Rhoda Baxter's Blog, page 44
March 30, 2016
How to create conflict on the page
Hooray! It’s time for another creative writing column from the Beverley Guardian. This one’s about how to create conflict in your fiction.
If you find it useful or if you have suggestions for what you’d like to me write about in a future column, let me know in the comments below.
Filed under: Uncategorized
March 26, 2016
Plot – three act story structure in a nutshell
My column for the Beverley Guardian usually goes online a few days after it comes out in print, but this one seems to have slipped through the net. It’s about three act story structure and I’m recreating it below. I struggled with plot/structure when I started out, so I read lots and lots of books on it. I still do because it’s fascinating (… I really need to get out more).
Plot: Three act story structure
Have a look at the books that have been bestsellers over the last few years – Harry Pot...
March 16, 2016
Inheritance Books: Sarah Stephenson
This week’s Inheritance Books are from Sarah Stephenson. Hi Sarah, have a seat on the sofa. Would you like a cuppa? While the kettle boils, why don’t you tell us a bit about yourself?
Although I now live near Greenwich, with two dogs, the odd grandchild and a fair amount of mess, I grew up in Bristol with a single mother (very much her own choice) and an adopted brother (my mother spun the nuns at the orphanage some tale about being married).
I had a chaotic upbringing, rarely went to school...
March 11, 2016
Love and Laughter: A workshop on writing romantic comedy
Not me and Jane, but…well, it makes me laugh.
The fabulous Jane Lovering and I are doing another writing course – this time under the wings of the even more fabulous people from WriteStars Ltd. It’s called Love and Laughter. We’ve taken the previous courses we’ve done and rejigged them based on feedback from the people who came on those courses. There will be lots of talking, some practical exercises, a good amount of feedback and Hobnobs (there must always be Hobnobs).
In case it helps you d...
Want to Write Romantic Comedy? A new workshop with Write Stars
Not me and Jane, but…well, it makes me laugh.
The fabulous Jane Lovering and I are doing another writing course – this time under the wings of the even more fabulous people from WriteStars Ltd. We’ve taken the previous courses we’ve done and rejigged them based on feedback from the people who came on those courses. There will be lots of talking, some practical exercises, a good amount of feedback and Hobnobs (there must always be Hobnobs).
In case it helps you decide, here’s what people who’v...
March 5, 2016
Goodreads Book Review: How to write a novella in 24 hours
How to Write a Novella in 24 Hours: And other questionable & possibly insane advice on creativity for writers by Andrew Mayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I’m in between WIPs, I have a tendency to buy lots of how-to books, in case there’s a magic bullet somewhere that will make book ideas pop into being fully plotted (there isn’t, but I live in hope). I purchased this book on one of those buying sprees.
This book has some nice, to the point, advice. It won’t help you if you don’t already prod...
Goodreads Book Review: How to write a novella in 24 horus
How to Write a Novella in 24 Hours: And other questionable & possibly insane advice on creativity for writers by Andrew Mayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I’m in between WIPs, I have a tendency to buy lots of how-to books, in case there’s a magic bullet somewhere that will make book ideas pop into being fully plotted (there isn’t, but I live in hope). I purchased this book on one of those buying sprees.
This book has some nice, to the point, advice. It won’t help you if you don’t already prod...
March 4, 2016
News: Sequels to Girl On The Run
I’m very excited because I’ve just signed two contracts with Choc Lit for two books in the same world as Girl On The Run. I’ve bought cookie dough ice cream and some Lego to celebrate. These are both relevant to the books – one of the heroes is a marine biologist and ice cream features rather a lotin all the books in the series.
The first book (which is currently called Having a Ball, but will probably get a new name) is the story of Stevie – cheeky little sister to Marshall in Girl On The R...
March 2, 2016
Goodreads Book Review: Search For The Truth by Kathryn Freeman
Search for the Truth by Kathryn Freeman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It’s not often you find a romance novel set in the pharmaceutical industry. Also, I really liked the cover for this – the woman on the front reminded me of Donna from Suits.
Tess is the new Comms manager for Helix Pharmaceuticals. Jim is the returning R&D dude. Tess is hoping to uncover some dirt on Helix’s cancer drug because she feels that her mother’s heart attack was caused by the drugs.
As a lapsed biochemist, I found the se...
February 29, 2016
Goodreads Book Review: Sleighbells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan
Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I picked up this book when I was having a spate of reading Christmassy books (after Christmas was over). I’d never read anything by this author before. Generally speaking, I don’t really go for books with insta-lust being the basis of the relationship. But I found it so easy to read, that I was instantly immersed. [I don’t mean ‘this was an easy read’ in a sneery sort of way, I mean it was genuinely easy to read. The writing was...
