My Favourite Book Tropes

These are the tropes that make me instantly add a book to my wish list, the things that make me itch with excitement to buy the book. They are my catnip.

A Week in Dartmoor

Something a little different this week. After more than a year of being confined to the same house, not being able to go anywhere or do anything because of COVID-19, I retreated south to Devon.

Overcoming the Monster Inside

This overcoming the internal monster troupe is something I’ve tried dabbling with in my own writing a couple of times, but I’ve been having a think about the stages characters go through in order to overcome their own monster in other works of fiction.

So You’ve Written a Novel. Now What?

You’ve spent hours and hours tapping away at your laptop and now you have a book to show for it. So what do you do with the pages and pages of words you now have?

My Book Planning Process

After 10 years of serious writing, I’ve got my book planning progress down to a pat. Now this method won’t work for everyone. You have to find your own process, and that can sometimes mean a few false starts and failed attempts. But you’ll find your ideal method in the end.

The Magical Object

Magical objects can add an exciting and mythical element to any story, but only if they are given the appropriate context, background and purpose. And are not just introduced as a plot device.

My Journey to Becoming a Writer

I can remember the moment I decided I wanted to become a writer. Little did I know that it would lead me down a path that would dictate my life.

Sense of an Ending

Unresolved endings: Love them or hate them? This post looks at an anime called Dragon Dentist, and why its ending is so fantastic.