Mark StibbeOct 17, 20195 minSHOULD I BE MYSELF OR PLAY THE GAME? AUTHORS AND INTEGRITYMy wife Cherith and I don’t often get to go abroad for a holiday. Life as a full-time writer isn't lucrative and our finances don’t stret...
Mark StibbeJul 24, 20196 minTHE THREE ACT STRUCTURE OF STORIES: A SIMPLE GUIDE WITH A SPIRITUAL FINALEThe three-act structure is perhaps the most widely used technique for plotting stories, deriving from the Ancient Greek philosopher Arist...
Mark StibbeJul 8, 201912 minUSING A PR AND MARKETING CONSULTANT TO PROMOTE YOUR NEW BOOK: LESSONS FROM 'HOME AT LAST'In all my posts on this site, I have been using my Hexagon for Prosperity, a simple tool describing the six essential things you need to ...
Mark StibbeJun 30, 20198 minHOW TO MARKET YOUR (SELF-PUBLISHED) BOOK: INVALUABLE ADVICE FROM A SUCCESSFUL PRACTITIONER Claire Stibbe is the prolific author of gripping crime thrillers, police procedurals and, latterly psychological thrillers. An award-winn...
Mark StibbeJun 19, 20197 minWRITING AS THERAPY: LESSONS FROM A 21st CENTURY WAR POETThere’s long been a debate about whether having mental health issues helps or hinders the writing process. Some argue that it helps to ha...
Mark StibbeJun 11, 20196 minFIVE ESSENTIAL WRITING TIPS: Cutting Out Common MistakesOver the years, we’ve served well over 1000 clients at BookLab, nearly all of them emerging and aspiring writers. My experience is this: ...
Mark StibbeMay 30, 20197 minWhat's the "Killer" Idea? Developing a Great Premise for your BookIt's 1974, and I am just thirteen. My parents have decided to take me to see Murder on the Orient Express starring Albert Finney as detec...
Mark StibbeMay 22, 20196 minFinding a Literary Agent - or, Hunting Down the Golden Hare.Some of you may remember Kit Williams' famous (some would say infamous) bestselling picture book, Masquerade. Published in 1979, it spark...
Mark StibbeMay 14, 20195 minThe Hero's Journey and Story StructureIn my first blog, I talked about the six most important things you're going to need if you're going to succeed as an author in today's ru...
Mark StibbeMay 11, 20194 minSix Steps to Becoming a Successful AuthorOver the years, I’ve been asked many times by aspiring writers, “What’s the secret of success when it comes to writing a book?" Emerging w...