The Shape of Words

  • A laptop, notebook, plant, pencils and coffee sitting on a desk

    First page surgery call

    I’m on the lookout for writers who don’t mind sharing the first 300 words of their unpublished novel manuscripts for editorial feedback. This feedback will be public and posted here and promoted on social media. I will provide short editorial feedback on what’s working and what could be improved in those important opening words. This…

    Ariell Cacciola

  • How to format your novel manuscript so an editor actually reads it!

    This post originally appeared on the Wild Hunt Books blog. You wouldn’t expect it, but more often than not, I receive manuscripts that are so strangely formatted that they are just about unreadable. And if that’s the case with yours, it’s a disservice to all the hard work and passion you’ve put into your book.…

    Ariell Cacciola
  • a women sitting on a bed and throwing books around her

    Do I really need to start my novel ‘in action’?

    In short, yes. But I think there is a confusion about what this means for a writer. This is a shorthand that editors, tutors, critics and book coaches use but I’ve started to realise that’s there a misunderstanding here. Writers are frustrated that they must start their books in a skyscraper scaling action sequence a…

    Ariell Cacciola