Andrew Ferguson's Blog, page 2

Throwack Thursday: 6 Types of Conflict in Fiction (with Examples)

The six main categories of conflict are already pretty well established in writerly circles and I saw no point in deviating from it; however, to help you along, I have also included three possible examples of each. This is by no means and exhaustive list and I have tried to keep it generalised, but I hope you find it useful.

Keeping a Writer’s Notebook: 6 Simple Tips

Here are some simple tips for getting the most out of your writer's notebook.

Editing Checklist: 5 Tips to Increase Your Story’s Chance of Acceptance

Most editors have no shortage of good stories to choose from. Unfortunately, these can be let down by inadequate editing.

TBT: 16 Character Goals

Originally published 27/09/20

Who, When, Where: The Simple Formula For a Killer Hook

There is no room to waffle in short fiction. Every word counts. Therefore, it's a good idea to establish the WHO, WHERE and WHEN of your story in the opening lines.

Our First Issue: How It’s Going

We've had a lovely little pile of stories and poems popping up in our inbox. With over seven weeks remaining until the deadline, I'm increasingly confident we'll be able to unleash issue #1 this winter.

TBT: 50 Character Motives

I've listed a few possible character motives in the image below and I would encourage you to play around with different ways of interpreting and applying them.

Writing Short Fiction: 5 Essential Tips

With fewer words to play with, you need to be selective about what material to include. Here’s a few of my favourite tips for writing short fiction successfully.

A New Beginning

It’s a funny old life. Penstricken began as nothing more than a blog to get the old creative juices flowing. It was a place where I could share my passion for all things fictional. Nothing more. Overtime it developed a modest following. I connected with other authors and book reviewers; conducted author interviews and published […]

Book Review: The Tale of Elgol and the Witch

The Tale of Elgol and the Witch by N.N. Marques is a haunting children's story with the timeless appeal of an old fable, beautifully illustrated by Yamanu Taiji.