Film is one of the most widespread and influential forms of media on the planet, but what about film critics? Are they still relevant, and if so, what do they contribute to society? Film critics are still relevant today. They offer invaluable insight into how filmmakers can improve, but at a higher level, they provide … Read more
Writing a novel is like creating your own universe. You can create characters and storylines in the past, present, and future. The question is, can you switch between tenses in a novel to exhibit these time shifts? It’s okay to switch tenses in a novel with a separation between timelines. For example, some authors set … Read more
Before you begin to type your novel, you should decide which tense you’ll write it in. Once you’ve chosen, you must use this tense consistently throughout the novel and intercut with other tenses if they add to the story. The easier tense to write in is the one that fits your story, so there isn’t … Read more
Poetry is everywhere, in birthday cards, books, magazines, quoted on walls, and in plays, TV and movies. Most of us probably studied poetry at school, and maybe we were even encouraged to write a couple of our own at some point – but how do you actually compose a poem? Writing a poem can be … Read more
Epic poets, or narrative poets, have gripped the imagination of readers and listeners all over the world for thousands of years. But who are the best epic poets? Which narrative poets have stood the test of time to tower above the rest? Below we explore the lives and work of 5 of the greatest and … Read more
So you’ve finished writing your verse poem. The next step is to answer the big question: where do I publish my verse? Do I want to publish professionally? Do I want to publish for friends and family? Will I self publish my verse? Should I seek feedback from trusted sources first? What’s the next step? … Read more
All writers need sometimes is a little bit of inspiration to get them started. We often ask, where do ideas come from? How can I find the inspiration and focus to finish a piece of writing? How can I get motivated to write? These questions have historically been personified and embodied in the creative muse! … Read more
Literary fiction authors, or serious fiction authors, are often defined as being writers who produce books of a very high standard. Literary fiction is also sometimes referred to as mainstream fiction, or non-genre writing. These writers generally aspire to be considered artists, and generate writing which may not neatly fit into one of the established … Read more
Writers fear rejection. Unless you are writing on commission, you have probably put tens, if not hundreds, if not thousands of hours into your work in progress. The thought of being turned away by every publisher you submit to is daunting. But being rejected doesn’t have to be a catastrophe. Below we explore how to … Read more
Following the submission and formatting guidelines is the first step to successfully publishing a book, including line spacing. But are novels single or double-spaced? Novels are published with single-spaced lines, but the industry standard for unpublished manuscripts is double-spaced lines. It’s vital to send a manuscript to a publisher with the correct formatting, even if … Read more