Writing Magazine

January 1st can be the perfect time to take on a new writing project. It’s the start of a new month and the start of a new year. We associate New Year’s Day with possibility and bags of potential – the chance to wipe the slate clean. But while we can harness fresh starts to get writing, sustaining that enthusiasm can be a challenge. ‘Motivation,’ explains habits expert B.J. Fogg, ‘is like a party animal friend. Great for a night out, but not someone you would rely on to pick you up from the airport. You must understand its roles and its limitations, then pick behaviours that don’t rely on such a fickle friend.’ A new year resolution to write can get you fired up about your writing project but…

How to practice obstacle thinking Distractions are everywhere. Email, social media, work, other people – life! It can feel like a constant struggle to manage them. The key to combating these distractions so they become less disruptive is to understand what they are and where they come from. First, consider how you get distracted Grab a pen or open your laptop. Think back to your last writing session. Make a list of the things that typically pull you away from your writing. Be as precise as you can, first focussing on a recent and specific time and place – then open out. • Do you have anything specific that distracts and interrupts you? • Are there any regular, reoccurring things that pull you away? • Now, think forward to your…

One of the first pieces of advice I received as a young editor was that if I hadn’t made up my mind whether I liked a submission after a month, then my lack of enthusiasm was all the answer I needed. My indecision was a de-facto no, telling me that I should write a rejection letter and put the author and the agent out of their misery. The basic truth of that remains, but the thing that has changed out of all recognition is the demands placed on editors. The idea that one would be able to stay on top of one’s submissions on a rolling monthly basis would seem like an unimagineable luxury to most editors now. And to be honest, that is one of the other things which…

Where to start First, think about what kind of agent you want, and your aims for your novel. You’ll want a clear idea of the genre and where it fits into the market, so you can submit to agents who represent authors in that area. If you aren’t sure, look for good comparative titles. If you write in multiple genres, think about those as well as the genre of the book you’re submitting – ie, if you write fantasy for both YA and adult audiences, you might target agents who represent both. Some agents are happy to move out of their usual genre for existing clients, but if they don’t feel they’re the best person to sell one of your works, may suggest finding a separate agent. Consider whether you’re…

In this, the first in a series of three articles on Character and Voice, I will be looking at the fundamentals of character creation: where characters come from, their role in a story, character types and what goes into the creation of a fully rounded character – of course, not all characters need to be fully rounded, but we’ll get to that later. The subsequent articles in the series will cover more about characters – goal, motivation, etc – how to reveal character through action and dialogue, and techniques to bring your characters to life through the technique of Show Not Tell. In the final article, I will take a detailed look at Point of View with reference to your characters and how the Point of View and Tense you…

What kind of writer are you? Are you a ‘planner’ who likes to map out the arc of the piece you’re working on first? Or are you a proverbial ‘pantser’, a ‘seat-of-the-pants’ writer who prefers not to plan ahead? I have a bit of both in me. Maybe you do, too. Whichever approach we take as writers, when we feel our ideas flow naturally; when we find ourselves working in harmony with story or with poetry; when we feel the natural patterns of tension build, then release … there’s just nothing like it. So how can we experience that flow at every stage of the writing process, whichever approach we take? Whether I’m writing fiction, non-fiction, narrative, lyric poetry, or free verse, I’ve found an invaluable story structure that works…