John Baker’s Blog

I have spoken before about the drawbacks of long and detailed descriptions. But here I would like to concentrate on how character development is created most satisfactorily, not in description, but in action.
In defining someone by their possessions, you do not do yourself a favour by writing, “She owned a Saab convertible,” nor by showing [...]

Plot flows from character.
When I’m writing a novel I need a theme. That is the main thing. Without the theme nothing can happen. And after the theme I need at least one character, or an idea for at least one character.
And when he or she is realised, at least in part, I need a minimum [...]