This list outlines some cliches I commonly see in modern fantasy novels.

Slow burn romances are stories in which the romance...burns slowly. Instead of instant kissing and love ballads, it's often more of a will-they-won't-they situation.

"I don't want to love her. I don't like what that means for me." "What do you think it means?" "It means I have something to lose again, and I'm not strong enough for that anymore."

Sometimes dialogue sounds stiff, clunky, or unnatural. Try these tricks to make your dialogue sound more natural and less written.

The following words can often be deleted from your prose just because there are often stronger, more effective ways to write.

I asked my audience which things would make them quit a novel.

Writing a romance subplot in your novel can quickly make things cringey. Love stories in storytelling require real characters that feel authentic. Let's look to Han and Leia from Star Wars to see how a fictional relationship can feel real.

Emotions are hard to capture authentically in fiction, maybe in part because as a society we tend to want to express things more in terms of what we’re doing or thinking. This diving deep int…

As much as I love royals, witches, rebels and assassins, there are other jobs out there for your fantasy heroes!

I asked my Instagram followers,“What are some signs of amateurish writing, in your opinion?” Here are the results!

Whether you're writing a villain or a tragic hero, these steps will help make their downfall as tragic (and juicy) as possible.

Not everyone has had an easy start in life or a smooth time. Some people are survivors of abuse from family members, relationships, or people at school or work, so it's important to know how to create a character who's suffered abuse so they can also be realistic. Discover how to create characters who have suffered abuse in this post! Stand Corrected Editing offers professional book editing services in the UK to aspiring authors worldwide. Book Proofreading Services | Copy Editing Services

Sometimes it’s difficult to decide where to begin telling a story, and “begin at the beginning” isn’t always the best advice. Click here to download this writing worksheet (PDF) The beginning of your story need not take place in your opening scene! The opening scene can be used to… Capture the reader’s attention with an…

Find the perfect word and tell us exactly how you feel.

Sometimes they’re useful, but some dialogue tags are distracting or jarring. This post is a (hopefully) fun list of my least favourite.

Creating a scene list changed my novel-writing life, and doing the same will change yours too. Includes examples of the scene lists from famous authors.

The setting of a story performs the vital task of transporting the reader into the story. Download this worksheet (PDF) Story Settings The questions in this 2-page story setting worksheet can help you hone in on the details of your character’s environment. Does the scene take place indoors or out? Is the space light or…

An exciting twist on more common story structures, the Four Act Structure is one you'll definitely want in your novel writing toolkit.

Sometimes when you read a book, you ought to suspend your disbelief in order to believe the fantasy. However, there are times when it's impossible to ignore some of the blatant inaccuracies, especially when they are connected to a huge demographic (like half the world's population).

Engaging activities and ideas for teaching students to add dialogue

Whether your characters are getting into swordfights, falling out of high windows, or escaping dramatic fires, you may be wondering what sort of injuries they would realistically sustain. This guide aims to explain some common injuries in fiction, as well as how to write each one. I did my best to research this (check

Your character realizes that everything they’ve been doing is based on a lie.

If you have aspirations of writing your own romance novel, here are some boosts to get you started.

Far from every relationship is going to end up being healthy, happy, and long-lasting—people break up all the time and continue searching for someone whom they love, can fully trust, and who has similar values as they do. But it doesn’t mean that you have to be at war with your exes. It’s perfectly possible to stay civil, as you move on with your lives.