I recently followed a link circulating on Twitter to an article by Ian Rankin in The Daily Mail. Rankin was giving ten tips on crime writing, and since he’s one of my favourite authors, I thought they’d be well worth a look. I was interested to learn that Rankin never set out to be a … Continue reading Crime Fiction – how important is the puzzle?
Category: For writers – methods
Proofreading… Something Gained (and Something Lost)
I have spent a lot of the last week and a half proofreading my work. I’ve got a nasty feeling I’ll still have missed mistakes, but at least with each sweep I weed out a few more clangers. My proofreading has removed some unconscious humour, and since I generally like the odd laugh, I can’t … Continue reading Proofreading… Something Gained (and Something Lost)
A Sense of Place in Fiction: Five of the Best
Following on from last week’s post on creating a sense of place in fiction, I felt the urge to recommend five of my favourite novels that combine evocative descriptions with involving plots: The Sea House by Esther Freud. For me reading this book was like diving under water and immersing myself in another world. … Continue reading A Sense of Place in Fiction: Five of the Best
Settings in Fiction – London and Cambridge
I've been thinking about settings in fiction this week. Two of my favourite locations for novels are London – where I went to University – and Cambridge, where I live and work. At first glance, they appear to be quite different. I love the great, heaving mass of activity that makes up London: the diversity, … Continue reading Settings in Fiction – London and Cambridge
Clean the bath to kick-start Creativity
I recently watched The Creative Brain, an episode of Horizon looking at how moments of inspiration come about. I found it fascinating, and I’m sure one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much was that it chimed in with my own experience. It was so nice (and, let's be honest, rare) to find something … Continue reading Clean the bath to kick-start Creativity
Resources for Crime Writers – in print
Last week I had a lovely time revisiting some of the online resources for crime writers that I’ve found interesting. This week I thought I’d highlight a few of the publications I’ve invested in. I’m sure there are loads more. Please do mention any you’ve found useful in the comments below.“How to” BooksI’ve read … Continue reading Resources for Crime Writers – in print
Write Stuff – Advice c/o Cambridge Wordfest
As promised, here is a follow-up post relaying the excellent advice for aspiring authors provided at Getting Published Today, a Wordfest event that took place on Saturday. Those passing on their tips were: Nicola Morgan - an award-winning author of 90 books and giver of crabbit advice to aspiring writers everywhere. Nicola runs a … Continue reading Write Stuff – Advice c/o Cambridge Wordfest
Write Stuff – What’s the Big Idea?
Why is it bad to ask authors where they get their ideas from? I hasten to add that I’ve never committed this sin in person (and it does seem to be a sin in the eyes of many writers). Neil Gaiman describes having to answer the question as one of the pitfalls of the job. … Continue reading Write Stuff – What’s the Big Idea?
Clare Chase 