Writing Secrets: It’s good for you – and it’s fun
Reading fiction is good for us – and that’s not one writer’s opinion, but the conclusion of neuroscientific research. Studies have shown that the language of fiction: imaginative metaphors, [...]
Writing Secrets: The touchy-feely art of character portrayal.
We need to know how your character is feeling, okay? It’s not enough simply to have things happen to him without giving us any sense of his emotional state. Part of the reason for this is that [...]
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The secrets behind the practice of good writing: Go on, be a sadist
As a novelist, you shouldn’t be too kind. We all know Kurt Vonnegut’s exhortation to put your characters through hell, but do we always heed it where our own beloved characters are concerned? I [...]
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The secrets behind the practice of good writing: Allow us to walk in their shoes
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 [...]
