Last week I took a little break for a few days so didn’t post a blog. I had a lovely trip to Berlin where I got to unwind for a bit. But now I am back and talking about writing again..  this week it has been all about the five senses, and how to use them to make your writing richer.
 
One of the quickest ways to make a story feel vivid is to engage the senses. Writers often focus heavily on what a character can see, but atmosphere becomes much richer when we bring in sound, smell, touch, taste, and texture too. The creak of floorboards in an empty house. The smell of rain on a warm pavement - or that smell you get after the rain. The sting of cold air against skin. These details pull the reader deeper into the scene.
 
The key is specificity. A few carefully chosen sensory details usually work better than long passages of description. One striking image or unexpected smell can create an immediate emotional response.
 
Sensory writing can also reveal character. Two people may walk into the same room and notice entirely different things. One notices perfume and candle smoke; another notices damp walls and stale coffee. What we focus on tells the reader something about who we are, and this is the same for your characters.
 
And atmosphere matters. Sensory details shape mood almost invisibly. Soft fabric, distant music, and warm light create one feeling; flickering bulbs, sharp disinfectant, and echoing footsteps create another entirely.
 
If you weave sensory details naturally into your writing, the reader will stop observing the story from a distance and begin to experience it.
 
Which sense do you find easiest to write, and which do you tend to forget? Let me know in the comments below. And, write a short scene where a character is visiting the house of a new friend and has been asked to wait for them in a room. Post what you come up with.
 
Until next time, happy writing

Endings can feel like a lot of pressure. You’ve carried the story this far, and now everything rests on how you leave it. A strong ending doesn’t need to be dramatic or clever, but it needs to feel right.
 
The most satisfying endings grow naturally from what came before. They don’t arrive out of nowhere or try to tie everything up too neatly. Instead, they reflect the journey the story has taken, and the changes that have happened along the way. If you drop breadcrumbs along the way, the ending will be more believable and relatable, rather than coming from nowhere. This just leaves a reader feeling cheated.
 
So, think in terms of movement. What has shifted? It might be something external, but often it’s quieter than that; a realisation, a decision, a small but meaningful change in the character.
 
There’s also something to be said for restraint (I am a big fan of this in an ending). You don’t have to explain everything. In fact, endings are often stronger when they leave a little space for the reader to sit with what’s happened. I like an ending that quietly backs away from what came before.
 
Do you prefer endings that feel neatly resolved, or ones that leave a little unanswered? Let me know in the comments here, and maybe share something – either an ending of your own, or tell me about one of your favourites you have read.
 
If you would like to work with me you can find a link to my events and courses in the menu bar above. And there are also testimonials about my editing work. Have a look around. 
 
I can be with you at both ends of your publishing journey, with a novel course due to start in June, and editing services available to you for short stories and novels. I would love to hear from you.

I have been talking about plot and structure in stories this week. A compelling story isn’t just a collection of moments, it’s a sequence of choices and consequences, and connections that build into something meaningful.
 
Plot is what happens. Structure is how those events are shaped and revealed to the reader. When the two work together, the story feels inevitable and like it could only unfold this way. It changes the narrative from simply "this happened, then this happened, then that happened", and turns it into something engaging. It then becomes "this happened because that happened earlier, and now as a result of this, the following happens" – it all links together in a pleasing and satisfying way.
 
One of the simplest ways to strengthen your plot is to look at cause and effect. Each moment should lead naturally to the next. If a scene could be lifted out without changing anything, it may not be doing enough work.
 
Structure helps you control pacing and impact. Where you begin, where you place your turning points, and how you build toward the ending all shape the reader’s experience. Even subtle shifts you make in an edit, like moving a reveal or tightening a sequence, can make a big difference.
 
It’s also worth paying attention to your key moments. Are the turning points clear? Do they challenge your character in meaningful ways? Do they push the story forward? Readers don’t want your character to have an easy time of it. You don’t need to have them chased by lions, or massive boulders like Indiana Jones, but they need to get a little hot under the collar at times.
 
A strong plot doesn’t feel forced, and a strong structure doesn’t feel visible, but both are quietly doing the work underneath.
 
Do you tend to plan your plot and structure in advance, or discover it as you go? Let me know in the comments.
 
If you would like to work with me you can find a link to my events and courses in the menu bar above. And there are also testimonials about my editing work. Have a look around. 
 
I can be with you at both ends of your publishing journey, with a novel course due to start in June, and editing services available to you for short stories and novels. I would love to hear from you.