From the Reading Chair

Writing tips

Point of View Part 3: First or third? First and third?

Writing tips

The key to choosing point of view is understanding the relationship you want the reader to have with the characters and events of the story.

Point of View Part 2: Degrees of Distance

Writing tips

Varying point of view distance allows you to control the relationship between the reader and the story to evoke specific responses.

Point of View Part 1: Using multiple points of view

Writing tips

When you choose multiple points of view, be mindful of the types of relationships you are building between the reader and the characters, and their purpose.

Listening to the written word

Rewriting and editing, Writing tips

Listening to the written word helps us understand the effects we create through word choices. Read your own work aloud. Edit with your ears. You'll ‘hear’ things that you may not ‘see’ on the page.

The function and roles of subplots are important principles to understand, but there is no golden rule. That’s what makes the creative endeavour of writing fiction so alluring and at the same time so terrifying.

Scene and Summary

Writing tips

If scenes are the building blocks of story, summary is the mortar that holds the scenes together, and occasionally the keystone piece that supports the structure.

What Emojis Tell Us About Writing Good Dialogue

Rewriting and editing, Writing tips

Recently I’ve been prompted to consider why a fat, pink heart may say more to us than the word ‘love’ or ‘xx’, and what this tells us about writing good dialogue.

Prologues: the frame, the puzzle piece and the hors d’oeuvre

Writing tips

What is a prologue, exactly? And do I need one?

What’s in a name?

Writing tips

Characters' names influence the reading experience in different ways. The choices you make are important.

Balancing Backstory

Writing tips

Ever been stuck at a party with a guy who wants to tell you all about himself? Too much backstory! The same is true with characters on the page.

Laurel Cohn and her team offer comprehensive editing and manuscript development services, as well as mentoring and consultations to help you realise your writing goal.

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‘I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which I live and work, the Midjungbal of the Bundjalung, and pay my respects to Elders past and present. For thousands of years the First Peoples of this Country have understood the power of story to shape and reshape our understanding of ourselves and our world, a continuing practice from which we can all draw inspiration.’ Laurel Cohn