If there’s one certainty about characterisation, it’s that names don’t exist in isolation. It’s tempting to think: do they really matter all that much? After all, our parents chose our name simply because they liked it. Isn’t it enough to do the same with our characters? While this is true to an extent, fiction is not…
Tag: #writingcraft
5 Ways Writing Poetry Can Improve Your Prose Fiction
Part way through the film Chocolat, Judy Dench gives a poetry book to her estranged grandson. He reacts in the way many children (and adults) would. Says thank you with a glazed expression, wishing the present was a new puppy or the next Assassin’s Creed. His grandmother notices this of course, and replies ‘It’s not that kind…
A Personal 10 Step Reading Program to Improve Your Writing
Hello everyone! I hope 2020 is going well for you and that you’re managing to keep up with your writing goals (disclaimer: I’m not). The other day I was thinking about how certain novels have a big part to play in developing our writing, and wanted to share my personal list with you, including specific…
Using Word Trees to Generate Plot Ideas
It’s never fun to be stuck in quicksand. I know what it’s like when you have a great character idea or inciting event, but can’t move forward in a story. Fortunately, I’ve found a solution to get myself out of that deadly and, frankly itchy situation: experimenting with writing exercises. This one came to me…
How to Write Fiction Like an Ancient Egyptian
What do you think of when I say the words ‘Ancient Egypt’? Perhaps you’re imagining the Great Pyramid of Giza, stately, protective cats; maybe even the vibrant hieroglyphs on the walls of Tutankhamun’s tomb. In other words, I doubt you’re thinking about literature. Why? Because why would you? History has had time enough to obliterate…
How to Be a Better Creative Writing Student
Note: this post is written for ALL creative writers dedicated to self-improvement! Unlike many of the ideas I get for posts, this one wasn’t a sudden inspiration. On two separate occasions: while looking over my textbooks, then in the discount aisle of a supermarket; I thought about how much I’d improved recently. From perking up craft…
10 Fine Websites for Writing Tips
As creative writers, we’re well acquainted with the more familiar websites for writing tips, from Writer’s Digest to Write to Done. There are however, hundreds of other websites offering equally good advice, many of which (in my opinion) offer more original insights than the top dogs. Here are ten of my current favourites to share!:…
Should We Write What We Know?
After reading Andy Weir’s Artemis (2017), I revisited the maddening maxim that’s haunted me for years. It’s the sentence written on the blackboard before the professor’s even turned around: Write what you know. Or even more confusingly: Don’t write what you know! The reason why Artemis stimulated this age-old debate is because; while I didn’t…
10 Romantic Creative Writing Exercises to Beguile and Inspire
Writing about love is not my forte; in fact I don’t think I’ve ever attempted it other than in fat-lettered diary entries from when I was twelve. Due to a current project it’s something I need to work on however; so I sat down and wrote these exercises to warm the cockles of my pen….
Characterisation in Jaws Part 2
Welcome back to the Jaws universe and the second part of my characterisation study. I trust that you haven’t had any shark problems between then and now…I’ve been swimming in the sea between posts and managed to thoroughly creep myself out at the sight of a triangular shaped buoy! Part one focused on two important…