5 reasons your novel’s main character sucks
They’re so smart (allegedly), they’re so charismatic (allegedly), but here are some of the reasons you might have a sucking black hole at the centre of your novel. Plus, some quick tips on how to fix your characterization issues. This post was inspired by the Rob and Akiva Need a…
5 things I learned from my unpublished ‘drawer novel’
Like most writers, I have a ‘novel in a drawer’; an unpublished masterpiece (lol no) that I think about every now and again. It’s a YA novel about gymnastics that I finished about nine years ago. I laboured over it, sent it out to agents, and hoped hoped hoped it…
6 things to know if you want to write a novel this year
If your new year’s resolution for 2021 is to write a novel, then you’ve picked a great goal. Writing keeps your brain active and creativity feeds your soul. During pandemic times, there’s no better feeling than soaring away on flights of fancy. However, novel-writing is not without its challenges. Maybe…
5 writing mistakes that drive me nuts
Ever been so annoyed by a book you’ve wanted to throw it across the room? Maybe it’s a character or a plot development that causes you to lose your rag. For me, it’s usually because the author has dropped one of these creative writing clangers. Newbie writers and veteran scribes…
Write the story from the sidekick’s perspective, too – Things I learned while writing Dead Ringer
During one particular rewrite of Dead Ringer, I felt like I’d tied myself up in knots. My protagonist was breaking up with her boyfriend, but he seemed to be taking it too well. I couldn’t figure out what he was thinking or feeling during the scene. So I decided to…
One word you should remove from your writing vocabulary
You might assume this is a philosophical or motivational blog post, and I’m going to tell you there’s no such thing as “can’t”. Or that the word “failure” is a lie and should be reframed as a challenge. Nope. This is a post about the word “walked”. I really, really,…
Revisiting Gone Girl: 5 things writers can learn from it
Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl defined and popularised the psychological suspense genre. These days, the crime fiction shelves are packed with tales of marital discord turned murderous and psychopaths hiding in suburbia. I first read Gone Girl the year it came out, in 2012. Eight years on, when I decided to…
Let your readers hear your protagonist’s thoughts – Things I learned while writing Dead Ringer
Dead Ringer started life as a third-person novel, until my agent suggested I make it first-person. This was a big change, but it made the protagonists’ voices much clearer. The reader gets to sit in their heads, hear their thoughts. This, I think, is the superpower of novels (versus TV…
How my new mantra is helping me stay sane (and productive)
I’ve recently put in place a simple new motto and it’s amazing what a help it’s been, in terms of getting more work done, feeling more balanced, and fighting social media addiction. What is that motto? “No internet before lunch, no social media before dinner.” How is it working for…
Why growth mindset is the number one thing you need to become a better writer (and a better person)
‘Growth mindset’ might sound like one of those annoying buzzwords, but it describes an attitude shift that has helped me immensely. What is growth mindset? It’s a term that comes from Carol S Dweck’s book, Mindset, which is a study of how children learn. This is a simplification, but in…
Make your protagonist the type of person who jumps into the fray – Things I learned while writing Dead Ringer
In life, I’m a risk-averse person. I always weigh up my options and try to act prudently. In novels, I’ve found that prudent characters make for boring protagonists. Dead Ringer got immeasurably better when I added in a second narrator, Jem. She’s reckless and rebellious and will always throw herself…
5 best books on writing for beginners and beyond
Whether you’re starting out in creative writing or looking to fine-tune your writing craft, there are a wealth of reference books out there. Here are five that I find invaluable: Self-Editing for Fiction Writers – Renni Browne and Dave King The first time I flicked through Self-Editing for Fiction Writers,…
The most important advice I can give to fellow writers
“What’s it like to see your book in print?” is a question I’ve been asked a lot recently and the only answer I can come up with is: surreal. A huge part of that, I think, is I’m acutely aware of the alternate-universe version of events. Three years ago, another…
Don’t give ’em a reason to stop reading – Things I learned while writing Dead Ringer
One of my favourite pieces of feedback I’ve got on Dead Ringer is: “I stayed up past my bedtime reading it.” During one of my later re-drafts of the book, I did something bold. I re-cut all the chapters. I made them shorter and I changed the places where the…
Should writers be sweating the adverb?
I recently read a prominent author’s top three writing tips and one of them was that old chestnut, “don’t use adverbs.” Top three! Out of all the writing tips in the world: adverbs. It got me thinking: do adverbs really make such a big difference? (Look, I just used one…
Why do mediocre novels get published? My theory (and what writers can learn from it)
There’s little more frustrating than picking up a book and realising it’s BAY-AD. The characters are cardboard cut-outs. The action is melodramatic or unbelievable. It breaks every rule in your well-thumbed writing craft books. “How did this get published??” you wonder. If you’re a writer yourself, you might follow it…
Embrace the idea of multiple drafts – Things I learned while writing Dead Ringer
I’ve spent a lot of my writing life harbouring under the delusion that my first draft needed to be perfect. Or close enough, anyway. If my first draft was a disaster, I was a failure. I still struggle with this perfectionism, but it’s good to remind myself that my first…
5 of the best audiobooks for new listeners
Looking to download an audiobook, but not sure where to start? Here are five of the best I’ve listened to. They score highly both on story and on performance. Many even have narrators you’ll have heard of… The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie – Muriel Spark (read by Miriam Margolyes)…
5 tips for killing it in your next podcast or radio interview
I’ve been doing a few radio and virtual interviews recently to promote Dead Ringer and I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way. Here are 5 things I’ve learned to help you rock your next radio/podcast interview: Smile Yes, doing interviews is nerve-wracking. Yes, you might be struggling to think…
How I made £250 using cashback websites
I’ve been using cashback websites like Topcashback and Quidco for a couple of years now. Here are my experiences – the good, the bad, and (most importantly) how much I’ve actually earned. How they work In case you’re not familiar with cashback websites, they work like this: When you want…