New Class!
What is the most important point to consider when writing a mystery?
How do I create a three-dimensional character?
What is the purpose of a
Sep 23, 20184 min read


Is My Writing any Good?
It’s a question every writer asks themselves and yet it can be one of the most elusive answers to obtain. Why? Most of us can string a...
Jun 11, 20188 min read


Creating Characters You Can Touch
If you haven't explored who your characters are, how do you know what decisions they will make? How will you know what markers to use? H
Mar 18, 20186 min read


This is the End, My Friend...
Your climax is what your whole story should be building towards, and the conflict and tension should be rising up like a wave ready to crash
Feb 4, 20186 min read


Creativity or Nativity? Making Time to Write.
Sticking to a writing routine at Christmas is probably the hardest thing. Well, who around here is busy, busy, busy? In all honesty,...
Dec 17, 20173 min read


NaNo is Coming...
So, here’s an approach that might help you if you are uncertain on what your Nano project should, or would, look like, or if you’ve never wr
Oct 15, 20173 min read


Hate Your Job?
Have you ever thought about writing? Dreamed about writing a book or a story? Create something out of nothing? Writing is one of the most li
May 28, 20176 min read


When You SHOULD Use Passive Voice
One of the ongoing raging debates in fiction writing is about whether to use passive voice. The general rule is to not use it, opting for mo
May 21, 20176 min read


Improve Your Writing...
...Without spending a packet. *Free online resources to improve your writing.* First of all, let’s get poetry out of the way. For you...
May 14, 20175 min read
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