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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

How do you write an outline for a novel? 7 easy steps

Many authors enjoy the creative freedom of not having any structure to begin. Yet writing a story outline has many benefits. A flexible plan makes brainstorming ideas, finding possible character arcs and other parts of the writing process so much easier. Read seven simple steps to write an outli...

June 18th, 2019

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Writing action scenes: 6 ways to keep scenes riveting

Whether you're writing a breakneck thriller, action screenplay or a script for a video game or graphic novel, writing action scenes that keep readers (or viewers) entertained is essential. Read 6 ways to make scenes more gripping: 1. Keep exposition focused and relevant to coming action Ex...

May 13th, 2019

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How to evoke powerful images in your reader's mind

Guest author Jerry Jenkins shares his top tips for authors, including 'engaging the theater of your reader's mind' and resisting the urge to explain. A writer wrote me recently and complained she was struggling to get enough detail into her story to give her readers the 'same pictures I see ...

May 9th, 2019

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Using a novel outline template: 5 tips for story prep

You can easily find a novel outline template such as a spreadsheet full of empty fields to fill. Yet columns and rows of blank space are also daunting. Here are 5 tips for an easier outlining process: 1. Choose a flexible story outline template The word 'template' has connotations of sten...

March 18th, 2019

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What is motif in literature? Using repetition creatively

The word 'motif' is often used interchangeably with the word 'theme' in writing about stories. What exactly are motifs in stories, and how can you use them effectively? Read a definition followed by tips to use them imaginatively: What is a motif? Motif vs theme Oxford dictionaries define ...

March 11th, 2019

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How to plot a series: 8 steps for multi-book arcs

Plotting just one novel is challenging, never mind plotting a multi-book arc. Having structure and a plan helps. Here's how to plot a series in 8 structured steps. Let's first briefly define what a series is. They can be a set of stories broken down in to a few stories, or books, such as the ...

November 22nd, 2018

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