Inspiring the Uninspired
Getting an agent is a goal for many writers. And finding the right one is essential. To avoid wasting your time, and theirs, you should only submit to agents who represent your genre and are open to submissions. There are lots of ways you can find out more about agents, to help you make your… Continue reading 5 reasons to follow literary agents on Twitter
Emotion. It's the heart of any story, fiction or otherwise. Stories trigger emotions in their readers; joy, fear, excitement, sadness, nostalgia....Likely, the reader's emotions will be a reflection of the emotions displayed in the book. As such, writing our characters, making them believable, relatable and real, means getting to the heart of their feelings. That… Continue reading 6 things writers need to consider when writing character emotions
Writing a novel is a huge deal. It is tough and exciting, long and rewarding, emotional and powerful. Those words you produce, those characters you breathe life into, those worlds you create, are more valuable than gold. And nothing could be more heartbreaking than losing it all. So, while it may sound like simple advice,… Continue reading Don’t lose your novel! 5 ways to backup your writing
I've spoken quite a lot about the submission process on the blog. It's a terrifying and exciting part of the writing journey. Deciding your novel is ready to send out to agents isn't easy. You'll always doubt yourself. That's why I'm sharing three things your novel needs to be before you submit, and one it… Continue reading 3 things your book needs to be before you send it to an agent (and 1 it doesn’t!)
Creating characters is one of the most exciting parts of novel writing. Getting to know your heroes, your villains, your story's main players is a lot of fun. You'll learn more about them as you write, at that exploration is the best way to understand them completely. But before you start writing, there are five… Continue reading 5 things you need to know about your characters before you write your novel
Writer's block. We've all been there. Be it due to a lack of inspiration, motivation or too much procrastination. It slows us down, makes us feel guilty, and halts our progress. Luckily, there's a number of ways to beat it. Take a look... Read After writing, reading is what we do best. Not only is… Continue reading Five must-try methods for beating writer’s block
Some writers are plotters. Others are pantsers. There's no right way to do it. There are pros and cons to plotting, and it's up to you to decide what works best. Personally, I'm a plotter. Typically, my plotting consists of a basic outline and little else. It worked for two novels. But on my third,… Continue reading 5 Ways A Timeline Helps You Write Your Novel
It's one of the most common pieces of writing advice. Write what you know. But what does it mean? That you can only write about crime if you're a police officer (or a criminal?!)? That you can only write about falling in love with a stranger in Paris if you've been there, done that and bought the… Continue reading The Do’s and Dont’s of Writing What You Know
The writing community is a vast and vibrant place. Thanks to the internet, we can connect with people all over the world, and where better for a writer than a space filled with other writers? Be it through blogging or social media, here are five reasons to get involved. To be inspired When I got… Continue reading 5 Reasons To Get Involved In The Writing Community
Writing required commitment, but it's not always easy to find time in ourbusy lives. Yet, if it's something we want to pursue, it's something we have to do. Recently, alongside fitting writing in whenever I can, I've set aside designated writing time. Two hours on a Sunday, when I shut off from the world and… Continue reading 4 reasons to carve out designated writing time
