An update for blogpost readers: Unlocking the Novella-in-Flash: from Blank Page to Finished Manuscript (Ad Hoc Fiction, 2022), has now received recognition in a sixth international book competition – this time winning its category in the Best Indie Book Awards 2023: Non-fiction: ‘How-to’ Books.
The craft guide provides a foundation for my mentoring here at novella-in-flash.com. I poured into it as much as I could concisely offer on the subject of writing fiction, and wrote it sustained by a long-nurtured enthusiasm for creativity generally and the art of writing in particular. I also tried to take plenty of time to care about small details of the reading experience as much as I could – with lots of help from beta readers and input from other writers – in the hope that caring about small details would make a difference to the manuscripts people seek to create through this book.
It’s been really heartening for me as a teacher and mentor to see how this craft guide has fared so far. I really appreciate the feedback shared with me by the book’s readers. You never really know, while writing a book, how it will turn out.
As well as providing a technical survey of the novella-in-flash form, the practical Workbook section of Unlocking the Novella-in-Flash is full of flexible exercises that can be applied to lots of different writing contexts. So you can use this book as a support while you produce short stories, individual flash fictions, memoir, and novels, not just novellas-in-flash.
You can read some of the reviews for the book below. If you don’t already have access to the book, I hope you might be tempted to buy a copy here. And perhaps, if you’re working on a novella-in-flash (or planning to begin one next year), you’ll be tempted to sign up for some mentoring support… Bookings are open for January 2024. You can send an enquiry for mentoring through this link.
“I know good teaching, and folks, this is it.” (Kendall Johnson at MacQueen’s Quinterly, read the full review here)
“[T]his brilliant guide… detailed, informative…I have never been so excited to start a workbook!” (Jonathan Cardew at Bending Genres, read the full review here)
“[V]ery much the printed equivalent of taking a focused MA on the topic of the novella.” (Judy Darley at the SkyLightRain blog, read the full review here)
“My copy is plastered in yellow stickies and I will be continually returning and delving into different sections of this craft guide again and again… think of it as a guide to writing good fiction and developing any narrative form.” (Tracy Fells at The Literary Pig blog, read the full review here)
“[J]am-packed full of knowledge…this book finds that sweet spot where most writers would feel empowered…[A]ll-encompassing, motivational and in-depth.. worth its weight in gold…” (Matt Kendrick, read the full review here)
“There is magic in what Loveday says in his craft book.” (John Brantingham at The Journal of Radical Wonder, read the full review here)
“If you’re a fiction writer you should read this book.” (Sharon Pruchnik, read the full Goodreads review here)
“This book is a classic…a five-star resource that will help thousands of writers produce the best possible version of their creative work” (Lily Andrews, at Reader Views)
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Are you working on a novella-in-flash? Or wanting to write one? Find out more about Michael Loveday’s Novella-in-Flash mentoring: here.
The Novella-in-Flash 