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Join us with a cuppa and settle in for expert writing advice, writing and publishing tips, book reviews, and your questions answered!

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How do you research an unfamiliar industry?

"How to do research for a story set in a field you know very little about (the film, music industry, sports like basketball...)?" The adage “write what you know” is often bandied about like it’s something deeply meaningful. It’s the one piece of writing advice I’ve...

A Beginner’s Guide to Copyright for Creative Writers

As a creative writer, you build unique worlds and create characters who mean something to you and your readers. So how can you protect those creations from those who would profit from, or use them without your consent? Let’s take a look at the basics of copyright, and...

How do you write epistolary fiction?

"So I want to write a story that's told through letters and texts and stuff? Like, I've seen books that are all emails or diary entries and I think it's really cool, but I have no idea how to actually do it." There's something irresistibly intimate about stories told...

Genre Talk: Exploring the World of Cosy Fiction

Cosy fiction is the literary equivalent of a warm hug. It's about emotions and gentle storytelling, where things are restored, not destroyed. Rather than action-packed scenes and world-altering events, cosy narratives prioritise community, kindness, competence, and...
5 Tips for Writing When You Have a Busy Life

5 Tips for Writing When You Have a Busy Life

Too often, people believe they’re too busy to write a novel. And with the pace of modern life, where everything is constantly on demand, it’s easy to see why. If you're one of those people, it’s okay. You're not alone. I once believed I'd never finish writing my...

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How do you write time skips?

How do you write time skips?

"Any advice on how to write time skips? I'm working on the second draft of my novel and I keep getting stuck on transitions where time passes. Sometimes it's just a few days, but there's also a big jump of several years in the middle. I never know if I'm doing it...

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How do I develop story pacing?

How do I develop story pacing?

"As a writer, we basically know the major beats before starting writing, but readers don't, and we sometimes might slip too deep into things when the time is not right. How do we overcome that?" Pacing is the bane of my existence. Theoretically, I know exactly how it...

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How do I write enemies to lovers?

How do I write enemies to lovers?

"I don't know if there's already an article about this, but how should I go about an enemies to lovers type side plot? My two protagonists are in a situation where they are trapped together for a long time, and they are fighting on opposite sides of a war, so...

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How do I write a character backstory?

How do I write a character backstory?

“How do I write a unique character backstory effectively?” Backstory can feel like quicksand. If you take one step in too deep, you’ll find yourself suddenly drowning in family trees, childhood pets, and three pages about a summer camp no one needs to read. It’s so...

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