In a thriller, nowhere is safe…
This is a blog post I wrote on the importance of setting for The Asian...
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How to tell a good plot
My seven-year-old daughter is teaching me how to plot. She’s drawn a story mountain for...
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The octopus and the pirates
I'm giving a talk on plot at Novel Nights on Wednesday 23 Many. This is...
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Hiking for writing II
Happy Earth Day! Today, we’re celebrating our extraordinary planet, and trying to end plastic pollution....
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First Lines
Did you know that many publishers won’t read past the first few lines of your...
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Why do I write?
https://youtu.be/_G8XmAYyjK8 The short answer, is because I have to! I’d write if I was shut...
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Five writing tips from four literary events
I’ve just come back from being on panels at three literary festivals and talking to...
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Writing Short Stories
I recently judged the Bristol Short Story Prize for the second year running. This year...
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Hiking for Writing I
All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking. Friedrich Nietzsche I’ve just got back...
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What I think about when I think about holidays…
We’ve just got back from our annual spring holiday in Trelowarren, Cornwall. I love holidays!...
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How to write dialogue II
If writing dialogue set right now in the real world is difficult, writing historical dialogue...
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How to write dialogue I
Walter: Castor beans. Jesse: So, what are we going to do with them? Are we...
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