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From the Reading Chair

Writing Tips

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What Emojis Tell Us About Writing Good Dialogue

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.
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Critical Reading for Writers

Critical reading is an important skill for writers to develop. Don't underestimate the value of reading the works of others.
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Construction beams on a building site

Understanding Story Structure: Spinal care for writers

Structural issues are common in both fiction and narrative non-fiction book-length works. Understanding story structure is key.
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Sentence Length: Finding Your Rhythm

Does advice to trim and tighten your writing mean shorter sentence lengths?
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Scrabble pieces spelling out the word Trust

Evoking readers’ trust

The books we tend to find most satisfying are the ones that evoke readers' trust by allowing them imaginative space to enter the story.
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Narrative Momentum

Narrative momentum is that urge that makes you want to keep turning the pages.
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Writing as a Reader

How can we improve our writing by thinking about the reader's experience?
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Brown paper packages tied up with string, old photos, a pen and ink

Writing a Memoir

It takes a deep commitment to write a memoir manuscript for publication. Are you prepared to take the plunge?
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