Back in October, last year, I wrote a post about the use of tropes in fiction, and how they don’t have to be a negative. Despite having made the case that any trope can be used successfully with strong writing and characterisation, there is still one trope that I really dislike regardless. The use... Continue Reading →
Bleeding Into My Protagonists
To varying degrees, many authors, particularly those who are genuinely passionate about their craft, invariably put a lot of themselves into their writing, whether it be in terms of their personality informing their characterisation, or their life experiences influencing their plots. I’ve never been one of these writers. In fact, I have always consciously gone... Continue Reading →
The Enduring Appeal Of The Chronicles Of Narnia
Since the publication of The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe, in 1950 (and the subsequent releases of the following six books of The Chronicles Of Narnia between then and 1956), C.S. Lewis’ classic children’s fantasy series has remained in print continuously. It is a testament to the popularity of the series that if you... Continue Reading →
Ruminations On Developing Strength Of Character
If you ask a hundred bookworms to identify the most essential ingredient for a must read book, there’s almost no chance you would get unanimous agreement. All readers have differing sentiments that affect what they want and enjoy most in a work of fiction. For many readers there will be one specific box that... Continue Reading →
Evaluating The Two Most Commonly Given Writing Tips
There are two pieces of writing advice I can guarantee that every aspiring author has received numerous times while pursuing their writing ambitions. The first advice is “read a lot,” and the second is “write a lot.” Both are simple, straightforward tips that likely seem so obvious you might wonder why anyone would find... Continue Reading →
You Don’t Have To Hang Yourself With Tropes
The term trope has a number of definitions, but for the purposes of this post it refers to a theme, convention or plot device that readers have come to expect in a work of fiction. In this context, tropes are prone to becoming clichés, and any literary genre you can think of has them.... Continue Reading →
A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed
So, yesterday was launch day for my latest book, The Apprentice In The Master’s Shadow. It pretty much went as I anticipated, meaning I don’t have a bestseller on my hands, nor am I likely to have one at any point in the next couple of years. I’ve not yet bothered to check how... Continue Reading →
Planning For The Future
So today is the final day of the pre-release showcase for my upcoming second fantasy novel, The Apprentice In The Master’s Shadow, which is released next Monday. While I am excited by the prospect of my readers finally getting their hands on the book, my thoughts have already turned to what the future holds... Continue Reading →
Reflections On My Third Anniversary As An Author
It dawned on me earlier today that this month marks my third anniversary as an independent author. Naturally enough, I cannot help but reflect on what I have accomplished over the course of those three years, and what still remains to be achieved. In some respects I am ahead of where I assumed I... Continue Reading →