The grey days and drizzle are dragging on in true British style. After braving the coldest months our determination has dwindled and we sit inside, thinking spring will never come. What better time to crack that novel?
Exercise:
Your character is stuck inside because of the weather. Write an inner monologue and get to grips with their frustrations, their psychology, their voice. Think about what they would be doing if they weren’t trapped. Are they really trapped or are they avoiding something? Are they sheltering from a storm or are they hiding from the heat in their air-conditioned pad? Does the weather reflect their mood or contrast with it?
Think about your story – have you set it in a definite season? If not, why not? How would it change the story if you did?
Maggie Hamand is a journalist, novelist and non-fiction author