Writing

Throwback 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…
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…
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…
Our First Issue: How It’s Going

We’ve had a lovely little pile of stories and poems popping up in our inbox. With…
TBT: 50 Character Motives

I’ve listed a few possible character motives in the image below and I would encourage you…
Writing Short Fiction: 5 Essential Tips

With fewer words to play with, you need to be selective about what material to include.…
A New Beginning

It’s a funny old life. Penstricken began as nothing more than a blog to get the…
Not Sure What to Write? Try Clustering.

Clustering is a great way of coming up with and exploring numerous different ideas for your…