Writing about guns? Get your ammunition right
How to make sure your fictional firearms don’t jam Part two of a two-part series. See part one: The right way to write about guns in novels Rounds, cartridges, shells or bullets? In this article I’ve been scrupulous about referring to “rounds” when I mean the things you load into your firearm and “bullets” when […]
Read More
The right way to write about guns in novels
A farewell to firearms mistakes: How to get the details correct in scenes with guns First of a two-part series. Also see Part two: Writing about guns? Get your ammunition right See that handgun on your writing desk? There. Just to the right of your keyboard. Go on, pick it up. Heavy, isn’t it? Surprisingly […]
Read More
The storytelling secrets of ‘The Queen’s Gambit’
I like to take inspiration for storytelling from all kinds of sources, not just books. Movies, paintings, dog walks: They can all spark an idea or solve a narrative problem giving me grief. But TV is often a bust. The need to sell advertising or hook viewers into an unending multi-series show often corrupts the […]
Read More
How to create a coherent crime series
A crime fiction author offers writing tips for creating coherent series that have both commercial potential and creative freedom.
Read More
Virtuous villains and flawed heroes
Andy Maslen and Alessandra Torre discuss how to create complex characters for your novel. How to create characters your readers will love (or love to hate) Conflict is at the heart of all great fiction. Without conflict there is no story. “The cat sat on the mat is not the beginning of a story,” thriller […]
Read More
How I learned to stop worrying and love A.I.
The story of how I got past my initial reluctance to use AI to improve my writing When I first heard about Marlowe, the fiction-savvy artificial intelligence from Authors A.I., I experienced two strongly conflicting emotions. Emotion one: An AI can read my entire novel in 15 minutes and tell me what’s good/bad about it? […]
Read More
How authors can stay productive during the pandemic
Authors A.I. asked its founding authors for tips on how to stay productive during the pandemic, whether you're locked down, shut in or just don't feel like having company over.
Read More
The number one rule for novelists
Thriller author Andy Maslen explains that the number one rule for novelists is to set the rules for your fictitious world, and then stick to them.
Read More
What’s the secret behind Stephen King’s success?
How has Stephen King become not only a household name but one of the most successful authors of his era? Andy Maslen dissects the ingredients that went into his books' bestsellerdom.
Read More
How to budget as a success-minded indie author
Here’s what to spend money on as an investment in your author career I chose the title of this article carefully. (Well, I am a writer!) Because there are two kinds of indie authors. The first kind simply needs to be able to say, ‘‘I published a book.’’ They can send their friends and family […]
Read More
Common writing mistakes by first-time authors (and how to avoid them)
Here are more fiction-writing mistakes made by first-time authors, including clear English, using coincidence to solve a plot problem and poor beginnings and ends.
Read More
More rookie mistakes made by first-time novelists (and how to avoid them)
In this article on common mistakes made by first-time authors, we look at telling instead of showing, head hopping and using the author's voice in place of the character's.
Read More