Writing a novel (7) – Making a scene

For many years (at least twenty), I wanted to write a novel but didn’t know how to go about it. It seemed such a massive undertaking. There were so many things to think about – setting, characters, character development, point of view, plot, theme – and they needed to be combined in an impactful, satisfying

Writing a novel (6) – Building a love tree (developing relationships in a novel series)

I’ve always been drawn to reading novel series, especially mystery and crime series. Each novel has a murder, problem or puzzle that the main character works through, often at the same time as dealing with personal concerns. The main character usually, but not always, develops and changes over time as a result of their work

Writing a novel (5) – First Words

I’ve read lots of advice about writing the first paragraphs of a novel. Orient the reader – show them where and when the story is set. Establish the tone and style of the novel so the reader knows roughly what to expect, i.e. this novel is going to be humorous, historical, mysterious, political, psychological, a

Writing a novel (4) – Here be dragons … and a supermarket

As a young reader, I loved novels which began with a map. J. R. R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ and the books in Arthur Ransome’s ‘Swallows and Amazons’ series immediately spring to mind. The map set the scene for a great adventure and was something to refer back to when the story got complicated. It might

Writing a novel (3) – Getting above my station and going for it

I can name my characters and give them backstories, goals and obstacles. I can plan my novel in detail, think about themes, how to build tension and raise stakes, devise plot twists and a satisfying ending. I can write a novel. I know I can because I’ve done it before. My biggest stumbling block when

Writing a novel (2): Who’s in?

For me, one of the most enjoyable parts of planning a novel, as opposed to the work of writing it, is creating and developing characters. There are so many questions to ask about a new character – what’s their background (family and upbringing, friends, enemies, education, jobs)? what do they look like? how do they

Writing a novel (1) – Where do I start?

Where do I start? Sometimes, it’s a character. Or it could be a particular place. Or a situation to deal with or get out of. It starts with something, an image, a headline, an article, a job ad, something that sparks a thought. And then slowly, sometimes very slowly, I add to that thought until

Potted Gardens – containers of daily wildness

An excerpt from my nonfiction ebook ‘Japan – notes on nature and place‘, available via Amazon. I came to Japan and brought my cultural assumptions with me. I presumed, for example, that it was impossible to cycle and hold an umbrella at the same time. I soon realized that this was feasible, if not necessarily

Way of the Mikan – novel excerpt

Here is an excerpt from my new novel ‘Way of the Mikan‘. I hope you enjoy it! Chapter 46 – Don’t mention parasites Sam (Osamu) Hanazawa, nature lover and temporary private investigator, is working undercover at a speed-dating event in Ebisu, Tokyo, together with his colleague Yuna. The young, female assistant invited the seven men

‘Murder in Japan’ – a fictional journey

Some twenty years ago, I wrote a short feature for the JET Alumni Association (UK) magazine about murder mystery novels set in Japan. I still think these books are well worth reading, so here is an updated version of that article. MURDER IN JAPAN Want to learn more about Japan but don’t want to wade