How to edit the first draft of your novel (without crying and deleting it)...
You've finished your first draft and typed 'The End'. If you're anything like me, you'll feel a massive sense of achievement, along with relief. But then you start to read it over, and with a sinking...
View ArticleThree essentials for creating page-turning tension in your novel #amwriting...
Creating a page-turning read is the topic for this month's Round Robin... How do you develop the tension every story needs to keep the reader involved? This is such an excellent question. There are so...
View ArticleHow to Develop Characters That Live and Breathe #writing
Some books contain unforgettable characters. Those that spring to mind for me straightaway are Cormoran Strike in the Robert Galbraith novels, Lila and Lenu in My Brilliant Friend, Anne of Green...
View ArticleMiss Moonshine’s Emporium at Christmas
It's December and the final authors' Round Robin of the year. Since I love Christmas stories of all kinds, this has to be my favourite challenge of the the past twelve months: write a piece of fiction...
View ArticleDeveloping secondary characters, and some classic secondary characters from...
A belated happy New Year - and apologies for the gap in blog posts for a whole month. First there was Christmas, then a virus and then moving house. I'm really glad to be back on track, and ready for...
View ArticleMystery, superstition and romance in the novel In the Mouth of the Wolf
Today is release day for my novel In the Mouth of the Wolf - hooray! The book is a re-release of A Year of Light and Shadows, with a fresh new cover that I love. I decided to change the title, too, to...
View Article#Writing: How to keep focused on the central idea of your story, and why it...
When I'm editing fiction and making notes in the margins of a manuscript, there are a couple of comments I make more often than any others. One of them is 'show, don't tell', and another is 'focus on...
View ArticleHow to make a living from writing: some useful tips from the London Book Fair...
My first ever visit to the London Book Fair was an inspiring and thought-provoking day. One of the talks at Author HQ was on how writers can boost their earnings. The room was packed, indicating that...
View Article7 tips for self-editing your book
It's time for this month's authors' Round Robin, and author Robin Courtright has set us another excellent topic... How do you self-edit your books before submitting or publishing? When I wrote my first...
View ArticleA history of the Orient Express and A Tale of Two Sisters, by Merryn...
It's a great pleasure to welcome author Merryn Allingham today. Merryn is a fellow member of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and I was excited to find her latest book features a trip on the Orient...
View ArticleThe symbolism of the seasons in literature, with four brilliant examples
Spring is my favourite season, and this month we have the perfect topic to discuss in our authors' Round Robin; Does the season ever play a part in your setting? How do you think seasons affect setting...
View ArticleGood to meet you…author Gilli Allan @gilliallan
It's been a long while since I ran one of my 'Good to Meet You' posts, and I'm really happy to be starting again today with this interview with author Gilli Allan. Her answers are thought-provoking,...
View ArticleWho was the real #AnneLister? A fascinating talk by experts @HelenaWhitbread...
If it weren't for the work of Helena Whitbread and Jill Liddington, no one today would have heard of Anne Lister, an extraordinary woman who kept a diary at her home in Shibden Hall, Halifax, in the...
View ArticleWhere do ideas come from? Creative inspiration (and how to find it)
It's July and time for this month's authors' Round Robin. Thanks to author Robin Courtright for setting the topic... What book (or type of book) are you currently working on? Do you have ideas for...
View ArticleHow indie publishing gave me my confidence back (and why I’m not going back...
Self-publishing my novels has given me confidence back in my own writing. I've gone from thinking no one would want to read the type of story I write - feel-good and uplifting, but involving serious...
View ArticleA Paris Fairy Tale: a gripping, romantic story set in the world of ancient...
I first met French author Marie Laval six years ago, after our debut novels were released by the same publisher around the same time. My novel, The Silk Romance, is set in Lyon, Marie's home town, and...
View ArticleSummer and winter on the Yorkshire moors, plus a new uplifting Christmas...
It's time for our August authors' round Robin, and author Rhobin Courtright has set us the perfect summer topic... Give an excerpt from one of your books dealing with travel and/or a holiday Rhobin is...
View ArticleWhy I’m fed up of defending romance writing
If you've followed my blog for a while, you'll know I'm an editor and author of romantic fiction. Last week was a busy one for me as I tried to finish all the work on my schedule and answer any queries...
View Article11 of the Best Climate Fiction Books
Young activists like Greta Thunberg have made us see that ordinary individuals can make their voices heard. People can change the world - and so can books. The Society of Authors recently asked its...
View ArticleGood to meet you… author Sophie Claire
It's a while since I've interviewed an author on my blog, and so it's a great pleasure today to host friend and fellow RNA member Sophie Claire. Sophie is a fellow northerner, too, albeit from across...
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