Author: Sandy Vaile 
Originally published on the Writers In The Storm blog, 8th February 2023


​Too often I see authors enthusiastically start writing a novel, only to run out of steam part way through. In fact, only 30% of people who start writing a novel will actually finish it. It’s heartbreaking when a fantastic concept languishes in the bottom drawer forever.

Why does this happen?

You could be writing a shiny, exciting idea that doesn’t have the substance to support an entire book.

​A lot of this hinges on the main character, and doesn’t matter if you prefer to plot or discover your way into a story.

A story’s rock-solid foundation comes from knowing who the main character is and what their journey through the story looks like, especially their motivations and “why” everything happens, which provides readers with a deeper understanding of the story as a whole.

This clarity turns your awesome idea into something tangible and purposeful.
Today, I want to explore the very inception of a story and how we can shape those initial ideas into a tale we are passionate to tell. 

Author: Sandy Vaile 
Originally published in Hearts Talk eZine's March edition 2023

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Creating compelling backstory is essential for developing rich well-rounded characters that capture the interest of readers.

However, the wrong backstory can turn into an information dump that slows a story’s pace to a yawn. Read on to find out how to create backstory that is relevant to the plot, so it won’t detract from what’s important: the story.

It’s not enough to know everything about a character’s past, like where they went to school and what kind of cake they had at their 10th birthday party. While documenting your character’s entire life might be fun (for some) and knowing it certainly enables you to have a comprehensive understanding of who they are and where they came from, a lot of it won’t be relevant to the book you’re writing.

Say what?

Authors get chastised for information dumping when readers don’t see the relevance of the information. You can’t just throw information at the wall to see what sticks.

Backstory must be:

• Purposeful; and
• Relevant to what’s currently happening in the story.

But how can you make it so? 

Author: Sandy Vaile
Previously published on the Romance Writers of Australia blog 23/08/22
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‘Show don’t tell’ is one of the most worrisome writing guidelines ever created, but it’s also essential to modern authors. Finding the right balance of showing and telling in your story is like patting your head and rubbing your belly while balancing on one leg at the top of a pole in a river full of crocodiles. (And I never exaggerate.)

Authors get themselves tied up in knots over how much to show and where to tell. It's painful to watch. But there is good news. Take a deep breath, let go of the minutiae that is bogging you down and remember one simple and liberating concept, and you’ll be on your way to mastering this tricky business. 

ACTIVE STORYTELLING
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This concept is so simple you’ll wonder why the ultimatum of ‘show don’t tell’ was ever given. 

Author: Sandy Vaile
Previously published on the Writers in the Storm blog 02/11/22


​Every story has a beating heart that gives it purpose. It’s the vision that keeps all the working parts of a novel focused on what really matters, enabling the author to outline more easily and write a purposeful story.
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But how can you be sure your story has one (and if it hasn’t, grab the defibrillator and shock it into being)?

Plots are the mechanism for moving characters through a series of events towards a goal. The heart of a story is its very reason for existing. The reason a specific author wants to tell a particular story. It turns a common idea into a unique journey, based on what interests the author and why.
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At the heart of every story is a theme that runs throughout, which colours the characters and flavours the narrative and conveys the author’s message in a way that affects readers deep in their souls.

Author: Sandy Vaile 
Previously published on the Writing and Wellness blog 03/08/22.


After more than a decade of writing and teaching fiction, I have the luxury of looking back on my journey (thus far) to see where I could have done things differently, to heighten enjoyment and expedite my arrival at the place I am now.

And I’m going to share those insights with you today. 

I’m Sandy Vaile, an author of fast-paced romantic suspense for Simon and Schuster US and a fiction coach who is empowering modern writers around the globe to write stories they're proud to share with the world (one author at a time).

There is limitless information on the internet about how to write and publish a book and yet thousands of authors struggle to find their place in the industry. I believe this is because the creative process isn’t something that can be pigeon-holed and contrived. Original ideas flow from our imaginations and no two minds or lives are alike.

If only I’d known a few truths when I started this journey, it might have made it easier and saved me a heap of anxiety. 

Author: Sandy Vaile 

Below are the values that guide Sandy Vaile as she supports aspiring authors across the globe to write fiction stories they are proud to share with the world.

If you'd like to learn more about how Sandy can help you achieve your fiction writing goals, grab a time in her diary for an obligation free chat.

Author: Sandy Vaile
Previously published on the Writers In The Storm blog, August 2022.


One of the fastest ways to alienate readers is to get your facts wrong, which can feel like an overwhelming responsibility when writing a story. But how far would you go to bring authenticity and interesting elements into your story? 

If you’re writing anything longer than a short story, you are bound to need to do some research. 

I’m going to demonstrate how research can benefit all stories, and then we’ll peek over the shoulders of a few authors to discover the lengths they’ve gone to, in the name of fiction research.

Author: Sandy Vaile
Previously published by Romance Writers of Australia, Hearts Talk ezine, August 2022


There is one simple principle that lays the foundation for effortless showing in fiction. A principle from which all the other showing techniques are built and, once put into practice, triggers momentum that carries characters through the story organically.

That principle is: Put characters in motion.

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “show don’t tell”. It’s bandied around writing circles like scones at high tea, and yet it’s the concept that causes new writers the most anguish. Sure, you know what telling is but how do you blend it with showing and where does telling end and showing begin?

It’s nerve-wracking when the consequence of not figuring this out is a bland reader experience and permanently missing the mark with competition judges, agents and publishers.  
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Well, I believe there’s an easier way to approach this subject: throw out the notion of showing and telling as separate entities and focus on active storytelling. This concept is the basis for my Active Storytelling Method© and I’ve seen how well it works in getting authors to put their characters in motion, which carries readers through the story with them. 

Author: Sandy Vaile
This article was first published on the Margie Lawson blog on 31/05/22.


The average attention span of readers is decreasing (just 8 seconds online, according to research by San Jose University), which is why it’s so important for authors to engage them the moment they step onto the page, so as to speak. Point of View (POV) is one of the techniques we can use to immerse readers in our story world, but it is also a frequently misconstrued and misused concept.

It causes all kinds of angst in aspiring authors, who often choose (or accidentally fall into) the omniscient POV, with the misguided belief it will provide more storytelling flexibility. But like every story choice, there are pros and cons. While every type of POV is useful in certain circumstances, I believe mastering a limited POV (particularly when you’re new to fiction writing) will make you a better writer in the long run.

Wow, that’s a bold claim!
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I can already hear the cries of indignation from those who love the omniscient POV. I’m not saying one is better than the other, merely singing the educational benefits of mastering a limited POV. Give me a minute to explain.