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Craft and Technique
Starting to Write
The Basics

Should You Be Writing in Past Tense or Present Tense?

March 15, 2026
Should You Be Writing in Past Tense or Present Tense?
Genres
The Publishing Industry
Getting Feedback
The Basics
Beginnings and Endings
Plotting and Planning
Finding Novel Ideas
Prize
Gothic and Horror
Podcast
Contemporary Fiction
Literary Fiction
Literary Agents
Meet the Team
Young Adult Fiction
Starting to Write
How to Get Published
The Writing Routine
Revision and Editing
Craft and Technique
Romance
Writing a Series of Novels
Success Stories
Historical Fiction
Crime and Suspense
Writing Competitions
Hero Books
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Children’s Fiction
Guest Authors
Characters
Novel Writing Process
Memoir and Autofiction
Confidence and Motivation
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A book lies open with a string of letters cascading down onto its pages.
Revision and Editing
Genres
The Basics

How Many Words in a Novel? Word Counts by Genre

Aug 13, 2023
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Krystle Appiah
How many words are in the average novel? Find out in this guide to word counts by fiction genre, with examples of writing targets to use while writing your book.
How Many Words in a Novel? Word Counts by Genre
A stack of colorful books looming tall against a pale blue background.
How to Get Published
The Publishing Industry
Literary Agents
Revision and Editing

How to Get a Book Published: 10 Steps

Aug 6, 2023
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Lizzy Goudsmit Kay
Publishing editor Lizzy Goudsmit Kay, previously of Penguin Random House, shares the ten steps to getting a book traditionally published.
How to Get a Book Published: 10 Steps
Portrait image of author Robin Stevens holding a magnifying glass to her eye, beside the covers of some of her mystery novels.
Guest Authors
Crime and Suspense
Genres

How to Write a Mystery: 10 Tips From Robin Stevens

Jul 30, 2023
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Robin Stevens
How do you write a great mystery? What elements can writers add to make a novel suspenseful? Award-winning author Robin Stevens shares her ten top tips!
How to Write a Mystery: 10 Tips From Robin Stevens
Illustration of a woman reading a book, with faint shadowy figures behind her.
Characters
Craft and Technique

How To Write Supporting Characters That Readers Love

Jul 23, 2023
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Libby Page
Bestselling author Libby Page provides 6 great tips for how to write supporting characters that readers will love – from considering character archetypes to writing three-dimensional characters with their own arc.
How To Write Supporting Characters That Readers Love
Portrait headshot of author Kate Gray, a graduate of The Novelry, holding a copy of her novel The Honeymoon.
Success Stories
Novel Writing Process
Genres

Kate Gray’s Success Story

Jul 20, 2023
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Kate Gray
The Novelry graduate Kate Gray (also known as Katy Colins) shares her journey to publishing her new thriller with Welbeck Publishing, The Honeymoon – one of our success stories at The Novelry.
Kate Gray’s Success Story
An outline of a stag standing in a mountainous landscape on a dark, misty night.
Meet the Team
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Genres

7 Best Fantasy Settings for Your Novel

Jul 16, 2023
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Andrea Stewart
Bestselling fantasy author Andrea Stewart discusses the seven best fantasy settings for your fantasy world, from second-world fantasy to near-future science fiction.
7 Best Fantasy Settings for Your Novel
Portrait image of author S.J. Watson beside the covers of some of his novels.
Guest Authors
Novel Writing Process

S.J. Watson Is Serializing a Novel on Substack

Jul 9, 2023
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S.J. Watson
The multi-million-selling author of Before I Go To Sleep is serialising a new novel on Substack, the email newsletter service. Find out more about this fascinating writing process.
S.J. Watson Is Serializing a Novel on Substack
Image of the author Emylia Hall holding a copy of her book, The Shell House Detectives, against an illustration of a winding path.
Novel Writing Process
Genres
Confidence and Motivation

Emylia Hall’s Journey to Happy Writing

Jul 2, 2023
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Emylia Hall
Finding the joy in your writing is important. The Novelry writing coach and author of The Shell House Detectives, Emylia Hall, explains how to enjoy happy writing all the time.
Emylia Hall’s Journey to Happy Writing
Illustration of a woman reading a book against a stripy background with the words: are you really ready?
Revision and Editing
Literary Agents
How to Get Published

Are You Ready? When To Query Agents

Jun 25, 2023
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Lizzy Goudsmit Kay
Advice from a publishing editor on how to know when your novel manuscript is ready to send to agents and publishers.
Are You Ready? When To Query Agents
Image of Jennifer Saint, author of Greek myth retellings, beside the covers of some of her books.
Guest Authors
Genres
Finding Novel Ideas
Historical Fiction

Greek Myths Retold: Jennifer Saint on Reimagining Ancient Tales

Jun 18, 2023
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Jennifer Saint
Learn how Greek myths are retold in modern fiction, from bold reimaginings to faithful adaptations, with top tips for writers breathing new life into ancient stories.
Greek Myths Retold: Jennifer Saint on Reimagining Ancient Tales
Portrait image of author Sarah Pearse beside the covers of some of her books, against an illustrated mountain background.
Crime and Suspense
Guest Authors
The Writing Routine

Sarah Pearse on Writing The Sanatorium

Jun 11, 2023
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Sarah Pearse
Sunday Times no.1 bestseller and New York Times top ten bestselling author Sarah Pearse answers questions on how she wrote her two novels, The Sanatorium and The Retreat.
Sarah Pearse on Writing The Sanatorium
Headshot of author Lily Lindon beside their book covers against a blue and orange striped background.
How to Get Published
The Publishing Industry
Guest Authors

Second Novel Syndrome

Jun 4, 2023
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Billy Lindon
Struggling to write your second novel? Here’s some reassurance and practical advice to help writers navigate the pressures of book two with confidence.
Second Novel Syndrome