In April 2020, I wrote 40,000 in one month on my novel. In April 2022, I’ve written…about 2,000. But you know what? I’ve still written more valuable words, because they make sense. And this, my friends, is the conundrum called editing. I’ve been a religious users of wordcount trackers since about 2018, but recently I’ve … More Edits, Edits, Edits
Whether you’re new to fantasy writing or you’re an old hat, you’ve probably come across advice to use writing warmup exercises to get the creative juices flowing. I never used to use exercises before I started a writing session, but more recently I’ve found them really useful to not only try out new ideas, but … More Why Writing Warmups are Important
I always like reflecting on the past year as we sit in that time after Christmas and before the New Year is rung in. It’s a chance to step back and see the work and memories that you’ve made over a longer period of time – the months might fly by but the year in … More A reflection on the year
Sub-Plots are a key part of any story, especially a fantasy one. You have to keep a careful eye on how many you have and what purpose they are serving in order to keep a handle on your story. This month in my newsletter Writing on Caffeine, I’ll be looking at why Sub-Plots are … More How To: Writing Sub-Plots
Got multiple WIPs on the go? Struggling to get anywhere with any one project? Here’s my top three reasons why you need to pick a “focus” project – a WIP that you work on exclusively until you hit your next writing goal. … More Why you need a “Focus” Project
Consider how you would talk to your partner, your sibling, or someone at work. You might have different jokes that Having a unique world starts with the geography of that world. The geography of your world will dictate the climate of your world, your character’s homes and cities, and aspects of the way they interact … More How To: Creating your world’s geography
The fantasy genre may be a vast, magical landscape, but there are always three core areas of any fantasy story that are key – worldbuilding, magic systems, and themes. If you’ve always wanted to try your hand at writing a fantasy story, these areas are a great place to begin your fantasy journey – check … More The Basics of a Fantasy Story
Endings of a story have a special place in my writerly heart. Finding the right ending to a story, especially a longer project that I’ve been working on for a while, is a large reason why I write. So, how do you write a good ending? I’ve got some top three tips to consider when … More How To: Endings
Having a distinctive character voice for each character can help your reader understand their secret inner words. Not just through dialect, but the type of words they use and who they use those words too. Consider how you would talk to your partner, your sibling, or someone at work. You might have different jokes that … More How To: A Character’s Voice
Summer time is a time of transition. A time of transition from the early spring to the full bloom of warmth and sunshine (or in the case of the UK, rainstorms), and a time to reflect on the half of the year gone. When I look back at a lot of my posts over the … More Reflections on Half a Year
Alex.J.Cobalt 