Rob Parnell's Writing Academy Blog

Write Now SIXTEEN - Location in Fiction from Rob Parnell on Vimeo . Rob Parnell's Website       Rob Parnell's Books      Rob Parnell's Courses   When it comes to writing fiction, there are numerous advantages to creating a make-believe setting - whether it be a house, a street, a town or even a whole country. Not only do you not need to worry about the little things like train and bus schedules, what time the sun sets, what kinds of flowers bloom where etc., you've also got free rein on all the buildings, the streets, the municipal systems, even the type of government. Thorough writers who set their fiction in the real world can spend a lot of time checking police procedures, technology and how real places look, feel and operate. When you make everything up - you save on all that research. Okay, you still need to use you mind to imagine everything but no-one can ever turn round to you and say you got something wrong - because it ju...

Write Now FIFTEEN - Why Does Fiction Matter? from Rob Parnell on Vimeo . Rob Parnell's Website      Rob Parnell's Books       Rob Parnell's Courses    There are some strange folks out there who say they don’t like fiction.  Or rather, they perhaps just don’t understand its purpose. Many people say they never read fiction because it’s not TRUE, so what’s the point? To any budding novelist this attitude is as heinous as it is incomprehensible.  Unfortunately it is also surprisingly common. My Dad, for one, thinks that reading novels is just too hard so he’s never bothered with them. When I asked him to read one of my books once he said, “Son, just tell me what happens.”  One of his favorite lines about books is, “If it’s any good, they’ll make a movie out of it.” How many times have you heard this? Often I’m sure - not least because it’s true! The implication here is obvious.  To non-readers...

Rob Parnell's Website      Rob Parnell's Books     Rob Parnell's Courses    Let's first decide what is good writing. Basically, anything that transports you as a reader is good.  In a sense, it doesn't matter if the writing has lots of faults.  Good writing is that which works for you - even though others might not agree.  It's a personal thing. Bad writing can work for your mother, your spouse or your best friends.  They will not see the faults - and sometimes, neither will you. But good writing is what moves many people - and for all the right reasons.  This is why best selling authors are by definition good writers, even though the purists might criticize their style. I've seen many arguments on writers' groups over the years about J K Rowling.  It's fairly widely acknowledged (among writers) that her writing style leaves a lot to be desired.  She breaks a lot of the rules of ...

Well, it had to happen at some point: Episode 13.  To be honest I’m not all that superstitious - much. So I decided to make this one about the whole point of my existence! The Easy Way to Write - What's it all About? First of all I should state for the record, that I believe the most surefire way of improving your writing is simply to write more. Studying is one thing. I try my hardest to offer good advice on genre requirements and writing style to make it easier for you to compete in the marketplace and get published. What I don't do is force you to study other writers and how they go about what they do. I think focusing on how a particular author gets their results is to slightly misunderstand the point of writing. If you take a tertiary degree in order to study writing, you will be presented with lots of theories as to how writers go about creating stories and all the options available to a writer trying to emulate them. But to me this is counter-int...

New Year's Day - funny how everyone wants to make plans for a better life during this one part of the calendar. There are writers making promises to themselves - and us - on Facebook as we speak.  I'm in contact with several new writerly and sales focused people who are all launching themselves, and their new ventures, today or some time this week.  I bet even you too are making resolutions to create a more effective version of yourself in 2016. Why do we do this?  Why is the turning of the clock from one year to the next so important to us? It's about personal accountability - and the changing of the final digit from 5 to 6 means we're compelled to assess our progress.  Did we achieve what we set out to last year?  Probably not!  We get so wrapped up in life that we don't seem to be able to move forward.  Our dreams are often on hold while we deal with the ordinary stuff of living. This is why I created my latest course - "...

It's here - finally! Get access to this life changing course HERE  for less than a fifth of the retail price! Have you ever wanted to make money from freelance writing? Here's your chance. My classic Easy Cash Writing course has been brought to life - with 60 lectures over 20 modules. Start your first year as a freelance writer Submit your writing to paying markets all over the world Live a life of fun, independence and fulfillment Plan a new career outside of the nine to five Write in all kinds of categories for profit Students should have a basic grasp of English and be attracted to writing. No particular skill or qualifications are necessary, although enthusiasm and the ambition to become a freelance writer will be helpful. The course may also be useful to freelance writers who have yet to experience much success - because this course will change that for you! Fiction authors may also benefit if they are not sure...

Quick reminder that my new video course on writing short stories that sell is again available at a discount. The first batch of 100 discount places ran out on the 31st of last month. I have therefore released a second batch of discount places that are now available - but only until the 30th of October. Go get your spot now HERE for a quarter of the list price! Keep Writing. Rob Parnell Your Success Is My Concern easywaytowrite.com Finding Your Unique Voice A writer friend recently said to me, "When I read, I find I'm influenced by other authors. Depending on who I'm reading, my writing style is either playful, deep sounding or whatever. How can I stop writing like other writers and find my own voice?" (She also added that I might want to write an article based on my response - hence what you're reading right now!) Before we get on to practical tips, we should cover some basic preconceptions about voice. First of all, your voi...