Tag Archives: writing fantasy

How to ruin your chances with an agent

Posted on February 12, 2021 by Susannah J. Bell

Who is the first agent you approach?  The best one, of course, whoever you think that may be.  In my mind, it’s the Curtis Brown agency.  So when the time came for me to start trotting my new novel around … Continue reading →

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Finished that big novel at last!

Posted on February 6, 2021 by Susannah J. Bell

It’s taken me eight years to get to the end of my Big Novel but it’s done!  At last!  Bring on the champagne! I really finished it over a week ago, wrapping up the last of the Killer Edit, and … Continue reading →

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This year has been less of a wash-up than I thought

Posted on December 5, 2020 by Susannah J. Bell

Today I begin the brand new edit of a gigantic novel I have edited several times.  I’ve written about this novel here many, many times.  In another blog, I might even go and have a look at all those old … Continue reading →

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Writing my way out the pandemic

Posted on November 27, 2020 by Susannah J. Bell

I finished a short story!  That doesn’t sound particularly amazing but considering the year I’ve had with writing, just to say I’ve FINISHED something feels like quite an achievement. I never expected to write this particular short story.  The idea … Continue reading →

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What to write in lockdown

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Susannah J. Bell

I hadn’t planned to write anything this spring. I had been working on my short story compilation when the lockdown began and, doggedly, I’ve continued to put it together:  editing, doing a little rewriting, formatting, etc.  Quite a lot of … Continue reading →

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Happy New Year!

Posted on January 1, 2020 by Susannah J. Bell

I’m not wild about making resolutions.  And promising myself that I’ll go to the gym more often or eat more salads or work harder or be friendlier seems to have the opposite effect.  Setting writing goals seems to work, though. … Continue reading →

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What to do when your writing doesn’t write

Posted on November 14, 2019 by Susannah J. Bell

Don’t panic.  Don’t despair.  Don’t run away and resolve never to write again.  Don’t let the ocean of failure to close over you so that you are forever drowning and wondering why it is you couldn’t be happy with just … Continue reading →

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Writing a treatment for your novel

Posted on November 29, 2018 by Susannah J. Bell

A treatment, as defined by Wikipedia, is: A film treatment is a piece of prose, typically the step between scene cards and the first draft of a screenplay for a motion picture, television program, or radio play. It is generally … Continue reading →

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Preparations for a new novel

Posted on November 4, 2018 by Susannah J. Bell

I’ve often wondered how other writers prepare for a new novel.  How do they write their notes?  Do they just scribble down an extremely abbreviated form of the novel, like a very short story, and then build on it?  Do … Continue reading →

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