People Watching for Writers – Nora Zelevansky QUOTES FOR WRITERS
I study the people around me and think, “Someone, somewhere, was once in love with you.” Then, based on anything I can assess about their appearance, what they’re carrying, the … Continue reading
The Difference Between Novels and Films – Nathan Bransford QUOTES FOR WRITERS
Novels need to make more sense than movies. That’s because when we read, we’re busy co-creating the world in our own heads. When it’s unclear why exactly a character is … Continue reading
Bringing a Setting to Life – Don Maass QUOTES FOR WRITERS
Powerfully portrayed settings seem to have a life of their own, but how is that effect achieved? Make your setting a character is a common piece of advice given to … Continue reading
How to Breathe Life into a Science Report – Anna Farro Henderson QUOTES FOR WRITERS
Read this if you ever need to write a formal report and discover how passive verbs can drain it of life and make it less readable.
Historical Fiction Should Reflect the Things that Concern Us Today – Tim Weed QUOTES FOR WRITERS
As a reader of historical fiction, I’m looking for something bigger than a simple reconstruction of history. I’m looking to experience a new world, to enter a new and de-familiarized … Continue reading
We Make Sense of our Lives through Stories – Heather Webb QUOTES FOR WRITERS
History isn’t just a series of bygone eras, littered with a mélange of fascinating and horrific events and people. It’s a detailed map of who we are and what we … Continue reading
Historical Fiction – think of it as a painting rather than a faithful photograph – Hilary Mantel QUOTES FOR WRITERS
Hilary Mantel on what readers should expect from a historical novel “…you are buying a painting with the brush strokes left in…”
The Importance of Structure in Novel Writing – Paula Hawkins QUOTES FOR WRITERS
A strong structure is invaluable to a writer: it will help you through your story; you will start to know what needs to come next, what to reveal next, because … Continue reading
Why Reading is Part of Being Human – James Baldwin QUOTES FOR WRITERS (and readers)
American writer and activist James Baldwin explains how reading connects us with others QUOTES FOR WRITERS and readers
What We All Write About All the Time – Willa Cather QUOTES FOR WRITERS
Isn’t it queer: there are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before; like the larks in … Continue reading
Why it’s Important to Encourage Children to Write – Joseph Cohello QUOTES FOR WRITERS
Having worked in schools for over twenty years I have seen first-hand the spark that lights up in children when they realise that words are something they can contribute to … Continue reading
Don’t go Hunting for Beauty if you Want to be a Poet – Patrick Kavanagh QUOTES FOR WRITERS
No poet ever traveled in search of beauty. No poet ever looked at a scene and cried “Wonderful.” Memorable beauty comes at us obliquely while we are going about our … Continue reading
Why Short Stories are Vastly Superior to Novels – Edgar Allen Poe QUOTES FOR WRITERS
…in a short story the writer has the soul of the reader under control…
The Importance of the Wild and Messy First Draft – Susan Steinberg QUOTES FOR WRITERS
“…there’s a place for formula like hair dye, maybe cooking…” but not in writing says American novelist Susan Steinberg
BRIDGET WHELAN writer 