Writing
Advice and Tips

Sarah Bullen is a literary agent and writing coach. This page is a blog of her writing advice, publishing tips as well as calls for submission for publishers. Sign up to get the latest publisher briefs, tips and advice on writing your book.

Writing Lessons

Some Things You Need to Know as an Author

What does it actually t ake to write a book? Below is a list of 10 things (five short and five longer ones). Join me in 2025 and finally...

Writing Lessons

How to write a great back cover book blurb

Think of your back cover blurb like a movie trailer. There is a good reason movie trailers are not made by the writer. It’s so hard as...

Writing Lessons

What if my book sucks?

Here's the question we all ask. What if my book sucks? It doesn’t matter how many books you have written (like me); lalunching a book is a

Writing Lessons

Original and Wild Voices in Storytelling

Chapter excerpt from “ABOUT ORIGINAL & WILD VOICE IN SPEAKING AND WRITING”, from “Tending the Creative Fire manuscript” by Dr. Clarissa...

Retreat Stories

The 7 writing styles

See if you can find yourself and your writing style in my article below where I detail The 7 Kinds of Writers. You may have a laugh. Are...

Writing Lessons

What does a book editor cost?

My authors are often blindsided by how much a good editor actually costs. I want you to think of it this way – most editors take a...

Writing Lessons

Why you need to block off a date with your book

1. CLOCK IN AND OUT Be specific, and mindful when you start and when you finish. A focused strategy is better than just wafting into...

Writing Lessons

Categories or subgenre of memoir

What if you are writing a memoir or biography? Memoirs are as varied as their authors. Here are some of the most common types. Where will...

Writing Lessons

Six Things Authors Can Do To Get Your Book Move Visible

You have written the book and finally launched it. It’s loaded on Amazon and you have exhausted your own marketing network and harassed your

Writing Lessons

Novel writers? Know your fiction genres

Okay so you pretty much know my rule - DON'T write until you are clear on your genre. I can't tell you how many novels I get sent and...

Writing Lessons

Top 10 Best-Selling Fiction Authors of All Time

10. J.K Rowling * 400 million copies Surprised? I suppose not, but I bet you though she would be higher on the list. J.K Rowling has...

Writing Lessons

Villainous characters

The Mastermind The Mastermind does not commit the crime, but is the brains behind the big event, whether it is a stealing, a scam or some...

Writing Lessons

Character Profile Worksheet

Basic Statistics Name: Age: Nationality: Socioeconomic Level as a child: Socioeconomic Level as an adult: Hometown: Current Residence:...

Writing Lessons

Non Fiction Book Structures

You have established your genre – now how will you book play out in terms of how you present the information. A lot of this is a choice...

Writing Lessons

How to structure your non fiction book

Memoir writers, you need to take a different approach to plotting than writers tackling a straight NF. When you plan a memoir or...

Writing Lessons

Do you need to be an expert to write?

Here's the question that lurks in the back of the mind of many writers … am I actually qualified to write a book? The book could be about...

Writing Lessons

Book Lengths What Are You Aiming For?

Where are you going with all this writing? Well, you are mostly likely shooting for a minimum of 50,000 words. Why 50,000? It is the...

Writing Lessons

The 10 Revision Stages of a Novel

It takes a lot to write a novel. Even those who haven’t tried would say, “well, duh!” to this. But it’s not so much the mind space or the sh

Writing Lessons

But is this book really yours?

What is original thought in writing? And all those things you think….. those ideas you have….. Are you aware where they come from? Are...

Writing Lessons

7 questions writers most often ask me

1. How long will this book take? 2. Can I get on the New York Times Bestseller list? 3. Where do I start? 4. Why are publishers

Writing Lessons

Self publishing your book? Independent Publishers in South Africa

Should you pitch a traditional publisher or simply bite the bullet and self-publish (or indie publish)? This is an important question and...

Writing Lessons

How to get a barcode and ISBN for books in South Africa

There are two steps to this process. Step 1: Get an ISBN Step 2: Order a barcode The National Library of South Africa (NLSA) is the...

Writing Lessons

Book titles really do sell books

‘When you write non-fiction, you sit down at your desk with a pile of notebooks, newspaper clippings, and books and you research and put...

Writing Lessons

Writing is about keeping going

‘The pathos, and the gift of life, is that we cannot know which will be our defining heartbreak, or our most victorious joy.’ Alexandra...

Writing Lessons

The types of scenes all books need

‘I am 54 years old. Large important parts of my life receive virtually no attention in my memoir — a sentence for a traumatic love...

Writing Lessons

Should I traditionally publish or indie publish?

One of the biggest questions I hear from authors is this. Should I traditionally publish or indie publish? Since 2013 Jane Friedman has...

Writing Lessons

Key things authors can do to get a book promoted

So you have got a book out there into the world. Massive congratulations. But getting a book published is one step, getting it to...

Writing Lessons

Editing your book – Second Draft Rules

I just got back from the annual month-long writing residency in Greece, and I read a LOT of working manuscripts there. Many authors came...

Writing Lessons

Sending your book off to publishers and agents

Now that you have done all the hard work, it’s time to press play. If you want to get a publishing deal, this is where the rubber hits...

Writing Lessons

Beta Reader? Manuscript Appraisal? Editor? How to take the next steps

You have written your best possible version of your book, and now you may just need someone to make it better. The good news is that...

Writing Lessons

Rewriting (and rewriting and rewriting)

Rewriting (and rewriting and rewriting) is not only completely essential – it is the lifeblood of an author. In writing the first draft you

Writing Lessons

Let's Netflix your book

AUTHORS are having to adapt and adjust with reader demands. That means you have to get tighter on delivering a book that is ‘on point’...

Writing Lessons

Create your Author Brand - with brand expert Tessa Graham

As authors, we need to be savvier than ever about who reads our books. We have the ability to market our books directly to our readers....

Writing Lessons

Writing your story - how do you hook a reader from the start?

Where should your story start? Few stories start at the beginning. Most stories start in the middle. All stories - whether it’s a novel,...

Writing Lessons

How to sell that book (once its published)

‘I didn't know how much marketing would be involved in actually getting my book sold.’ ‘My publisher did some PR for the first few months...

Writing Lessons

Why Your Book Needs a Single Big Idea

You start structuring a book by being very clear on what you are writing about. Sounds simple? You (sort of) know what you want to say...

Writing Lessons

What are publishers looking for in 2023?

It has been a busy year in publishing – and its only July. The good news is that reading has not been hit by the two years of lock...

Writing Lessons

Write, Publish, Profit

Where are you going with all this writing? What is the end game? Do you simply love writing with no real outcome required? Is it profit?...

Writing Lessons

Write a movie-style logline for your book

What is your book about? The dreaded question. The answer is most likely 'a HELL of a lot - do you have two hours?' People don't, so...

Writing Lessons

What is a ghostwriter and why may you need one?

What is a ghost writer and why may you need one? And when should you actually write your own book? I'm just going to unpack that a...

Writing Lessons

Who’s causing trouble in your story?

What! You ask. Why trouble? Why would I need anyone to do this in a book? Have you ever heard that books are driven by conflict? This...

Writing Lessons

Memoir writing - 5 characters you need in your cast

Even though you may be the 'main character' in a memoir, this book is not just about you. Even non-fiction needs other characters. And...

Writing Lessons

A decade of no writing... then this

I had no name. No attachments. No family. No form. No purpose. I was a floating, formless, light being. Totally at peace in the vast,...

Writing Lessons

The 4 Questions Every Author Should Ask

It’s a romantic idea ... to ‘write a book’. It gives us a purpose and something to do. It gives us somewhere to pour our time into. It is...

Writing Lessons

Find your novel's genre (and sub-genre). Don't start until you are clear

Choosing a genre is the starting point in all fiction writing. I cannot stress this enough. Please do not start your book until you are...

Writing Lessons

I stopped mucking about and finally wrote my book - Zoe Scholz

Zoë Scholtz, June 2020 Early in January 2020, it was a weekday, a day like any other. I was at the office minding my own business,...

Writing Lessons

The types of scenes your book needs

Books are loooooong and so many can be really boring. As an author that is your problem to solve, and it often means you need to engage...

Writing Lessons

How to Write About Yourself

Writing about yourself is an exercise in both honesty and storytelling. You are narrating your own life or experience, but you are also...

Writing Lessons

Rainmakers, Initiation and Climate Change

If Einstein was right, and a problem cannot be solved using the mindset that created it, perhaps we should be discussing our climate...

Writing Lessons

How to Build a Book (hint... scene by scene)

Writing a non-fiction story is like cracking a safe. It seems impossible at the beginning, but once you're in, you're in.’ Rich Cohen ...

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Writing
Advice and Tips

About

Sarah Bullen
Our Team
Our Authors
Black Ink Books
Kent Literary Agency

Services

Writing Courses
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Editing & Proofreading
Author Mentorship
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Courses

Writing Room Online Community
Author Mentorship
Write Your Novel In 100 Days
Write your Non Fiction in 100 Days
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Writing Advice and Tips

About

Sarah Bullen​ Our Team Our Authors Black Ink Books Kent Literary Agency

Services

Writing Courses Ghostwriting Editing & Proofreading Author Mentorship Writing Retreats

Courses

Writing Room Online Community Author Mentorship Write Your Novel In 100 Days Write your Non Fiction in 100 Days Writers Packages Testimonials

Retreats

Cape Town Greece Tuscany Lamu Mexico Upcoming Retreat Dates Testimonials

Contact

Contact Information FAQs Shop

Writing
Advice and Tips

Sarah Bullen
Our Team
Our Authors
Black Ink Books
Kent Literary Agency

Writing Courses
Ghostwriting
Editing & Proofreading
Author Mentorship
Writing Retreats

Writing Room Online Community
Author Mentorship
Write Your Novel In 100 Days
Write your Non Fiction in 100 Days
Writers Packages
Testimonials

Cape Town
Greece
Tuscany
Lamu
Mexico
Upcoming Retreat Dates
Testimonials

Contact Information
FAQs
Shop