Author: Nicola

Nicola Martin is an award-winning author of psychological thrillers, short stories, and non-fiction books
Killing Your Darlings is Hell. Here’s How I Edited My Novel.

Killing Your Darlings is Hell. Here’s How I Edited My Novel.

I’ve been suffering some body dysmorphia recently – not for my own body, but for the size of my novel. A year ago, it was a voluptuous 120,000 words (440 pages); now it’s a skinny 90,000 words (350 pages). The Getaway, a murder-mystery set in the Caribbean, comes out in November 2024 and I’ve been…

Dead Ringer wins fiction prize at Lakeland Book of the Year Awards

Dead Ringer wins fiction prize at Lakeland Book of the Year Awards

I bumbled up to Penrith last month for the 2021 Lakeland Book of the Year Awards, the very picture of “I’m just glad to be nominated”. After all, there was no way my debut thriller, Dead Ringer, with its doppelganger vs. doppelganger showdown on the sinking sands of Walney Island in Cumbria, was going to…

5 things I learned about writing from Succession
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5 things I learned about writing from Succession

Succession isn’t only the most twisted-funny show on TV, it’s also a masterclass in great writing. Here are a few tips I’ve picked up from Jesse Armstrong and his team of writers: 1. Characters should walk into scenes fully-formed ‘Establishing character’ is often something we think we should do, either with a thumbnail sketch or…

Dead Ringer longlisted for Lakeland Book of the Year

Dead Ringer longlisted for Lakeland Book of the Year

I’m delighted that my debut novel, Dead Ringer, has been recognised in the 2021 Lakeland Book of the Year longlist. This award, sponsored by Cumbria Tourism, showcases literary talent inspired by the landscapes, history and culture of the Lake District, Cumbria. Cumbria was always at the (dark) heart of Dead Ringer, from the first moment…

How overcoming my fear of public speaking inspired my short story in this week’s The People’s Friend
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How overcoming my fear of public speaking inspired my short story in this week’s The People’s Friend

Two years ago, I would’ve rather taken my chances before a firing squad than got up in front of an audience for public speaking. I know I’m not alone. Public speaking regularly ranks as the nation’s biggest fear. It even ranks as scarier than death. Like most people, I dealt with my fear by avoiding…

6 things to know if you want to write a novel this year

6 things to know if you want to write a novel this year

If your new year’s resolution for 2021 is to write a novel, then you’ve picked a great goal. Writing keeps your brain active and creativity feeds your soul. During pandemic times, there’s no better feeling than soaring away on flights of fancy. However, novel-writing is not without its challenges. Maybe you’re apprehensive. Maybe you don’t…

Write the story from the sidekick’s perspective, too – Things I learned while writing Dead Ringer

Write the story from the sidekick’s perspective, too – Things I learned while writing Dead Ringer

During one particular rewrite of Dead Ringer, I felt like I’d tied myself up in knots. My protagonist was breaking up with her boyfriend, but he seemed to be taking it too well. I couldn’t figure out what he was thinking or feeling during the scene. So I decided to write the entire novel from…

One word you should remove from your writing vocabulary

One word you should remove from your writing vocabulary

You might assume this is a philosophical or motivational blog post, and I’m going to tell you there’s no such thing as “can’t”. Or that the word “failure” is a lie and should be reframed as a challenge. Nope. This is a post about the word “walked”. I really, really, really hate the word “walked”….

Revisiting Gone Girl: 5 things writers can learn from it
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Revisiting Gone Girl: 5 things writers can learn from it

Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl defined and popularised the psychological suspense genre. These days, the crime fiction shelves are packed with tales of marital discord turned murderous and psychopaths hiding in suburbia. I first read Gone Girl the year it came out, in 2012. Eight years on, when I decided to re-read it, I wondered whether…

Let your readers hear your protagonist’s thoughts – Things I learned while writing Dead Ringer

Let your readers hear your protagonist’s thoughts – Things I learned while writing Dead Ringer

Dead Ringer started life as a third-person novel, until my agent suggested I make it first-person. This was a big change, but it made the protagonists’ voices much clearer. The reader gets to sit in their heads, hear their thoughts. This, I think, is the superpower of novels (versus TV or movies). You get to…

How my new mantra is helping me stay sane (and productive)

How my new mantra is helping me stay sane (and productive)

I’ve recently put in place a simple new motto and it’s amazing what a help it’s been, in terms of getting more work done, feeling more balanced, and fighting social media addiction. What is that motto? “No internet before lunch, no social media before dinner.” How is it working for me in practice? Switching the…

Why growth mindset is the number one thing you need to become a better writer (and a better person)
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Why growth mindset is the number one thing you need to become a better writer (and a better person)

‘Growth mindset’ might sound like one of those annoying buzzwords, but it describes an attitude shift that has helped me immensely. What is growth mindset? It’s a term that comes from Carol S Dweck’s book, Mindset, which is a study of how children learn. This is a simplification, but in her study, Dweck observed two…