Category Archives: Writing

My Writing Process – Juliette Forrest

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My writing journey began quite late. After I left school, I moved to London and worked as an art director in advertising. It was years later, during an evening class at Glasgow School of Art, that it finally dawned on me I was awful at life drawing. So, I gave it up to attended my first writing class on a Saturday morning at Glasgow University. I wrote a piece for the group and the teacher suggested I could have the beginnings of a children’s book. I thought he was bonkers – but decided to give it a go. When I won a New Writers Award from Scottish Book Trust in 2014, everything changed. They gave me a bursary, a mentor, time away at a retreat, social media training and voice coach sessions. It was their belief in me that spurred me on to finish my first book, Twister, which was published by Scholastic in February 2018. It was a Sunday Times Book of the Week, The Guardian’s ‘must-read’ kid’s book of the summer and won the Calderdale Book of the Year Award 2019. I’ve just finished as Writer in Residence at All Saints Primary in Greenock and my second novel The True Colours of Coral Glen launches on July 4th.

What is your process?

I tend to work quite early in the morning because there are fewer distractions. I think one of the most positive influences on my writing process is my dog. He won’t let me sit at my laptop for too long and walking him gives me the space to work out plot or dialogue. Plus, I meet colourful characters in the park, who always make their way into my novels.

Do you plan or just write?

I use my synopsis as a guide and think carefully about what needs to happen to drive the story forward. I let it rattle around inside my head for a while, so I can tinker around with it and explore different options. It helps for me to imagine the story as a film playing out – so I tend to visualise each chapter before I begin writing.

What about word count?

Some days, I don’t seem to be able to write much at all, and others, I can whizz through entire chapters. I don’t adhere to a strict daily word count for this reason. If it’s not happening, I never berate myself, but turn my attention elsewhere for a while. There is always something to be getting on with like research or answering children’s letters.

What do you find hard about writing?

I’m often convinced I’ve got a great plot idea and I’ll spend ages working on it, only to discover at the very last minute that it’s flawed. I find this frustrating – like it is precious time wasted. However, I do believe it’s good to go down the wrong path because when you eventually hit the right one, you feel confident the story is the very best it can be.

What do you love about writing?

I absolutely love creating characters. There is one I’m working on for my next book who is going to be so much fun to spend time with. It’s brilliant when a character comes alive and tells you what is going to happen next. If you’re surprised, you can be sure the reader will be too. The next best thing about being a children’s author is chatting with the kids at events. It makes all the blood, sweat and tears worth it.

Advice for other writers?

I think it’s important you always celebrate when good things happen with your writing because any achievement in this industry is huge. And I firmly believe there is no genius except for the genius of hard work.

 

Published on 4th July.

 

My Writing Process | Holly Wainwright

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I’m Holly Wainwright and I’m a writer and a journalist, editor and a podcaster – all the things.

Most recently and significantly, I have written two novels – The Mummy Bloggers and How To Be Perfect, about women who write on the Internet and whose online personas don’t much match the chaos and artifice of their real lives. The books are really all about the lengths people will go to for Likes.

Latest Book.

The Mummy Bloggers. It was my first book, it’s just come out in the UK via Legend Press and I’m very proud of it.

A bit about your process of writing.

I find I have to treat writing a book in the same way I treat a job – I sit down every day with a number of words in mind and I just do it, even if I don’t love the words. The idea is that I can fix that later. Some days the discipline works, others not so much!

I also mostly write sitting on my bed, in silence. Other than when my kids come and ask, ‘What you doing?” and proceed to make a mess of everything.

Do you plan or just write?

A bit of both. Our bedroom wall at home is covered in Post-It notes, which is how I plot out a book with the characters and then, Chapter by Chapter. Post-its are great because you can move them around, but I do find myself procrastinating by obsessing about colour and placement!

But once all the Post-Its are up, often the conclusion of plot-points come to me as I’m writing. That’s the best kind of day, when problems are just solving themselves on the page.

What about word count?

I would often give myself a daily word-count. I wouldn’t get to it every day, but I’d aim for most. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the feeling of hitting the word count on my first book, I was so bloody proud.

How do you do your structure?

See aforementioned Post-It note wall – very high-tech.

What do you find hard about writing?

The constant self-doubt. And the amount of tea I drink while I’m doing it…. lots of toilet breaks.

What do you love about writing? 

Everything else. On a good day, when it’s working, there’s nothing that makes me happier, puts me in a better mood and feels more like the thing I should be doing with my time. Creating people and worlds is the best job in the world.

Advice for other writers. 

Don’t assume it’s easy for everyone else and you must just be the untalented one. Writing is difficult for everyone who does it well.

That, and to lay off the cups of tea a bit.

Holly is the author of The Mummy Bloggers (Legend Press, out now) and How to be Perfect (out 1st November)

Our social media is:

Legend Press @legend_press on Twitter, @legendpress on Instagram
Holly is @hollycwain  on Twitter and @wainwrightholly on Instagram

 

My Writing Process | Deborah O’Donoghue

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sea of bones author , Deborah O’Donoghue,How I write.

I tend to be inspired by theme and place, and then characters and situations start to come to me. I write scene by scene, then I go back, layering in descriptions and character information.

A bit about you. 

I live in Brussels at the moment, which is a fantastic city, really international. I grew up on the south coast of the UK and always wanted to write and tell stories. I was very into theatre and acting as well, but I soon realised you had more creative control if you were writing. My parents encouraged both my sister and I along these lines; there were always books in the house, Dad would make up silly rhymes at the dinner table, and Mum spent hours typing up my stories before I learned to do it myself.

What you have written, past and present.

I wrote lots of stories at school and had great teachers who were kind enough to put them into the school library! Aged eleven, I sent a manuscript to Faber and Faber. It was about a gang of kids and a brother in the army and something to do with the Ministry of Defence, so I guess thrillers are in my DNA! A kind editor at Faber wrote me a letter with some excellent tips!

At university I adapted a short story by Muriel Spark into a play and took it to the Edinburgh Festival. I had a brief exchange with the Dame herself, to get permission. I contacted her through her agent and she lived in a farmhouse in Tuscany which seemed enchanting to someone who’d grown up on a British housing estate. It was really exciting and inspiring!

I went into teaching, which I loved, but it was so all-encompassing I only really had time to write short stories. So that’s what I did. I was shortlisted in a Commonwealth Broadcasting competition for a flash fiction piece.

In 2015, I left my job and moved to Brussels to be with my partner. I decided it was time to put my money where my mouth was and sit down and write a novel.

What you are promoting now. 

Sea of Bones – my debut novel. It’s out on 1 July 2019. It’s a psychological thriller with a political backdrop and a strong female protagonist, set in Scotland as well as taking in London, Manchester, Liverpool, and Wales! I’m really lucky it found such a good home with Legend Press, and now I’m working several ideas for a follow up. I’ve a sequel in mind, but also two other thrillers – one set between the UK and Spain, and one about the entertainment industry.

What is your process of writing?

I try to write every day, for three or four hours at least. I do some exercise in the morning, then I usually go out to write because if I’m at home I get distracted by chores. There’s a wonderful café near me overlooking some lakes and I go there and they are very kind to me. It’s lively, which I like – a bit of stimulation. I tend to edit as I go, which many people say is bad practice, but my inner critic is too loud for me to ignore.

When I started, I put out a call to published friends to see if any would be prepared to have coffee occasionally and share their wisdom. I was amazingly fortunate that Rosie Walsh responded and ever since we have sent each other writing regularly, encouraged each other and helped solve each other’s plot issues. It’s easier solving someone else’s problems than your own!

Do you plan or just write?

I do plan. I spend enough time looking at a screen, so I have a physical whiteboard, covered in post-its of different colours for different plot elements, with scribblings and ideas for scenes. But the plan changes as I write. As you get to know the characters in situ, you realise you need to add scenes in, move things around and so on.

What about word count?

I try not to worry about word count although when you’re up against a deadline you do have to take that seriously. It obviously feels good when you’ve written a decent amount in a day, but so much of the work of writing is research and thinking that being obsessed by word count can be counter-productive.

How do you do your structure?

I’m interested in the theory of writing and I like form to reflect content. I compare what I’m doing to things like Blake Snyder’s beat sheet. I’m also re-reading The Way of the Writer by Charles Johnson at the moment. But sometimes the theory can make you freeze up, if what you’re doing doesn’t seem to fit. It’s important to see how other writers do it and what they can get away with. That can free you back up again.

What do you find hard about writing?

I’d already had a career in education where there’s a clear pathway, so it’s quite disconcerting entering a new industry and feeling your way, understanding how it works. In teaching you get immediate feedback on what you’re doing, from classes as well as colleagues, so it’s quite a change learning to wait and be patient. What else? For me, it takes sustained periods of concentration and investment to really get going, so it’s hard chopping and changing and combining writing with other tasks, but that’s just life. Maintaining confidence in your vision and balancing that with listening to others’ views can be difficult too, but I’ve found I really enjoy picking my way through other’s opinions on what I’m doing, working out what I agree with and what don’t. It’s a great way to find your voice.

What do you love about writing? 

I love words. I love that you can create atmosphere with words and that they have a feel of their own. Zenith, peak, high point, summit – they have their own sound and shape and feel within a sentence. Plus, it’s wonderful doing a creative job, where I get to meet and talk to people and research and learn about all sorts of things. Being a teacher was very rewarding but it meant having my day divided into little blocks and not being allowed to leave the premises even for breaks or lunch, so it’s a complete privilege managing my own time.

Advice for other writers. 

There’s the all-important one, which is . . . write! But also read of course. More practically, if you want to be published it’s important to learn about the industry, network (which can be anathema I know, as many writers are quite solitary people!) and put your writing in front of others and hear what they say. Attending writers conferences and meeting agents and editors is a good way to do it because you can get lots of advice from different people all in one go.

 

Deborah’s debut novel Sea of Bones is out on 1st July.

My Writing Process | Rosanna Ley

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How I write.

A big question! To be brief… Once I have a detailed synopsis I tend to write each new scene longhand in a notebook and then edit it as I get it on to the computer. More edits follow and then I move on to the next scene. Once I get to the end of the book I’ll go back for more editing and consider if I’ve got the structure right. Final edits are about fine tuning and polishing.

I’ve written all my life and also done a lot of teaching of creative writing here and abroad with a particular interest in both novels and life-writing for therapeutic practice. I moved to West Dorset, my ‘soul-home’ seven years ago and find it inspirational and peaceful. I love travelling and my books are always based in foreign climes as well as either Dorset or Cornwall or occasionally somewhere else in the UK. I like to think of the books as mainly relationship driven – I’m very interested in people!

What you have written, past and present.

I’ve written 8 books for Quercus including The Villa and Bay of Secrets as well as numerous short stories and articles.

What you are promoting now. 

The Lemon Tree Hotel out in paperback 13th June 2019.

Do you plan or just write?

Plan. I do a lot of planning which gives me a good structure to come back to if I then decide to go off piste. Organic writing is lovely and spontaneous but it tends to require a lot of editing…

What about word count?

My books are between 115,000 and 130,000 words long and they always turn out that way…

How do you do your structure?

Before I begin, I think about timeline, viewpoint and narrative tension and decide on the main structure of the novel. I’ll change it if it doesn’t seem to be working. I don’t work to any kind of formula in terms of narrative arcs and points of tension – I don’t want my books to become formulaic and prefer to trust to my instincts.

What do you find hard about writing?

I may have lots of ideas but it’s often hard to form these into an outline that will give me a sufficiently strong story-line (or two) and which will work on all the levels I need it to work. Structural editing can also be very difficult and requires a lot of clear head-space!

It can be hard, working to a deadline and for all writers there is a lot of pressure and often anxiety to deal with. I also hate waiting to find out if readers like my book…

What do you love about writing? 

I love the feeling when I know I’ve written a good scene or even a good paragraph and I’m totally satisfied with it – there’s nothing like that feeling for me. I also love being able to go off in my imagination and take control of another world (control freak – haha). I love it when a character starts speaking to me in my head and I love the process of writing a first draft on a fresh page of my notebook whilst sitting on a warm beach somewhere. I love going to new or much-loved places and planning how to set a novel there. I love research but sometimes get too interested in it. I love it when the finished book is delivered and looks beautiful – but I’m already worrying about the next one and whether it is good enough! 

It turns out there’s a lot I love about writing, which explains a lot…

Advice for other writers.

Read a lot. Write about what you want to explore. Don’t start writing fiction until you hear the voices in your head. Plan or don’t plan – do whatever feels right. Listen to advice from people who know what they’re talking about. Don’t listen to advice. Don’t give up. Go for a walk or do the ironing if you get stuck. Enjoy. (Turns out there are a lot of contradictions in writing advice too)

 

The Lemon Tree Hotel by Rosanna Ley will be published by Quercus in paperback on 13th June, £7.99

My Writing Process – Jane Cable

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Jane Cable , writerAs well as being contributing editor to Frost, I write romance with a twist. My first two novels were published independently but now I’m signed by Sapere Books.


My books are relationship driven, because how people fall in love, mess it up, or get it right, fascinates me. But there always has to be something else. My stories are contemporary but the strapline on my promotional material is ‘the past is never dead’ and for very good reason.


My first book with Sapere, Another You, is published on 27th June. It’s a story of family life which draws on the horrors of combat, both in modern times and World War 2 as Marie fights to reclaim her identity outside her marriage and discover what really matters to her.

A bit about your process of writing.
I am at my best first thing in the morning, so that’s when I tend to write if I’m working on new material. I creep out of bed, make a coffee and settle down at my laptop to work up the ideas I’ve been thinking about. I’ll keep writing until I either run out of story or emotional energy, then have a shower and get on with the rest of my day.

Do you plan or just write?
I used to just write, but now I’m working with a publisher I have to plan. It’s more time efficient too, saving endless rewrites. I still need to give my characters room for manoeuvre though, because inevitably they will shape the story more and more as it progresses.

What about word count?
I don’t stress about word count as long as I feel I’m making progress. Every day my Sister Scribe Kitty Wilson and I check in with each other to make sure we’re sticking to our writing goals.

How do you do your structure?

I used to write first then overlay character and story arcs to make sure they made sense. It always surprised me when they did, but Frost’s wonderful editor Margaret Graham says that the rhythm of story-telling is innate in those who have read since childhood. However these days I have a more, well, structured approach after Cornish writer friend Liz Fenwick introduced me to Blake Snyder’s Save The Cat. The approach comes from screenwriting but works for novels too, splitting the story into ‘beats’. I find it really helps me to focus.

What do you find hard about writing?
Getting published! Most of my books have a slightly ghostly element (or at least, could be read that way) and in the past that has made publishers run a mile. At Sapere they understand that if told in the right way, readers love the world of consciousness beyond matter – even in a genre like romance.

What do you love about writing?
I think what I love most of all is being read. It’s being able to create characters and craft their stories in a way readers relate to. One of my proudest moments was when a woman approached me to tell me that The Cheesemaker’s House had got her reading again after her husband’s death.

Advice for other writers. 

The more you write, the better you get at it, so never, ever, be tempted to publish an early draft. Polish it, craft it – work with an editor if you can afford to, but never let a book see the light of day until it’s as good as it possibly can be.

 

SISTER SCRIBES GUEST: GABRIELLE MALCOLM ON THE MYTHS OF A WRITING LIFE

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I’m delighted to welcome author, Gaby Malcolm as our guest! She’s an inspiration to me, and here she’s sharing her thoughts on juggling being a writer with home life!

 

When I was asked if I would contribute a guest post I was very eager. When I thought about it for a bit I became less eager, and then plagued with doubts, and then I realised I was running out of time, and then I thought ‘commit something to paper, Gaby, get on with it,’ and then I put the kettle on, and then the cat distracted me, and then I woke up at four o’clock in the morning, and then there was a really interesting item on Woman’s Hour (Jenni Murray is SUCH a good interviewer!), and then …. and then ….

This will be a very skittish and disjointed piece, therefore. Forgive me.

See what I did there? Classic. I call it the ‘Visitor from Porlock’ effect. That’s when you explain how you would have done a lot more, only you were interrupted and you lost your flow, but it was going to be utterly brilliant. Thanks, Coleridge!

There is also the ‘Shakespeare In Love’ Syndrome. That’s when writers depict to the rest of the world how the work just flows from their pen as they sit in their little room, once inspiration strikes. That inspiration does not have to involve sex with Gwyneth Paltrow disguised as a boy. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it.

It’s great when writers portray their process as something strange, easy, or magical.

As a tutor of writing students one of my main jobs is to debunk all these myths about the process. Budding writers sometimes believe they have failed at it if they can’t create a perfect, clean manuscript with the first draft. They think they lack the skills to write if it doesn’t just flow out. LOL is all I have to add to that.

The day I knew I could be a writer was the day I found out I realised I loved re-writes and editing. It’s just the best. I love composition, but when I get to re-writing my brilliant prose, I am happier than a pig in poop! It took me a while. For years I had an academic teaching and writing career. I wrote my PhD thesis during that time and it was then I understood the sheer level of effort and time it took to produce 80-90,000 words. When it was all over, however, I missed it something terrible!

When my life changed, personally and professionally, and the time came to try and reinvent myself, writing was the logical choice. I set myself goals to establish a proper career plan. I aimed to get a full-length book published and find an agent within the first four years, that would see my littlest boy ready to go to school. However, I achieved it within the first two years. A book rapidly followed by representation.

So, I had to juggle and do as much as I could with the children in childcare or at school. That has shaped the kind of writer I have become, needs must. I hit the ground running by 9.15am, once I have the house to myself and work through until 3pm. In that way I have conquered any lack of confidence I had, and developed a ‘get it done’, finisher attitude. I have also grown a really thick skin! I ignore anything other than constructive criticism and have come to admire my own work. Hence, the ‘brilliant prose’ comment above. I like to read me.

 

Gabrielle Malcolm is a freelance writer and artist. She edited ‘Fan Phenomena: Jane Austen’ (Intellect Books), wrote three plays for Moon On A Stick children’s theatre company, and writes scripts for web series and short films for international clients. Her forthcoming non-fiction book, about Mr Darcy, is due for publication in December 2019 with Endeavour Quill.

 

 

My Writing Process – Valerie Holmes

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Valerie HolmesMy childhood memories of growing up in a North Yorkshire coastal town are vivid. The flat sandy bays, marram grass covered dunes, salt marshes, woodland and moors provided a natural playground. The Tees estuary to the north was industrialised, but the natural beauty of the sweeping bays and rugged headlands down to the ancient port of Whitby has a fascinating history. My mother had Multiple Sclerosis and died too young, so walking my dog and exploring the outdoors was important to me.

I love writing and am an experienced creative writing tutor independently and for The London School of Journalism and Writing Magazine. 

The Yorkshire Saga series, published by Sapere Books, is set in the region in early nineteenth century. I have had over 40 novellas published by F A Thorpe, both romance and mystery – historical and contemporary.

The third book in The Yorkshire Saga series ‘To Have and To Hold’ is published on 17th June, and the fourth ‘In Sickness and In Health’ has just been delivered to Sapere.

They are all set in or around the same fictitious villages of Gorebeck and Ebton nestled in the shadow of the headland of Stangcliffe (based on Saltburn and Huntcliffe). 

Set against social changes as a result of the wars with France: smuggling, espionage, press-gangs etc. I have been researching the era and the region for years.

A bit about your process of writing.  & What about word count?

 I write 1000-1500 words a day. The next day I will return to the work of the previous one and overwrite it, then add on the new words for that day, repeating the process until I have reached a satisfying ending and an acceptable total wordage.

Do you plan or just write?

Normally, I begin with a character, place and situation and then run with it. Once I have a few chapters drafted and the secondary characters have appeared on the page I plan what will happen: conflicts, subplots, character changes and the satisfying ultimate resolution of the core plot.

 

I like to explore the many facets of love from friendship, maternal/paternal to obsessive and manipulative, keeping the central theme as the spark that links two people together, drawing them into a relationship kindled by true love, regardless of social class.

 

Love bonds people together. Laws can dictate the controls within a culture which restricts or allows certain behaviour, but, I believe, most people want to have that special person in their life to love and be loved. I want the reader to be left feeling satisfied and positive about the future.

 

How do you do your structure?

 

I like to build up to a mid section that has a lot of things going on and kicks off new problems to drive the plot through to the end.

 

What do you find hard about writing?

 

After I have edited two drafts and left the project alone for a couple of weeks, even returning afresh to it, I am so close to the story that it is difficult to see what should be cut out or left in – that is why a good editor is so important to the finished book.

 

What do you love about writing? 

 

I love the adventure – I love creating the characters and setting them off to face a series of challenges and then figuring out what will stand in their way and how they will ultimately achieve their goal.

 

Advice for other writers

 

The publishing business is tough. It is a business and although we are creative we have to look at it like that. There are hours spent alone just writing. Love it. Love the whole process, embracing the challenge. The more you write, the better you become. Once published the challenges change. Be dedicated and determined and take on board constructive advice.

Most importantly enjoy every minute. 

 

SISTER SCRIBES: SUSANNA BAVIN ON INSPIRATION

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It’s best if I come straight out with it.

I’m a thief.

Don’t be shocked. It’s because I used to be a teacher. I can’t speak for secondary school teachers, but, as a former infant teacher, I can assure you that in primary schools, the staff are a bunch of thieves.

You see a display in another classroom –  in a library – in a gallery – a shop – on Pinterest – anywhere at all – and your first thought is: I could adapt that idea.…

You see another teacher’s lesson and you think: I never thought of doing it that way. I’ll have a go at that. You open birthday and Christmas cards, thinking: Could 6-year-olds make this?

So, yes, I’ve been pinching ideas for years. I’m no longer a teacher, but I haven’t lost the habit. I’m still on the look-out for good ideas, as all writers are.

And they can pop up in the oddest places. Listening to This Morning on Radio 4 last autumn, I heard a piece about the criminal activity of “crossing county lines,” which inspired a plot-thread in a novel set in 1922. Likewise, an unexpected clause in a family will some years ago was adapted to pile all kinds of difficulties onto Greg Rawley’s financial problems in The Poor Relation.

The thing about writers gathering ideas is that you have no control over what will spark off an idea or how that idea will grow. Readers often ask, “Where do you get your ideas from?” I know that some writers have a jokey answer about buying ideas in the corner shop; but the real answer is that they come from all over the place – an overheard snippet of conversation, a photograph, something on the news, something that happens to you or a friend…. But what isn’t generally understood is that the idea is just a spark, not a whole book. You don’t lift your entire plot from real life. A single idea, or a couple of ideas, can be all it takes to make the plot grow. And the final plot will very probably bear no resemblance whatsoever to the original spark.

Take The Sewing Room Girl. As I said, I used to be a primary school teacher. The most important job done by any school is safeguarding the children in its care. To this end, teachers undergo regular training sessions to help them understand what they need to be aware of.

Ten years ago, my school gave a training day to safeguarding. Sad to say, much of the training on these occasions is based around discussing real cases. On this training day, an example was given of the way in which a particular adult had kept control of a vulnerable child. Let’s just say that a certain piece of household technology was used as a means of keeping the child in a state of fear.

Out of that single idea came Juliet’s story in The Sewing Room Girl. I should like to make it clear that the household object in the real example did not exist in the 1890s, the time when the book is set. Neither did anything from the real-life case appear in any form whatsoever in the book. But hearing of that frankly appalling and distressing case sparked off the original idea, which over time grew into a complete novel.

Another feature of these ideas that spark off books is that they don’t always get used. The single spark that started me writing The Deserter’s Daughter was an idea for something that would happen in the plot. But no sooner had I created the Armstrongs’ antiques shop in the book than I realised I couldn’t possibly use the original plot-point because the shop was just too posh!

But that’s the other thing about writers’ ideas. Nothing is ever wasted. You will be able to read that particular plot-point in a book that will be published next year….