Whether it’s the sweep of a stanza or the careful construction of a scene, there’s a curious intimacy in the act of writing. For years, I was a poet first. My early writing life was laced with line breaks, metaphor, and breath. And much of my prose still is! Though I now straddle the worlds…
Tag: caroline hardaker poetry
Writer’s guide to world-building – research methods for historical fiction, fantasy, and sci-fi
Crafting immersive and believable worlds is a cornerstone of compelling storytelling. Whether you’re delving into the annals of history, conjuring fantastical realms, or designing futuristic worlds, thorough research is essential to ground your narrative and captivate readers. This quick guide for writers explores tailored world-building research strategies for a range of genres, including historical fiction,…
The Death of the Author and the Rise of the Reader
Did you know that the act of reading is a collaborative act? When I write a story, I’m writing a journey. I’m laying down the paving slabs, planting the trees, building the houses. I’m colouring the sky. Making it rain. But it’s the reader that walks this path. It’s the reader who steps into the…
7 top tips – how to find your unique writing voice
When setting out on your writing journey, one of the key essential ways to create unique and memorable stories is to find your own writing voice.
But what does ‘writing voice’ really mean, and how can you find yours?
My words for 2025
Happy New Year, everyone! 2024 was a mixed bag (feel free to read my honest review of 2024 and it’s ups and many downs here). 2025 is as yet a bit of a question mark. BUT, I do have plans. Big plans. The current ‘WIP’ This is my Sea Book, the one I’ve been teasing…
An honest review of 2024
The ups and downs of my 2024.
The Gabriela Houston Project
I’ve been on The Gabriela Houston Project!
Granite Noir 2024: Unsettling, Unnerving, Sublime
This week, I’m winging my way to Aberdeen to take part in a panel at Granite Noir 2024. Exploring the ‘Unsettling, Unnerving, [and] Sublime’, we’ll be talking bodies, weirdness, and the dark, twisty things at the heart of creepy storytelling. Here’s the event description: Three writers whose books leave you with that brilliant creeped out…
Current WIP – Faeries & Goblins
As scheduled as ever, a week or two after finishing the final draft of my third novel in August 2023, I began my next project. My baby daughter! The last few months have been a whirlwind of giggles, milk, sibling politics, and baby poop. But I also spent December yearning for the next story; drawing…
JOURNAL #26 – The next thing
Here I am again. At the beginning of a new story. Not just a new book to write, but a new fictional world to inhabit for a year or two. And I can’t decide. I’ve long wanted to do something with the sea. For years, I’ve drifted back to tales of selkies, mermaids, abandoned lighthouses….
Caroline Hardaker Author 