How Many Words in a Novel, Short Story or Book?

Is a novel 50,000 or 120,000? Is a short story 1000 words or 10,000? Well ... it depends. I know. You wanted something concrete, didn't you. Sorry. But we're largely talking about creative writing here and that is inexact: it's art, after all. Let's play with some ballpark figures to satisfy your curiosity and test…

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Writing Tip: Read Your Work Out Loud

It seems really naff, awkward, silly to think about reading your writing out loud. After all, unless you are a lyricist or poet, you don't write with a view to your words being vocalised. But reading aloud works. As a writer, we really do think we don't have to read our writing. That once writ,…

Editing Basics

It's a cruel business, this writing thing. Just when you feel elated and broadly satisfied that you've completed your work of brilliance, you realise that it's not over. In fact, the hard work now begins. Editing is as important as the creative juice flowing over time. There are two main aspects to editing. the Actual…