As writers (and editors) reading is one of the best things to do to understand what does and doesn’t work. Fourth Wing is a recent example of one of my favourite elements of a book that I don’t think we talk about enough: epigraphs.
Author Archives: Steph Huddleston
Hi! I'm Steph, a freelance writer for hire based in Australia. I'm an avid reader and love all things bookish! My blog is all about the written word.
Are tropes and cliches always a bad thing? Romance Genre spotlight
Writers will at some stage come across the feedback in their own writing, or perhaps in reviews that says: “avoid cliches” or “this was too trope driven”. But what does that advice mean? And should writers always avoid tropes and cliches? While the answer varies depending on who you ask, I’d like to take aContinue reading “Are tropes and cliches always a bad thing? Romance Genre spotlight”
January Wrap-Up
The first month of the year has flown by and February is just around the corner. I hope the year has started well for you, wherever you are reading this from.
For this, the first post of 2023, I’ll be sharing a bit about what I’ve been up to over the holiday period as well as some of my plans for the year ahead.
November Monthly Wrap-Up
The last few months have been busy, so I wanted to share a different kind of post to update you on what I’ve been up to recently. In addition to my usual posts, looking forward to 2023, I plan to share more of these more informal behind-the-scenes posts. If that’s not your thing, don’t worry, there’s plenty of my usual writing and editing content planned for 2023.
Margot Mertz For The Win by Carrie McCrossen & Ian McWethy: Book Review
Thank you to Hardie Grant Books for supplying me with an advance review copy of this book. Margot Mertz is back and she’s got yet another battle ahead.
The Dragon Healer by Tiani Davids: Writing Dragons and fictional languages
Today we’re celebrating the launch of The Dragon Healer by Aussie Indie author, Tiani Davids with a review (from yours truly) and an interview with the author herself.
Read on for details about self-publishing in Australia, and recommendations for world-building in the fantasy genre.
When “Write every day” isn’t an option: Chronic Illness and publishing
It’s the classic writing advice: write every day. But what about when that’s just not an option? For many people, writing advice like this can add stress and strain, rather than fostering creativity and motivation.
Are Unreliable Narrators Unlikable? The Maid Book Review
In this post we’ll be talking about what makes unreliable narrators potentially unlikable to readers, how to use this strategy effectively in your writing, and discuss The Maid by Nita Prose as a case study for the unreliable narrator. If you haven’t yet read The Maid, I’ve done my best to avoid spoilers.
Are Sit/Stand Desks Worth It? Everdesk+ Max Desk Review
If you’ve heard of sit/stand desks, or you’ve been considering purchasing one, you may find yourself asking: is the hype really worth it?
This post aims to answer that question because I’ve recently become a sit/stand desk owner!
Blurring The Lines Of Originality: Is Fanfiction Mainstream?
Many published authors such as Sarah J Maas, Rainbow Rowell, Cassandra Clare and many many more got their literary starts thanks to fanfiction sites which encouraged them to ultimately pursue traditional publication.
In this post we’re looking at how fanfiction stories have gone mainstream.
Steph Huddleston 