Tag Archives: tips

My Writing Process – Dr Kathleen Thompson

Posted on by

I suppose I’m an unusual writer. I write lots of factual stuff for my day job – I’m a doctor and test new medicines to check they work and are safe. However I am also enjoying writing an Italian novel currently. I’m familiar with the Italian way of life, psyche and language and it’s fun to create an insight into the truth behind la vita bella d’Italia for the reader. 

My first book was a self-help guide for breast cancer – From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer—by a doctor who knows which won two book awards –the Words For The Wounded Book Award 2016 and the Janey Loves (Radio 2’s Janey Lee Grace) 2017 Platinum Award. When I had breast cancer myself, even I found the hospital experience confusing and frightening. How much harder for people without a medical background? So I wanted to provide the knowledge people needed, quickly but easily – people with cancer are in a state of shock and it’s hard to absorb things. I wrote the guide using my personal experience, whilst drip-feeding what people needed to know. You can read my book from start to finish, or dip into chapters – each one deals with a specific aspect of your cancer journey, and finishes with a summary and further information. Because of my background, I’m passionate about debunking internet medical ‘facts’. There is good information out there, but also much which is misleading or dangerous. I share simple rules for assessing the quality of the information in my book, and also summarise how to reduce cancer risks through life-style. 

Since then I’ve written articles for Frost Magazine, and Huffington Post. I love demystifying medical issues for people – it shouldn’t be complicated.

So how do I write? My biggest challenge is expressing emotion. As a scientific writer I’m used to stating facts, there’s no place for feelings in a scientific report. But people kept asking me what having breast cancer was like. So I had to take a deep breath and really describe my feelings. I’m getting better, but I still find it hard to let go and show my vulnerability. 

My breast cancer guide pretty much wrote itself. Odd things happened during the course of my cancer – unpleasant for me, but perfect material for a book – such as when my operation was nearly cancelled literally at the final hour, and when a doctor tried to give me radiotherapy to the wrong area – it was as though a writer in the sky were choreographing my life to make a perfect story. For novels, I try to write a plan first. I detail the synopsis, the characters and the chapters. 

I like to write concisely – and prune my work repeatedly. This lends itself to online journalism, like Frost Magazine, as people can see the whole article on a smartphone page. 

If you’re inspired to start writing, you should find a good creative writing course, run by an experienced published author. I learned so much about writing technique from my mentor, the best-selling author Margaret Graham. Join a writing group and share your work with your peers – you’ll get essential feedback. Writing a book takes longer than you think. Until you’re very experienced you’ll need to rewrite until it works. But if you enjoy it – keep going, it’s a lot of fun.

 

My Writing Process – Tora Williams

Posted on by

A bit about you. 

I’m one of those people who was always wanting to write a book, but could never find the time to write. Not that I wrote nothing at all—I used to write fan fiction and short stories purely for my own entertainment—but I never quite believed that anyone else would be interested in reading anything I might write. Then about ten years ago I signed up for an Open University course on writing fiction and was encouraged by the feedback I got. Suddenly writing a novel didn’t seem such an impossible task, and I started writing seriously. Much to my parents’ horror, I resigned from my job and set up as a maths tutor and freelance proofreader to give myself more time to write.

What you have written, past and present.

I write historical romance, set in medieval Wales and the Welsh Marches. My debut novel, Bound to Her Blood Enemy, was published by The Wild Rose Press last year. They’ve now published two more of my books, the latest one being His Clandestine Bride, published in March. I’m currently editing a fourth medieval romance with others at various stages of completion.

A bit about your process of writing. 

I try to get up early and write between about 5 and 7am. I then get on with my day job until mid-afternoon, then return to writing. If I don’t write first thing in the morning, I find it really difficult to write later in the day, so I have to be strict.

Do you plan or just write?

A bit of both. Before starting a new story, I plan the hero and heroine’s characters and have a rough idea of where the plot is going, but after that I write as the story comes to me.

What about word count?

I try to write 1000 words a day. If I can get down 500 words in the morning, writing another 500 later on never seems like too terrible a task.

How do you do your structure?

I don’t consciously follow a structure when writing the first draft, but when editing I always find the story falls roughly into a 3-act structure and I edit to firm up that structure.

What do you find hard about writing?

Every day it’s a struggle to force myself to silence the inner voice telling me the story is rubbish and no one will want to read it. Once I get going that voice goes away, but dragging myself out of bed every morning to turn on my computer is never easy. 

What do you love about writing? 

I love dreaming up the characters who inhabit my stories and get a real rush planning how they’re going to achieve their happy-ever-after. It’s the best job in the world. Who else can say they’re a professional daydreamer? 

Advice for other writers.

Take every opportunity to connect with other writers. Writing is a lonely business and rejections can be hard to handle. Meeting others going through the same experience can help you stay sane and provide the motivation and encouragement to keep going, especially when your family and friends think you’ve lost your mind!

 

My Writing Process – Helen J. Christmas

Posted on by

Helen J Christmas, authorI am a website designer and an author and have written a five-book mystery thriller series. 

When I was out and about one day, walking our dog along the beach, my imagination ran wild and I remember getting my first ideas for a story. It started with the characters but grew into a suspenseful saga that spanned four decades; this was my inspiration for ‘Same Face Different Place,’ a series I completed in 2017.

Writing is something I’ve always loved, but working full time, it was difficult to find enough hours to write a novel. Once I started however, I found myself waking up earlier (5-6am). So why was I lying there, restless, thinking about my book, when I could be up writing it? This became my prime time for getting the bulk of my story written.

I spent seven years writing my series and it wasn’t just the writing I loved but the planning, the research, the development of new characters and the way the storylines fused together. I always started out with an outline plot but the best ideas flowed when I was creating the scenes. At the time I wasn’t bothered about word count. I tended to include a lot of description and dialogue but this can be whittled down in the editing process to give a tighter novel. 

I derive a huge amount of pleasure from writing but the biggest reward is getting good reviews. No-one can describe the euphoria an author feels when they see a glowing testimonial from a reader. Just the thought that someone has enjoyed your book is a wonderful boost, something that really makes it worthwhile.

I confess to feeling an anti-climax when I reached the end of my series but fortunately, had an idea for a new book. After writing such a huge saga, I wanted to try writing smaller stories. Such was the thinking behind Rosebrook Chronicles, The Hidden Stories. This novel follows the lives of three lesser known characters, all of whom are abused as teenagers. It is the interlocking stories of these characters that drive the plot, a blend of social history and psychological suspense, told from the heart and quite different from my thriller series. It also provides a background.

Writing this, I also experimented with different writing styles, one being present tense, the other first person, which I really took to. So with all this experience under my belt, what would I advise other writers?

This year I started a standalone psychological thriller set in modern day Sussex. I found it a little difficult to get into though, with a whole new cast of characters. It helps to have an outline plot to base your story on, but the one thing that works is getting to know your characters. Try to imagine how they think. Plot their back story, consider their family and friends network, where they work, maybe even what music they like. I’m sure this why my series became so easy to write in the end, because the characters to me felt like real people.

I occasionally end up writing extracts based on one character or scene; something to focus on if the writing process becomes cumbersome. So don’t give up. 

Reading helps too. I like to lose myself in a good book as much as I like writing and with so many good psychological thrillers around, it is inspiration for the soul.

BIO: Helen lives in Sussex with her husband where they work from home in their idyllic 17th C cottage. They began their web design business in 1998 (still running) and other than writing, Helen loves walking, cooking and photography.

Books by Helen J Christmas: 

Beginnings

Visions

Pleasures

Retribution: Phase One

Retribution: End Game (series: Same Face Different Place)

Due to be published in July

Rosebrook Chronicles, The Hidden Stories.

 

My Writing Process | Holly Wainwright

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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 – Jane Cable

Posted on by

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.

 

My Writing Process – Valerie Holmes

Posted on by

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. 

 

My Writing Process – Caroline James

Posted on by

I am proud to have author Caroline James be the first writer to be part of our new series. How I Write gives readers, and other writers, an insight into the minds of writers. Not only how they think, but how they work. Enjoy. Catherine Balavage, Editor-in-Chief. 

I always wanted to write from a very early age, but never thought that I was good enough. A few weeks short of my sixteenth birthday, much to my parents’ horror, I left school, and also home, to work in Cornwall, doing anything from pot-washing to waitressing. In that time, I realised that I loved the hospitality industry and if I couldn’t write, I would work hard and one day have my own business. Fast forward several years and I achieved that dream. After catering college and working for a large hotel group in London and abroad, I eventually owned a pub and then a country house hotel. When I sold the hotel, I became an agent representing celebrity chefs. It was a fabulous career but still I wanted to write and decided that I wouldn’t die wondering and pinned my bum to a chair to write my first book.

Five books on and I am currently writing my sixth. The first was self-published and to my amazement, went to number three in women’s fiction on Amazon. My writing dream had come true. Two of my titles are current Amazon best-sellers and my dream of writing full-time has been achieved.

I am currently writing a follow-up to The Best Boomerville Hotel for my publisher, Ruby Fiction. I am a speaker too and give talks on various subjects including entertaining speeches for large events, such as a guest speaker on cruise ships and at various literature festivals. I write food related articles for various magazines and promote my work through social media and my website.

What is your process?

I like to write early in the morning before the rest of my world wakes up. I never find the process easy; I have to force myself each day, onto a chair and in front of my laptop. I’ve always found the writing process hard, but on occasion it has moments of relief when I simply can’t stop and may write solidly for several days. But that’s rare.

Do you plan or just write?

I always try to plan a novel before I begin the writing process, but the characters usually take over and want to do their own things. I think a framework is a good writing tool, so that there is a beginning, middle and end, however you get there.

What about word count?

Some days it may be 200 words others 3,000. It all depends on what writing demands I have. I may be writing an article or doing social media and blog posts for a client, so I have to fit novel writing in when I can.

What do you find hard about writing?

I find it hard to make myself get on with it. I envy the disciplined author who sets out a target each day and achieves it. I found it easier to write when I was working full-time running a business and had many other family demands. That old saying, ‘If you want something doing, ask a busy person,’ is certainly true for me. Since I decided to take a leap of faith and write full-time, I find it much more difficult to actually write a novel.

What do you love about writing? 

The freedom to write about anything at all. The freedom to express myself. The freedom to live my writing dream. I love to be able to empower other writers and, in any way, possible and pay it forward. I love that I am living my writing dream.

Advice for other writers.

Just get on with it. Don’t waste years wondering. Glue your rear to a chair and get going, write and write and write – no matter what. You will find your muse when you least expect it.

www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk      https://www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk

Twitter: @CarolineJames12   https://twitter.com/CarolineJames12

Facebook: Caroline James Author   https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolineJames/ 

Instagram: Caroline James Author