Robin Catling

Fantasy author of epic, adult and young adult fiction. An English degree taught me how to read; classic sci-fi and fantasy authors taught me how to write.

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

Five tasks for page one of your fantasy novel.
Introduce MC
Hook reader.
Set scene and tone
Hint at conflict, mystery or central question
World-building.

Full post: https://t.co/ySXnS9THwM

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

The First Quarter Debate.

When the novel's protagonist resists engaging with the plot.

Why won’t they engage with the plot? What’s holding them back?

Full post: https://t.co/6bVMZwTiqk

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

No New Stories Only New Twists
After thousands of years of storytelling, all possible plots are written. What's an author to do?

Full post: https://t.co/0gEpWXJ1LT

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

Magic Conjures a Plot Hole.
In the fantasy genre, the reader's version of magic is better than the author's version with rules and limits.
Nothing disappoints like bad magic.

Full post: https://t.co/ZWdesOzZkH

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

Six Essential Action-Genre Story Beats
Without these, the novel lacks both genre and story.
Full post: https://t.co/zez49wZFYZ
Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90
Robin Catling: fantasy author of epic, adult and young adult fiction.

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

Not every protagonist needs to be sympathetic and likable.

Just compelling enough that the reader will invest their precious time.

Full post: https://t.co/iyJeiDbdtH

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

When YA Tropes Turn Toxic.

They are the mandatory elements of the genre, but are we offering impressionable readers healthy goals, ambitions and role-models?

https://t.co/R5GzduYYfW

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

Fantasy Book Cover Cliches no.10: The Wolf in the Hood

The dark rehash of a classic fairy tale.
Refreshing twist or cynical cash-grab?

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

A Ten-Point Story Audit

A few minutes here could save your novel in the early drafting stages.

Full post: https://t.co/H1XySFDv24

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

The Early/Late-Wide/Closeup Opening.

Did I start my story in the wrong place?

Full post: https://t.co/g2PVJhcMgw

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

ProWritingAid’s Not Fit for Fiction.

It's a bad LLM producing AI garbage.

Full post: https://t.co/DPj2KkT8Lf

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

Six Essential Elements of Story.

A writer’s cheat sheet: six prompts to a satisfying story.

Full post: https://t.co/g5hLZMFgIO

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

How Many Drafts?

How many drafts does it take to finish a book?
And what counts as a ‘completed’ draft?

Full post: https://t.co/5jXO4Si9eN

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0JYy

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

It’s All in the Edit

Editing is a broad term for several stages of hard work.

Full post: https://t.co/pggC5L6Bw3

The Escarri Series, ebook and paperback live on Amazon: https://t.co/dhv3I8RG9S

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0JYy

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

The most valuable writing lesson I’ve learned: make every scene a story.

Every scene has to be a complete story in itself.

Full post:
https://t.co/1UKGZ23IgA

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

@MikeBales I have been that dead body. You know that's all they're looking at.

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

Murphy’s Twenty-four Chapters

Derek Murphy’s twenty-four chapter story structure holds all my novels together.

Full post: https://t.co/yQWXbtw5Xf

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

Three foundations of plot:

Promises,
Progress and
Payoffs

From Brandon Sanderson's BYU 2020 lectures

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0c90

[Robin Catling @robincatling]

Can the protagonist walk away?

Are the events of the story inescapable, or can the protagonist walk away?

Full post: https://t.co/SvDcrV4BNI

Join the mailing list and get the latest short story FREE: https://t.co/LWM0On0JYy