Writing Advice

My stories have been published in a variety of places and I’m an Aurealis and Ditmar Award finalist.

The Writer’s Book of Doubt contains a lot of my advice on coping with rejection, finding motivation and making time for writing. It also contains essays from 22 guest writers providing consolation and advice for dealing with the writing life.

Read an extract: I Was Going to Write an Essay on Procrastination

Also see The Science Fiction Writer’s Hierarchy of Doubt

What I’ve Learned From Slush Reading at PodCastle

If you’re thinking about Kickstarting a book, see my article on Kickstarting an Anthology of Genre Stories

Making Time to Write

The most important thing for a writer: make the time to actually write. Writing: Find the Time Or Don’t (John Scalzi on making time to write).

How Finding Flow Helped Me Decide What I Should Do With My Life

Writing Workshops

Attending Clarion South, a 6-week science fiction writing workshop, was one of the most useful things to improve my writing. Not just in terms of craft, but also for making friends that are serious about writing science fiction. The workshop is based on the US Clarion and Clarion West workshops. I wrote an article about the experience. Six Weeks at Clarion South The workshop was held once every two years, but is unfortunately on hold indefinitely at the moment.

Writing Short Stories

Start the story when an interesting character is in trouble. Give them a difficult choice to make. End the story when there is some kind of resolution.

Most readers will respond better to a memorable character than a cool idea.

Make sure you choose the right viewpoint character. Are they active? Do they act rather than just react?

Avoid changing point of view.

What is the point of change in your story? Have you started your story there?

“Argument” openings (that explain what your story is about) can usually be cut.

Start scenes as late as you can, and finish them as early as possible.

Avoid flashbacks unless absolutely necessary.

Circular endings are a good way to end your story (where the ending inverts or echoes the opening).

Useful Advice: How to Write and What Not to Write

Strange Horizons: Stories We’ve Seen Too Often

Pixar: Story Rules

Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine: A Comprehensive and Totally Universal Listing of Every Problem a Story Has Ever Had