Vote of Confidence in The People's Friend

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…
Read More How overcoming my fear of public speaking inspired my short story in this week’s The People’s Friend
Dead Ringer by Nicola Martin

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…
Read More Let your readers hear your protagonist’s thoughts – Things I learned while writing Dead Ringer
Growth mindset

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…
Read More Why growth mindset is the number one thing you need to become a better writer (and a better person)
Dead Ringer by Nicola Martin

Make your protagonist the type of person who jumps into the fray – Things I learned while writing Dead Ringer

In life, I’m a risk-averse person. I always weigh up my options and try to act prudently. In novels, I’ve found that prudent characters make for boring protagonists. Dead Ringer got immeasurably better when I added in a second narrator, Jem. She’s reckless and rebellious and will always throw herself…
Read More Make your protagonist the type of person who jumps into the fray – Things I learned while writing Dead Ringer