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Writing prompts for trans characters

Trans characters usually only appear in LGBTQ+ stories that focus on their coming out story, but most trans people want to see life outside of coming out. These 22 writing prompts about trans characters seek to do just that. Whether you’re specifically writing LGBTQ+ fiction or you want to help normalise trans people as part of life, you’ll find something that can work with the story you want to tell. You can also use these writing prompts as a starting point for a story or character, or to build on an idea you already have. 22 writing prompts for trans… Read More »Writing prompts for trans characters

How to create characters with strong personalities

Writing memorable characters your readers won’t forget is difficult, and there are so many people out there telling you the best way to create them. But if you’re wondering how to create characters with strong personalities, there’s only one book you really need to read, because it has actual insights from psychologists. The Science of Writing Characters by Kira-Anne Pelican is an excellent resource for writers, tackling the big problems we all face. There’s one chapter that I visit every time I’m creating characters for my next writing project, and in this post I go through my process. Disclosure: If… Read More »How to create characters with strong personalities

Gender-neutral names UK for authors

The Office for National Statistics holds a massive spreadsheet of names chosen for babies born in the UK. To find out what the top gender-neutral names (UK based) are, I’ve gone through all of the data and highlighted as many as possible. For now, that’s a list of 93 names you can use for your characters. In the future, I hope to produce some resources, including a simplified spreadsheet, for UK writers to use. Gender-neutral names UK I’ve taken the data from the Office of National Statistics and listed all of the top gender-neutral names in the UK. ONS separates… Read More »Gender-neutral names UK for authors

Winter romance writing prompts

Everything goes a bit blue in winter, right? Let’s warm things up with over 20 winter romance writing prompts. Designed to inspire your romantic persona, use these to explore bonds between your characters, situations they could end up in, and more. Winter is a time for rest, recuperation, and togetherness. Whether you’re stuck in a place you don’t really want to be with the perfect person or at home with the love of your life, winter can be a magical time. It can be equally comfortable and contentious, so let’s plunge into the snow! Looking for something warmer? Try my… Read More »Winter romance writing prompts

What romance writers need to know about proofreading

Self-publishing a romance novel can be tricky, especially if you’re managing the process by yourself. You’re the project manager and the author, so it’s easy to get lost in what needs to be done. So here’s what romance writers need to know about proofreading, one of the last steps in the publishing process. There are many benefits of proofreading, but if you don’t know much about it then it’s easy to forget its importance. Proofreaders work with authors not just to clear up typos but to also catch other, potentially major problems. If you’ve ever gone to buy a book… Read More »What romance writers need to know about proofreading

17 fantasy meet cute ideas

I’ve made a list of 17 fantasy meet cute ideas to help you create the perfect introduction to a romantic interest. Perfect for when you’re looking for how the protagonists of your next romantasy story fall in love or searching for backstory ideas for how a couple got together in a fantasy novel. A meet cute is a moment to introduce characters to each other through an awkward, embarrassing, or hostile first meeting; TV Tropes says there has to be something “cutesy” about the meeting. List of 17 fantasy meet cute ideas Here’s a list of all the fantasy meet… Read More »17 fantasy meet cute ideas

Text announces #Lovember2025, a 30-day romance writing challenge, in white text on a red background. There are three sketchy hearts next to the 5.

#Lovember2025 romance writing challenge

It’s time for the second Lovember writing challenge! This is a self-paced romance writing challenge taking place in November where you can write your heart out. #Lovember2025 is for writers who want to write about love and romance: self-love, romantic love, platonic love, familial love, and more. You might describe yourself as a romance author, or you might just want to experiment with building more in-depth relationships between your characters. Participation is completely free, and it isn’t an organised event where you need to sign up. The purpose of #Lovember2025 is to inspire people to write. All prompts are available… Read More »#Lovember2025 romance writing challenge

How to write romantic fiction: advice from UK romance authors

Romance is one of the best-selling genres of fiction, and it’s often seen as “easy” to write. Anyone who has tried writing romance novels can tell you that it isn’t as easy as people might think. With that in mind, I’ve reached out to UK romance authors for their advice on how to write romantic fiction. From creating characters that feel real to deciding what kind of publishing journey is right for you, the advice here comes from people who have invested their time and energy to become successful romance authors. Love everything about your project “Romance is about love,… Read More »How to write romantic fiction: advice from UK romance authors

Query letter samples for horror novels

Not knowing where to start with a query letter can make it even harder to start querying; already a big and daunting process! Here, I’ve written an example query letter and two query letter samples for horror writers to inspire you. Every query letter is unique, and agents are always looking for something different. I hope these query letters help you draft your own and start reaching out to literary agents. Query letter template for horror novels Replace all words in square brackets [] with your own information. Dear [NAME], I am seeking representation for my novel, [TITLE]. I saw… Read More »Query letter samples for horror novels

Should you use ProWritingAid for short stories and novels?

Most authors have heard of ProWritingAid, but many haven’t explored it and may not know how best to use it. In this blog post, I’ll go over whether ProWritingAid is helpful for short stories and novels, as well as whether your writing is safe when you use it. ProWritingAid describes itself as “the essential toolkit for every storyteller” and prides itself on empowering writers. There are over 3 million users of ProWritingAid across the world. I want to focus on how ProWritingAid can be used to make your writing better and why I’m comfortable using the software on my own… Read More »Should you use ProWritingAid for short stories and novels?