I don't normally solicit feedback on my works in progress. Yet I have used Beta Readers twice in recent years, and my first novel was professionally assessed several times. This paid assessor gave feedback over several drafts before I decided to have another draft looked at by a team at a publishing house, for the …
Waiting to see if your new book is selling.
There's a unique anxiety after the release of a novel. It doesn't happen straight away. We are on a buzz when our new book is in the public arena. We're busy marketing while finding new promotional possibilities. We're updating our website and searching for new reviews. Then searching for new reviews again. And again. But …
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Anything you read helps your work in progress
Sometimes I choose what I read carefully. For example, I read H.G. Wells and Ray Bradbury when I worked on my first dystopian novel. My assessor got me to read Joe Keenan as she wanted me to hone in on the farcical elements of my first book. But when I'm reading for pleasure, whatever style …
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I’m replacing an entire character
In my last blog I wrote about writing a summary for a book submission. And although it's for a novel I'm still working on, it hasn't stopped me considering how to pitch it to potential publishers. I've created a 500 word and a 300 word synopsis, and a 200 word summary, in line with what …
Help! I’m writing a synopsis for a book submission.
I've learnt the value of working on a synopsis while you write your book. I've also learnt to work on a blurb long before I need to send it to my publisher, but that's not what this blog is about. I'm working on a novel that's not suited to my publisher, so for the first …
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I’ve been stressing over a short story
My publisher is releasing a series of short stories this year. We were all asked to submit, but at time of writing this blog, I still haven't finished mine. I have two distinct versions, neither making it to the minimum word count. I challenged myself to write something light with no weird Kevin-style twists. When …
What reading one of my earlier books taught me about myself
I finished reading my second novel. I didn't think I'd finish it because I never read my own books once they are published. I'm working on a novel where for the first time I'm writing in Third Person Limited and, as Drama Queens and Adult Themes was written in First Person from the perspective of …
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The horror of reading your own book.
I don't read my own books once they are published. I might read a chapter randomly as an antidote to Impostor Syndrome, but that's about it. Until the other day. I read the five opening chapters of my second novel, Drama Queens and Adult Themes, as I thought it might help me out with my …
Playing author for the long haul
I started this journey well over a decade ago. My first novel was redrafted eight times and after many rejection letters, was first published in 2012. For various reasons it is now with its third publisher. In the early days I tried all the tricks authors are told by bloggers on how to succeed. Start …
10 things I’ve learnt after publishing 10 books
In August, my tenth book was released. I've been taking stock as it's the perfect time to reflect. I've got a reason to celebrate and a milestone which is making me consider where my writing journey is heading. 1. Too much is made of genre. I know genre helps market a book, but I'm in …
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