My Writing Process – Georgia Hill


Huge thanks to Jane Cable for inviting me! I write romance – romcoms and historical. I live on the Dorset coast with my two beloved dogs (a sprocker and a delinquent cockapoo puppy) my husband (also beloved but not at all delinquent) and a ghost called Zoe. I love Jane Austen, elephants and Strictly Come Dancing. I’m also a complete museum geek and find inspiration for my writing from the folklore and history of the many places in which I’ve lived.

I’ve worked in the theatre, for a charity and as a teacher and educational consultant before finally acknowledging that making up things was what I really wanted to do. I’ve been very happily living in a fictional world ever since.

My writing

I began writing professionally in 2009, have had 6 novels published, a volume of short stories and have also written short stories for magazines. 

My writing process

I used to walk the dogs, then write throughout the day. Nowadays I find being glued to a screen for too long makes my eyes gritty and my shoulders stiff. I’m far more likely to write for an hour, put some washing in, write some more, make a cup of tea – you get the picture. I’m always thinking about the work in progress, so even when I’m not at the keyboard, I’m wondering about my characters. They become very real. There’s a certain amount of promo on social media to fit in too. Luckily I enjoy that.

Planner or ‘pantser’?

I’m a convert to planning – reluctantly! Using Post-its, I brainstorm the story, working backwards from the end listing the main plot points. Those are written up into bullet points as a crib sheet. This guides me through the story and avoids the ‘what was going to happen next?’ issue. However, characters often take on a life of their own and the crib sheet has to be rewritten as it’s scribbled over so much. If I’m writing one of my dual narratives, I have to plan out more carefully and often end up writing a chapter by chapter synopsis to help me keep track. Helps with the edits too.

Word count?

I keep a tally on the crib sheet when writing the very ‘dirty’ first draft. I tend to write that quickly and usually add about 20,000 words during the second draft so I usually know where I’m going.

Structure?

I have the three act structure in mind and occasionally have even been known to apply it! Instinct guides me more.

What’s hard about writing?

I love writing the first draft. It’s very rough and, as I’m not a skilled typist, has lots of strange typos and very little punctuation. I’m strong on dialogue so the first draft is often little more than that – with ADD DETAIL written in lots of places for the second! I love telling myself the story, which is why I’m a reluctant planner – I like to see where the characters are going to take me. Once their story is told, I lose interest and have to force myself to do the next round of edits – that’s when, for me, the hard work begins.

My advice to other writers

Keep abreast of social media, especially Twitter; you can pick up current trends, tips and useful features. Develop a writing community but choose your writing pals wisely and build up trust; they can be your most valued supporters. Read widely and often. Take a notebook absolutely everywhere. Do your research. And develop a very thick skin!

Links

www.georgiahill.co.uk

Facebook georgiahillauthor

Twitter @georgiawrites

Instagram @georgiahill5681

 

My Writing Process – Sue Kittow

I’m Sue Kittow, a Cornish author, freelance journalist, researcher and copywriter, been living in Falmouth for 25 years.

I have written five books on Cornish walks – Discover Cornwall, Walks in the Footsteps of Cornish Writers, Walks in the Footsteps of Poldark, Walks in the Footsteps of Daphne du Maurier and Walks in the Footsteps of Rosamunde Pilcher. I am also writing a novel set in Cornwall but don’t have an agent or publisher for that – yet!

As a freelance journalist I have interviewed many authors including Bill Bryson, Ian Rankin, Lionel Shriver and Rosamunde Pilcher. I have also written for Daily Mail, Cornwall Today, Writers’ Forum, Woman’s Weekly, Classic Boat and many other magazines.

I am currently promoting Walks in the Footsteps of Rosamunde Pilcher, published by Sigma Press August 2019.

Walks books need a lot of research and planning so my writing is quite structured – I write lots of notes for research then incorporate that into the walks as I transcribe them. It’s lovely playing the tape back and listening to the conversations we had, the birds and sea and whatever else going on. When I’m writing fiction it’s very different – I plot a lot and make notes on that but the writing itself is very free – I love the excitement of a first draft. Editing I find much harder.

As these are books on walks, a lot of planning and research goes into each one. My publishers like a geographical spread of walks around Cornwall, so I have to start off with ideas and make sure the walks are all over the county, not just focused on a few areas. Then research them, walk them, take photographs, transcribe them – it’s a lot of work!

My contract stipulates 35-45,000 words but that’s quite a loose guide.

The structure for each chapter is roughly the same so I’m used to it now – Introduction (about author, character, location), The Walk, incorporating more research as relevant, Factbox, Content, Photographs, Summing up.

The hard bit is always the editing, then the proofing and checking the maps. And self belief.

I love the physical part of writing – actually putting the words on the page and then transmitting the idea of the place – capturing the sounds, the sea, the birds, the trees etc, so that the reader can come on this walk with me while they read it.

Advice for other writers – find your voice. Read lots. Be realistic. Study agents and publishers carefully, see what’s happening online but don’t compare yourself to others – social media is full of people sharing their Amazon rankings, reviews etc. For every good review there is a not so good one (don’t read reviews!). Make sure your work is as good as it can be before you send it out – get advice from people you trust and listen to what they say. Good criticism can only improve your work. Persevere. This is a lonely business, so network with other writers. And write because you love it.

 

SISTER SCRIBES: JANE CABLE CATCHES UP WITH TAKE FOUR WRITERS’ LUCY AND ANGELA

Carrying on with our catch up with last year’s Take Four Writers, today it’s the turn of Lucy Coleman and Angela Petch.

Lucy:

This year has flown by and I can’t believe it’s August already – eight months since the last of Jane Cable’s series: ‘Take Four Writers’. As we all catch up, I suspect the main theme running through our updates will be that there are never enough hours in the day. But a writer’s life is never dull, and we are blessed!

Writing as Lucy Coleman, by the end of 2019 I will have had two new books out this year with Aria Fiction, the second of which is ‘Magic Under the Mistletoe’ due out on 5 September. Set in the hamlet of Porthkerry, near Cardiff, it begins in a snowstorm. It was inspired by the heavy snowfall in December 2017, which turned much of the UK into a winter wonderland.

A new publishing contract with Boldwood Books will see the first of six novels published over the next two years, beginning with the release of ‘A Springtime to Remember’ in December 2019. The story is set in Versailles, a place that is very dear to my heart.

I’ve also recently returned to blogging and my monthly feature ‘The Happiness Factor’ covers tips on motivation and generally surviving the ups and downs of a busy life. Also fun things – interior design tips, home spa pampering, the aesthetics of your workspace if you work from home, and my best buys. A treat doesn’t need to break the bank, but it can lift the spirits.

I don’t ‘endorse’ products, but share things I’ve purchased which make me smile, or have helped me. One of my best buys recently was a back brace I wear when typing, which has taken away my spells of backache!

If you get a moment, do drop by my website https://linnbhalton.co.uk/the-happiness-factor-blog/ and check it out.

Angela:

The Tuscan Secret was published by Bookouture on June 26th, after rigorous editing. At first I panicked at the structural changes suggested. I had written this book originally in 2012 and had to reacquaint myself with the story. But then I settled and began to enjoy the challenge. Today my editor told me it has sold just shy of 10,000. I could never have imagined that figure as a self-published author. (There’s also been a knock-on sales increase of my other books).

This week I sent my first draft to my editor of the second commissioned Tuscan novel, and the editorial roundabout will again whir into action. Hopefully, what I learned from the first round will ease the process.

Downsides:

  • I’m at least half a stone heavier from spending many hours sitting in front of my laptop.
  • I am developing bad posture.
  • My hubby says my head’s in another world half the time. (It is!)

Positives:

  • I’m loving what I’m doing. There was never enough time to concentrate on my writing before. It’s fun to live in a “what-if” world.
  • I have made great new friends in the writing community.
  • I’m gaining self-belief.
  • Far from being escapist, I firmly believe that writing helps me connect more with the world.

We all know that very few authors make a mint. It would be great to have more pennies and pounds in my bank account… but money is not the only measure of happiness. Connecting with readers (even with those who give less than shining reviews) makes all those hours of being hunched over my writing; all those hours of my head feeling it’s going to burst, my eyes squinty and itching — all worth it. Hand on heart.

 

SISTER SCRIBES: JANE CABLE CATCHES UP WITH TAKE FOUR WRITERS’ JACKIE AND CLAIRE

Everyone loved our Take Four Writers’ articles last year so I thought it would be really interesting to catch up with them. Writers lives have ups and downs, and in 2018 we shared them all. Here’s what Jackie Baldwin and Claire Dyer have been up to since – news from Lucy and Angela tomorrow.

Jackie:

Hello everyone,

This year, a big thrill has been seeing copies of ‘Perfect Dead’ in The Works shops. It never gets old going seeing my book in the wild. I stroll past ‘casually’ whilst giving it an intense stare.

2019 has been dominated by writing my third DI Farrell book, ‘Avenge the Dead.’ This is the first time I’ve had a book published with the title I originally chose! I finished the first draft in seven months this time so I’m getting quicker with each book. The plot revolves around the Criminal Bar in Dumfries where I used to practice as a solicitor so I’m drawing on personal experience in some respects but the plot and characters are wholly fictional. Honestly!

In addition to writing and the day job I’m also in the process of moving closer to Edinburgh. We’ve found a house but it needs quite a bit doing to it so trying to organise all that has been a challenge. Hopefully, we’ll be installed before my first grandchild arrives in October!

I’ve completed my structural edit for Avenge the Dead. This is probably the stage that I most enjoy where you can fix errant plot lines and even insert new characters or subplots if the mood takes you. Currently I’m working on the Line Edit which is a complete nightmare. For example, you mention the word out three times on one page and need to change two of them.

Recently, I’ve realised that writing books is a lot like having babies. You have your baby and fall madly in love, forgetting the pain. You think it would be a great idea to have another baby. You get into the labour ward and yell, ‘WHAT was I thinking?’ And repeat…

Claire:

It’s a well-known fact that the writing life is not a simple one, and it’s easy to lose hope and/or struggle with doubt and this year I’ve been battling with both these things!

However, with the help of my amazing writer support network I am back on track. I have completed a rewrite, edited another novel and started a new one.

I’ve also celebrated my son’s wedding, am working on the draft manuscript of a poetry collection due for publication in 2021 and am planning a holiday to the ever-wonderful Kalkan in Turkey.

I also have my husband’s wise words to fall back on when things get tough. He’s not a writer, and has learnt from living with one that he has to tread carefully, and part of this is to remind me gently now and again that it all depends on the lens.

Yes, writing and getting published is a challenge, BUT I have had three novels and two poetry books published, with another on the way; I have a wonderful group of writer friends, I curate a monthly poetry night in Reading and I spend my days doing what I love. Moreover, my son’s wedding went well (see picture) and I still have writer-hope; it’s small and fragile but, using the right lens I can see it sitting next to my laptop, its bright eyes shining.

 

My Writing Process – Caryl Hart

I’m a children’s author and, over the past ten years, have published over 45 picture books and young fiction titles with seven major publishers. Several have been shortlisted for awards and I’ve won a few too. I run creative literacy workshops for schools, libraries and festivals and run teacher training and mentoring services.

Find out more here: www.carylhart.com

What have you written?

I have 45 published titles to date and around 15 books in production.

Next year celebrates the tenth anniversary of my Albie series, illustrated by Ed Eaves (Simon & Schuster), which includes the best-selling How to Grow a Dinosaur and Supermarket Zoo. We are currently working on book 11!

I also have a series of five feisty princess books, the most recent is The Princess and the Shoe – a book about following your dreams and believing in yourself, illustrated by Sarah Warburton and published by Nosy Crow.

Then there’s the Knock Knock series of crazy counting book capers, illustrated by Nick East and published by Hodder. The fourth book, Knock Knock Superhero is out in August. 

And Let’s Go.. a preschool series of first experiences, illustrated by Laruen Tobia and published by Walker books.  

My book Big Box Little Box, illustrated by Edward Underwood was shortlisted for the Klaus Flugge design award and is the first in a new series with Bloomsbury.

These are just a few of my titles. You can see them all here: www.carylhart.com/books

I’m very excited about the publication of Together We Can, a book about friendship, illustrated by Ali Pye and published by Scholastic. It’s a rhyming picture book that talks about what a friend is, how to make friends and, most importantly, how to be a friend. It is also a book about diversity as it features over 150 characters including children with different skin tones, hair styles, clothing, interests, mobility and other aids, prosthetics and cognitive and other physical difference.

It follows on from the success of Girls Can Do Anything and has already received a lot of interest on social media.

A bit about your process of writing. 

Do you plan or just write?

Every book is different. Sometimes I create a proposal in which I outline my idea and write sample spreads, which I then submit to publishers.

Other times, I just start to write.  Sometimes I sketch out ideas too, it just depends on how my brain is working on a particular day!

What about word count?

This also depends on the book. The shortest book I have written is 50 words and the longest around 60,000. On the whole, picture books are around 600 -1000 words and titles aimed at preschoolers or babies are shorter.  I guess, as I’ve gained experience, I have developed a feel for how many words work on a double page spread.  

There’s always a lot of editing, both for the first draft and at various other stages during production.  For example, once the illustrator has created rough drawings, my editor and myself will work together to cut out unnecessary words, or re-write lines, so a text will often get sparer with each iteration until the final book is produced.

What about structure?

Once I’m ready to being writing, I lay my text out in spreads. A typical picture book has 12 -14 spreads so I just put the spread number as a subheading on my page and write the text to fit.  I find this helps me to evaluate word count and also to make sure that every page turn gives the reader something new and exciting to experience. 

What do you find hard about writing?

Getting the time to actually sit down and put words on a page can be hard. Working from home and being a mother and wife have their own distractions, but I also do a lot of school visits and workshops, so spend quite a lot of time planning timetables and creating activities to go with my books.  You can see some of these here: www.carylhart.com/about/book-activities

As a freelancer, I’m happiest when I’m busy and have several new projects on the horizon. There are times when I do worry that the next contract might never come, but have learned to push those worries to the back of my mind and trust that either I’ll come up with something, or a publisher will commission a new project. In reality I’ve never had a period when I’ve been without work, perhaps because I’m quite well disciplined and very self-motivated.

What do you love about writing? 

I love losing myself in a story and the discipline of writing, especially writing in rhyme. It’s very challenging creating a multi-layered story with appealing characters, a satisfying arc and clear meaning and also making the rhythm consistent and the rhyme solid.  It can take a day or more to write a four line verse so it can be very slow-going, but I get great satisfaction when I finally crack it. 

I also love getting the rough illustrations through as this is the point at which my stories really start coming to life. I’m so lucky to be working with lots of super-talented super-lovely illustrators who really do an amazing job, so it’s great seeing the books going from lines of text in a word document to bright, colourful, engaging  books that are just gorgeous to look at and handle.   You can meet all the illustrators I work with here: www.carylhart.com/about/illustrators

Advice for other writers. 

Writing for pleasure is a wonderful thing to do. It helps you, and others, work out how you feel and what your views and opinions, hopes and dreams are.  Writing can help you manage stress and take you to places you never thought you could go. Sharing your writing with friends, family or people online is a great way to feel validated, loved and appreciated.  There are now so many platforms out there where writers can share their work – social media, performance, blogs to name but a few. So if you love to write, WRITE!

If you’re hoping to get your work formally published as a printed book, set your bar high.  Remember that your work is competing for contracts with authors who already have a track record and relationship with their publisher, so your work really does need to shine.  

Publishers have to make money to survive and the industry is very competitive so your work needs to be commercial. That means that you have to take on board what editors and designers ask in terms of developing your texts. Publishing books is a team effort and if you are unable to stomach criticism then consider other platforms where you have total control over what gets published.

If you are writing in rhyme, make sure your rhythm is tight and your rhymes feel natural. Half rhymes work okay in song lyrics but aren’t ideal for children’s books.

If you are hoping to publish a picture book, go it alone. If you illustrate too, then by all means send some sample illustrations but don’t do the whole book unless you’re very experienced. Publishers will have their own ideas on how they want your text to be illustrated by, and rarely sign books that are submitted by a ready-made duo.

The more you write, the better you will become, especially if you are able to take on feedback from professionals in the industry.  Just because your mum or your children like your book idea, it doesn’t mean its commercially viable.  So if you get the chance to speak to someone with experience in publishing, do try to act on their advice – it’ll save you a lot of time and effort in the long run.

Above all else, write. Just write. And then write some more. You never know where it might take you!

My Writing Process – Helen Baggott

Helen Baggott is the latest author in the series How I Write, which gives readers, and other writers, an insight into the minds of writers. Not only how they think, but how they work. 

Helen Baggott

 

I grew up in Swanage and although I no longer live in the seaside town, home is still in Dorset. For as long as I can remember, I have always loved history and writing. Before I reached my teens, I recall creating my own magazine – and making my family read it. I even tried charging them to advertise!

I’ve always enjoyed writing both fiction and non-fiction. Despite having some success with short stories, I’m now focussing on non-fiction. I have written articles for local magazines and papers, and now my own book.

Posted in the Past was published in June and it’s the culmination of a project that was as much about research as writing. Through genealogy, I’ve researched the people who sent and received postcards more than a hundred years ago. The cards open the door to our pasts, but what was so surprising were the links I found to events of national and international importance. A housemaid who worked for Edward VII’s doctor was particularly exciting, not to mention discovering Arnold Schwarzenegger was linked to a postcard sent before the First World War.

What is your process of writing. 

Unless I’m in the right frame of mind – something that even I can’t describe fully – a blank page will remain blank. I possibly work best when a deadline looms.

Do you plan or just write?

When I was writing fiction I found that I would sift a story through my mind for days, if not longer, and then type it out. That first draft seemed to always work fairly well – although if you include those sifting stages, it was possibly version 20 that found its way onto paper.

What about word count?

With Posted in the Past I made a conscious decision to simply write each postcard’s story. The length was irrelevant – it was the story that mattered. I didn’t want to pad any of them – sometimes the shorter stories are just as interesting as the longer ones.

How do you do your structure?

I ask myself the questions that a reader might and I answer them on the page. A loose end is a distraction and tying everything together forms that structure.

What do you find hard about writing?

When the mood’s right, the planets are aligned, and I have the perfect cup of coffee, nothing is hard. Without the ideas, writing isn’t hard, it’s impossible.

What do you love about writing? 

Irrespective of whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, I love the escapism, living in another world and time.

Advice for other writers.

Have faith and confidence – to not write when you feel you should is the only time you will fail.

 

Posted in the Past is available on Amazon

www.helenbaggott.co.uk

www.stourcastle.co.uk

@SelfPubSupport

@PostedInThePast

SISTER SCRIBES GUEST: ALEXANDRA WALSH ON HER WONDERFUL FRIENDS

I’ve come to know Alexandra because we’re both signed to Sapere Books and when she told me how much her wonderful friends had helped her on her journey to publication I just had to ask her to write about it. It’s a proper Sister Scribe story.

 

“I’ll be there for you…” sang The Rembrants in the 1990s on the US sitcom, Friends. It was a great concept because friends are universal and I am very lucky to have some wonderful friends.

In June, Sapere Books, published my second novel The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy. It is part two of The Marquess House Trilogy and it is dedicated to four friends: Jo, Deborah, Gemma and Dawn. This particular four have been my lifeline while I have been writing this series. Their support has been invaluable but what they do not know is that it is their friendships that have formed the inspiration for the relationships in my historical novels.

During my research, one of my enduring irritations was the isolation in which historical women are portrayed. They are usually placed with people who are instrumental in their downfall. Yet, I find it hard to believe that women in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries did not turn to each other as women do today.

In my first book, The Catherine Howard Conspiracy, the fifth bride of Henry VIII is my historical protagonist. The only women ever linked to Catherine are those who betrayed her. I created a group of close friends around the young queen, all of whom were real historical figures who had been part of her court. The core of their banter and support was inspired by Deborah, Gemma, Dawn and Jo.

The second book, The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy, has Elizabeth I as the driving force. She is often presented as being at odds with the women in her court. There probably were personality clashes but it seems unlikely that she  loathed her ladies-in-waiting as is often suggested. I re-imagined her friendships, particularly those with her Boleyn cousins who were with her throughout her reign, again based on the strength and support provided by my friends.

All four, I met at work: Jo and I became friends on the launch of the women’s magazine Now; Gemma and I met at more!, while Deborah, Dawn and I worked together on Chat and Pick Me Up!.

Each of them is wonderful and they all helped me to get through the many years of sitting alone, writing. First with endless encouragement, then in indignation on my behalf as my books were rejected, before the day I finally had a publishing deal. Cards, flowers and champagne arrived the following day!

Deborah, Gemma and I email each other nonsense most days. Dawn and I have long rambling conversations when she drags me back me from the brink of “I’m-so-rubbish-it’ll-be-a-massive-failure”. Jo and I have so many years history, we can ring each other and rant without even saying hello, while we calm each other down.

So, yes, I’ll be there for them, as they’re there for me and I hope hundreds of years ago, the women I write about were there for each other, too.

And, to all my other friends, I love you too. You bunch of awesome, incredible, wonderful, insane women. You make my life a brighter place!

 

Alexandra Walsh is the author of The Catherine Howard Conspiracy and The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy, published by Sapere Books. Alexandra was a journalist for over 25 years writing for a variety of publications including Cosmopolitan, Chat, more!, Now, Shine, The Daily Mirror, The Sunday Times, loaded and Goal. History is her passion and she loves exploring a good ruin or museum. She usually has her nose in a book but, if you can distract her, she does make a mean curry.

SISTER SCRIBES GUEST: ALISON KNIGHT & JENNY KANE ON CREATIVE CONFIDENCE

I’m so pleased to be able to welcome two fabulous writers to Frost today.  Alison and Jenny have come on to tell us all about their latest venture  Imagine, a creative writing business that encourages new writers to have confidence in their work. With a huge (and I mean huge) breadth of experience and wisdom, they are two of the nicest women you could ever hope to meet. 

 

Writing is a solitary occupation so it’s good to have a permanent cheerleader to help you through the bad days and celebrate the good days (and friends and relatives don’t count because they tell you what you want to hear). We’re really lucky because when we met at a Romantic Novelists’ Association meeting, we hit it off immediately and have since become business partners.

Imagine Creative Writing Workshops was born amid much laughter and copious quantities of mint tea and black coffee. For the past two years we’ve been teaching courses and workshops in Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Wales and London and have gathered together over one hundred regular students aged from six to one hundred and four!

Our aim is not just to teach people to write but to give them the confidence to write. So many talented people don’t follow their dream of being a writer just because they lack confidence. For us, there’s a certain magical quality in seeing our students develop their skills and produce work they can be proud of. It’s a privilege to be able to watch new writers go from their first writing exercise to completing the first draft of their novel.

The highlight of our year is our residential writing retreat every October at the splendid Northmoor House, a Victorian manor with lots of original features on the edge of Exmoor. There, everyone has the time and space to write with our support and the camaraderie of other writers as well as excellent food and visiting guest speakers.

Between the two of us we write nine different genres, including historical crime, contemporary fiction, YA adventures, family drama and romance. To avoid confusion (or is it to confuse ourselves?) we use five different pen names! We like to think that our broad range helps us to help our students.

When it comes to our own writing it’s nice to be able to depend upon each other for honest opinions, beta reading, and a firm kick up the backside as and when is necessary. We haven’t come to blows yet and are looking forward to the continuing Imagine adventure.

 

Alison’s Bio

I’ve always enjoyed writing and in my forties decided I wanted to learn more about the craft. I studied at Bath Spa University and Oxford Brookes University, achieving a first class degree and an MA in Creative Writing. I’ve been teaching for four years now and have had three books published – two contemporary romances and a YA time-travel adventure. I’ve two further books completed – a second YA book and a family drama set in 1960s London – and I’m currently working on more contemporary romances. I also work as a freelance editor. I live in Somerset, within sight of Glastonbury Tor.

Jenny’s Bio
Lucky enough to be a Costa writer in residence, I spend my days in Devon within easy reach of coffee, writing contemporary fiction, romance, and children’s picture books. I also write medieval mystery novels and audio scripts for ITV as Jennifer Ash. Occasionally I masquerade as award winning erotica writer, Kay Jaybee. Over the past 14 years I’ve accumulated over 200 publications, including 21 novels. I’m published by Accent Press, LittwitzPress, Mammoth, Penguin, and Spiteful Puppet.

Imagine: www.imaginecreativewriting.co.uk