advice | The Narrative Craft

A fiction editor's blog

Hi there!

Thanks for taking the time to visit this blog.

I'm Andrew Hodges, a fiction editor.

Science fiction, fantasy, and worldbuilding are my specialisms. Check out the posts below!

Passive protagonists in SFF writing

Passive protagonists cross my desk a lot. In this blog post I’ll cover: · Why they especially affect SFF writing · Why...

5 common problems with characters in science-fiction and fantasy novels

Problems with characters are common in science-fiction and fantasy novels. Why? Because characters can take a backseat when an author is...

When should I use a comma before ‘and’?

Takeaway: For commas before ‘and’, you must check to see which case applies. There is no simple yes or no answer to this question. If you...

Magic systems: ideas and guiding principles

Magic systems are an important aspect of worldbuilding, and it’s important to get them right. Reveal too little, and your ideas for magic...

Joining a critique group for writers: how to handle peer feedback

This post covers: Why joining a critique group for writers can be scary The importance of mindset How critique can help you improve How...

What is line editing?

This post covers: Where the phrase line editing may have come from The difference between line editing and copyediting The difference...

Writing dialogue in fiction: 7 tips from Planet Bloviate

This blog post on writing dialogue in fiction covers: Common problems with writing dialogue in fiction How to avoid clunky dialogue...