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What is Worldbuilding … and How Detailed Do You Need to Be?
Wonderland. Narnia. Hogwarts. Middle-Earth. Westeros. These are all famous story worlds … and if you've read any of the books they feature in, they probably instantly conjure up a sense of escaping into that place. If you're writing science-fiction or fantasy, part of...
What is Writer’s Block and How Can You Beat It? Seven Crucial Things to Try
This post was first published in November 2024 and last updated in April 2026. You’re staring at the screen. The minutes tick by. Not a single word comes to you. Or perhaps it’s even worse than that. You can’t even face opening up the document. And every day, you feel...
Writing Progress in Q1, 2026: What Worked, What Didn’t, and Why
At the start of January, I set out my writing goals for 2026. I try to review all my goals every three months, so here’s what’s been happening in the first quarter of 2026. Q1 Progress on Big Fiction Project (“Finish My Rom Com Contemporary Fantasy Novel and Send Out...
How to Write Stronger Scenes: Add More Depth and Detail
All stories are, at one level, a collection of scenes. It can be tough to get scenes right. Maybe the action and surroundings were so vivid in your head, but they just haven’t translated well to the page. We’re going to take a look at how to write stronger scenes by adding more depth and detail. Before we dig in, I want to…
About
I’m Ali Luke, and I live in Leeds in the UK with my husband and two children. Aliventures is where I help you get your novel all the way to “the end”.
Archives
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What’s a Plot Hole – and How Can You Fix it, Fast? (Six Examples & Solutions)
Ever been reading a story (or watching a TV show) and realised that something just didn’t add up? Perhaps it was a character who travelled improbably fast (and with no access to money). Maybe two characters inexplicably seemed to forget about their magical powers in...
When Your Novel is Taking Way Longer Than You Expected
I hear from a lot of novelists who find it’s taking far longer than they expected to write their first novel. They started out thinking they’d be done in a year or two – and they’ve been working on it for perhaps four, five, even ten years, without being done. Does...
Internal Conflict: Six Types of Internal Conflict (With Examples)
Stories are built on conflict. Without any conflict, there’s not really any story. If Jane Doe gets everything she wanted, without any difficulties, and lives happily ever after, then that’s lovely for Jane, but not very interesting to read…
When Your Novel is Taking Way Longer Than You Expected
I hear from a lot of novelists who find it’s taking far longer than they expected to write their first novel. They started out thinking they’d be done in a year or two – and they’ve been working on it for perhaps four, five, even ten years, without being done. Does...
Internal Conflict: Six Types of Internal Conflict (With Examples)
Stories are built on conflict. Without any conflict, there’s not really any story. If Jane Doe gets everything she wanted, without any difficulties, and lives happily ever after, then that’s lovely for Jane, but not very interesting to read…
How to Write a Novel: Your Seven Step Plan
Have you got a novel idea … but you’re not quite sure where to begin? In this article, I’ll be taking you through all the key steps for writing a novel: from your initial idea to your finished first draft. These are: Step #1: Come Up With an Idea You Want to Write...