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 is writing poetry hard? Writing poetry is Read more…
There are lots of extant ancient texts, and of course we wish there were even more. The fire of Alexandria destroyed so many! We’re all probably familiar with a few names: Homer, Sophocles, Virgil. Are these ancient texts worth reading now? Is it hard to read them? And which ones Read more…
Literary theory or literary criticism can be hard to understand at the best of times. It’s frequently written in complex language, and addresses some of the most complex and challenging ideas around. So how do you even get started with this field? The best place to begin with literary theory Read more…
It’s Tax Payer’s Money! The most important thing to keep in mind, that leads to all the other points below, is that they are handing out tax payers money! This usually means that the decision maker needs to have each grant approved by the relevant minister. So imagine someone putting Read more…
Having an agent can vastly simplify the task of finding a publisher, or a producer for your writing. Whether you are a poet, a novelist, a screenwriter, a playwright, a non fiction author or any other kind of writer, an agent will send your work into the world, and hopefully Read more…
We all know that characters encounter obstacles in stories, but how do we write really good ones? What sets a bad obstacle apart from one that enhances the story and leaves the audience desperate for more? Read on to find out. Perfect obstacles get bigger throughout the story, they reveal 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. Read more…
So you have written a story and you are excited to get it out into the world. For many writers their first stop is sending the work to a writing agent to try to get representation. The agent can then submit your work to publishers or producers. But do you Read more…
So many of the best and most beloved stories feature a great antagonist which keeps us glued to the edge of our seats. But how do you write a great antagonist? Great antagonists oppose everything that the protagonist or hero fights for. They embody the opposite of everything the protagonist Read more…
We know that our favourite stories share a lot of features in common with each other. It is useful as writers to understand the underlying building blocks that make up most narratives. Yes, almost all narratives have a problem. Most narratives are structured around a central character who encounters a Read more…