When Should You Put a Book in the Drawer?

When Should You Put a Book in the Drawer?

Monday, April 24, 2023

One of the questions that came up at our recent Q&A with literary agents Eve White and Ludo Cinelli was ‘How do you know when it’s time to give up on a novel?’ Ludo suggested that 25 agent submissions – the number made by the writer asking the question – wasn’t...
Arrive Late, Leave Early: How to Write Fast-Paced Fiction

Arrive Late, Leave Early: How to Write Fast-Paced Fiction

Thursday, August 18, 2022

The phrase ‘arrive late, leave early’ has become a mantra for many screenwriters. Today’s audience is hungry for immediate entertainment and the average scene in a film lasts one to three minutes – or one to three pages. Screenwriter William Goldman...
Mapping Your Story Arc: The Inciting Incident

Mapping Your Story Arc: The Inciting Incident

Monday, April 25, 2022

What is an Inciting Incident? The inciting incident is a key component of almost every novel, but you may not be familiar with the term or even sure whether you’ve written one! James Scott Bell writes, ‘The power of your story is directly proportional to...
Wordiness

Wordiness

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

HOW TO CUT WORDS WITHOUT LOSING ANYTHING One of the key edits to complete when polishing a manuscript is a ‘wordiness’ edit. Cicero said, ‘Every word that is unnecessary only pours over the side of a brimming mind.’ Whether you’re looking...
Should Fiction Writers Use a Thesaurus?

Should Fiction Writers Use a Thesaurus?

Monday, November 15, 2021

The Synonym Debate At secondary school, teachers often encourage students to use a thesaurus to find more interesting options for their creative writing and expand their vocabulary. If you study the craft at university level, though, most tutors will tell you not to...