The path to getting your novel or non-fiction book published can be circuitous and confusing, so here’s my step-by-step guide to how the whole process works for first-time authors. Write the whole book first Many new writers cling to the idea that they can sell a book to an agent/publisher based on a great hook…
Even quiet stories can (and should) have that gotta-keep-reading quality to them. But how can we as writers make sure our novels and short stories are compelling the whole way through? I’m going to use the C word here. Gulp. I’m going to talk about making fiction commercial. ‘Commercial’ can feel like a dirty word…
This week marks my seventh short story published by women’s magazine The People’s Friend. But mine wasn’t an instant success story – I got rejected a lot in the beginning. Find out what I did differently to turn those rejections into acceptances. When I started writing short stories about five years ago, one of the…
I found out a new friend of mine was a true crime junkie recently. Our conversation quickly spiralled into what can only be described as true crime hipster douchebaggery: “You’ve seen Making a Murderer?” “Obviously. Have you watched The Jinx?” “Yeah, a couple of times. What about The Staircase?” “Pleeeease. I’ve not only watched it,…
Want to meet your double? Be careful what you wish for… The eerie trailer for Dead Ringer gives you a flavour of what to expect from the novel.
My debut novel, Dead Ringer, is set to be published on 27 February 2020. That’s four months from now, which simultaneously feels like eons away and yet is also panic-inducingly soon. So, in between breathing deeply, what am I doing to prepare? – Letting everyone know that the paperback is now available to preorder from…
Public speaking has always been a huge fear of mine, but over the last year, I’ve been working on getting past my nerves and anxiety. I’ve been doing this by joining the worldwide public speaking club Toastmasters. (You’ll probably find there’s one in your town, too.) After a few months of regular public speaking, I…
It’s time to stop cringing when people ask if you’re a writer. It’s time to stop waving your hand when people ask what you write. For a long time, when people would ask if I was a writer, I would make a face. A full-on Kermit-style twist of the mouth. If I managed to grit…
I’m thrilled to be The People’s Friend’s Writer of the Week. Here’s a short interview from their blog. What inspired you to write “Like Father, Like Daughter” that’s appearing in this week’s issue? I was taking a stroll through my favourite park in Bristol, where I live, and I saw a dad at the base…
Joining a writing group is probably the best thing I’ve ever done, in terms of improving my writing. Getting other people to read and critique my work has forced me to look at my stories afresh. It’s sparked new ideas. And, uh, it’s stopped me from making completely boneheaded leaps of illogic in my fiction….
(Trust me, I’m surprised too.)
Looking at the current crop of Young Adult books, it can be tough to remember that there was ever a time before Twilight and The Hunger Games. YA is now a juggernaut, spawning million-dollar box office openings, but let’s not forget that 20 years ago, it was a cute little side-line in publishing. And let’s…
I’m a recent convert to audiobooks. For years, I never had much patience for them. If you’re a fast reader, one who can knock out a novel in a few hours, spending 10-20 hours on a single book can feel like some kind of sick joke. What d’you mean… I can’t skip over the boring…
I love Gillian Flynn! Doesn’t everyone love Gillian Flynn? (Real answer: No. My mum does not love Gillian Flynn. I recommended Gone Girl to my mum and she now refers to it as “that weird book you made me read”. Sad times.) However, for everyone – my mum excepted – who has enjoyed immersing themselves…
