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Five Things: Reasons to Leave Your Writing Desk
Writing“How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.” ― Henry David ThoreauI am a terrible sufferer of writer’s block. Unless I have an idea that causes a feverish burst of...
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Five Things: Tips for Creating Believable Relationships in Fiction
WritingWhen I started writing my novel, Fallow, it was clear that the connection the two brothers share would be at the heart of the book - and I had to find the best ways to let readers in. Here are...
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Five Things: Having Fun with Historical Fiction
WritingWhen I began writing For My Sins, all I knew was that I had a passion for the subject of Scottish History, and Mary, Queen of Scots in particular. She was a character who came alive for me as I...
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Five Things: The Differences Between Writing for TV and Comics
WritingI grew up on comics. They were my first love long before film and way before television. In college I interned at Marvel, and were it not for a job offer with a film company in Los Angeles, my...
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How Applying for a NWA Helped Me Get Published (Even Though I Didn't Win One)
WritingThe decision to apply for a New Writers Award and the Next Chapter Award in 2015 did not happen overnight. It took some serious persuasion from friends at several cake-laden gatherings before I...
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Five Rules for Proofreading Your Own Work
WritingWhether you’re working on a book, a blog, a poem, an essay or a report, proofreading your own work isn’t easy. It's easy to get sucked into thinking about what you intended to say rather than...
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5 Ways to Choose a Novel's Setting
WritingWhen I started writing Contagion I had the main settings of the story firmly in mind: in fact, the settings really came before the story, and very much informed its development. The chapters in...
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5 Benefits of Joining a Writers’ Group
WritingI’ll never forget the first time I went to a writers’ group. My hands were shaking as I read out my story from a sheet of paper. When I finished I looked up and the other writers smiled politely...
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5 Ways to Write Right Now
WritingI’ve just come back from a month-long writing retreat at Moniack Mhor as part of the 2017 Jessie Kesson Fellowship. Yes, you read that right: a whole month. A month in a cottage on a...
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Five Ways to Be a Better Self-Editor
WritingYou’re a writer: you write things, and then you bask in the warm glow of satisfaction when you finish them – right? Kind of. While a certain amount of basking is certainly permitted and should...
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How to Start a Writers' Group
WritingIf you’re a writer who’s looking for a little companionship, encouragement, feedback and advice, then a writing group might be just what you need. But what do you do if you can’t find a crit or...
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Writing on Retreat: Finding Your Own Way
WritingI love writing retreats. Whether it’s a tutored retreat at Moniack Mhor, an untutored retreat at Cove Park, or a week alone in a hut with nothing but a notepad and pen, there’s just something...
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How to Get the Most Out of the EIBF as a New Writer
WritingWhile the book festival scene can be beyond exciting for a new writer (Look at all those books! There’s the author I love!) it can also be really daunting (LOOK at ALL those books. Those people...
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Five Tips for Writing Fantastic Non-Fiction
WritingNarrative or creative non-fiction deals in facts but tells them like fictions. Unlike journalism, academic writing or how-to books, narrative or creative non-fiction experiments with writing...
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Why You Should Work With a Writing Mentor
WritingAs a brand-new writer, someone who only starting writing properly a year or so ago, applying for a mentorship was the best thing I could have done.There are a couple of ways to bag a mentor....
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Collaborative Writing: Five Reasons to Give it a Try
WritingWe've been friends since we met at school aged 16, and together we've co-written three Young Adult novels (Lobsters, Never Evers and our new one, Freshers, which came out this August). We write...
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5 Tips for Reading Your Writing Aloud
WritingIf you’re a writer, there’s a good chance you’re also going to have to be a reader-aloud at some point. Whether it’s at a spoken word night, an award ceremony or a book launch, there are loads...
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5 Ways to Recharge Your Creativity
WritingSometimes writers feel as if their brains are sizzling with more ideas than they’ll ever have time to develop, but most of us also go through weeks, months or even longer where it feels as if...
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Five Ways to Make the Most of a Manuscript Assessment
WritingManuscript assessment services are a growing trend, offering an experienced eye on a finished draft to see if it passes industry muster. If you’re preparing to self-publish or submit to agents,...
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5 Things to Remember when Writing for Children
WritingChildren enjoy well-crafted tales that tap into their sense of fun, curiosity and passion for new ideas. I love writing for them because their enthusiasm is infectious and motivating. Young...
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