Writers’ Tips and Tools

I was a total greenhorn when I started writing my first novel in May 2012. The trigger was that I simply couldn’t find a historical novel about the Isle of Elba (except relating to Napoleon’s brief exile there) while enjoying a fascinating hiking tour. Seeing the cave where the exiled hermit San Cerbone lived became…

One of my grossest errors when I first started writing fiction was to tell the reader exactly what was going on, why, and what the characters thought about it. How boring is this? Another pastime of mine was to observe snakes. There was something mystical about snakes. Some people thought they represented an evil power, but…

For a change, I’m including a guest post. Thanks, Lucy Adams, for an interesting and thought-provoking article. Why do people read books? What are the reasons that they are among the most important inventions of human civilization? You know the answer, although you may not be aware of it. Today I want to talk about…

I’m afraid she did exactly what I feared. Much to my grief, the good lady editor said my book was unworthy. And she begged me not to take steps toward self-publishing, like finding someone to design a cover for it. ‘It’s far too long. The plot is all over the place. Most of the action happens off stage. It…

Snow-covered Alps in the distance, a red kite complaining about having been chased from its realm by angry crows, a waxing moon and last rays of sunshine at 4 pm on the 17th of December! Having completed the first draft of my book, much revision is called for. One approach I’ve discovered is to read it out aloud, chapter…

I might as well admit it: I’m so out of touch with the world that I didn’t know Content Marketing meant giving away something worth paying for, in order to acquire new customers. I learnt that yesterday in a high-powered webinar held by Copyblogger and Rainmaker. The Content one gives away is, nowadays, usually an e-book…

Intro  As an author of a mere half of a book, I feel greatly honoured to have been invited by the enterprising Tiffani Burnett-Velez to participate in her Historical Novel Blog Tour, mingling with such illustrious writers as Meara Platt, Douglas Hawkins, A. David Singh, Claudia Long, Greg Michaels, Barbara Eppich Struna, Eleanor Parker Sapia. Thanks for the privilege. Who you are,…

Many aspects form a novel – plot, pace, voice, character arc, setting, backstory, etc. But a novel wouldn’t be anything without characters. And readers want to get to know the main players. Among other things, they want to discover what they look like. And that, in turn, means they want to see their faces. I’m not good…

I’ve come to a point in my story where Silvanus engages in heart-searching exchanges with his wise old mentor, Cerbonius. They don’t do much. They talk. This, I realize, can quickly become boring for the reader, who is hoping for more excitement. What’s the solution? Well: Look how others do it! At the moment, I’m (re-)reading Brian…