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Understanding the snowflake method
There are nearly as many ways to approach writing a novel as there are writers, but many swear by an approach known as the snowflake method. Developed by writer Randy Ingermanson, the snowflake method can be particularly helpful to writers who prefer to plan extensively before setting out to wri...
February 3rd, 2014
Read post...Writer's tip: Avoid passive voice
It's an often given writer's tip, but few tips for writers cause as much confusion as the caution to avoid passive voice. Understanding what passive voice is and why it should be avoided can clear up this confusion. One of the biggest problems with this tip is that so few people understand w...
January 21st, 2014
Read post...How To: Make a promise to write (and keep it)
It's a mystery why we so often resist doing the very things that we most want to be doing whether it's exercise, writing or some other project we long to tackle. Once we get started, we usually are glad we did and have little trouble continuing, but how can we make sure we write consistently in ...
January 20th, 2014
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5 ways to ensure you will write every week
A consistent dedication to writing regularly is often what separates the successful writers from the unsuccessful ones. Even so, it can be all too easy to get caught up in the other distractions of life and let writing fall by the wayside. An optimistic New Year's writing resolution or written pl...
January 9th, 2014
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The value of beta readers: how to find and benefit from them
The breakdown of the traditional publishing model and increasing popularity of e-readers has opened up enormous opportunity for self published authors. But with this comes the shift of responsibility for everything from editing to marketing, which used to be done by print publishers. This means t...
January 6th, 2014
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How to build an audience of early readers
This is a guest post by Dominic Tarn. No one wants to publish a book only to be greeted by the deafening silence. Understanding how to build an audience of early readers will ensure people spread the word about your book: 1. Start marketing early They key to it is to start marketing early - the e...
December 27th, 2013
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5 classic fantasy books to read
Most lovers of fantasy fiction are well-acquainted with such classic works as J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz and C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. But what are some of the lesser-known but important wor...
December 5th, 2013
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Character posture: How to describe characters' bearing
When we think about describing a character, we often think of listing items like hair colour, eye colour and body type. Character posture is important too: How we bear ourselves tells others a lot about us. Here are tips on using posture to bring out what makes each of your fictional charac...
November 14th, 2013
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How to write a crime novel: 4 tips from Raymond Chandler
If you want to learn how to write a crime novel, studying the masters is a good first step. Read on for 4 takeaways from Raymond Chandler's fiction that will help you become a better crime writer: Raymond Chandler was one of the great crime writers of all time, and his ascent from humble beg...
October 22nd, 2013
Read post...The best crime novels: 10 must-read books
Writing great crime fiction means reading the best crime novels? Below are 10 crime novels that will give you a good reading foundation: Defining what we mean by 'crime novels' Most aficionados of crime and mystery fiction could quibble about the differences between crime and mystery fiction. Th...
October 21st, 2013
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Novel writing tips: Guest interview with published author Caroline Sandon
1. When did you first start writing? I started writing when I was about five, usually poems for my father’s birthday cards, it progressed from there. At eleven I won a national poetry competition and this fuelled my ambition to become a full time wr...
October 11th, 2013
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Top ten romance novels: Books to inspire you
In order to write great romance novels, you need to read great romance novels. Below is a list of successful top ten romance novels spanning subgenres from classic literature to contemporary. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is the original chicklit novel as Elizabeth Bennet attempts to navig...
October 8th, 2013
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