The creative writing blog

Libby Page

Thinking about writing a sequel to your novel? Bestselling author Libby Page shares key questions to ask yourself when planning a sequel or a series.

Alice Kuipers

Concrete tools to overcome self-sabotage including self-doubt, overwhelm, procrastination, perfectionism, technical challenges and comparison, from The Novelry—the world’s best-loved writing school.

The Novelry

What makes an editor at a publishing house think “I have to buy that book”? And how important is the hook or premise? Publishing editors from the Big Five publishing houses share examples of the books they had to acquire and why.

Ella McLeod

YA author Ella McLeod discusses the “adultification” of YA, the possibilities of the genre and the beauty of the teen experience, and a YA editor shares her take on the genre of New Adult fiction.

Tash Barsby

Explore the concept of the inciting incident in storytelling with The Novelry editor Tash Barsby. Understand its role, placement, and impact on narrative structure. With examples from various genres, gain insights into creating compelling narratives that hook readers from beginning to end.

The Novelry

Jeramie Orton from Pamela Dorman Books shares her perspective on the author–editor relationship, what she looks for in manuscript submissions, and how she approaches the editing process. She also provides valuable advice for authors preparing for publication.

Mahsuda Snaith

Choose the right point of view for your novel with this guide to first, second, and third person POV, and learn how the choice of narrator shapes a great story.

Gina Sorell

What is the difference between publishing your book with a small indie press versus publishing with one of the Big Five publishers? Author and The Novelry writing coach Gina Sorell details her journey of being a debut author twice: once with a small publisher and once with a major publishing house.

Chris Bucci

What do literary agents actually do at book fairs? Chris Bucci from Aevitas Creative Management shares a glimpse behind the scenes at London Book Fair, publishing’s biggest book market.

Sorcha Rose

What is commercial fiction? The Novelry editor Sorcha Rose, previously an editor at Hodder, explains why the term isn’t derogatory, the differences between commercial and literary fiction, and shares five tips for writing plot-driven commercial fiction.

Libby Page

Do you dream about writing a romance novel? Try these creative writing prompts and you’ll have pages of plot ideas to write your next sparkling love story!

Lucy Barker

How do you create living, breathing characters? Author and The Novelry graduate Lucy Barker shares the secret she discovered while writing her acclaimed debut novel, The Other Side of Mrs Wood.