I’m reading Writing The Cozy Mystery by Nancy Cohen. Here’s a reminder she gives to writers using the first person or a close third: Avoid out-of-body experiences, such as “If I knew what was going to happen, I’d never have walked through that door.” Who has knowledge of the future? The Author, that’s who. CertainlyContinue reading “What does the viewpoint character know?”
Tag Archives: forauthors
Every Writer Needs a Support System
Writing a book isn’t a solo journey. If you’ve ever read an author’s acknowledgements, you’ll know how many people quietly help bring a story to life. Editors, coaches, beta readers, agents: they’re all part of the village.
Writing Tips: When Actions Overlap
What is false simultaneity and how do I avoid it in my writing?
How do the books we read in school shape us?
Here’s a short extract from Reading Lessons by Carol Atherton – a reflection on the books we studied at school and the way they quietly shape us. And now I’m going to be nosy: – Are there school books that still echo in your mind or your writing? – Have you ever revisited one andContinue reading “How do the books we read in school shape us?”
Is it obtainable or attainable?
Stories from the North – A Night Out with the Cumbrian Book Crowd
A joyful reflection on the Lakeland Book of the Year Awards 2025 — celebrating Cumbrian writers, books about Cumbria, and the region’s rich literary community. Highlights include local authors, publishing diversity, and the importance of nurturing young creative voices.
What a first draft can teach you that a published book can’t. (A writing coaching win!)
Discover how using an unedited manuscript in a writing coaching session helped a client spot craft techniques and grow as a fantasy writer.
Let’s Talk Editing – What Every Indie Author Should Know: Join us on Zoom, June 8th 2025
An invitation to join Claire and Vicky for a chat about all things editing (for indie authors)
Dialogue tags versus action beats
Learn the difference between dialogue tags and action beats and how to punctuate them.
Recognize ideas “when they show up”.
From Stephen King’s On Writing. Let’s get one thing clear right now, shall we? There is no Idea Dump, no Story Central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers; good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky: two previously unrelated ideas come together and makeContinue reading “Recognize ideas “when they show up”.”
