Season 7

In the first of a brand-new series, the two Alexas chat about the maxim that 'stories are everywhere'. Are they really? Can inspiration be found in just about anything? The answer is YES! But, of course, a single idea doesn't make a whole story. So...

You've got the idea for your book. You've made some kind of a story plan. You're at the computer or clutching your pen ready to start writing ... But how do you begin a book in the most captivating way? In this second episode of the new series, the...

The hardest and most challenging section of your book to write is likely to be the middle. It's the longest section within the three-act structure and it has to work for the reader in multiple ways. This week, Alexa 1 and Alexa 2 share advice to help...

You've started your book with a bang. You've got the middle bit under control. But what about the ending? How will you finish your story in a way that satisfies the reader? Whether you're aiming for a happy, sad, neat or even ambiguous final act, the...

There's an art to writing brilliant dialogue in a novel - dialogue that truly brings your characters and your story to life. In episode 5, the two Alexas help you understand the craft of creating snappy dialogue that zips along with flare.

In this episode, the two Alexas talk more about writing craft and delve into character arcs: the journey authors take their characters on through their novel. Successes and failures are all a part of that journey, and they help readers to engage and...

Whether you call them narrative techniques or literary devices, this is a big, big subject. There are so many of these devices, and understanding what they are and how to use them is crucial to your fiction writing. In the penultimate episode of...

In the final episode of series 8, the two Alexas have the privilege of chatting with best-selling author and author coach, Sophie Hannah. As well as writing her many contemporary crime novels, Sophie was also commissioned by the Agatha Christie family...