Six drafts, 569 pages and 116,235 words later, I finished writing my book. It’s been a bumpy road, and a longer journey than anticipated. If this process has taught me anything it’s how to not write a novel! I thought I’d reflect on some of mistakes, and how I’ll approach book two differently.
Read MoreI’m currently editing the end of my first novel. It’s a goal that’s long eluded me. My writing failures outweigh my writing successes, yet somehow I’m putting the finishing touches to a story I’ve tried to tell for years, but never had the skills to do so until recently. I’m chalking this win up to one defining trait…
Read MoreI’m sitting down to type this on a peaceful, snowy day. The kind that inspires curling up with novel edits and getting lost in a world of my own invention. Editing my book used to feel daunting, but once I found a process and surrendered to diving deeper into my story, I couldn’t tear myself away.
Read MoreJanuary: empty pockets, the sparkle of Christmas faded and old routines resumed under sunless skies. It’s the time of year we’re most in need of magic but hope and motivation prove elusive. I’ve not succumbed to January blues yet, but there’s still time for those “always winter, never Christmas” feelings to strike, so here’s a list of writerly things you can do for free to illuminate grey January days.
Read MoreHappy 2020 – I hope you all had a restful Christmas & New Year.
Mine was the perfect balance of sleeping in, hill walking and curling up with books and Christmas chocolate.
Read MoreI wanted to share this post to let you in on a little secret: I don’t have an ideal writing set-up. However, that doesn’t stop me from taking my writing seriously every single day.
Read MoreSeptember always brings a flurry of creative inspiration and motivation. There’s something about the crisping leaves, sharp air that fills me with productive zeal. I get those ‘back to school’ feelings even though I’ve been out of ‘education’ for eight years.
Read MoreAll writers struggle with lack of motivation at some point. For me, it’s always caused by self-doubt, which prompts an attack of imposter syndrome or comparison-itis – suddenly everyone’s writing is better than my own.
Read MoreLast week I handed The Children of the Mist (my fantasy novel) to an Editor for the first time. I thought I’d share the emotions I felt a provide a wee update on my next steps.
Read More
