Like many children’s authors I spent most of last week visiting schools for World Book Day. Authors are always asked where they get their ideas from but this week one student asked me where they could get ideas for starting their own stories, so I thought I would give GHB readers some story starters including a … Continue reading
I thought I would share a writing tip with you today about SHOW NOT TELL. Have you ever heard of that phrase? It’s when writers show their character’s emotions rather than tell them. It makes the story far more enticing, giving the reader a chance to share in the same feelings. This can be done through physical and … Continue reading
I’ve been thinking about the first book I ever wrote recently, Secret of the Sirens, the first part in the Companions Quartet. As things worked out in the wonderful world of publishing, it actually came out a few months after my first published book (the other publishing house was quicker off the mark) but it … Continue reading
When I was a kid, I refused to read first chapters. They were boring, nothing happened, and usually the story didn’t really get started until Chapter Two anyway. This changed when I read Matilda. The first line grabbed me by the eyeballs and didn’t let go. After that I started reading books from the beginning, or … Continue reading
This post should have some kind of health warning as there are some ridiculously adorable photos of a puppy in it that could melt your heart. We’re just over a month into the New Year, and I’m a week into owning new puppy! Meet Didi! Here she is on her first day at home. Didi … Continue reading
When you’re creating, things don’t always go according to plan. You can have a great idea that doesn’t work once you flesh it out, a wonderful first draft that won’t develop, or even a story that’s several drafts in yet refusing to behave. Sound familiar? Well, take a deep breath and relax – because this … Continue reading
Here’s a New Year’s Resolution for all you budding writers – mix it up – MAKE MUSIC! (Advice courtesy of the RLF Education Facebook page) P.S. When you read this I’ll be on a plane going to Canada to visit my sister, so I won’t be able to reply to any comments – but it’ll … Continue reading
Happy 2017! This post is for anyone who’s made a New Year’s resolution to be more creative, or to write more – which feels easy to do at the start of the year but can be tricky as time rolls on. You can get a bit stuck sometimes. I’ve written here before about ways of … Continue reading
Characters can come alive with great dialogue. They can jump off the page, surprise you, make you laugh or make you cry. And it’s so much fun to write. Through what your characters say, their personalities shine through. Let me show you what I mean. Imagine a teacher asking the class if they have done their … Continue reading
In the second of my blogs about dialogue, I thought I’d pass on one of my tips for young writers aimed at honing dialogue. It’s really simple: become like a spy and listen in on the conversation of strangers. Obviously, I’m talking about appropriate moments, like in public transport where you get a snatch of conversation, … Continue reading
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