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How many words are in a short story? What is the ideal length for a fiction novel? How long should my book be? Find the answer to these writing questions here.
There are six main types of fiction writing forms. These six categories are flash fiction, short story, novelette, novella, novel and epic. The length of your writing determines which fiction format your story falls into. The average word count, or typical length, for each fiction writing category is listed in the image and table below.
When it’s time to finally start writing and shaping your ideas into an actual story, you must choose what form your fiction writing will take. If you have already completed a short story, or are part-way through a novel, then you must still check that your chosen fiction form matches with your writing goals.
Read MoreIn our somewhat dystopian society of 2020, everything you thought you knew about writing speculative fiction has been turned on its head.
Dystopian meaning: A dystopian world is one where there is great suffering or injustice. Stories of struggle are often set within a dystopian society in these books. Usually set in the future, dystopian fiction books are often aimed at the young adult book market. The Handmaid’s Tale is a famous dystopian series and 1984 is a dystopian novel.
I think you’ll agree with me when I say that 2020 is turning out to be the strangest year that any of us have ever experienced. And as authors who try to analyse events and capture the fears and feelings of our readers, it’s doubly difficult.
Ten years ago I began writing a novel while at university. It was a detective crime thriller story, set in a dystopian society, in a world that had been ravaged by a virus. Militaries had seized control of governments and citizens lived under restricted conditions, similar to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Read MoreThe beautiful lilt of a Scottish accent. It’s a wonderful thing to hear, but as I have discovered, an absolute headache to spell Scots dialect words so they sound just right to the ear.
How to write Scottish characters: with an authentic sounding Scottish accent, your character’s dialogue must contain the correct Scots words, to really bring the people of Scotland to life. Authors writing books in Scots must maintain the Scots language for their entire length, in their chosen Scottish dialect.
The Scots language consists of four main dialects: Insular, Northern, Central, and Southern. Many sub-dialects exist across Scotland, which in turn also have their own local Scots accents. For example, a Glasgow Accent, is a local variant of the West Central Scots accent, which in turn is a sub-dialect of the broader Central Scots dialect.
Read MoreParis is a fantastic source of inspiration for writers. Book yourself into a Paris writing retreat and prepare to be inspired!
When we think of the French capital, Paris conjures up images of fashionable people, streets lined with cafés and beautiful buildings. There’s always the smell of great food and the hint of romance in the air.
The City of Light is also an inspirational place for authors who enjoy writing mysteries, horror and adventure books. We all know about the skull-lined catacombs that lie beneath the Parisian streets, holding the remains of six million people.
So with both the dreamy and the darkness in mind, here are my top 5 places in Paris for writing inspiration:
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