Closing the Loop: Tie It Together Some writers enjoy tying the first and last chapters together, creating a full-circle moment for their readers. While this technique doesn’t work for every story—especially depending on how you open—it can be incredibly satisfying...
The first five pages of your novel are everything. No matter how clever your hook, those opening pages will decide whether a reader keeps going—or puts your book back on the shelf. You have to be engaging, sharp, and above all, better than the other thousand books...
Every writer has their own approach to storytelling—and none of them are wrong. Let me explain. A friend of mine writes the last sentence of a chapter first, then works backward, writing toward it. I shake my head every time I see him do it. Another friend just sits...
It’s hard to predict which characters readers will fall in love with. In my novel Spear, I expected test readers to connect with Bethany—the companion of the main character, Thomasyn. I even worked to make her the emotional centre of the story. But readers gravitated...
It’s amazing how many people still believe there’s a special formula for writing a book. They sit down, pour out what they assume others will rush to the bookstore to buy, and then—voilà—they expect success. After finishing the manuscript, they might ask a friend or...
Artists can be flaky, hard to pin down, and occasionally unreliable. How do I know? Because I’m an artist—and I just described myself. A few days ago, Ian reached out to remind me about an interview I had arranged. Unfortunately, the interviewee had failed to respond...
