Writing skills | Alison Morton Author

RNA Conference pictures

Although it seems ages ago, the Romantic Novelists’ Association Conference was only a couple of weeks ago! It took place at the Harper Adams University, a renowned agricultural college near Telford, Shropshire – a beautiful setting, plus a light whiff from the animal areas! Needless to say, our meals had the shortest food mileage ever […]

Applying research

Research. Yeah, I know, a sticky subject in more ways than one. Writing of any sort needs research whether it’s a modern shoes-and-shopping story, crime thriller or a historical magnum opus.

Almost every story written hinges on a set-up or a problem the writer has purposefully created, but it must be plausible. Readers will engage […]

Game of Sevens

I’ve been tagged by historical fiction author Antoine Vanner in a game of Lucky Sevens.

It’s a bit of online fun for writers that pulls us out of our sheds where we sit scribbling away for hours on end and lets us reveal a little our our current work in progress.

Here is how it’s […]

Tough heroines

“Boadicea Haranguing the Britons” by John Opie (1761-1807)

‘Tough’, ‘feisty’, ‘kick-ass’ – clichés, ironic or signposts? And, provocative question, would you apply them to men? Perhaps the first one and possibly the third, but I can’t remember reading about a ‘feisty hero’.

That aside, how do you recognise a tough heroine? Boudica, queen […]

How to get the reader to read your book

Unless you write for the sole purpose of personal fulfilment (no bad thing in itself), you probably hope other people will read your work. When you publish a story, either as a freebie or commercially on multiple channels (Amazon, Kobo, Waterstones, iBooks, etc.) and in multiple formats (paperback, hardback, ebook, audio), you’re not only putting […]