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Capitalising Made-Up Words in Fantasy and Sci-Fi Writing
Capitalising made-up words in fantasy novels – when is it necessary? And when is it problematic? Many of the authors I work with find it tricky to decide which words deserve a capital letter. When you’re building a world full of invented cultures, magic systems, creatures and political structures, it’s…
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Playing with Narrative Distance
Playing with Narrative Distance: Zooming In and Out for Dynamic Storytelling If you’re a novelist looking to bring your story to life, it’s important for you to learn about playing with narrative distance. Playing with narrative distance may sound like an abstract term, but actually you can just think of…
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Short Stories vs Novels – The Key Differences
Writing short stories vs writing novels: what are the differences? Apart from the word count, of course. On the surface, both involve characters, plot, voice and theme. Dig a little deeper, though, and the techniques shift in ways that can catch even experienced writers off guard. Short fiction isn’t just…
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How to Vet an Editor and Avoid Being Scammed?
How can an author vet an editor? I work pretty much exclusively with indie authors, and they are rightly hesitant before they hand over their hard-earned cash to a stranger. The editing profession (and self-publishing services in general) is largely unregulated, and anyone can set themselves up as an editing…
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Realistic Dialogue is Tricky!
If you are writing a novel, you will probably realise that realistic dialogue is one of the essential cornerstones. Good dialogue will drive your plot, engage your readers, and ensure your characters are three-dimensional. But it’s really hard to get dialogue right! Many authors are advised to “observe the conversations”…
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Free Indirect Speech: The Secret to Reader Engagement
Storytelling has always been about connection. When readers open a book, they want more than just a series of events – they want to step inside another world, experience emotions, and see through another mind. One of the most effective ways to make this possible is through free indirect speech.…
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Point of View in Fiction: A Guide for Novelists
When you sit down to write a story, one of your first decisions needs to be which character(s) will be telling the story – this your novel’s point of view (POV). This decision will shape every word on the page. Get it right and your readers will sink happily into…
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How to Tell If Your Novel Is Ready for Professional Editing: A Guide to Novel Editing
So, you’ve just written the words “The End” on the final page of your novel, and are now wondering if your manuscript is ready for professional editing. Firstly, give yourself a huge pat on the back. Getting to the end is a huge achievement. Many people dream of writing a…
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What is Romantasy? A Beginner’s Guide to the Genre Everyone’s Talking About
If you’ve been on TikTok (#BookTok, anyone?), Instagram, or browsing the fantasy section of your local bookshop recently, chances are you’ve come across romantasy. But what is romantasy exactly? Is it romance? Is it fantasy? Is it both? (Spoiler: yes!)
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Filter Words in Fiction
If you’ve been writing fiction for a while, you’ve probably heard of filter words. But what exactly are they? And why are they a problem? What are Filter Words? Some of the most common filter words include: At first glance, these words might seem harmless, even necessary. But in most…
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Head-Hopping in Fiction Writing: How to Avoid Reader Whiplash
What is head-hopping in fiction? Are you showing us the inner dialogue of more than one character within one scene? If you are, then this is probably head-hopping. What exactly is head-hopping, why does it matter, and how can you avoid it? What is Head-Hopping in Fiction Writing? Head-hopping refers…
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How to Write Grunts, Groans, Ums, Ahs and Ers in Your Novel
When writing dialogue, it’s tempting to focus solely on the words your characters say – but sometimes, what’s not said (the grunts, groans, ums, ahs and ers in your novel) can communicate just as much as the actual dialogue. These small, seemingly insignificant sounds, called vocal tics or filler words,…
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How to Add Emphasis to your Writing
There are various ways to add emphasis to your writing, which will bring importance to the words and phrases in your novel. Italics, CAPITAL LETTERS, Capital Initials, exclamation marks (!), interrobangs (?!), bold and underline will all add emphasis to your writing. But which way is best? And are there…
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When your Point of View Character is Absent
When you are writing a novel from one character’s point of view, it’s important that everything being said on the page has been experienced by that character. We can only smell what they smell, see what they see, hear what they hear. If you suddenly start describing something that happens…
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Pacing and Flow: Editing Tips to Keep Readers Engaged
Have you ever read back through your manuscript and felt something wasn’t quite right? Possibly your dialogue drags, or perhaps a scene that felt great when you were writing it now feels too short, with missing details. You’re probably bumping into issues with pacing and flow. If you want to…
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Compelling Characters
Creating compelling characters is one of the most crucial aspects of writing fiction. You want to write characters who leap off the page, characters who you’d like to meet in real life, characters who truly resonate with your readers. But this is not easy! The Heart of Your Story: Why…
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When to Use Section Breaks in Your Novel
Writing a novel is a journey filled with plot twists, character arcs, and countless cups of tea. One of the key elements that can make or break the readability of your novel is how you use section breaks. These often-overlooked tools can enhance pacing, clarify narrative shifts, and give your…
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Final Self-Editing Tips for Fiction Authors
When you’ve finished the first draft of your novel, you might like to review my final self-editing tips for fiction authors. There are twenty-four tips in total. Below are the last four – including the most important one! See part one and part two for more suggestions. If you take…
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More Self-Editing Tips for Fiction Authors
If you’ve just finished the first draft of your novel, and reviewed my original list of 10 self-editing tips for fiction authors, please read on for the next 10. (There are 24 tips in total, and 24 is the best one of the lot…) Of course hiring a freelance editorial…
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Self-Editing Tips for Fiction Authors
If you’ve just finished the first draft of your novel, now it’s time to look at my list of self-editing tips for fiction authors. The better your manuscript is before you send it to a fiction editor for some professional attention, the better your final, published book will be. Authors…
