Writing skills | Alison Morton Author

Writing tics – The beasties!

A writing tic is something you write over and over again without realising it. Perhaps you’re in the zone and the words are flowing, especially on your first draft. You’re bashing the story out and before you know it your favourite writing tic is all over the place.

We can be completely oblivious to the […]

Chapters – Entitled or just a number?

Is it better to put a title at the beginning of each chapter in your book or should you merely put a simple number? I’ve never used chapter titles when writing my own books although I’ve absorbed them when reading other books.

What do chapter titles do?

They can act as promises of what’s […]

Home or away? Choose your setting

Writing class

“Write what you know!“

There’s a statement that was hammered home at us when we were newbie writers.

Well, I half obeyed when I wrote my first book INCEPTIO. Actually, it was less than that. I knew the military bit, I’d clambered over a lot of Roman Europe and I knew […]

Summer vacuum – the time of little writing

Updated and republished

Hooray! Summer is here; warm, lazy days, extra wine, days out with the family and friends, a holiday away. Mmm.

We have two scenarios before us:

The first:

You have a deadline looming, your fans are waiting, your muse is bashing away in your head with fantastic scenes you simply must write. […]

Carol Drinkwater's notes on writing

I’m delighted to welcome writing friend Carol Drinkwater to the blog. She’s a multi-award winning actress and writer, possibly best known for her portrayal of Helen Herriot in the BBC’s original television series, All Creatures Great and Small.

Carol is the author of twenty-four books, both fiction and non-fiction. She has achieved bestselling […]