Recent posts

How can I accurately portray programming and tech in my stories?

Jun 21 — 13 mins read

I am a software developer by trade, and one of the more frustrating aspects of stories, whether on TV, the cinema, or in books, is the portrayal of technology and programming. In this long post, I will make my best attempt to help writers to rectify this.

Can you unpublish a book?

Mar 04 — 4 mins read

Yes you can, on most self-publishing platforms. But the question of whether you should do so is up to you.

How do you write nonfiction?

Sep 21 — 6 mins read

Recently I finished a book called You Can't Make This Stuff Up by Lee Gutkind. This book is only known to a relatively small subset of people within the writing community, but to those people it is a cherished tome, for good reason.

How can I best use character arcs in my story?

Aug 19 — 6 mins read

A discussion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and how its character arcs can help novelists and screenwriters alike.

How can I promote my book as an introvert author?

Aug 17 — 5 mins read

When I published my first book, a big fear I had at the time was how it would be received by readers, family, and friends alike - a fear no doubt shared by nearly everyone who has ever put pen to paper and published it for the world to read.

Can I change my book after I publish it?

Aug 06 — 3 mins read

The answer to this question depends on whether you want to self-publish your book, or publish it through traditional channels. In one instance, you are free to publish your work as you see fit. But in the other, things are less flexible.

How should I take notes when researching my book or novel?

Apr 21 — 3 mins read

For me, note-taking is one of the most fun parts of writing books. It combines reading, analysis, organisation, and composition. While not all writers plan their work, the most successful ones use planning and note-taking extensively.

How do you outline a book?

Jan 28 — 5 mins read

In this post, I'll be describing the planning and outlining parts of my book-writing process. We'll go from the initial idea, right up to the point before we start drafting the book itself. Think of this as the "pre-writing" phase of the process.

Should I plan my book and use an outline?

Jan 25 — 3 mins read

A common debating point in the writing community is whether to plan your writing, or to deliberately not plan your writing. Both approaches appear to have worked for different authors, and so the debate is never likely to end soon. But in this post, I'll argue that planning your writing has many great effects, all of which will make your job as a writer easier in the long run, producing work that is more sensible, resonant, and enjoyable for the reader - all priceless benefits.