Linnea Gradin

Contributor

As the editor of Reedsy’s freelancer blog, Linnea has her hand in a bit of everything, from writing about writing, publishing, and self-publishing, to curating expert content for freelancing professionals. Working together with some of the top talent in the industry, she organizes insightful webinars, and develops resources to make publishing more accessible to writers and (aspiring) publishing professionals alike. When she’s not reading, she can be found dribbling on the football pitch, dabbling in foreign languages, or exploring the local cuisine of whatever country she happens to be in at the time.

Recent posts

Finding story topics when stuck: 5 simple methods

Story topics are all around us, yet having a wide breadth of choice can be daunting. Sometimes we know what we want to write already, at least vaguely, as it's the reason we've chosen to write a book in the first place. Yet what if you're between projects and can't think of a new idea? Or you si...

May 3rd, 2018

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How to begin a novel: 8 ways to captivate

How satisfying is a novel that sinks its hooks in from the first page? Knowing how to begin a novel so that you captivate readers from the first chapter is key to writing a publishable book. Here are 8 ways to begin your book compellingly: 1. Begin a novel by making your reader need answ...

April 9th, 2018

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Good character flaws: Create complex antagonists

Good character flaws are key to a believable character. Flawed characters create suspense - we wonder whether their flaws will get the best of them. The imbalances in their natures may create weaknesses that give others the upper hand. Here are tips to create flaws for antagonists or villains (i...

March 22nd, 2018

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Foreshadowing in a sentence: Connecting story events

Foreshadowing is one way to connect scenes in a story across your longer story arcs. Here are examples of how to use foreshadowing in a sentence, along with related foreshadowing tips: 1. Foreshadowing characters' fates in exposition Foreshadowing (literally 'showing before') is usefu...

March 12th, 2018

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Writing Chapter 2: Developing your opening hook

The opening chapter of a book needs to hook your reader. How? By creating intrigue, suspense, lovable (or at least compelling) characters and interesting setting or action. Writing chapter one is a challenge, yet for many authors writing chapter two is the stumbling block - how can you develop f...

February 19th, 2018

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How to start a book: Getting process and story right

There are two sides to learning how to start a book: Deciding on a process for starting and finding the beginning of the story itself. Here are tips for both aspects: How to start a book: Refining your process It's key to have an idea of how to start writing a book before you wor...

January 29th, 2018

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