The first building block: structure, plot and story (part three)

What makes a novel of ideas?

Extremes in dark and light are effective tools in creating punchy focal points. I have painted lots of sunny, acrylic street scenes – mainly backlit – and really enjoyed dabbing in the sparkly highlig

Many things can add that extra frisson of fear to horror fiction. Prime among them we might think of the time of day or the weather, the device we know and love as pathetic fallacy. A bleak and stormy

The opening of my first novel Heatstroke came to me in what Stevie Nicks would call a ‘crystal vision’. I was at work, seized by an impulse, and typed straight into an email what are still – give or t

In order to draw a block and change its size or adapt it in some way, you first need to analyse the layout of the block. Some things to consider include the following: ■ Does it follow a grid pattern?

Whether you are knocking down walls or designing a new multi-functional extension, ensure your open-plan space retains a clear sense of identity with these zoning ideas