Novels demand more than ideas—they require structure, persistence, and the discipline to see a story through. These posts explore the full landscape of long-form storytelling: writing, publishing, marketing, and the realities of bringing a novel to readers, whether examining others’ work or my own.
There are fair and good reasons why a book’s title matters to a book’s success. Choosing the right one may be the make or break for any book’s future. It all comes down to reader psychology.
Considering What A Book’s Title Should Be Before Publishing It Read More »
As a writer, I believe that compelling, relatable characters are the core of any novel. Readers invest in stories through people they recognise, empathise with, or even love to hate. In fact, writing experts emphasise that characters and plot are the two essential ingredients of a story. As Brett Grell notes, “there are two required elements of
Character Spotlights: A Who’s Who in The Novel SEETHINGS Read More »
“They make love in an isolated cemetery on a secluded island. He lifts her leg and places her foot on one of the island’s gravestones. The sole of her foot tingles just as it touches the stone.” Fiction writer Michael Forman is set to launch his third and most bizarre noirotic novel of all. It’s
Island Kink For Mitchell and Nina Read More »
This character was one of the last to be included in this psycho-thriller. Maxine was designed to be colourful when sober, but when drunk, she is obnoxious enough to unsettle dinner guests. Maxine heads a group of small business owners who specialise in photographing weddings. Most of the newer, inexperienced photographers trying to break into
Character Spotlight: Maxine Sewell. Read More »
When writing dark fiction, the villain matters as much as the hero. Without a formidable antagonist, a hero has nothing meaningful to overcome. The strength of a protagonist is measured by the challenge they face. Instead of two opposing forces, imagine one person wrestling with both sides of the moral equation. Could a character pursue
Writing Tips: Villains, Heroes, and the Space Between Read More »
Writers often borrow tools from other crafts when building stories. Some use music, others painting, others architecture. When I wrote SEETHINGS, I leaned heavily on something I knew well: photography. Photography didn’t simply appear in the book as a hobby for Mitchell Felding. It became part of the storytelling framework. The way Mitchell photographs storms
The Camera and the Storm: How Photography Shaped the Storytelling in SEETHINGS Read More »
Some stories comfort the reader. Others are meant to disturb them. Dark psychological fiction belongs firmly in the second category. It does not exist to reassure, tidy up loose ends, or confirm what we already believe about human nature. Instead, it quietly dismantles those beliefs, leaving the reader staring into something far more complicated. Something
Dark Psychological Fiction and Moral Ambiguity Read More »
Some villains wear masks. Others wear suits, smile at neighbours, and wave politely across the fence. The SEETHINGS trilogy explores the uncomfortable idea that the most dangerous people rarely look dangerous at all. They move quietly through ordinary lives, blending into communities, relationships, workplaces and families. Nothing about them appears unusual—until the moment everything fractures.
SEETHINGS: A Psychological Thriller Trilogy About the Darkness Hiding in Plain Sight Read More »
As a photojournalist and a writer, Michael, what’s the common link between photography and the fiction you’re writing? My novel’s protagonist is a photographer. “Write what you know,” they say ─ and I know much about photography. I’ve travelled, photographed, and written about the places I visited. I grew tired of writing fluffy travel articles
Sexless Marriage ─ Content Inspiration For A New Novel by Michael Forman Read More »
Happy Read an Ebook Week! To help you find a book to celebrate, you can find my entire collection at a promotional price at @Smashwords from March 1 – March 7. Find my books and many more at https://www.smashwords.com/sale My books start here: Seethings 2 and Seethings 3. This week only!
Seven Day eBook Sale. This Week Only. Read More »