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1. A character who looks in a mirror (shop window or whatever) so that the author can then describe them. So done to death. 2. A dream sequence where the reader is misled into thinking it is real, only to have character … Continue reading
Category Archives: Writing tips
The plane was full from New York to Kuala Lumpur. The man sitting next to me was American. ‘Your first trip to Malaysia?’ I asked at some point, one of those casual questions you tend to ask of a fellow … Continue reading
Years ago, when I was a hopeful, unpublished writer – and thought I was a great deal better than I actually was – I started to shop my work around. Rejections followed. And no matter how often you are told … Continue reading
Today’s tip is all about the word: “that“. Take a look at this rather silly sentence: That that that, that one that we see here, can be removed is not in doubt. This sentence is actually grammatically correct. It’s also … Continue reading
Which or that? The problem arises when either of these two words is used as a relative pronoun (if you really want to know the name). {What’s a relative pronoun? Well, it’s a word that introduces a clause and refers to an … Continue reading
Is it: He’s coming too or He’s coming, too I don’t want one either or I don’t want one, either The answer on this one is actually quite simple. You can please yourself. There are no set rules, at least none that are applied regularly … Continue reading
I wish there was a formula. Do this, so that, and there you are. But alas, there are as many different ways of writing as there are authors, and each author may not stick to the same method for each … Continue reading
I think, if anything, the only thing posts of mine on this subject are going to say of value is this: everyone has to select the way that best suits their own creative mind. I obviously seem to hate to … Continue reading
So there I am, on the bus, discovering the route as I journey. Sometimes it all goes far too slowly to please me; at other times I race along at over 3,000 words a day. [I think the most I’ve … Continue reading
So there I am, with a finished version of the story that makes me reasonably happy. Remember, parts of this book have already been rewritten several times. So, what’s next? Next comes the meticulous sentence by sentence rewrite. The first bit is … Continue reading