Explore the nuances of passive vs. active voice in writing. This blog dives into the common misconceptions about passive constructions, explaining when and why you might choose one over the other. Discover tips on identifying the passive voice, the impact it can have on your writing, and how to make effective edits for clearer, more engaging prose. Perfect for writers and editors looking to refine their storytelling techniques.
Tag Archives: writingtips
How to avoid redundancy in your writing. Ditch ropy dialogue tags!
Learn how to avoid redundancy in your writing by getting rid of ropy dialogue tags!
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?”
Do you need a comma with ‘so’?
If ‘so’ means ‘therefore’ — YES. If ‘so’ means ‘so that’ — NO. And why am I sharing this post? Well, three reasons: To share this tip far and wide. Feel confident about the placement of this comma – Share this post so others can learn from it too. To let you know I shareContinue reading “Do you need a comma with ‘so’?”
Could you make a ‘permeance’ slip? It depends on your process.
Step 1: The creative writer is hammering the keyboard at speed. There’s a slip of the fingers and ‘oops’: they type ‘permeance’ instead of ‘permanence’.Step 2: The writer finishes the manuscript and runs a spell-check. But the spell-check does not see a misspelling.Step 3: The writer self-edits and reads what they ‘think’ is there ratherContinue reading “Could you make a ‘permeance’ slip? It depends on your process.”
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?”
Get Your Novel Editor-Ready free webinar: registration closes soon
Early-career writers. Sitting on the fence about whether to join the Get Your Novel Editor-Ready webinar tomorrow? Here’s a taster from our last session in January.* 🔎 We show you examples of writing craft gone awry to help you fine-tune your radar for spotting glitches in your own writing. Tomorrow we will cover POV/Perspective asContinue reading “Get Your Novel Editor-Ready free webinar: registration closes soon”
Mother’s Day or Mothers’ Day? Where should the apostrophe go?
🌷It’s Mothering Sunday here in the UK. And if you’ve been wondering where to put the apostrophe in your card… ✅ I can confirm it should go between the ‘R’ and the ‘S’. Mother’s Day Yes, more than one mum is celebrating a special day today, but it’s convention to treat it as a singular.Continue reading “Mother’s Day or Mothers’ Day? Where should the apostrophe go?”
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.”
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