Writers' craft

Mystery readers savor the hallmarks of their preferred subgenres of crime fiction. To meet their expectations, the savvy mystery author should choose their words wisely. Authors must deliver the expected violence level, the appropriate sleuth qualifications, the correct level of police involvement, a vibrant setting, a compelling whodunnit, and a satisfying resolution.

I write dark fantasy stories for adults that explore survival after sexual trauma and war. My work focuses on the aftermath of sexual violence and the way my protagonists stubbornly live well after the unthinkable. There are no on-page depictions of SA in my work.  Read more

I think it's fair to say that The Child Left in the Dark (and the Take Her Back trilogy as a whole) is pretty far removed from the real world. Genetic engineering resulting in supernatural abilities, human/animal hybrids, slavish soldiers with their humanity altered...  Read more

Want to perfect your process for writing creative non-fiction, or elevate your writing style? Maybe you're making the move from fiction to non-fiction. Whatever your starting point, Freya Dean and Andrew Kenrick, writers and co-editors at Hinterland magazine are joined by their handpick of contributing writers to share their top tips for creating brilliant non-fiction writing.

I have long been an anxious writer. Every sentence written reminds me of the hundreds more that could have stood in its place, missed opportunities for assonance or characterization, clauses left dependent that could have-should have-been made independent.  Read more