Magical Patterns in Stories

I write and read in pictures. For me, all books are illustrated. Yes, it’s the words that do the hard work – God love ‘em. In the end, however, what counts is what those words help me to see. You might think I’m talking about visualisation – reading a scene in a book and having … Continue reading Magical Patterns in Stories

Setting the Story Aside

This afternoon I finished writing a 7,500 word short story. And now I've got to set it aside. Tempting though it is to wrap up the manuscript and fire it off to my agent, I know that would be a mistake. Most of the story's still in first draft, you see. So, happy as I … Continue reading Setting the Story Aside

Clockwork of the Lost Ark

I was watching Raiders of the Lost Ark for the umpteenth time at the weekend, when my wife interrupted to ask me why I enjoyed watching certain films over and over again. Or reading certain books, for that matter. The natural response to such a question is of course, "Hush, dear, I'm watching Raiders of … Continue reading Clockwork of the Lost Ark

The Positive Side of Rejection

If the writing business is famous for one thing it's the rejection letter. Despite having eight published novels under my belt and two more under contract, plus a handful of short stories published in various magazines and anthologies, I continue to have work rejected on a regular basis. Rejected by my wife, who tells me … Continue reading The Positive Side of Rejection

Plotting the Novel

I'm plotting three novels at once and it's melting my brain. In a good way, of course. The best way really, because in some ways plotting is the most exciting part about writing fiction. At this stage of the game, anything goes. To explain, I'm between books in a ghostwriting project that's taken up most … Continue reading Plotting the Novel

The Author Trail

You know how it goes. You read a book by an author you never read before, get hooked and then find yourself following their trail forever after. It's a kind of literary stalking. We've all done it. There's no shame. The Author Trail has three distinct paths. First there's the Backlist Path. This is where … Continue reading The Author Trail

From Manuscript to Print

I occasionally visit local primary schools to talk about creative writing and my experiences in the publishing industry. Halfway through telling the children about my first novel Dragoncharm, I bring out the original typescript and drop it on the table. At 798 pages it makes quite a bang (and raises plenty of surprised giggles). It's … Continue reading From Manuscript to Print

Listen to your Characters

I'm ghostwriting book two of a fantasy trilogy to a tight outline and an equally tight deadline. The upside of a punishing schedule is there's no time to mess about, and certainly no time for self-indulgence. It also means I'm free to enjoy telling the story and crafting the prose, without worrying about plotting, because … Continue reading Listen to your Characters

The Art of Deletion

"Kill your darlings" is a wise piece of writing advice most commonly attributed to Arthur Quiller-Couch. To put it another way, don't be afraid to delete stuff from your writing if it's adding nothing to the story. There's no doubt that deleting handwritten material is tremendously satisfying. You can do it in all kinds of … Continue reading The Art of Deletion

What’s in a Name?

Naming things – characters or worlds or, well, just stuff – can be a thorny problem for the writer of speculative fiction. Do I keep it simple or go off the deep end? Do I invent new words and languages or rely on the old ones? Portmanteau words are a popular option – bolting together … Continue reading What’s in a Name?