The Book Beat

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Saturday, 22 March 2025

The 'by zombies' test: how to spot (and fix) passive voice in your writing

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Ever feel like some of your sentences were written by zombies? If your writing sounds a bit lifeless or unclear, you might be falling into t...
Tuesday, 18 March 2025

The second draft survival guide: 10 tips on editing your novel

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Completing the first draft of your novel is a major achievement to celebrate. You’re already in the top 3% (97% of people who start writing ...
Thursday, 13 March 2025

AI’s growing ability to write creatively like us

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AI is no longer just generating dry, robotic text. It’s now writing compelling fiction. OpenAI’s latest model has demonstrated an ability to...
Wednesday, 12 March 2025

The art of the campus novel – what makes them work, and which are the best?

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Writing about Donna Tartt last week  and The Secret History got me thinking about the campus novel.   I’ve always been fascinated by this su...
Sunday, 9 March 2025

Crafting the perfect opening lines of a novel

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Do you need a killer opening line for your novel? Or is there an alternative way to draw readers in right from the start?  I'm slightly ...
Thursday, 6 March 2025

A guide to reading Joan Didion

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I’m a big fan of Joan Didion. I’ve read most of her published works, with her novel Play It As It Lays, Slouching Towards Bethlehem, and The...
Tuesday, 4 March 2025

Whatever happened to Donna Tartt?

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I found a box of books in the attic yesterday, and a signed copy of Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch was buried there. I added it to the bookshel...
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Monday, 3 March 2025

How to find your narrative voice: from first person to omniscient

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Finding your narrative voice is one of the most important, and often most challenging, aspects of writing fiction. It’s what makes your stor...
Wednesday, 26 February 2025

How to write a novel when you have no time

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One of the biggest challenges for most writers is finding the time. In my 20s and early 30s, I could sit for hours and devote entire weekend...
Tuesday, 25 February 2025

Curtis Sittenfeld on Writing: Openness, routine, and authentic storytelling

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I'm a huge fan of Curtis Sittenfeld, and Prep and Rodham are favourites. Her writing is always sharply observed and full of depth and me...
Monday, 24 February 2025

Publication of Joan Didion’s journal creates an ethical literary dilemma

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Joan Didion has been a monumental influence on countless writers, including myself. Her works, from Slouching Towards Bethlehem to The Year ...
Friday, 21 February 2025

There are no New plots: And that’s a good thing

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As writers, we often hear the dreaded phrase: "Every story has already been told." It’s the kind of thought that can stop creativi...