R.F Kuang’s latest novel, Yellowface, has been everywhere recently. And for good reason. The book is a twisty, compelling read, with characters you’ll love to hate and a healthy dose of publishing industry critique.
Tag Archives: Writing tips
Poppy Solomon: How to Prepare for Professional Editing
If you’re reading this post, I’m assuming you have at least one draft of your book down (or you’re just getting ahead with research and planning, which is amazing!) and you’re wondering what the next step is. How do you know if you’re ready for professional editing?
In this post, we’ll discuss some steps to help you figure out if you’re ready to work with an editor, talk about how to prepare to work best with an editor, and go over some tips on finding the right one to work with, and what comes next.
Epigraphs in Fantasy: Fourth Wing Review
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.
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.
What Makes a Good Retelling? Marvel 1602 book review
What makes a retelling good? I recently read Neil Gaiman’s Marvel 1602 and found myself asking this question. This post uses this comic series and other examples of retellings as a case study for a better understanding of the topic of retellings in fiction.
How Do Coauthors Write A Book? Interview with Lauren Sevier and Abbie Smith
Guns & Smoke was written by coauthors, Lauren Sevier and Abbie Smith. In this post, I’m delighted to interview them about their journey to publication and ask them your burning questions about all things coauthoring.
What Is Your Ideal Writing Set Up? Desk chair edition
I get a lot of questions about my writing and office set-up. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve likely seen my desk and laptop at some stage. This blog is usually focused on the craft of writing, but today we’ll chat about some of my essentials for a good writing set-up.
7 Tips To Make Character Descriptions More Interesting
All writers seem to know that characters need to be described in a way that’s interesting. Readers want to be captivated, intrigued and entertained by the fictional (or real) people they encounter on the page. But the actual how to make character descriptions interesting is harder to define.
Steph Huddleston 