Tag Archives: professionaldevelopment

How readers and writers connect through common experiences

Discover the surprising power of common themes in storytelling. This blog delves into why everyday experiences like love, loyalty, and trust captivate readers and how writers can make familiar concepts feel fresh and engaging. Explore insights from Lisa Cron’s Story Genius and learn how to resonate deeply with your audience by weaving the magic of the mundane into your narratives.

Is ‘Save The Cat! Writes a Novel’ a formula or a framework?

Hey, writers. I’ve got some questions for you about the very popular writing craft book: ‘Save The Cat! Writes A Novel’ by Jessica Brody. 💬 Here’s what the Amazon blurb says about this book: ‘Novelist Jessica Brody presents a comprehensive story-structure guide for novelists that applies the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to theContinue reading “Is ‘Save The Cat! Writes a Novel’ a formula or a framework?”

What’s the difference between an antagonist and a villain?

🔥 Antagonist or Villain: two words for the same thing? Christopher Vogler doesn’t think so. In The Writer’s Journey, he explores the distinct dynamics between a hero and an antagonist versus a hero and a villain: “Antagonists and heroes in conflict are like horses in a team pulling in different directions, while villains and heroesContinue reading “What’s the difference between an antagonist and a villain?”

Talking to an editor: enrichment for all!

Apparently, talking to me is ‘enriching’! I’ve just come off a Zoom call with the student newspaper group at Notre Dame College in Leeds. I was invited along to talk about my job as an editor. What I really wanted to do was to set my job in context and to show the Year 12sContinue reading “Talking to an editor: enrichment for all!”

Between the lines: Cherry Edits off the books.

I live and breathe books: that’s true. And a bookish life is the best life of all. But like all the best novels, worldbuilding matters. Today, I’ll share a wider view of what I get up to when I’m not editing. Claire Cronshaw bakes! I’m a basic baker. I often use the cook book that’sContinue reading “Between the lines: Cherry Edits off the books.”

It’s good to talk. Writers/editors, do you do enough of it?

Eighteen months on from going all-in with Cherry Edits, I’ve added time to talk into my schedule. Excuse me while I mix my metaphors… The majority of my week is still taken up with at-the-typeface edits: my bread and butter. And it’s good bread and good butter! I love the work I do – keepContinue reading “It’s good to talk. Writers/editors, do you do enough of it?”

Creative writing groups: they’re many and varied. Find the right one for you.

Who here attends in-person creative writing groups? 🙋‍♀️ TL;DR – They’re so varied. If you try one and don’t like it, try others. Here are some reflections on the creative writing groups I’ve attended over the years. ⭐ A weekly group in a Leeds cafe after closing, perhaps a Thursday evening. Great. Nice atmosphere. GoodContinue reading “Creative writing groups: they’re many and varied. Find the right one for you.”

Notebooks for ‘ink’sight. The KWL evaluation method is a writer’s secret weapon.

Evaluation is a skill you need wherever you are in your writing career. Use one of your many notebooks to identify what you Know, what you Want to know, and – once you’ve looked up the answers to your questions – what you’ve Learnt. If you’ve evaluated that your storytelling craft could use some work,Continue reading “Notebooks for ‘ink’sight. The KWL evaluation method is a writer’s secret weapon.”

‘Show don’t tell’ is a useful rule of thumb. Here are some easy wins.

Struggling to express your characters’ emotions without telling? Let me help! Here’s a sneak peek into a no-stress method. 👉 Negative emotion ‘tells’ to avoid: He felt frustrated. 🚫 They looked uncomfortable. 🚫 She was sad. 🚫 👍 Better to ‘show’: He grabbed his coat and left. ✔ They fidgeted in their seats. ✔ SheContinue reading “‘Show don’t tell’ is a useful rule of thumb. Here are some easy wins.”