Essays

A series looking at the ten different principles that go into writing a good book. This essay discusses dialogue.

On the technique of characters quoting text within dialogue, either fictional or from real life.

The importance and pleasure for writers of reading widely.

Satisfactory endings need to be surprising but also inevitable.

A discussion of whether you should publicly pledge a portion of your book sales to a charity.

These are uncertain times, and uncertain times call for a trying mind.

A series looking at the ten different principles that go into writing a good book. This essay discusses style.

A discussion on whether planning ahead benefits the writing process.

A description of the common judging process of writing competitions and how to avoid common pitfalls.

A discussion of the seldom-used and unsettling narrative style of first-person plural.