Playing Dungeons & Dragons isn’t a distraction from writing — it’s storytelling practice in disguise. From character agency to dialogue and pacing, D&D trains the narrative instincts writers rely on, every single day.
Tag: caroline hardaker
2025: What happened?
It’s that time of year again, when we all start looking back, wondering what we spent most of the year doing, and what we might take with us into the next. 2025 has been a strange year for me. In many ways, it’s been much harder than I thought it would be. Balancing work with…
How to overcome Writer’s Block
Struggling with writer’s block? Learn simple, effective ways to reignite your creativity, ease perfectionism, and start writing again—without pressure or guilt.
I’m a poet in the metaverse…
So far, 2025 has been quite a poetic year. Featured in a few books here and there (most recently last month, in the Midnight Treasury of Macabre and Weird Poems), my last commission was for an author who’s not only an inspiration to me, but also a friend. A couple of years ago, I read…
Dissecting my first draft: BINDING THE CUCKOO, by Gabriela Houston
When we think of novels, we imagine shining covers on bookshop shelves. Libraries, stacked full of stories. Or the much-loved tomes on your bedside table. But how did what started as a single park in an author’s head turn into a physical thing that’s shared, discussed, loved? In this series, I’m peeling back the layers…
What is postmodernism in literature? A writer’s guide
If you’re a literature student, writer, or curious reader wondering ‘what is postmodernism in literature?’, this post is for you. Postmodernism can feel slippery — a tangle of paradoxes, experiments, and self-aware games. But it’s also rich terrain for a writer: fertile ground for pushing boundaries, interrogating meaning, and playing with form. While I’m not…
A Midnight Treasury of Macabre and Weird Poems
Lovely new seasonal tome incoming! I have a poem included in this absolutely gorgeous book of dark poetry. Curated for fans of the weird and macabre, the sinister but seductive beauty of illustrators such as Harry Clarke accompany the poems in a volume that will speak to those drawn to the dark. The perfect book…
Dissecting my first draft: SHITSHOW, by Chris Panatier
Read what Chris Panatier has to say about wiritng his latest novel, SHITSHOW, in a new guest post: Dissecting My First Draft.
An ode to the characters you haven’t met yet
Dedicated to the characters we create who haven’t made their way to the world quite yet.
How to ‘show not tell’ in fiction: a writer’s guide to bring stories to life
You’ve probably heard the advice ‘show, don’t tell’ more times than you can count. But what does it really mean—and more importantly, how can you actually do it?
Caroline Hardaker Author 