An ode to overlooked sources: using ballads and poems for research

An ode to overlooked sources: using ballads and poems for research

Jun 21, 2021 | Blog

In my work as an author of both factual history books and novels, I like to make the background details and the lives of my characters as authentic as possible. Official contemporary documents can provide some evidence – who did what, when and where – but they don’t...
What do you do for fun around here? Entertainment throughout history

What do you do for fun around here? Entertainment throughout history

May 26, 2021 | Blog

Every generation thinks it’s the one that knows how to have fun. After the past year, we’ve all come to appreciate how entertainment is a necessary part of a happy life. Changes to the form and venue of entertainment continue to come and go as they’re affected by the...
What makes a great villain?

What makes a great villain?

Apr 23, 2021 | Blog

No matter how great a hero, no matter what they can achieve, what separates the good stories from the great is the quality of the antagonist. Look at Star Wars – Darth Vader was so popular George Lucas went and made three films about him specifically. Whatever your...
Sweet dreams – how to write dream sequences

Sweet dreams – how to write dream sequences

Mar 16, 2021 | Blog

Along with flashbacks, dream sequences are one of the most controversial writing techniques out there. Done well, they can add an extra layer of depth to your writing and provide amazing insight into your character’s motivations and fears. Done badly, they can...
Five writing rules to break

Five writing rules to break

Feb 10, 2021 | 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

Dec 16, 2020 | 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...