The Importance of Stakes
Today we’re going to talk about stakes, which in short is the bad stuff that’s going to happen to your character if they don’t achieve their goal (or if they … Continue reading The Importance of Stakes
Author: Sophie Austin
Historical Fiction writer, freelancer, editor and book fanatic.
How flashforwards can make your characters more loveable
A look at the movie Arrival from the lens of narrative structure and empathy: how can we play with narrative structure to increase character/reader empathy? How does Arrival do it, and how does it work so well?
How to Edit Your Novel (Part 2)
I told you I was bad at keeping up with these. For those of you who follow me on Twitter (not a plug) – you may have heard I have … Continue reading How to Edit Your Novel (Part 2)
How to Edit Your Novel (Part 1)
You know me. I love creating a series of blogs that I then have to beat myself to continue (they will all get finished, I promise you!) But this is … Continue reading How to Edit Your Novel (Part 1)
Sell your book in 60 seconds: top tips for verbal pitches
So this year at the Stockholm Writer’s Festival I had the lucky opportunity to pitch my manuscript to an agent. My actual manuscript. TO AN ACTUAL AGENT. And whilst I … Continue reading Sell your book in 60 seconds: top tips for verbal pitches
What are your New Year’s Writing Resolutions?
It’s that time of year where we all tend to sit back, take stock, and try and make a plan of action for pushing forward. And frankly, given I’m someone … Continue reading What are your New Year’s Writing Resolutions?
How much do authors actually earn? Royalties, advances and more
Now this is a question that I have, as much as the next person. And so thank you to the awesome person on Quora, Marion Gropen, who answered it. I’ve … Continue reading How much do authors actually earn? Royalties, advances and more
UK Salary for Writers
The idea of the struggling artist is a common one. Just look at Moulin Rouge, the starving bohemian aesthetic permeates the entire movie, from its cast to its locations. But … Continue reading UK Salary for Writers
What is NaNoWriMo? Should I do it?
Now, I will caveat this piece by saying I am a NaNo lover. I actually think it’s partially the reason why I’m here. (In Sweden, not ‘on the planet’ in … Continue reading What is NaNoWriMo? Should I do it?
Writing Inclusive Fiction: Cultural Representation without Cultural Appropriation
This is a bit more of a serious post – so it’s a bit longer. But I looked at this recently in my MA Creative Writing class and I think … Continue reading Writing Inclusive Fiction: Cultural Representation without Cultural Appropriation
How Many Rejections Does it Take to Get Your Writing Published?
I’ve written a lot about getting rejected as a writer. And that’s because we do get rejected. A LOT. But also, sometimes, something just falls into place. And you get … Continue reading How Many Rejections Does it Take to Get Your Writing Published?
Build Your Own Free Creative Writing Course Part 2: Settings
Creating good settings in your writing is crucial. Your characters aren’t walking around in a vacuum, they’re walking around in a world with things in it, and it’s your job to … Continue reading Build Your Own Free Creative Writing Course Part 2: Settings
Sophie Writes 