Hello, fellow fiction writers.

We’ve all been there—you hand your manuscript to a beta reader, and the first thing they say is, “It takes a while to get going.” Ouch.
Here’s the hard truth: readers these days are impatient. If your story doesn’t hook them fast, they’ll put the book down and scroll TikTok instead. That’s why starting your story sooner is one of the most important things you can do as a fiction writer.
But what does that actually mean? And how do you pull it off without chopping all the good stuff? Let’s break it down.

🎯 What “Starting the Story Sooner” Really Means
It doesn’t mean rushing. It doesn’t mean skipping all the setup. It means dropping readers into the action—the conflict, the tension, the reason your character’s life is about to change—without pages of throat-clearing first.
In plain terms: start as close to the story problem as possible.

✏️ A Tale of Two Openings
Opening 1 (Telling/Too Slow):
It was a beautiful spring morning. Jane woke up, brushed her teeth, picked out her clothes, and wondered if she’d have toast or cereal for breakfast. She thought about her school years and her best friend who moved away…
Are you yawning yet? Readers will be.
Opening 2 (Starting Sooner):
Jane ducked as the first bullet smashed through the kitchen window, scattering glass across her untouched toast. She’d only been awake ten minutes, and someone already wanted her dead.
Boom. We’ve met Jane. We’ve got tension. And we want to know what happens next.

🧠 Why It’s So Important

1. Modern readers have less patience. With so much competition for attention, you can’t afford three chapters of backstory before things get moving.
2. It sets expectations. Your opening scene tells readers what kind of ride they’re in for—thriller, romance, horror, fantasy. If it’s too slow, they may misjudge your book’s tone.
3. It hooks the right audience. Starting with action and conflict draws in the readers who’ll actually love your story.

👣 Personal Anecdote: My Own False Start
In one of my early drafts (long since buried in a drawer), my first chapter was twenty pages of my protagonist walking around a small town, saying hi to neighbours, and reflecting on how bored he was. My critique partner looked at me and said: “You know the story doesn’t actually start until Chapter 3, right?”
I cut the first two chapters, started where the conflict hit, and suddenly the book came alive. Painful, yes. Worth it? Absolutely.

🚀 How to Start the Story Sooner
Here are a few practical tricks you can use in your own writing:

• Ask yourself: What’s the first moment of change? That’s probably where your story should begin.
• Cut the warm-up. Most drafts start with the author easing in. That’s fine—just trim it later.
• Drop backstory in later. You don’t need your character’s entire life history up front. Weave it in when it becomes relevant.
• Hook with conflict or curiosity. It doesn’t have to be a car chase—an overheard secret, a missed train, or a strange visitor can do the job.
• Start in motion. A character making choices, reacting to something, or stepping into new territory is always more engaging than one just waking up.

📝 Quick Before-and-After Example
Before (Too Slow):
Mark stared out the window, thinking about his dull job and the argument he had last week with his boss. He sighed, wondering if life would ever change.
After (Starting Sooner):
Mark’s boss fired him before lunch. By dinner, he’d stolen the company car and was halfway to Mexico.
See how much more promise the second one has?

🎬 Wrapping It Up
Starting your story sooner doesn’t mean cutting all setup—it means giving readers what they came for: conflict, tension, and change. If you hook them quickly, they’ll happily follow you anywhere, even through the slower, quieter scenes that come later.

Your turn: Have you ever chopped your first chapter (or two… or three) to get to the real story? Share your war stories in the comments—I promise, you’re not alone. I answer each comment personally.

Hello, fellow fiction writers. If you’ve ever sent your manuscript to an editor across the pond, you might’ve gotten it back looking like it’s bleeding red ink. And no—it’s not because your writing’s terrible. It’s because American and British English have different spellings, word choices, and even meanings.
For fiction writers, this can be a sneaky source of confusion. Your story might be perfectly polished in Chicago style, but if you’re aiming for a U.K. audience, suddenly your “color” becomes “colour” and your “apartment” mysteriously turns into a “flat.”
Let’s unpack the most common differences, with a few anecdotes and examples along the way.

🎯 Why US vs UK English Matters for Fiction Writers
Readers notice details—and nothing pulls a U.K. reader out of a story faster than “gray sidewalks,” just as “neighbours with torches” can throw off U.S. readers. Knowing the spelling and word differences between American and British English keeps your fiction consistent and your readers happy.

✏️ Common US vs UK Spelling Differences
Here are the most frequent American vs British spelling variations fiction writers need to watch out for:

• -or vs -our (color/colour, honor/honour)
• -ize vs -ise (organize/organise, recognize/recognise)
• -er vs -re (theater/theatre, center/centre)
• -l vs -ll endings (traveled/travelled, canceled/cancelled)

🔄 US vs UK Word Meaning Differences Every Writer Should Know
Sometimes the spelling’s the same, but the meaning isn’t. These American vs British English words can cause awkward mix-ups in your manuscript:

• Pants → U.S.: trousers / U.K.: underwear
• Chips → U.S.: potato chips / U.K.: fries
• Torch → U.S.: flaming stick / U.K.: flashlight
• Rubber → U.S.: eraser / U.K.: condom
• Boot → U.S.: footwear / U.K.: car trunk

👣 A Funny American vs British English Anecdote
In one of my drafts, a U.K. character said his “pants were too tight.” My U.S. readers thought: skinny jeans problem. My British readers thought: oversharing about his underwear. Proof that word meaning differences can completely change a scene.

🛠 Tips for Fiction Writers Navigating US and UK English

• Pick your market first: Are you writing mainly for American or British readers?
• Stay consistent: Don’t mix “color” and “grey” in the same book.
• Use the right style guide: Chicago Manual of Style (US), Oxford/New Hart’s Rules (UK).
• Adjust dialogue: Let characters use region-specific words naturally—but don’t overdo it into parody.
• Check with your editor: Always tell them which convention you want to follow.

🚀 Wrapping It Up
Understanding US vs UK English differences in spelling and word meaning isn’t about “right vs wrong”—it’s about knowing your readers and keeping your story smooth. Whether it’s “color” or “colour,” “flashlight” or “torch,” choose your lane and stick with it.
​
Your turn: Have you ever had a funny U.S./U.K. word mix-up in your writing—or in real life? Share it in the comments; I’d love to hear your story! I answer every comment personally.

Hello fellow fiction writers.
When it comes to editing fiction, it’s often the little things that make the biggest difference. Forget grand rewrites for a second—sometimes all your story needs is a few smart word swaps to take it from meh to magnificent.
I like to think of it like cooking. Sure, you can spend hours slow-roasting, braising, and flambéing, but sometimes all your dish needs is a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lemon to wake up the flavour. Writing’s the same way—tiny word tweaks can wake up your prose.

🎯 Why Word Choice Matters
Readers don’t usually notice the individual words you use—unless you get them wrong. Clunky, vague, or overused words drag your story down like soggy socks. Sharp, precise, and fresh word choices, on the other hand, make your sentences sparkle and keep readers hooked.

✏️ Examples of Simple Word Revisions
1. Swap Weak Verbs for Strong Ones
Before:
She quickly ran to the door.
After:
She sprinted to the door.
Stronger verbs cut the clutter. Instead of stacking an adverb on a bland verb, choose one that does the heavy lifting.

2. Cut Redundant Fillers
Before:
He nodded his head in agreement.
After:
He nodded.
The head part is obvious. The “in agreement” is implied. Cleaner is better.

3. Replace Vague Words with Specifics
Before:
She looked at the thing on the table.
After:
She studied the silver locket on the table.
“Thing” tells us nothing. Specific nouns add clarity and atmosphere.

4. Tone Down the Adverbs
Before:
He whispered softly.
After:
He whispered.
Sometimes the verb says it all. Adverbs aren’t evil, but they’re often unnecessary.

5. Refresh Clichés
Before:
Her heart raced like a runaway train.
After:
Her heart thumped like a fist pounding on a locked door.
The first one? We’ve read it a thousand times. The second one paints a fresher, more vivid image.

👣 A Personal Anecdote
In one of my early drafts, I had a character who “looked” at everything. He looked at the clock. He looked at the sky. He looked at his shoes. By the tenth page, he was basically a pair of eyeballs rolling around the story.
During edits, I replaced half those “looked”s with stronger, more precise verbs: glanced, studied, stared, peered, squinted. Suddenly, my character wasn’t just looking—he was alive, reacting, thinking. A simple word swap changed the feel of the whole chapter.

🛠 Tips for Revising Word Choice

• Do a “find” search for your crutch words (just, very, suddenly, really). You’ll be amazed how many sneak in.
• Read aloud. If a sentence feels clunky, it’s probably word choice, not plot.
• Keep it simple. Fancy words don’t impress readers—clarity does.
• Use words that fit your character’s worldview. A soldier, a poet, and a teenager won’t describe the same object in the same way.

🚀 Wrapping It Up
You don’t always need a massive rewrite to improve your novel. Sometimes it’s the smallest word-level revisions—tightening, sharpening, refreshing—that make your prose sing. Think of them as polish on your storytelling.

Your turn: What’s the one word you find yourself overusing in every draft? (Mine used to be “just”—it haunted my manuscripts like a needy ghost.) Drop it in the comments—I’d love to commiserate. I answer each comment personally.

Hello friends,

At last — launch day! 🎉

My new book, Dead Easy: Edgar Allan Poe Retold in Plain English, is officially out in the wild.

This project is close to my heart. I’ve always loved the idea of Poe — gothic horror, mad narrators, eerie old houses — but his tangled 19th-century prose nearly scared me off as a young reader. So I decided to do something about it.
With a little patience (and a little AI magic), I’ve retold his creepiest stories in clear, modern English. All the atmosphere, terror, and madness remain — just without the cobwebs.
Inside you’ll find:

• The Tell-Tale Heart
• The Pit and the Pendulum
• The Black Cat
• The Masque of the Red Death
• The Fall of the House of Usher
• And more…

💡 For launch week only (9–16 September), the book is just $0.99 (or free with Kindle Unlimited). After that, it goes up.

👉 [Grab your copy on Amazon here]

Thanks so much for following along — and sorry in advance if these stories give you nightmares. Poe would be proud.

All the best,
James