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Loretta Bushell

Contributor

Loretta Bushell writes for NowNovel and for Reedsy, a marketplace that connects authors with resources and professionals to help them publish their dream book. Loretta is also a qualified freelance translator and spends her spare time reading books of all genres (except horror!) and playing board games.

Recent posts

How to Start a Chapter: 7 Ways to Hook Your Reader

It’s not just chapter one that needs to draw your reader in. Here are 7 ways to hook your reader at the start of any chapter.

March 18th, 2025

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How to Write a Murder Mystery: 8 Tips to Captivate Readers

Writing a murder mystery is like baking a cake: you need the right ratio of suspense, clues, and red herrings, with a surprising but welcome filling hidden in the center. In this post, I’ll walk you through all the ingredients you need to cook up a killer murder mystery.

January 30th, 2025

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What Is Narrative? 9 Narrative Types and Examples

Every story has a voice, a perspective, and a particular way it unfolds — in other words, a narrative. Choosing the right type(s) of narrative for your story is crucial to its success. In this post, we’ll look at nine of the most common narrative types, how you might use them, and an example of each.

January 23rd, 2025

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Unseen worlds: the omission of women on SFF 'best of' lists

SomeGuy (and there is always someone who will fall under this title) will invariably pipe up in any online discussion on gender and identity for science fiction and fantasy (SFF) writing. He’ll often say, "oh, I never see an author’s gender or sexual orientation as being relevant for fiction," b...

October 1st, 2023

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Writing science fiction: 8 ideas for quantum leaps in craft

Writing science fiction has many pitfalls. Jargon-filled language; cryptic abstraction. Read eight tips and ideas from sci-fi icons, from advice on learning the basics to the power of speculation, plus more: Sci-fi writing tips and ideas from icons of the genre What tips and ideas do sci-f...

July 10th, 2023

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Writing romance and love stories: Complete guide

What is romance? Terms and tropes Romance subgenres Writing romantic relationships Romance conflict and suspense Romance publishing Advice from romance authors Romance FAQs Writing romance and love stories places human relationships center stage. Read a complete guide...

July 2nd, 2023

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