Book Review: Really Good, Actually – by Monica Heisey

Really Good, Actually is … not bad, actually. I can see why its rating on Goodreads is 3.14, but I rounded my 3.8ish up to four stars. Partway through, I was tempted to put the book down and move on — the main character is grating and completely self-obsessed, with a friendship group that rubsContinue reading “Book Review: Really Good, Actually – by Monica Heisey”

‘We remember not the art but the impact’ – advice for fiction writers from Donald Maass

How many of you own or have read The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass? Today I’m interested in these ideas: “How many novels have moved you to tears, rage, and a resolution to live differently? How many have left a permanent mark, branding you with a story that you will never forget? TheContinue reading “‘We remember not the art but the impact’ – advice for fiction writers from Donald Maass”

Genre helps readers “predict and plan” – writers should take this into consideration

Explore how genre acts as a framework for understanding texts, guiding readers’ expectations and enhancing both reading and writing experiences.

Reading outside your genre can help you learn storytelling tricks.

Discover how reading outside your genre can improve your storytelling skills. Learn practical tips, like mastering scene transitions, and explore how techniques from thrillers, romance, and more can enhance your writing.

Do you wax lyrical when it comes to books?

Do you ever give more detail than you’re asked for because you can’t help yourself when it comes to books❓ While out for a mooch on Saturday (in the British sense of pottering about, not in the American sense of scrounging!) my friend and I went in a charity shop I’d last visited the dayContinue reading “Do you wax lyrical when it comes to books?”

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.”