Tag Archives: writing

My Writing Process – Carol Thomas

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Carol thomas, writer, How I write,

I live on the south coast of England with my husband, four children and lively Labrador, Hubble (never give a dog a name that rhymes with trouble!). I taught in primary schools for over fifteen years, before dedicating more of my time to writing. 

In the summer of 2017, I was delighted to gain a publishing contract with Ruby Fiction, an imprint of Choc Lit, for my second novel, The Purrfect Pet Sitter. Currently out as an ebook, with paperback and audio editions due for release on August 6th, it is the story of what happens when you rediscover the one you let get away.

Prior to pitching The Purrfect Pet Sitter, I had self-published a contemporary romance novel, Crazy Over You, and a children’s book, Finding a Friend. Self-publishing taught me a great deal about the publishing process, building an author platform and promotion.

My latest novel, also published by Ruby Fiction, is Maybe Baby, a romantic comedy. It is the sequel to The Purrfect Pet Sitter, but can be read as a standalone story. Having recently completed a blog tour, I am delighted to have received reviews such as:

 “Incredibly entertaining, this book has everything, animals, humour, romance, an old flame and a pregnancy test!” 

It is always scary when you send a new book out into the world and so receiving lovely reviews really does mean a lot. 

My work in progress is a contemporary romance, unrelated to my previous books. I started it before the idea came to me for Maybe Baby, and I have to say returning to it and regaining the same focus, is proving difficult. Though as my husband likes to point out, actually writing instead of being on social media would help.

Self-discipline is not my strong point, but I am working on it and intend to prepare more of my social media posts up front. Having said that, I do think it is important to interact and be present too – with an allocated time limit, of course ;-)

My writing process varies depending on the story. For Maybe Baby, I had a spreadsheet for dates, and plotted precisely, because the story required it. Ordinarily, when I start work on a novel, I buy a new notebook (who doesn’t love a pretty new notebook?) that will eventually contain everything related to that story.

I then plan the outline, build character profiles, and commence research – which I know will continue as I write. Once my new notebook is armed with these essentials, I start writing on my laptop. As the characters develop and the story progresses, I am happy to be led in new and exciting directions.

I love it when the story is flowing, and I feel I can’t type fast enough to get it all down. Conversely, when the ideas are not coming, and the word count is hovering in one place for too long, it can be frustrating. At times like this, I endeavour to keep going and get something down. I can always edit it – once, twice, or twenty-seven times – later. I don’t generally have a set daily word limit I try to reach as I have a busy house and life, but if I am away to write, I set myself goals.

My advice to writers, including myself, would be focus on getting your book written, there are plenty of distractions, but the only thing that will make that word count grow is actually writing!

 

My Writing Process – Caroline James

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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

I am a Freelance Working Mother and This is What it is Like

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working mother, working, parent, freelance, parenting, writer, writing, Catherine BalavageHello there from the trenches of working motherhood. I am a freelance writer and editor with two children under three. Today I feel faintly refreshed after having a few hours sleep last night. I get asked a lot what it is like being a freelance writing mother so I want to take you through my week. I will also update you as time goes on. Welcome to my world.

Last week my son was ill and not in nursery. He goes to nursery part-time. Three hours five days a week. Thankfully it is a nursery in a state school so is free. Unlike his previous nursery which cost over £1600 a term. Anyway, back to the point. So my son was ill, my daughter had a little cold and the freelance Gods thought this would be a good time for me to get a lot of work. I find as a freelancer that I get a lot of work all at once, or barely any. I make more money at the beginning of the year than I do the end. So my son was ill, I had no childcare and the baby was not sleeping at night. Even more than usual. Now, she doesn’t sleep anyway. She is sixteen months old and has slept though the night once. So I am one tired mama. And as usual, everything was happening at once.

I got a lot of work, hundreds of emails to go through, this mag to run and a million other things to do. It is full on and stressful. I would not want it any other way but I would quite like a spa day. To top it off my husband went off to Scotland for two days on a work trip. I swear, I do not know how single mothers do it. Both children were up all night and I ended up shaking from head to toe in my bed from the exhaustion. I get people telling me to just take it easy when it comes to my work, or to quit. It infuriates me. No one tells me to not be up all night with the baby, or to not do domestic crap, but doing something for myself and continuing to work on my career? Yeah, let’s give up the thing that keeps me sane.

In December I passed a writing course I was doing. It was intense and stressful doing it while looking after two children but I now have the certificate. The sense of pride and accomplishment always makes it worthwhile. I love working. There are many benefits to work other than money. There is the social aspect, the accomplishment, the contribution to society and the world as a whole. Work is important so I will carry on. Even when it means keeping one eye on the children while working on my computer.

I wrote my first novel by putting my son in the pram and walking until he fell asleep. I would then write two thousand words. Every day. No excuses. It worked and that is the thing about being a freelance working mother. You find what works and then you do it. It leaves you with valuable skills. I would not give it up for anything. I hope you find some of the upcoming posts helpful. Feel free to comment and you can email me at frostmagazine at gmail.com

 

The Autistic Author: Debut Book by 16-Year-Old With ASD

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oliver storm, autism. autistic author, the autistic author, #theautisticauthor
Freddie Ellison is a 16-year-old North Londoner who, at the age of three, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). Freddie had problems with social interaction and communication, and a tendency to engage in repetitive behaviours, and from an early age he struggled in the education system. In March 2017, he was excluded from his school and he spent the following 18 months at home with no educational support, while his family fought legal proceedings to get him placed at an appropriate school. During this time he started writing, often several stories at once. He quickly moved into
a routine of picking up his briefcase and walking down to his local branch of Costa Coffee where he would pen his latest tale. SJH Publishing has committed to producing three books with Freddie, whose dream it is to one day write a bestseller that is turned into a movie.
Book synopsis
Oliver Storm and The Great Disappearance is the story of a teenage boy who, along with his sister and friends, tries to reverse the effects of an experiment that has made all the adults in the world vanish in the blink of an eye. Having been expelled from his latest school, Oliver is sent to Oakwood Academy where, in his first science lesson, the children watch a live TV broadcast. Seconds later, the world has changed and all the adults have disappeared without a trace. With gangs of children soon running wild, and looting and violence taking over the street, Oliver and his friends decide that they must find a way to bring the adults back. In a race against time, Team Storm struggle to reverse the experiment before it is too late.
#theautisticauthor

 

Read our exclusive interview below. 

You made the best out of a bad situation and are now a published novelist. Do you have any advice for others who want to follow in your footsteps?

Yes I have one, Go onto YouTube and find someone who gives tips on how to be an Author. And look up Heroes Journey. Search a lot on the internet for inspiration. If you find reading difficult then listen to an audio book or watch movies and find something you bond with.

 

What is the book about?

​A world without adults, Oliver Storm is the main character with some friends and they try to find a way to bring the adults back as there are lots of gangs in chaos.

 

How do you come up with your ideas?

​I took ideas from Pop culture, taking little bits. I learnt from J.K Rowling don’t be scared to write what you want to write about even if its a little gory. I like to use real life places and inspiration from TV and films. My favourite film is Dark Tower and my favourite tv programme is The Order. 

 

Do you have a daily word count?

I write when i imagine it and when i feel like it

 

What is next?

After the Oliver Storm books  are finished i want to write a ZAfrica trilogy. It will be about a fantasy land in Africa.

 

 

Amazon’s Kindle Storyteller Award celebrates independent writing talent with £20,000 prize

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An exciting new writing competition is here!

Kindle Storyteller Award returns to the UK for third year, recognising the best talent
in independent publishing

Amazon today announced that the Kindle Storyteller Award, recognising outstanding work by independent authors with a £20,000 cash prize, will return for its third year in 2019. The award is open to all authors who publish their book through Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon.co.uk from 1st May 2019 to 31st August 2019.

The prize will be awarded to the work that garners praise not just from the judging panel of book and publishing industry experts, but also from readers. The shortlist will be compiled on the basis of a number of factors, including reviews, sales and pages read in Kindle Unlimited.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London this Autumn, and awarded the cash prize of £20,000, a marketing campaign to support the book on Amazon.co.uk, and the opportunity to have their book translated for readers around the world.

The award has been won previously by contemporary fiction author Hannah Lynn and action thriller writer David Leadbeater. Since winning the Prize, Leadbeater has sold more than 165,000 books, and Lynn has gone on to publish three further novels.

Other Kindle Direct Publishing success stories include LJ Ross, who has had seven Kindle number one bestsellers and five books go to number one on pre-orders alone, and Rachel Abbott, who has sold over three million books to date.

Alessio Santarelli, Director, Kindle Content said: “Following the enthusiasm and huge number of entries in 2018, we are delighted to bring the Kindle Storyteller Award back for its third year. The encouragement and support of aspiring authors is an endeavour we continue to champion at Amazon. Publishing a book has never been easier and we are proud to provide a service that allows for a breadth of diverse stories to be told.”

Hannah Lynn, winner of the 2018 UK Kindle Storyteller Award said: “Hearing my name called out last October for The Afterlife of Walter Augustus was incredible. To receive such recognition for only my second book was such a fantastic confidence boost that has made me all the more determined to keep writing. I wish the best of luck to the 2019 entrants and urge any writers who are on the fence to enter – you never know what might happen!”

The Kindle Storyteller Award will be open to submissions of new books in the English language, published using Kindle Direct Publishing. Titles must be previously unpublished, with a minimum of 24 pages in paperback. Readers can access all titles entered into the prize in print or on the Kindle store on any device with the free Kindle app for iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, PC and Mac, and on Kindle e-readers and Fire Tablets.

The Kindle Storyteller Award 2019 opens for entries on 1st May 2019, and titles must be enrolled in KDP Select while they are in the competition. For further information, authors can visit www.amazon.co.uk/storyteller.

IT’S TIME TO START SHOWING THE SCI-FI GENRE SOME LOVE

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Science-fiction may be enjoying a meteoric sales boom but it’s still not receiving the acclaim it deserves, writes the British novelist Hannah De Giorgis.

By Hannah De Giorgis

When it comes to the perception of Science Fiction and Fantasy (SF&F) as a genre, there’s a tension between its commercial success and its critical reputation. This time last year, it was reported that combined print and digital book sales in SF&F genres had doubled since 2010.

Today, unit sales of self-published and Amazon-published titles represent almost 50% of all SF&F sales across print, digital and audio. Elsewhere, and especially on the Big Screen, the popularity of SF&F shows no sign of abating: movies including the Maze Runner: The Death Cure, Black Panther, Annihilation, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and Solo: A Star Wars Story grossed billions of dollars at the Box Office and outsold most other genres.

Given its commercial dominance and crossover potential, one might assume that SF&F would carry the same kudos as other acclaimed genres. And yet, when it comes to the “literary” world, it doesn’t.

Despite its importance in popular culture, SF&F is often overlooked and underappreciated critically. For instance, SF&F is rarely offered as a module in undergraduate literature degrees – and, when it is, the relevant lecturer laments that it is regarded as a “lesser” genre. Meanwhile, in literary circles, science-fiction and literary speculative fiction is routinely dismissed and overlooked for most (if not all) of the more prestigious literary prizes. Perhaps because a potential consequence of being regarded as more “mainstream” can automatically render a book as less “serious”.

However, such a dismissal is – I think – unfair. Not only does SF&F arguably require more imagination than most other genres, it also allows writers to really delve into the potential repercussions of technological advancement in modern society. In some cases, sci-fi novelists will possess a comprehensive understanding of the laws of physical sciences, and in others fantasy novelists might fabricate an entirely new world from scratch.

In the glamorous world of film, the problem is less acute; blockbusters like The Martian and Interstellar have and do attract acclaim. That acclaim, however, only goes so far. Interstellar, for instance, was nominated for Academy Awards in categories such as special effects but not for overall picture. The Martian, on the other hand, which of the two movies is more “realistic”, was nominated for Best Picture.

While it would be disingenuous to suggest that critical acclaim is only reserved for Hollywood, it is fair to state that SF&F receives more recognition in the world of film than in the world of literature – and that’s not simply a consequence of the asymmetry of the two industries. And, when I think about it, this shouldn’t be the case given the important role that SF&F has and continues to play in our lives. Sci-fi, in particular, has long been a reflection on society: it shines a spotlight on mankind’s lust for and dependency on emerging technologies, arguably in a manner that would not be nearly as effective if it were not in the sci-fi form. Indeed, SF&F authors have for decades paved the way for Hollywood by daring to explore the potential repercussions of a world that is increasingly advancing technologically. Moreover, the genre offers an imaginative scope that is, in effect, unlimited – as can be demonstrated by many sci-fi movies or fantasy series that immediately spring to mind.

All I can hope is that, little by little, the literary world might cease to look down on SF&F and come to eventually recognise it for the innovative, limitless, and – at times – genius genre that it is.

Threads in Time by Hannah De Giorgis is available from today on Amazon priced £3.49 in Kindle edition and £7.99 in paperback.

Kickstart your inner author: How to write a novel by next new year

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By Tobsha Learner

Many of us dream of putting pen to paper and writing our first novel – so how can we make 2019 the year we actually do it? We asked bestselling historical novelist Tobsha Learner for her top tips…

  1. Study the masters: Before you begin writing, choose your favourite example of the genre you want to write and study it. Observe how the plot unwinds throughout the book. Make a graph noting how the subplots feed into the theme of the book and how they all build to the climax and conclusion. Look at how conflicts between characters and the obstacles they have to overcome creates tension. Note how specific characteristics make a protagonist believable… 
  2. Think about tenses and what they do psychologically to the reader before you begin writing: For example 1st person/present places them in the skin of your protagonist and moves them through the landscape right in the moment, the down side is that the description of other characters will always be through the protagonist’s eyes unless you jump tenses. Again look at your favourite books and note how the author is using tenses for different effects…
  3. Do your research – become a razor-sharp observer: For characterisation, interview and record for dialogue and specific characteristics (with permission of course). Get into the habit of eavesdropping and making notes, snippets of dialogue, psychological quirks etc. This will inspire and help build realistic and empathetic characters. For location, visit if possible, take photos, record sound, smell, and architecture. Everything to help create visceral landscape the reader can almost touch. If visiting a location is not possible, go on-line and collect images. On action/careers of characters – search out experts in that particular field and interview them. You’d be surprised how many will agree (with a promised thank you or reference at the back of the book). Just make sure you’re respectful and make it clear it’s for general atmosphere and not to use verbatim… 
  4. When you’re ready to start writing make your desk or writing place a sanctuary me-space. Make it somewhere you will end up yearning to sit and write at – define it with scented candles, fresh flowers, crystals…whatever triggers your creativity. Think about the colours and light around you that will help concentration – you don’t need a view, the view will be the world you’re creating on the page.
  5. Keep a notebook or recording device by your bed, office desk and in your handbag. Start collecting those amazing revelations or sentences that come to you first thing in the morning, in the middle of the night, a little drunk after a bad blind date…whenever it is, catch and immortalise that thought/phrase/idea. Inspiration strikes at the weirdest times, be prepared and get into the habit of collecting ideas, great phrases or snippets of dialogue you’ve overheard. You might not yet realise how you will use them in the future but a good part of writing is observation and you can do this anywhere.
  6. Be prepared to write many drafts: To over-write is better than under-writing. This allows you more choice as you hone down your narrative. Take time out between each draft to get a ‘clear eye’ on each re-write – this will give you more objectivity. I’m talking weeks not days. I call this fermentation time, and it’s important to resist the impulse to sit down and fix what you think is wrong with a draft immediately after finishing reading it… 

Tobsha Learner’s new historical thriller The Magick of Master Lilly is out now, published by Little, Brown Book Group, and priced at £8.99 in paperback and £7.99 in e-book. For more information visit tobsha.com

 

 

Exclusive Paddy Ashdown Interview: On His Books

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Paddy Ashdown has been a Royal Marine, the leader of the Liberal Democrats for eleven years, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is a life peer in the House of Lords. On top of that he has written 8 books, with the 8th coming out on the 5th of June. I can’t wait as I have loved all of his other books. I interviewed him about his books and politics. Here is part one.

Did you get the idea for A Brilliant Little Operation: The Cockleshell Heroes and the Most Courageous Raid of World War 2 while you were a member of the Royal Marines elite Special Boot Squadron?

No, my publisher approached me and said ‘it’s the 70th anniversary how about writing the book’. Which is my seventh book. I am just about to produce my 8th so it was a natural subject really.

What is your 8th book about?

The 8th book is about the largest resistance battle with the Germans in the Second World War. It is called A Terrible Victory, about the Vercors plateau on June 1944 and it was the biggest resistance German battle in Western Europe. [Learn more about the book here. It is about the chronicle of the French Resistance during World War Two]

That sounds fascinating. You have written quite a lot of books. Do you have a favourite?

I think the one I am working on now is always my favourite. I love writing books and whatever you’re working on consumes your mind so it is always the one you are most thinking about.

You’re books are very good. They are always very factual and have lots of history in them. How do you go about writing them. What is your writing schedule?

Writing The Brilliant Little Operation, and the one I am going to produce, Harper Collins will publish it on the 5th of June, takes me about three years of research. I mean, I start writing before then and overall I don’t like writing unless I have all of the research it is possible to get. Normally the whole process will take my three and a half to four years. Of which three years is spent on research. Going to the wonderful archive museum in Britain, the National Archives in Britain. In the case of both of my most recent books, to the Château de Vincennes in Paris, In France there are three key archives you have to go to. And also the Bauhaus-Archiv in Germany.

I spend a lot of time in archives. In writing my present book I have read sixty other books on the subject, all of them in French. In writing a Brilliant Little Operation I have read four books before and a lot of research. So research is very important.

You can really tell that when you read your books.

Thank you, that’s kind. That’s very generous.

Tomorrow: The Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives, Nick Clegg, Labour and the NHS: Exclusive interview.