The top five challenges of writing historical fiction (and how to overcome them)
The process of writing historical fiction can throw up some pretty tough challenges, but with a bit of knowledge, practice, and determination, it’s certainly possible to overcome them. To help you along, we’ve put together this post on the top five challenges of...
Four steps for writing romantic relationships that make sense
Even if your story is not a historical romance, you may still want to incorporate a romantic subplot for that extra dose of spice and emotional depth. But you want to do it well. You’ve read your share of predictable, throwaway relationship subplots that left you...
How to hook your reader in chapter one
The first chapter of your novel – or your prologue if you prefer – must contain a compelling opening hook, giving the reader a taste of what’s to come and persuading them that the rest of your story isn’t to be missed. Get it right and your reader will commit to your...
A guide to capitalising titles and ranks
If you’ve ever had a hard time wrapping your head around when you should and shouldn’t capitalise words like ‘sergeant’, ‘doctor’, ‘queen’, and ‘sir’, you can be safe in the knowledge that you’re not alone. Probably about half of the manuscripts I edit contain...
Four ways theme can help you write with meaning
Despite being a highly neglected element of storytelling, theme is in fact one of the most powerful tools at your disposal as you plan, write, and revise your novel. In school, many of us learn to identify a theme as a single word or phrase, a broad topic explored in...
Five ways to fix a sagging middle
No, I promise I’m not moonlighting as a personal trainer. When I talk about a sagging middle, I’m referring to the way some stories lose their momentum as they reach the halfway point. It’s a common problem – affecting perhaps 10 per cent of the manuscripts I edit –...
When (and how) to use documents in historical fiction
In historical fiction, it’s common for writers to include documents, such as letters, diary entries, and newspaper reports, in their stories. These can be real documents from the period they’re writing about, or they can be fictional documents they’ve created...
How to write flashbacks
Flashbacks are an important part of storytelling, enabling writers to connect the events and actions of the present to things that have happened in the past. They’re a particularly useful tool for demonstrating character motivations and introducing plot twists. If...
Five common comma mistakes (and how to avoid them)
Most manuscripts I edit contain some grammatical errors, and most of these relate to commas. Good comma usage can improve the flow of your story, add dramatic tension, and give the reader confidence in your writing abilities. Bad comma usage can make your writing seem...