🎉 Meet the winner of The Next Big Story 2025!
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Prize

Announcing the Winner of The Next Big Story

October 12, 2025
Genres
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Prize
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A golden ticket to The Novelry's Next Big Story prize against a swirly pink background.
Prize

How to Win the Prize

Jul 6, 2025
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Louise Dean
If you want to know how to win a writing contest, look no further. Here’s our founder Louise’s best advice for writers on how to win The Next Big Story prize.
tbc
Podcast
Prize

The 5 Ps of Writing: Plot

Jul 2, 2025
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The Novelry
What is the plot of a story? We look at how plot influences your novel and give our top tips on the key plot elements that make for an unputdownable story.
tbc
Editing
Getting Feedback
The Publishing Industry

‘Do I Need a Sensitivity Reader?’ The Importance of Authenticity Editing

Jun 29, 2025
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Mireille Harper
Sensitivity readers have become an important part of publishing for good reason. In this article, an authenticity editor explains sensitivity reading for all writers.
Author and writing coach Gina Sorell and editor Sorcha Rose against a swirly orange background.
Podcast
Prize

The 5 Ps of Writing: Place

Jun 25, 2025
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The Novelry
The setting in a work of fiction describes the place, time, and location. Here are our top tips for writers on exploring a story’s place without info-dumping.
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Guest Authors

How to Supercharge Your Scenes with Holly Race

Jun 22, 2025
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Holly Race
Ever been blown away by a paragraph from a novel? Aim for your best writing ever with these top tips from author Holly Race on how to write a great scene.
Authors Melanie Conklin and Amanda Reynolds with podcast microphones against a swirly pink background.
Podcast
Prize
Starting to Write

The 5 Ps of Writing: Problem

Jun 18, 2025
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The Novelry
Wondering how to create a great story? Give your character a problem and something at stake, and the reader will need to know what happens. Here’s how!
Award-winning author of Life of Pi, Yann Martel, looking thoughtful against a swirly teal background.
Starting to Write
Prize

Life of Pi Author Explores the 5 Ps of Good Writing

Jun 15, 2025
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The Novelry
Yann Martel, writer of the award-winning Life of Pi among other novels, shares his advice for authors on the key elements of storytelling.
Authors and writing coaches David Solomons and Andrea Stewart sit with microphones against a swirly purple background.
Characters
Podcast
Prize

The 5 Ps of Writing: Person

Jun 11, 2025
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The Novelry
The main character in a story is crucial, but what are the secrets to writing a great protagonist? Here are our top tips on writing characters readers will follow!
A figure wearing a pleated skirt disappears behind a large velvet curtain.
Starting to Write

Novel Ideas and Where to Find Them

Jun 8, 2025
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Gina Sorell
‘What should I write about?’ Authors get their book ideas in all sorts of ways—and so can you. In this article, we delve into how and where to find story ideas.
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Starting to Write
Novel Writing Process
Children’s Fiction
Guest Authors

Why a Zero Draft Can Get You Writing

Jun 4, 2025
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Susie Bower
Zero draft: what does it mean? Here’s everything writers need to know about starting to write ‘draft 0’ with children’s fiction author, Susie Bower.
A stack of books with a small staircase leading up to a lit lightbulb on top.
Novel Writing Process

Discover the Theme of Your Story

Jun 1, 2025
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Melanie Conklin
What is theme? In this blog, we define themes in literature and look at some theme examples to help writers find their story’s thematic statement.
Illustration of eyes crying tears in the shape of little hearts, with the words ‘love you’ repeated around them.
Characters
Romance

Insta Love: The Book Trope Explained

May 28, 2025
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Kate Dylan
The book trope of insta love doesn’t always inspire love among readers, but why? Bestselling author Kate Dylan explains what it is and how writers can avoid it.
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