inspiration
-
Entering a writing competition? Here are a few tips to ensure your entry is on the shortlist: A judge wants to read something unexpected, exciting and compelling so think outside the box. Make sure your story isn’t over the word count. Your story may only have gone over the limit by five words, but if
-
Take your time The time of day can make a difference to the type of atmosphere your readers feel. For example, you can darken a story by setting it at night. There’s always an extra sense of menace, of threat and uncertainty in a story that takes place at night. ***
-
Stuck for an article idea? Try looking through the magazine you want to write for… You may want to write for a cat magazine but can’t think of an original idea. Looking through the magazine in question, you come across a quirky and interesting article about cats and superstitions relating to them. This gets you
-
Wonderful Weather The weather is a useful tool for producing a certain type of atmosphere. A gloriously sunny day immediately conjures up feelings of warmth and joy, where something happy is about to happen. This may be the atmosphere you want to create for a wedding in your story. Though, perhaps it’s a wedding doomed
-
Clarity is key However you’re planning to draw your short story/novel to a close, make it clear. It’s no good having a character who’s been killed off earlier on in the story suddenly turning up at the end alive and well without any explanation. As the writer, you know exactly what’s gone on but your
-
Thinking about writing an article about a special anniversary date? Some anniversary pieces feature the same information again and again. If you can find a different angle and make a tired theme fresh, then your article is more likely to catch an editor’s eye. Give yourself plenty of time to write your anniversary piece before
-
Think outside the box Whether you’re entering a themed or open-themed writing competition, don’t write about the first thing that comes to mind. Jot down several ideas. The first few will probably be themes a lot of entrants will write about. Ignore these and let your mind push you forward and onto something a little
-
Here’s part seven in my writing dialogue series. Here are parts one, two, three, four, five and six. Now for part seven: Use dialogue to break up big blocks of narrative text. It aids readability, as well as injecting pace into the story. ***
-
Here’s part six in my writing dialogue series. If you missed part one, click here. For part two, click here. For part three, you’ll find it here , for part four, click here and for part five, it’s here. Now for part six: At the end of a passage of speech, don’t add a full
Esther Chilton 