CRAFT
Authors: do you have ‘too many writing ideas’ syndrome?
‘Too many writing ideas’ is a frequent issue. Several writers have been in touch about writing that grows out of control. One mentioned ‘the spiralling complexity of WIPs’ (beautifully said!); others mentioned ‘finishing projects without getting distracted by new ones’, and ‘digging yourself out of rabbit holes’. I suspect that these issues have a shared…
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Editing techniques for long-form writing
Are you about to begin editing a novel or script? I often find editing long-form writing daunting. It can be tricky to keep sight of the overall structure, and do close-up editing at the same time. Then you’ve got to wrangle character arcs, plot twists, and scene shapes… it’s a miracle that writers ever manage…
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Writing productivity – the power of ‘just start’
If you’ve ever struggled with writing productivity, here’s a powerful tip. “Just start!” works for all areas of life, and writing fiction and non-fiction. It has proved valuable to me time and again. I don’t believe in writer’s block, but I do struggle with distraction and noise, and need to pull focus. So here are…
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Writing technique – how to use camera shots in fiction WIDE
Want to learn a powerful writing and editing technique for your fiction? Try using camera shots! Movie thinking can help focus your writing, improve your editing, and hone your visual imagination. Part 1 of this series covers the wide shot. This is an excerpt from Dramatic Techniques for Creative Writers (see below). Learn about wide…
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Writing style: 10 tips for writing authentic voices
When writing authentic character voices, how accurate do you make the dialogue? Especially with non-mainstream accents?! Blog reader B.V. Cooper sent this question in connection with the Southern US country accents in his non-fiction book. His characters are based on actual people with accent variations that include “poor grammar, incorrect pronunciation etc. Does this detract…
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Starting your creative writing MFA – 9 tips
For many a creative writing MFA and MA, it’s the start of the academic year, and writing students are about to get cracking with their studies. For 13 years, I taught on a university creative writing MA in the UK, and wanted to share some tips after working with hundreds of students on their writing.…
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How to develop your writing voice
Your unique writing voice is your best asset as an author, but how do you develop it? It’s widely agreed that a vivid, compelling writing voice sets you apart. Publishers and creative writing tutors say a fresh voice makes them sit up. They’re far more likely to read on. But a vivid writing voice is…
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Creative writing techniques that really work
Creative writing techniques are hard to pin down, as writers are all so different. But which are useful to the beginner? Here are 5 practical techniques that my creative writing students have found most helpful. 1. Beginning, middle, end This is a well-worn writing mantra, but what does it really mean? Every piece of writing…
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How to use objects in your fiction writing 1
Are you making the most of the physical objects in your fiction? Dramatic techniques used in scriptwriting often use objects to physicalise conflict, create tension, externalise emotions and relationships, and bring talky scenes to life. At the editing stage, they can also help to transform a lifeless scene. Read on to discover how pianos, trees…
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Writing technique – how to make fiction characters visible
Invisible fiction characters are great fun. From the Invisible Man to Bilbo Baggins to Harry Potter, characters who vanish from view are a much-loved touchstone of fantasy writing. But sometimes, fictional characters aren’t meant to be invisible. And yet the reader can’t see them. Some characters are unintentionally invisible, because the writer hasn’t made them clear…
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