writing – F C MALBY

Tombland Bookshop: East Anglia’s Literary Treasure

Tombland Bookshop, 8 Tombland, Norwich NR3 1HF

Norwich has deep literary roots: the city is England’s first UNESCO City of Literature (one of only 20 globally), the National Centre for Writing, where I took part in a Flash Fiction Writing Workshop at the National Centre for Writing in Dragon Hall back in 2019, and home to 13th/14th century Christian mystic, Julian of Norwich, the first woman to write and publish a book in the English language: Revelations of Divine Love is one of the earliest surviving English-language works written by a woman.

Dragon Hall, National Centre for Writing,
*115–123 King Street, Norwich, NR1 1QE* (photo taken in May 2019)

Other writers who have also called Norwich home include Thomas Browne, Thomas Paine, Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro, Emma Healey, Eimear McBride and Sarah Perry. I’m always thrilled to find a new secondhand bookshop, and this one is really impressive.

Tombland Bookshop, opposite the Norwich Cathedral, is a characterful bookshop, housed in a medieval 15th-century beamed building. They sell academic, secondhand, and antiquarian books across two and a half floors. The ground floor is split level and the open plan provides a sweeping entrance of bookshelves.

As well as buying and selling rare books, Tombland also offers book valuations, binding and restoration. It is the largest bookshop of its kind in East Anglia with books selling for between £1 and over £10,000.

Tombland owes its name to the Tombland area of Norwich in which it resides, and finds its origins in the Danish word for ’empty space’ or ‘open land.’ This area was home to an Anglo-Scandinavian marketplace in the 11th century.

Staff are helpful and knowledgeable. It’s the kind of bookshop that you could spend hours in, and I wondered what it might be like to spend the day there, reading and writing.

The last Drif’s Guide to Second Hand Bookshops rates Tombland as the ‘best bookshop in East Anglia’ and one of the dozen best in the UK. It’s not difficult to see why.

The Independent also included them in their most recent guide as one of the 50 best bookshops in the UK.

Although the building itself is medieval, the bookshop has been established for over 35 years, and includes books on art, architecture, local history, natural history and music, poetry, children’s books, travel, and academic books.

I picked up some poetry books from Philip Larkin, Anna Crowe, Seamus Heaney, and Ted Hughes to add to my collection.

What I’ve learned after 14 years as a published author

I get lots of questions from new and aspiring writers. So, after four published books and stories in five international anthologies, here are my thoughts.

Finding your style takes time

You will write many words that you throw away or put in a drawer. The more you write, the better you will become at the craft. Don’t give up at the beginning. Blogging is also a great way of honing your craft (and gathering an audience). It’s also a solid platform, as social media sites come and go, or shift. I’ve had almost 142,000 readers on my site since I began – your readership is cumulative. Views have doubled in two years.

Consistency is important

You don’t have to spend hours every day, but find what works and stick with it. I try to write regularly, and when I’m writing a novel, I spend several hours each day writing. For you, it might just be journaling once or twice a week, or working on a short story or a novel for an hour a day or a few hours a week. Writing can fit around your schedule.

Take breaks when you need to

If you feel dry or uninspired, it’s absolutely fine to step away or switch gears and switch from stories to poetry or blogging, or letter-writing. There are so many ways of writing, so don’t limit yourself to a huge manuscript, which can feel daunting. I began with short stories, then later began my debut novel. I started writing poetry many years ago, but only returned to it in more recent years, only beginning to send work off for publication more recently.

Find what inspires you

Go for a walk, use images as writing prompts, or work in a cafe if you work better with noise and other people around you. I wrote some of my last novel with a writing partner, both online and in person in cafes. Find what works for you personally and don’t be afraid to experiment.

Create a writing space

I can’t stress this enough. Find a space that’s yours, a space that’s comfortable (because you spend hours in it), and a space where you won’t keep being interrupted. Writers’ spaces have been some of my most popular blog posts. You can find them here and here.

Read, read, read

Read as much as you write, if not more. Reading both within and outside your genre will give you inspiration and help you to find what works and what doesn’t. It also breaks up your writing time. In an age of fast information and scrolling, it can be hard to focus, but you need that focus to be able to write. Whether you prefer an eBook or a paperback is up to you, but I prefer to read physical copies, as I spend a lot of time using screens for work and writing. It’s a controversial topic, but I don’t think you can beat a fresh hardback book!

National Flash Fiction Day 2026 Anthology

I’m thrilled to share the National Flash Fiction Day 2026 Anthology with you, and introduce the title and cover of NFFDs latest anthology, Mudlarking: National Flash Fiction Day Anthology 2026. My story, Lotus, will be published alongside some wonderful short fiction authors. The launch date is on 13 June 2026, and you can pre-order a copy here. Mudlarking can be pre-ordered worldwide, and will be available as an eBook on Amazon UK and US soon.

I will be giving a reading of Lotus at the online launch on 13th June at 7:30pm, so keep an eye on the NFFD website for more information. The collection is edited by Karen Jones and Sharon Telfer. Joanna Campbell created the art work for the cover design; her watercolour was inspired by Mudlarking, a story in the collection by Rachel Dunlop.

Understanding Subplots: The Key to Storytelling

I’ve had lots of questions and about plotting stories, and my articles on plot and structure continue to be among my most read posts.

What is a Subplot?

A subplot is a secondary storyline which runs alongside the main plot. It often involves supporting characters, additional conflicts, or personal struggles that relate directly or indirectly to the protagonist’s journey. Some of the best subplots connect to the main narrative, either by reinforcing the theme, revealing character traits, or influencing the main plot’s outcome.

Why We Need Subplots?

Whether you are writing scripts, short stories or novels, having multiple plot strands creates a necessary expansion of the main themes and layers your stories. Subplots add depth, complexity, and emotional resonance to a story. They transform a simple narrative into a layered experience that feels more realistic and engaging. Understanding how and why to use them strengthens your writing.

Subplots Add Depth to Characters

One of the greatest strengths of subplots is their ability to develop characters beyond the main storyline. The main plot often focuses on a specific external goal: solving a mystery, defeating an antagonist, or achieving a dream. Subplots, however, often explore the internal lives of characters: their relationships, fears, and motivations. This creates intrigue and insights for the reader, which might be missed through the main plot line.

Creating More Realistic Worlds

Real life rarely follows a single narrative thread. People juggle relationships, responsibilities, and individual struggles. Subplots highlight this layering effect by weaving multiple storylines together. This creates a world which feels more realistic. Supporting characters also show their own motivations and story arcs rather than existing solely to support the protagonist. This creates a richer, more immersive experience for the reader.

Subplots Strengthen Themes

Subplots are powerful tools for reinforcing the central themes of a story. A well-designed subplot often mirrors, contrasts, or adds complications to the central plot. If the main plot explores trust, a subplot might show a different character grappling with betrayal in a different context. These variations allow readers to view themes from multiple angles, making the story feel more authentic.

Change of Pace

A single storyline moving at full intensity from beginning to end can become exhausting for readers. Bringing in subplots shift the focus and builds gradual tension, creating breathing space between key points in the plot. They can also act as narrative bridges which keep readers engaged, while the main plot builds toward a pivotal turning point.

Subplots Drive the Main Plot Forward

Although subplots are secondary, they often have direct consequences for the main storyline. A subplot might influence a character’s choices during a critical moment, or reveal information which changes the direction of the main conflict. When subplots intersect with the main narrative, the story feels more interconnected.

Some Examples in Films

If you’ve ever watched the film, Crash, you’ll see how well subplots are used to increase tension and keep the viewer hooked. Set in LA over several days, we see the stories of different characters interweaving. Its impact is intense. Layering is important, and an interweaving of plot and subplot creates a richer, more diverse experience.

In the film, Shawshank Redemption, the role of Brooks as Red’s negative mentor, tricking the viewer into expecting Red will follow the same path towards destruction.

What about Bilbo Baggins, who saves the dwarves from the spiders in The Hobbit. Baggins is a good example of creating conflict through a subplot to illustrate growth in a character.

The Power of Character-Driven Stories

One of the questions I’m most frequently asked as a writer is, ‘do you focus on plot or character?’ I predominantly write thrillers, so character is particularly important and often drives the story line (the plot). Jana in Take Me to the Castle and Leisl in Dead Drop are strong female protagonists. Their thoughts, lives and actions drive the plot.

It works well for short stories, particularly given the brevity of the craft and the constraints of needing to hook a reader quickly, drawing them into a story. When the reader is engaged with the character, they are more likely to engage with the story and understand the motives driving the character’s decisions and actions.

When a reader knows what a character has experienced and understands their weaknesses and specific character traits, the story makes more sense and the reader wants to go on the journey with them.

Who your characters are is much more intriguing than what they do in a character driven story. We don’t engage with perfection as readers, we engage with vulnerability. Vulnerability leads to trust and connection.

It works with fictional characters in the same way as in real life. The writer’s job is to make the reader care, and the most effective way to do this is to highlight a character’s fears, vulnerabilities, and internal conflicts. I’ve written more about this in other posts on plot writing here and here, as well as on the narrative arc.

Examples of character driven stories…

Of Mice and Men

Crime and Punishment

Brooklyn

A Man Called Ove

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine