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Martin Cavannagh

Contributor

Writer, presenter, and Head of Content at Reedsy. As the host of Reedsy Live, Martin has had the pleasure of sharing cutting-edge insights from some of the world's best editors, designers, marketers, and the occasional bestselling author. His newsletters, live streams, and blog posts reach millions of writers each month, inspiring the next generation of beloved writers. 

Martin has appeared on various panels (both virtual and in-person), including the Writer's Summit at the 2024 London Book Fair. Outside of books, his interests include hillwalking, the films of Wong Kar-Wai, and discovering great local noodle dishes.

Recent posts

Writing conversations using setting (examples)

Writing conversations that don't involve setting is like writing action scenes that don't involve movement. Great dialogue has more than disembodied voices. It anchors us in a place, in the context that occasions characters' interaction. Read tips for creating realistic dialogue by involving you...

October 8th, 2018

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How to write chapters: Create a compelling Chapter 3

We've written about how to structure a chapter generally, writing good opening paragraphs and pages, and developing Chapter One's intrigue in your second chapter. Writing a good third chapter is equally important. Your early chapters hook readers and build interest you can sustain. Read ideas an...

July 30th, 2018

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421 ways to say said? Simplify dialogue instead

If you search for alternative dialogue tags to use in your story, you'll find many lists. While some synonyms for 'said' read naturally (such as words conveying volume like 'whispered'), others come across as overwritten and forced, particularly in the wrong context. Here are 5 simple ways to...

June 7th, 2018

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Descriptive verb list: 30 words to replace dull actions

Sayings such as ‘the road to hell is paved with adverbs' scare many aspiring authors off using adverbs to describe characters' actions. Yet writers say this because there are often more descriptive, common verbs you could use instead of a duller verb-plus-adverb. Use this list of descriptive str...

May 31st, 2018

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What is a synopsis? Writing intriguing book summaries

What is a synopsis? It's a summary which provides, in one quick read, the unique and compelling aspects of a story. How do you write a synopsis that you can submit with confidence to publishers? Read on for summary-writing tips and examples. First: Beyond defining a synopsis - what should a s...

February 26th, 2018

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How to start writing a book: Developing rough ideas

Many aspiring authors contact us with this problem: 'I don't know how to start writing a book. I only have a few rough ideas.' There are variations: 'I have so many ideas, but I'm not sure where to start,' for example. Yet the general theme is the same: How, in terms of actual steps, should I st...

January 25th, 2018

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