In this series of posts on Advice to New Authors, I've talked about writing the 1st draft, about editing your work, how to increase the speed of your writing, how long it takes to publish a novel, and about ways in which you can learn your craft. Today I'm going to talk about self-publishing versus … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Learn Your Craft: Advice for New Writers Part 5
In the previous posts I wrote about how practise makes perfect, but I also said that writing, like any form of art is something that can be taught. You need aptitude and talent too, but these two alone may not be enough to make you into a successful author. Learning you Craft In this post I will … [Read more...]
Approaching the pinnacle – a NaNoWriMo update
For me, this, the third week of the National Writing Month, has been the most difficult to date.On Friday after I'd reached 25,000 words and got myself another badge (hurrah), I decided it was time to have a bit of a celebration. After a very late night with friends, Saturday's word count was the … [Read more...]
Advice for New Writers Part 3: How Long Does It Take to Write and Publish a Novel?
This is number three in a series of posts about writing and publishing fiction. You can find the previous posts here. How long does it take to get your novel into print (or out in ebook form)? Writing a novel takes time. How long a first draft takes to produce is highly personal, but at … [Read more...]
Are you doing NaNoWriMo?
What is NaNoWriMo you ask? Well, it's the National Novel Writing Month, which takes place each year in November, when thousands of authors, or aspiring novelists, challenge themselves to write 50,000 words (I know, not quite a full-length novel, but nearly) in 30 days. That means exactly 1,667 words … [Read more...]
Advice for New Writers Part 2: I’ve Completed the First Draft – What Now?
Last time in this series of posts about what to do if you have an idea for a book, I talked about reading in your genre and writing as much as possible. Today, I'm going to talk about what to do when you've finished the first draft. What to Do When You've Completed the First Draft? When you've … [Read more...]
Advice for New Writers Part 1: I have a great idea for a book – what should I do next?
I must be getting old, because I am often asked for advice about writing by young (and not so young) authors, who are just starting out, and wondering what they should do to get a book out and published. Last week, I was speaking to yet another one. She had an idea for a book, which she was … [Read more...]
Authors, be careful what you read…
Does what you read affect how you write?I've just finished reading The Woman in the Picture by Katharine McMahon. This novel, following the life of a female lawyer, Evelyn Gifford, in the 1920s London, is written from the point of view of the heroine and very much in a formal style of the time.I … [Read more...]
Life after Life by Kate Atkinson is a brilliant and engaging read
Life After Life by Kate AtkinsonMy rating: 5 of 5 starsA brilliant and engaging novel which tells the story of Ursula Todd who dies at birth on a cold, snowy night to a middle-class family in England in 1910. But Ursula is no ordinary baby, because she goes on to be re-born over and over again. Kate … [Read more...]
On the buses
Due to a recent mishap with my little toe, I've had to reduce walking to a minimum during my London commute, whereas normally I try to maximise the potential of exercise on my way to work; stomping through woods, running up and down escalators.Last week, when I could hardly walk at all, I had to … [Read more...]
