Historical fiction needs an authentic voice For the readers, it’s connecting with a main character that arrests their interest when thrown into an unfamiliar time. For instance, apart from historians, who can imagine life as a soldier in Russia’s wars, the distances and climate and how their families fared without[…]
Read More »To find but not discover. I often visit Jersey. (If you are not from the UK, this is an island nearer France than England with its own government and personality. It is not in the UK, but a crown dependency – in fact a bailiwick. From time to time, little[…]
Read More »Why careful research is vital I’m writing my 12th book, but the one I’ve felt most attached to is Book 3 of my historical trilogy set in 1937-1951, A Relative Invasion. I called Book 3 “Impact” – indicating the dramatic outcome of the two main characters’ lives to date. Whereas[…]
Read More »Advice for writers typically suggests that a series works best for indies. Does it make sense for the first three in the series to form a trilogy? Not always… A trilogy suggests an entity like the three-movement sonata in music, or the triptych in art. The form must be complete,[…]
Read More »Period crime drama serial Dandelion Dead with Michael Kitchen and Sarah Miles was presented some while ago as a TV mini-series. I binge-watched one wet night. It held my attention until the end. And what an end! Its impact entirely depended on the strength of a minor character’s acting ability[…]
Read More »Do you often find yourself well into your plot before realising you haven’t written any character description for your own record? Planners may well have copious notes about each character’s life history, their personal habits, colouring, hair style and fashion sense. They may have a separate section detailing where each[…]
Read More »How to keep track of everyone’s story This series begins with one character, Terry, and his awkward wife but then he spots his double… and his life unfolds into unbelievable complexity. FROM THIS POINT ON THE WRITER NEEDS TO KEEP TRACK OF THE EVENTS AND THE CONSEQUENCES TO LAY OUT[…]
Read More »Psychological fiction. Mind first, plot second. Credibility uppermost.
Read More »All writers need good marketing and there are plenty of contenders on the net offering help or tools towards marketing for fiction writers. You know the usual approach, an email with video offer: a video that begins with 20 minutes of insistent voice outlining typical author problems, another 10 minutes[…]
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