Weather is quite possibly the most common conversational topic, at least in the United Kingdom. It also contributed to one of the most widely quoted opening lines; “It was a dark and stormy night” But can weather do anything else to your fiction, other than setting the scene, or giving characters something to talk about? […]
Writing Tips
Why should you walk in the shoes of your characters?
Point of view can be a tricky subject for writers. Does it just refer to whether you’re writing in first person, or third? It can do, but point of view can also be a brilliant way to get under the skin of your characters and find out what really makes them tick. And if you […]
3 easy ways to use authentic emotions in your writing
Emotions are the bridge that connects the writer to the reader. In her excellent book, 52 Dates for Writers, Claire Wingfield points out that fiction really needs authentic emotions. That’s not just for your characters – that’s also for your readers. Instalment 7 of 52 Dates for Writers revolves around problem-solving for you as a writer. […]
3 easy ways to use transport in your fiction
Transport may seem like a necessary evil to get you from A to B. But have you ever used it as a plot point? A character quirk? Or a means of world building? You can use one, or all three, to round out your fiction in a more unexpected way! This post was inspired by […]
What do interesting houses say about your characters?
Houses can be an absolutely central part of any story. Hell, they even form a sub-genre of their own through the haunted house story! But are houses just the locations through which your characters move? Are they nothing more than sets? Or can you actually use houses as part of your character design? Can houses […]
Can death play a positive role in your storytelling?
Think of Death for a moment. Did you picture a tall guy in a hood with a scythe? Or Neil Gaiman’s funky Siouxsie Sioux character from The Sandman? Or was it a more sombre abstract notion of pain and loss? Death can be, and is, all of these things, and much more. But it can […]
