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Original weekly articles from bestselling authors and publishing professionals

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Getting Feedback
Confidence and Motivation
Success Stories

Rosie Storey’s Rejection Advice for Writers

January 11, 2026
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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Image of a large hook leaning against a bookshelf, all set inside a snowglobe.
Novel Writing Process
How to Get Published
The Basics

How to Write a Hook for a Novel

May 29, 2022
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The Novelry
Wondering how to write a hook for a novel? In the current publishing climate, it needs to be pitch-perfect, so try The Novelry’s five steps to a killer hook!
Portrait image of the author Sophie Kinsella beside the covers of some of her books.
Guest Authors
Confidence and Motivation
The Writing Routine

Sophie Kinsella on Motivating Yourself to Write

May 22, 2022
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Sophie Kinsella
The bestselling author of the Shopaholic series as well as ten standalone novels, Sophie Kinsella explains how to stay motivated when writing a book.
Portrait image of author Kate Riordan beside her books Summer Fever and The Heatwave.
Crime and Suspense
Craft and Technique

Suspense Writing: 5 Top Tips

May 15, 2022
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Kate Riordan
Suspense writing needn't be a mystery! Bestselling author Kate Riordan shares 5 simple tips to create tension and keep readers turning the pages.
Illustration of an open book forming a sunrise in a desert.
Novel Writing Process
Confidence and Motivation

Writing Your Next Best Novel

May 8, 2022
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Louise Dean
Writing a book is hard, but it gets easier as you write another. Louise Dean looks at how writing happens via the sophomore novel as reassurance for all writers.
Image of an old-fashioned television on a stand against a dark turquoise background.
Craft and Technique
Genres
Characters

What is a Trope?

May 1, 2022
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Craig Leyenaar
What is a trope? How is it different from a stereotype, archetype or cliché? And do tropes have a place in good writing? Find out how they can be great tools...
Portrait image of author and editor Krystle Appiah set against an illustrated castle background.
Children’s Fiction
Young Adult Fiction
Genres

What Is Middle-Grade Fiction and How Is It Different From YA?

Apr 24, 2022
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Krystle Appiah
Ever asked yourself ‘what is middle grade fiction’ or wondered how it differs from YA books? This article, from our expert editor Krystle, clears it up!
Portrait image of the author AJ Pearce beside two of her book covers, against a cream and blue background.
Characters
Guest Authors

AJ Pearce on Writing a Complex Character

Apr 10, 2022
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AJ Pearce
Writing a complex character can feel challenging, but we've got six proven methods from bestselling author AJ Pearce!
Headshot of literary agent Madeleine Milburn beside some of the bestselling books she has helped to publish.
Literary Agents
The Publishing Industry
Guest Authors

Madeleine Milburn on Publishing Trends

Apr 3, 2022
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Madeleine Milburn
Top literary agent Madeleine Milburn gives us the rundown on this year's publishing trends: what's popular, and what's a trickier sell right now.
A red and transparent pill capsule containing lots of tiny red and blue books.
Novel Writing Process
Starting to Write
The Basics

How to Write a Novel in 9 Steps

Mar 20, 2022
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The Novelry
The question of how to start writing a book can feel overwhelming. It’s a big task! We break it down into 9 steps that’ll make writing a book manageable and fun!
Bestselling author Claire Douglas poses beside three of her books: The Couple at No. 9, The Sisters, and Local Girl Missing.
Guest Authors
Starting to Write
Writing Competitions

Claire Douglas on Taking Chances as a Writer

Mar 13, 2022
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Claire Douglas
Taking chances on writing competitions can be scary, but for authors like Claire Douglas, it can be the path to publication. Here’s her story!
Headshot of author Polly Ho-Yen beside a row of classic children's fiction books.
Children’s Fiction
Guest Authors
Hero Books

Kids’ Chapter Books: 20 Must-Reads

Feb 27, 2022
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Polly Ho-Yen
The world of chapter books and middle-grade books is limitless in its stories and impressive in its variety. Here, Polly Ho-Yen picks her twenty favorites.
Illustrated speech bubbles of various shapes and sizes in muted tones.
Craft and Technique
Characters
The Basics

How to Write Dialogue in Fiction

Feb 20, 2022
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Katie Khan
Writers, don’t worry about how to write dialogue! We’ll talk you through writing artful conversations between characters with these tips and examples.
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