The secrets behind the practice of good writing

More than the more visual media of story-telling, reading immerses us in the experiences of others – which is why I particularly fear a society that doesn’t read. It’s my belief that reading [...]

Here’s a little point that’s been bothering me a great deal while reading assignments recently. Have you used the strongest verbs you possibly can? He walked to the door? You need hardly bother [...]

Characters may be the most important part of a narrative, but they’re not all you need to hold us. Last week I made the point that startling events are not all we need if we’re to be drawn into a [...]

Exciting events don’t make a story. I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s a point that struck me forcibly when assessing a manuscript recently. You might have the greatest premise for a [...]

A couple of weeks ago I had coffee with another writer, who said he found it odd that some would-be writers talked indiscriminately about their writing. “Funny,” he said, “because it’s the last [...]