How Goal, Motivation and Conflict add essential tension to your story

February 17, 2024 Helena Fairfax 0

It’s my first authors’ Round Robin of the year, and this month our topic is… Using Goal, Motivation and Conflict to add tension to your story All stories are about people, because human beings love to hear stories about other human beings. At their heart, the most engrossing stories are about a character who wants… Continue reading How Goal, Motivation and Conflict add essential tension to your story

7 tips for setting the scene in your novel (and bringing it to life)

November 18, 2023 Helena Fairfax 0

It’s another month, and another authors’ Round Robin. And this month the topic is… Setting the scene This seems a simple topic. A scene is just a scene, isn’t it? Just a few lines of description and then move on to the more interesting plot and dialogue. In fact skilful scene-setting can enrich the plot,… Continue reading 7 tips for setting the scene in your novel (and bringing it to life)

7 tips to tighten the saggy middle of your story and keep readers engaged

October 28, 2023 Helena Fairfax 0

Another month, another writers’ Round Robin. And this month our topic is a question many novel writers have grappled with at some point. How do you fix a saggy middle? Imagine you’re a writer with a killer opening. You spend the next few chapters setting up your characters and the premise of the novel. You… Continue reading 7 tips to tighten the saggy middle of your story and keep readers engaged

Making Readers Care: 9 Tips on Crafting Compelling Characters

July 31, 2022 Helena Fairfax 0

This month’s authors’ Round Robin is all about character, and the inspiration for the topic comes from author Connie Vines. Jane Eyre, James Bond, Harry Potter, Fagin, Bridget Jones and Anne of Green Gables – human beings are always interested in the story of other human beings, and we remember the characters in a story… Continue reading Making Readers Care: 9 Tips on Crafting Compelling Characters

6 ways to avoid repeating the same old words and phrases in your writing

August 21, 2021 Helena Fairfax 0

It’s August, and time for another authors’ Round Robin. This month the topic has been set by author Rhobin Courtright. Do you have any character habits or favourite words that always crop up in your writing? The short and simple answer: yes! The difficulty is, spotting this repetition when it happens. My husband always reads… Continue reading 6 ways to avoid repeating the same old words and phrases in your writing