Leife Shallcross – On Getting and Giving Good Crit
Q. What was the most & least valuable pieces of advice you took away from your critique? Leife Shallcross One of the most useful things from the crit session was the feedback that reflected my own...
View ArticleDavid Beveridge – On Getting and Giving Good Crit
Q. What was the most & least valuable pieces of advice you took away from your critique? Most valuable advice: the feedback itself. Least valuable: there’s never enough of it; and without...
View ArticleThe Top 10 (Hidden) Elements of Novels
It took me a long time to figure out there was more to writing a novel than creating a hero with a problem, and playing it out over the loose scaffolding of a beginning, middle, and end. 1. Conflict...
View ArticleThe top four ways to end a chapter and keep people reading
There are plenty of ways to finish off a chapter, but not all of them are good. Try these: Clear out early If you happen to wake up with drool seeping into your keyboard and the final words still...
View ArticleUpdated Novel Structure Diagram!
Hey all, I’ve finally managed to update my Novel Structure Diagram! It’s been a long time coming, mostly because I used a different program, which was pretty fiddly. It produced a much better diagram...
View ArticleCSFG blog post on managing the size of your story
I don’t normally promote blog posts I find on the net, but perhaps I should following this post by Ian McHugh on the CSFG site. In his post, Ian discusses managing the size of the first novel he wrote,...
View ArticleThings I wish I knew about writing when I started out
I wish I’d known a few more things about writing when I started out, so I’ve compiled a list of useful tips and advice from other writers that might help both seasoned pros and newbies alike. If you...
View ArticleThings I wish I knew about Editing Your Own Work when I started writing
Editing is a dirty word for some, but for me, it’s the best part of writing. It’s where ninety-five per cent of my effort goes (if not more), and it’s the part I can get lost in. A little too lost,...
View ArticleThings I wish I knew about Critiquing when I started writing
Critiquing means different things to different people. For me, it was always about finding the flaws so they could be fixed. I’ve never made it a secret that I want to get my stories in front of as...
View ArticleUsing critiques to improve your writing
I’ve probably mentioned I’m participating in a novel critique group this year. Every month someone in the group puts their novel up for critique, and the rest of us pull it apart with a view to...
View ArticleAlexa Shaw – On Getting and Giving Good Crit
Q. What did you hope to get out of your critique session? As this is my first novel, I guess my initial reaction is to be reaffirmed in my own belief that I can write a half decent story. Once that bit...
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