Editorial: taking some novel advice

Purpose: To demonstrate how techniques from creative writing can be used to develop interesting and insightful journal articles. Design/methodology/approach: This paper aims to use the creative writing techniques related to style, theme and character development to offer advice for academic writers. Findings: Authors should venture beyond the conventional writing techniques if they seek to produce a compelling, logical and original article that is appealing to an academic reader. Originality/value: This research offers insight into the writing process for authors to assist them in understanding how to avoid submitting manuscripts that are uninteresting or difficult to read.