How to save your writing sanity.

I was on a panel of SilverWood authors at the Penzance Literary Festival last week, answering questions on being an Indie Author. As part of the festival's Publishing Day, the event had been billed as a way to "pick up tips and avoid the pitfalls" in self-publishing.

The hour flew by and questions came thick and fast, leading from one subject to another until the audience must have reeled from so much information spinning around the room.  I can hardly remember now what questions were asked so I hope there was lots of note-taking!

This week, back at my desk and hard at it with writing the next novel, I thought of a great tip I could have passed on, relevant to all writers, whether indie or otherwise, and that's the keeping of a writing journal.

Now if that sounds like a lot of unnecessary writing when all you want to do is get on with the "real stuff", then stay with me for a moment, while I make the case for it being the way to save your sanity.

I first came across the idea of a writing journal when I read best selling author Elizabeth George's excellent how-to book Write Away not longer after I'd started writing. At the beginning of each novel, she starts a new journal in which she records her thoughts and feelings about the writing process. This is isn't a notebook of her ideas, plot, character etc., although that comes into it, but it's primarily about what's buzzing around in her head while she's actually in the throes of writing her latest work.

In Write Away, she quotes from her journals at the beginning of each chapter and for a novice writer, her words were of great comfort. She says things like: "What on earth am I doing pretending to be a writer?" and "Writing continues to be a scary proposition for me, as I don't see myself as particularly talented..."  To me, realising that even best selling authors have moments of doubt, gave me hope.

But she also shares the thrills as well as the angst: "Yesterday a most extraordinary thing happened... all of a sudden in the middle of a scene I had the most amazing moment of inspiration." Don't we just love it when that happens!

When I started to write The Indelible Stain, I decided I would also keep a journal. It wouldn't be something I'd slavishly write every day (I already write a daily diary, a sort of "ship's log", and have done for some 24 years) but if anything about writing was either bugging me or I had something to celebrate, I would write it down. Being able to have a good rant on the page can clear the air in my head and recording my buoyant mood after receiving a good review or a message from an enthusiastic reader helps puts things into perspective if I've had a tough writing spell, or I've felt overwhelmed by how much social media I have or haven't done that week!

As I grapple with my current novel and look back in awe at the research, the plotting and the note-making I did for The Indelible Stain and begin to doubt my ability to write another good book, I only have to dig out my writing journal and look back to the time I was in the middle of writing The Indelible Stain to remind me not to fret, that I experienced exactly the same wobbles last time around.

So, having reassured myself that, yes, I can do this all over again, I'd better get back to writing that novel before my confidence ebbs...

 

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Do you have any clever tips to keep you from throwing in the towel in despair? I'm sure there are many writers out there who'd love to know what they are! 

Mentioned in dispatches

It was the highlight of a particularly difficult week (husband/heart bypass/complications/long story) when I found out that The Indelible Stain was one of the books chosen for the Editor's Choice in The Bookseller's first ever Independent Author Review.

It was thanks to fellow author Alison Morton that I heard the news and learnt that her book Successio had also been listed, as well as those of three other SilverWood authors - Lily Forbes's memoir Growing Up Under the Mango Tree , Elisabeth Marrion's historical novel Liverpool Connection and Thomas Saunders's autobiography Getting a Life

In the introduction to her review, Caroline Sanderson said the 18 books she'd chosen represented some of the best available, praised the quality of editing and presentation, and declared them to be "written with a flair equal to anything on the list of a traditional publishing house".

In the subsequent #FutureChat on Twitter, the subject of professionalism amongst indie authors was discussed and the importance of producing a quality book.

In the comments afterwards, author Jane Steen made the point that it would be nice to get to the stage where books in general could be judged as "good books" without the need to make the distinction between "trad" and "indie".

I'm sure that day will come eventually. After all, as Alison Morton said during the chat, it's readers who ultimately are the judges. Invariably they care little about which publishing camp the book comes from, so long as they've enjoyed reading it!



(P.S. And in case you're wondering - sorted/on the mend/home soon)

Engaging Write Brain

I've been putting the title of this blog and post into full operation over the past few weeks. Having completed one draft of my current novel, the usual has happened. I suddenly decided there was a different, and better, order of the final scenes at the end of the novel.

So it was back to the index cards and pencil to re-jig things. And, recalling my O-level Physics - every action has an equal and opposite reaction - I've then had to deal with the knock-on effects of each of the changes. Phew! Spinning plates doesn't even start to cover it.

But now it's done. Next stop - print out again and read through, red pen in hand!

So while I let things settle in my head before I do that, I thought I'd update the blog.


In January I took part in the SilverWood Books Open Day in Foyles Bookshop, Bristol. Having only 'met' many of the SilverWood authors online, it was good to meet them in the flesh. The talks were very informative and lots of interested members of the public came along to listen and learn.

The SilverWood authors.
The debate's still on as to the correct group term:
a scribble? an anthology? a binding?

Some of us read short passages from our books.

There have been some very nice reviews posted on the internet recently which you can read about on my website here. It's heart warming and exciting to read a good review of a book you've sweated blood and tears to write, so thank you all those who have taken the trouble to read Blood-Tied and share your thoughts. In many ways, to read such enthusiastic reviews helps and encourages the writing of the next novel but it also piles on the pressure to make sure the standard is kept high! Which is good in the long run, I guess...

I've also been busy digging in the online archives for a few more stories for my other blog - familyhistorysecrets. If you haven't had a look-see recently, there's the latest revelations of the black sheep of the family, Edward Henry Coules Colley.

Ah, well - back to the coal face! Which reminds me... I've just discovered a coal miner ancestor in Shropshire I need to investigate...

Launch into 2014!

It looks like 2014 is going to be a busy year! 

Lots of books to read for Christmas presents. A heap of Daphne du Maurier old favourites, plus two by Virginia Nicholson. Millions Like Us about women's experiences and the Second World War, and Singled Out, on the effect on women's lives after so many men were lost in WW1.

I also had a Kindle for Christmas (I mean, any author who publishes an e-book has to have an e-reader, don't they?) and the novel I've chosen to read first is Helen Hollick's The Kingmaking, which I'm thoroughly enjoying.

I've got my current novel draft to read and revise, so that will keep my nose to the grindstone.

Plus I have lots of family history leads to explore. After the Midwinter Blog Hop on Family History Secrets, I've learnt a little bit more about that black sheep of the family, Edward Colley.

Then, at the end of the month we have SilverWood's Open Day at Foyles in Bristol. I'm looking forward to meeting my fellow SilverWood authors.

And it's only January!

Happy New Year to all of you.

The burden of proof...

Or rather the burden of proofs... plural.

This week the new book cover design for the paperback and ebook of Blood-Tied pinged into my inbox for my comments. Exciting times! I was happy to agree with everyone at SilverWood Books that the designer has managed to capture the essence of the story in the strong and intriguing design.

I look forward to posting an image of the cover here as soon as everything is finalised - watch this space!

Meanwhile, the interior proofs (the book's text) are being carefully scrutinised for errors.

The Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) defines proofreading as "the quality check and tidy up" before an author's work goes to print. But this goes way beyond merely checking spelling, punctuation and grammar.

And if you're thinking: anyone can be a proofreader, right? It's only about spotting a few typos, isn't it? Then I suggest you try the society's 'Self Test' and see how you get on. Click here to have a go.

You never know, you might find you've discovered a new career... or not...

Good luck!