Writing advice and short stories

Advice and comment on writing and some examples

This is where we share presentations from the writing group on all aspects of writing, from ideas to publication and everything in between. We also include some fiction writing as we try to put our advice into action.

Writing Intros

Your first 100 words are the most important words in your novel. Often these are the only bits an agent/publisher will look at, before tossing you onto the Reject pile, so it’s worth making an extra effort. If you haven’t grabbed the reader’s attention by then, they will move on to pick up the next…
Using props

I listened to an interview with Michael Caine, recounting an incident he learned something from as a young actor. He was in a scene where a brouhaha between a man and wife had resulted in some violence, and a chair became lodged in the doorway. He said to the director, ‘I can’t go in the…
Against ‘and’

It’s usually not good writing to use the construction ‘x and y’. It’s indecisive. You are trying to convey something to the reader, so make up your mind what is it you’re trying to convey. x or y? This is one place where Less is More.
Against clichés and purple prose

Watch out for adverbs or adjectives that seem inextricably glued to your noun or verb like a Homeric epithet. In the Odyssey, dawn must be ‘rosy-fingered’; Zeus must be ‘far-seeing’; the sea must be ‘wine-dark’. But you are not Homer. Not all halts are ‘screeching’. Not all hot days are ‘scorching’.
More thoughts on writing historical fiction

Whether you’re writing about real historical characters or invented historical characters, your goal is still going to be the same as it is for all fiction writing. You need to address the elements: character, dialogue, setting, theme, plot, conflict, and world building.
Historical fiction: Die, Die, Die

Continuing our historical fiction theme, in this week’s instalment, an ancient Briton fights the Roman invaders.