Here’s a slightly contentious “rule” that I personally loathe, the “unattributed pronoun” rule. Don’t start a book with “he” or “she” without first having told the reader what the character is called, the rule goes. I think it’s a load … Read More
In the last part of this ‘show not tell’ trilogy we’ll analyse the following passage: “I knew Mum had told me not to, but I was really curious; I wanted to see inside. The shed was half falling down, and … Read More
In “Show not tell – Part I” I described the historical context, and why perhaps modern fiction has evolved the way it has. Before I go in to the nitty-gritty, the mechanics, I wanted to go off on one more … Read More
“Show not tell” – that old chestnut. Trotted out as a mantra at the start of every creative writing class you’ve ever been to. A large part of every “How to write a book” guide you’ve ever read. The single … Read More
The first post on an editorial blog should, rightly, be about rules. Are there rules for good writing? Do you have to follow those rules? What about the successful authors who didn’t follow the rules? Let’s start with the act … Read More