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Writing advice

Advice from our editors

An illustration of elements of a crime novel, with a writer on a typewriter in the middle

How to write crime and thriller

Crime and thriller novels are some of the most exciting and multi-faceted books in publishing. Here, three editors from across Penguin break down the crime and thriller genre and give their top tips for writers looking to publish their novels. How can you tell if a book is crime or thriller? “The crime and thriller […]

Getting published

Illustration of elements in a romance novel, with a writer on a laptop in the middle

How to write a romance novel

Vikki Moynes, commissioning editor at Viking, which is an imprint of Penguin General, works on commercial and upmarket fiction – from laugh-out-loud romcoms like Emily Henry’s Book Lovers to intoxicating, compulsive tales of deadly secrets like Heather Darwent’s The Things We Do To Our Friends.Here, she shares what she looks for in a romance novel, […]

Features

Child reading with adventures surrounding them: dinosaurs, spies, cowboy, hiker, and boat on a lake. Illustration by Mike Ellis

How to write a children’s middle grade book

Being able to read chapter and middle grade books is an exciting time for a young reader. This is when they’re able to start identifying which genres they like, and choosing authors they actively want to read from. Learn about middle grade fiction and non-fiction with Puffin publisher Ben Horslen, to help you start writing […]

Getting published

Illustration of person writing a cookbook surrounded by images of chopping, an oven, a food processor

How to get your cookbook published

Whether they’re used for a beautifully curated dinner party, handy one-pot family meal or impressive lunchbox, cookbooks are a staple of most people’s homes. They inspire creativity in the every day and enable us to eat food we may never have encountered before. But how is a cookbook put together? If you’ve been in the […]

Advice from our authors

Interviews

A photo of author Damn Galgut in greyscale, with his book The Promise overlaid next to him on an orange and red ombre background..

Lightbulb moments: Damon Galgut on writing The Promise

The author of the 2021 Booker Prize-winning novel The Promise on how cinema, theatre, and language all coalesced in his novel’s account of a white South African family’s downfall.

Interviews

A photo of author Nadifa Mohamed on a grey background, with her book The Fortune Men overlaid next to her.

Lightbulb moments: Nadifa Mohamed on writing The Fortune Men

The author of The Fortune Men on how a Somali man wrongly accused of murder in 1952 Tiger’s Bay, Cardiff captured her imagination – and inspired her third novel.

Interviews

The cover of Apples Never Fall next to a portrait of Liane Moriarty

Lightbulb moments: Liane Moriarty on writing Apples Never Fall

True crime podcasts, a story in the newspaper and a sisterly writing prompt all led the bestselling author to her latest meaty thriller.

Tips and inspiration

Features

Illustration of someone writing on their laptop with long reel of paper coming out like a printer

The year you write your book

Had a book idea that’s been waiting patiently at the back of your mind? Get started on it this year.

Features

How to write your debut novel, according to Penguin authors

Want to make 2025 the year you finish your book? Here's all the advice you need to write a novel, according to Penguin authors.

Features

Writing advice: Tips from those who've learned the hard way

Writing tips from our bestselling authors

Trying to crack that opening line? Got a first novel lingering in a drawer? This year, on penguin.co.uk and the Penguin Podcast, we've chatted to lots of authors about their craft. Here's some highlights to give you a helping hand.

Creating the best structure

Features

A big red book with scaffolding around, so it looks like it's on a building site, surrounded by tiny workers and fencing.

What’s the perfect length for a book?

Is there such a thing as an ideal number of pages? And why are we preoccupied by the size of novels? Sarah Shaffi finds out.

Features

Illustration of a ship with a light above it, and the words 'ships at a distance have every man's wish on board'.

18 of the best first lines in fiction

From Moby-Dick to The Color Purple, here are the best first lines in fiction.

Podcasts

The best last lines in books

From The Great Gatsby to The Lottery, here are the best final lines in literature.

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Writing advice

Advice from our editors

How to write crime and thriller

How to write a romance novel

How to write a children’s middle grade book

How to write a children's picture book

How to get your cookbook published

Advice from our authors

Lightbulb moments: Damon Galgut on writing The Promise

Lightbulb moments: Nadifa Mohamed on writing The Fortune Men

Lightbulb moments: Liane Moriarty on writing Apples Never Fall

Lightbulb moments: Manjeet Mann on writing The Crossing

Tips and inspiration

The year you write your book

How to write your debut novel, according to Penguin authors

Writing tips from our bestselling authors

Creating the best structure

What’s the perfect length for a book?

18 of the best first lines in fiction

The best last lines in books

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