The Creative Writing Blog

What is exposition in a story? And how do you add backstory while keeping the reader engaged?

We’ve all heard about the dangers of including too much (or too little!) exposition in our...

How many words should your novel be? Many of us will spend months, if not years, coming up with a spectacular plot and incredible characters. You might set out to pen a contemporary novel that...

Are you ready to send your novel to literary agents and publishers? Are you sure?

Trust us when we say it’s a big mistake to send your novel out into the world before it’s really ready....

You may have heard the term ‘Chekhov’s gun’ thrown around in conversations about effective writing and plot development – particularly if you’re writing crime and ...

Whatever genre you’re writing in, the pace at which your story moves is incredibly important. In fact, pacing isn’t just for novels; if you’re working on a short story, a...

‘Show, Don’t Tell.’ It’s a classic piece of writing advice editors love to dish out, particularly to new writers. It’s touted as pretty much the golden rule of fiction...

Writing the first draft of a book is not only brave, but hugely exciting. The possibilities are endless at this stage! Plus, when you have a complete first draft in your hands, you know that the ...

A truth many writers would rather not acknowledge is that the editing process is a big part of the writing process. And – what’s often even scarier – the rewriting process is a...

Stacey Halls is the author of The Familiars, which was the bestselling debut novel of 2019. Her second historical fiction novel The Foundling was published in 2020, and her...

If you want a literary agent to represent your book, you’re going to have to write a damned good novel synopsis. That’s right – it’s not enough to spend months of your...

Writing a novel is incredibly hard. Then you get to the end of your first draft and relief sets in – but it’s short-lived. The seemingly insurmountable brick wall of self editing for...

People within and outside the world of creative writing and professional publishing often wonder: what does an editor do? And why are there so many different types of editors we hear about?...

We are thrilled to have Lizzy Goudsmit Kay as our Editorial Director, and wanted to give you a chance to get to know a bit more about her. She’s an absolutely brilliant editor and a real joy...

The writing process can feel like a long one; when you’re working on your rough draft, the final draft of a manuscript seems almost unfathomable. Even the difference between the first and...