Finley Matthews / Journal
Notes from the writing desk.
Essays on writing, reading, storytelling, and the long process of learning the craft.
Latest essay
Is writing to be published a bad thing?
Understand your audience, but don't write for them.
Archive
Earlier notes
32 essays
The magic of writing
There are moments when reading that you recognise an author's talent and you think: "I see you are good, and I want to be like that!"
What are you good at?
Leading back to my initial question: what do you do well in your writing? It is easy to be negative a lot of the time for the sake of individual writing improvement, but also cause hating is just easier sometimes. But let's take a moment to praise ourselves for once in a while.
Bad first chapters
But should there even be a checklist? That makes writing sound quantifiable, which we all know it isn't. We only try to make rules for writing to convince ourselves that there is structure to it all.
Worst writing advice?
I have learnt that when giving a critique, tell them what you think isn't working and NEVER tell them how they should change it.
Is there a "right" age to write?
Does this then mean that you have to make new memories to be able to be a good writer? I partly believe this is true, but it isn’t the entire solution.
How to world-build?
Hey! When it comes to writing - especially Fantasy or Science Fiction - you are required to set some ground rules. These are created when world-building. This is the art of building a world, either from scratch or expanding on pre-existing ideas. You can create worlds for many different reasons, such as for an RPG, or in this case writing. 🗺️How I start world-building For me, I like to do this before I start writing my first draft. I set up a document, usually as part of my main outline, an
Where to start reading Fantasy?
Hey! One of my favourite genres when reading is Fantasy – it also happens to be the one I enjoy writing the most. I am not sure what it is about the genre that I enjoy, either the world-building, the characters, or the plot. But it is the one I read the most (and the genre that takes up the most room on my bookshelf). I started reading it when I was nine, starting with YA books such as Spiderwick Chronicles and Harry Potter. These then led into some Sci-Fi – and then back to Fantasy as I got o
Ideas are cheap (mostly)
Hey! I went to a party recently and as part of the small talk you have with people who are "friends of a friend," I mentioned that I was writing a novel. Getting through the associated questions of "Are you published?" and "How much does it make?" I was then interrupted by another member of the party. They went on to tell me their brilliant idea about a novel 'I should write.' Whilst I don't mind the odd chat about ideas, it is rather annoying. Partly because sometimes the people who tell me
Writing vs Reading
Hey! In most cases, if you are trying to create something it is also good to look at other works of the same medium. I find that this is the case with writing. Whilst you don't have to emulate an author's writing, it can be useful to read different writing styles that might give you an idea of your own. Reading different genres is also good for this. You understand the traits of each genre, as well as what is common so that you can - maybe - break it. Reading is a great tool to help you improv
Why should you start writing?
I believe that the only way to find your voice and improve is to start writing. Act - then think later. Not the advice you would use for other aspects of life, but here it is the best. Just write and then fine-tune later.
How to edit your novel
The best thing that I have found, is having some friends who are writers or are well-versed in storytelling. For me, I have about four friends, all of whom will happily tell me my writing is rubbish and that I need to make changes.
Making the audience love a hated character
By doing this, not only does it make the audience like the character for helping, but it shows that there is a possibility that he may do it again and has the capability of kindness. It just might take some character development to get to that part.
Will your writing ever be "good?"
I truly believe that if you put the hours in, you can improve at something massively. This is the same with how you see your work. Instead, compare your work to one person - your past self.
You really just said that?
I took this to mean that I had to let the dialogue convey what the adverb was being used to say. If someone is excited, don't just say it. Use pauses and repetition to show their jumpy form of speech.
You are the Chosen One! (kinda)
I can understand why people don't like tropes. It all comes from that moment when you are reading a book and you can already see what's going to happen. Not because the story itself has set it out for you, but rather because they are using a trope that hasn't been developed.
The point of no return
A particular method of killing a character that truly rips apart a reader is based around character arcs. Having a character have an arc is great, but killing them off can also make it even worse.
POV: You are writing a novel
Choosing the right perspective for your work is crucial - it can determine the image of your writing and the way it is perceived. It acts as a tinted window, changing the way it looks to a reader.
Who cares if the world ends?
Find what matters to your character, build a relationship between them and that thing, and then find a way to get as close as you can to ripping it from them.
Plotter: how much planning is enough?
I find that if I am not enjoying writing the chapter, then how can I expect a reader to enjoy reading it?
Why prep-time is important for your writing
I came home from work with the intent to do some writing. Opening up a blank Word document, I got myself ready to write. However, I sat there - staring at a blank page. After ten minutes or so, I gave up. There is one thing that I have learnt and it isn't about telling stories - it's exercise.
Purpose of the prologue
I was writing my current novel the other day where I came back across the prologue that I wrote a while ago. On seeing my writing, it made me wonder. Why do people often use a prologue without knowing what it is for?
Writing authentic character conversations
When I first started writing, one of the most difficult parts I found was creating dialogue between characters that was believable. Dialogue is supposed to move the plot along, whether it is through an exchange of information or character development.
Three parts to practicing poetical prose
A skill that is crucial to becoming a famous author is the tool that often gets overlooked. It is the way in which you read their work, the flow of the writing - the prose.
Defeating writer's block
One of the most common symptoms of being a writer is the disease of "writer's block." It is the killer of good ideas. For me, this same thing occurred. I gave up. I know I shouldn't have, but I couldn't see a way forward. The reason for this is that I had failed before I had even started writing.
Maintaining momentum
One question that always crops up in writing advice forums is "How do I build tension and maintain pacing?" This is directly the reason why someone puts a book down. Character work is good, but this also has the same point behind it that people don't realise. They all rely on one thing.
Why your fantasy worlds aren't working for you
Similar to most forms of entertainment, you are competing for time. A reader chooses to spend time reading your novel over someone else's. In that very decision, you win.
Assembling your creative piece
A few years ago, I started my first novel. I had written a few shorter pieces in the past but I had never taken on the enormous task of writing a full-length novel. When I began, I had a brief idea and just started writing. After a while, however, I got stuck and slowed down.
Why Self-publishing?
When the time came around, I entered the class for our first session and was completely thrown by what I learnt. Self-publishing is exactly as it sounds: DIY Publishing. It just requires you to do all the work a publisher would do yourself. To me, it sounded like hell.
Building confidence
Around four years ago, I couldn't go into shops. It was nothing rational - I was severely anxious. Even going to get a coffee caused me to break out in sweats and panic. I kept telling myself that, for 'normal people,' this should be easy. It shouldn't be an issue. But for me, it was.
Fitness for a fantasy nerd
We are all tired of the stereotype that a nerd should normally be unhealthy. It can be quite daunting when you first start and finding the motivation to keep going can be difficult. I got bogged down with all the intricate details when I started exercising.
How to write a novel as a university student
One of the main things that keeps an aspiring writer from finishing their first draft is Time. We never seem to have enough. By the time we come around to free space in our calendars, we lie down and feel rubbish about the fact that we aren’t doing the writing we promised. It is an endless cycle.
Opulence
This is Finley’s first published piece which has been a small passion project for the past few years. Only recently has he sat down and written it. Opulence is a story based in the fantasy genre, acknowledging the tropes it attempts to replicate, using them in (hopefully) an interesting way.