Five writing rules to break

Five writing rules to break

Last updated Sep 5, 2024 | Blog

If you are new to writing, or feeling a little fragile about whatever you’re writing, you will probably be surfing the internet for help. You may be relieved – or alarmed – to know that even published authors do this. Writing ‘rules’ are out there and we, desperately...
Narrative distance: what it is and how to control it

Narrative distance: what it is and how to control it

Last updated Sep 5, 2024 | Blog

Whether your story is plot-driven, character-driven or somewhere between the two, there will be times when it’s desirable to draw your reader deep inside a character’s consciousness, and others when it’s better to pull back for a broader and more objective view of...
Going to the toilet in historical fiction

Going to the toilet in historical fiction

Last updated Sep 5, 2024 | Blog

Why does no one go to the toilet in historical fiction? Well, of course they do, but we don’t mention it. Writers are happy to offer detailed descriptions of wine, tea, and coffee consumed, water scooped from streams, juice squeezed from fresh oranges, et cetera, but...
What’s so funny? Giving your characters a historical sense of humour

What’s so funny? Giving your characters a historical sense of humour

Last updated Sep 5, 2024 | Blog

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that you’ve got to laugh. Laughter is a fantastic coping mechanism, a chance to bond with fellow humans… and one of the best ways to create memorable – and relatable – characters in storytelling. Giving your characters a sense of...
In medias res – what it is and why you should use it

In medias res – what it is and why you should use it

Last updated Aug 18, 2025 | Blog

If Homer and Virgil sat down to watch The Sound of Music, they might take umbrage with a certain singing nun. Apologies Maria, but the beginning is not always a very good place to start. In medias res is the literary technique of jumping straight to the heart of the...
What does historical fiction mean?

What does historical fiction mean?

Last updated Aug 14, 2025 | Blog

We all know what historical fiction is. It’s stories that are set in the past. Easy. Next question? Except it’s never going to be that simple. History isn’t simple, and neither is fiction, so we can hardly expect a combination of the two to be straightforward....