Don’t lose your novel! 5 ways to backup your writing

Writing a novel is a huge deal. It is tough and exciting, long and rewarding, emotional and powerful. Those words you produce, those characters you breathe life into, those worlds you create, are more valuable than gold. And nothing could be more heartbreaking than losing it all. So, while it may sound like simple advice,…

3 things your book needs to be before you send it to an agent (and 1 it doesn’t!)

I've spoken quite a lot about the submission process on the blog. It's a terrifying and exciting part of the writing journey. Deciding your novel is ready to send out to agents isn't easy. You'll always doubt yourself. That's why I'm sharing three things your novel needs to be before you submit, and one it…

5 things you need to know about your characters before you write your novel

Creating characters is one of the most exciting parts of novel writing. Getting to know your heroes, your villains, your story's main players is a lot of fun. You'll learn more about them as you write, at that exploration is the best way to understand them completely. But before you start writing, there are five…

Five must-try methods for beating writer’s block

Writer's block. We've all been there. Be it due to a lack of inspiration, motivation or too much procrastination. It slows us down, makes us feel guilty, and halts our progress. Luckily, there's a number of ways to beat it. Take a look... Read After writing, reading is what we do best. Not only is…

5 Ways A Timeline Helps You Write Your Novel

Some writers are plotters. Others are pantsers. There's no right way to do it. There are pros and cons to plotting, and it's up to you to decide what works best. Personally, I'm a plotter. Typically, my plotting consists of a basic outline and little else. It worked for two novels. But on my third,…

The Do’s and Dont’s of Writing What You Know

It's one of the most common pieces of writing advice. Write what you know. But what does it mean? That you can only write about crime if you're a police officer (or a criminal?!)? That you can only write about falling in love with a stranger in Paris if you've been there, done that and bought the…

Novel Writing: What To Do If You Miss Your Deadline

Deadlines are two things; fantastic and terrifying. Deadlines are important in writingas they keep you on track, help you form habit, and lead to productivity. But it's also important not to let those deadlines make you miserable, take the fun out of writing, or stress you out. I'll be the first to admit, I don't…

Editing a Scene/Chapter: Step by Step

Editing a novel is a bit like building a house. Brick by brick, bit by bit, word by word. There are so many methods, and different ways to do it. For me, I do it chapter by chapter, focusing on one at a time. This is the method that I use, I hope it can…

How To Use Mood Boards To Inspire You While Writing Your Novel

Mood boards are brilliant. There's something so pleasing about the aesthetic of it. And more importantly, mood boards can be a really useful tool to inspire you, and motivate you, while writing your novel. Here are just four ways to use them: Character Mood Boards Character mood boards are great fun to make. They enable…

5 things I learned finishing a story I almost gave up on

The book I'm working on now has tried and tested me. I only just made my way through the stubborn first draft, and am now trying to put together its fractured pieces. But before the draft was finished, I considered giving up a number of times. These are some of the things I learned through…