Write That Book – Week 3 - Creating Characters

shoestring trade pbk cover to use

My Latest Book (UK, Sept)

 So now we’ve reached week 3. The question is, have you been doing your homework? Good! If you've just joined us, it’s probably best to read weeks one and two before going any further.

In week 1 we dealt with motivation and starting to write, then we covered ideas and settings in week 2. This week we are dealing with characters. If you cannot write vivid, believable characters, then you cannot write good fiction, it’s as simple as that. Characters that linger in the mind long after you’ve read the last page make a book truly memorable. Think of Rachel Walsh in Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes, a highly flawed character, but a character readers identify with; or Bridget Jones in Helen Fielding’s wonderfully funny book (and film). Like her or loathe her, Bridget certainly continues to touch a universal nerve.

Creating believable characters is one of the most exciting and rewarding elements of being a writer. To write great characters you must know them as well as you know yourself. In her excellent book, From Pitch to Publication, agent Carole Blake says ‘To make the reader care for your characters and storyline, you must certainly care for them.’ And she's right.

So by now you have your general idea and your setting – next you need to create authentic and compelling characters. How? Read on.

Your characters must be three dimensional, and you, their creator must understand them and their motives for doing things, their passions, their fears, their dreams. Ponder real people’s motives. Why does your friend excuse her ex husband for regularly forgetting to ring his young daughter? Why does your sister think her husband is having an affair? Question why people do things all the time, make the world your laboratory.

Before you begin writing chapter one, here’s a practical tip that might work for you if you’re starting out. Get your notebook out and write character sketches for each of your main characters. Start off by giving them names. Choose these carefully. Try the phone book or a baby names book for ideas if your mind goes blank, but remember, the name must suit the character. Make the names interesting and memorable. No Mary or Jane Smiths please, unless you are making a point (maybe you want your character to feel anonymous – with apologies to any Marys or Janes out there!).

Here are the names I chose for my latest book, The Shoestring Club. I came up with the central book theme first – two sisters who run a second-hand designer shop, one sister going through some pretty awful things – losing her best friend, breaking up with her boyfriend, losing her job (we will talk about plotting next week); then I fixed on the setting, the second-hand designer clothes shop (Shoestring) in Monkstown, and the girls’ house in Dalkey.

Here are the main characters:

Julia Schuster (Jules, or Boolie) – she’s artistic and can be difficult

Pandora Schuster (never shortened) – she’s loyal and stubborn

Bird Schuster (their 70 year old granny) – strong and a little crazy

Arietty Pilgrim (their zoo keeper friend) – regal, clever, different

Lainey Anderson (Julia’s ex-best friend) – traditional dresser, but would like to be as quirky as Jules

Iris Schuster (Pandora’s 8 year old daughter) – sweet and bright

Remember – pick strong, memorable names that suit the character.

For more on naming characters in children’s books see here

One you have the names pinned down, build up a detailed character sketch or biography for each main character. You need to know everything. For example, their age and birthday (so few books have birthdays in them – I don’t think most writers think of giving their characters an actual birth date!). What type of person are they? Their height, hair colour, eye colour, size. Can they dance, play any instrument, sing? Do they have parents, siblings, friends?

What are their hopes, dreams, passions, disappointments? Do they have a dream job? Did they attend college/university? What did they study? What do they read, watch, listen to?

Here’s another tip: if you are finding it difficult to form a strong picture of what your character looks like, make her/him look like a real person but make modifications to suit. Give her/him the girl in the video shop’s curly hair, the milkman’s nose, the librarian’s smile. I wouldn’t suggest using friends or family for obvious reasons. Magazines are excellent for inspiration. If you see someone in the magazine you like the look of, tear the page out and keep the picture beside your character’s biography.

Continuity is another reason for keeping detailed character sketches (and this is vital if you are thinking of writing a series - this is called your 'Character Bible'). You don’t want your character’s eyes changing colour half way through the book; by keeping detailed physical notes, you can check back and get it right every time. Your editor will love you for it. Don’t have too many main characters. More than six and it gets confusing for the reader and for you.

And remember, your characters must be memorable. Make them BIG, larger than life. Make them feel things deeply. Don’t be afraid of making them too big, you can always tone them down at the editing stage (much more on editing later in the course).

In the Ask Amy Green books (age 10+), I have a character called Clover Wildgust. She’s brave, strong and completely wild; she has long white blonde hair and thinks more in terms of costume than fashion. She has a musician boyfriend, Brains, and she works in a teen magazine as the agony aunt. She’s a HUGE character and she’s also most of my readers’ favourite character. They identify with Amy but they want to be Clover.

Now get working on your own characters, because next week your characters will get the chance to tell their story as we move on to plot. And finally, some tips from another Irish writer, Cecelia Ahern.

If you have any questions or comments, please do post them below.

Happy writing!

Sarah X

 Writing Tips from Cecelia Ahern

(Read the full 10 tips from Amazon here)

1. Write about something you feel passionate about. You must write about something that evokes genuine emotions within yourself and not a piece of work you think other people want to read.

2. Listen to what your characters are telling you. If you're becoming bored with your story and are rushing by one part to get to another, then that means the reader will feel exactly the same. This means you're heading in the wrong direction in the book, you're taking the characters to a place that they don't want to go to. This is when you need to listen to your characters, I find that even though I'm trying to steer a story in one direction, the character is dragging me in another. When you listen to your characters it helps you stay away from going down the predictable route and you want to have your readers hanging on until the very last minute.

3. Always carry a pen and paper with you. You never know when an idea will jump into your head while you're out and about. I find that it's best to write while the idea is fresh in your mind as the words will flow more freely.

4. Keep a notebook of ideas. Even if you begin a story and it doesn't work, keep it for another time and it may work in the future when your mind has had the opportunity to think it over.

5. Give your work to somebody to read while you're writing. It's a good idea to choose someone who is open minded and willing to accept different ideas and not just one style of book. There's no point asking someone who loves only romances to read a book on crime. It's good to have a critical eye view your work, someone who is not attached to the story as you are.

More writing advice from Cecelia in Woman and Home here

Visit Cecelia’s website here

Write That Book - Week 2 - Genre, Ideas and Inspiration

shoestring trade pbk cover to use

Welcome to week two of Write That Book.  This week we will talk a little more about ‘genre’ and also ideas and where they come from.

If you missed week one (and I’d recommend reading it before you go any further – you can find it on this blog), we talked about motivation, making the time to write, and ‘genre’, or the kind of book you’d like to write, for example: romance, romantic comedy, family/relationship drama, historical fiction, saga, crime, thriller, science fiction or fantasy. These are pretty broad genres and within each one there can be many sub-genres, like paranormal romance (Twilight). This course is useful for anyone who would like to write a book, but is most especially suited to those who are interested in writing popular fiction. I have published ten popular fiction novels, the latest being The Shoestring Club (out on 1st February in Ireland, UK in September), as well as many children’s books, so it’s a genre I know well.

While you are thinking about book ideas this week (more on that in a second), I would also advise you to get reading the best novels in your chosen genre, the award winners, the ‘word of mouth’ books your friends and family recommend, and the bestsellers. This may sound like a contradiction - but most great writers are also great readers. And where better to discover what works and what doesn’t work than between the covers of your favourite books? Stephen King says in his excellent book On Writing: ‘If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time or the tools to write’.   

While reading, pay attention to the types of characters, the dialogue, the use of descriptive passages (if any), the length of the book, the style of writing. Is it written in the past or present tense? Is it first person (I woke up), or third person (Sarah woke up)? Let the books that you read inspire you but don’t try to imitate them in your own work unless you are writing fan fiction (fiction directly influenced by a particular writer, not for publication and mostly posted online on special fan sites). It is most important to be original and to have an original writing voice. It is your own unique writing voice, like your own speaking voice, that will make your book stand out from the crowd. More about voice later in the course.

Ideas and Inspiration

‘Where do you get your ideas?’ This is the most common question that writers are asked. It’s a difficult one to answer, as ideas come from all sorts of places: from magazines and newspapers; in shops and on buses; from people chatting; from travelling; from trying to imagine what would have happened if you had made a different choice in your life; from books; from plays and films; from dreams and daydreams. Ideas are all around you, just waiting to be soaked up. The core idea for a book could stem from something that has happened to you or to someone that you know. Many of my books are based on personal experiences, changed to fit the plot and suit the characters. I’d suggest that you start to keep a writing notebook right now and to jot down ideas as they pop into your head. Carry it with you at all times, you never know when inspiration might strike!

To give you an example of a practical way of finding inspiration I picked up Saturday’s Irish Times Magazine and here are some ideas I gleaned from its pages – these are settings/ideas/characters that might suit a romantic comedy: 1/ A girl who runs a vintage clothes store and what happens on her buying trips – inspired by an article on a shop in Kilkenny called Shutterbug (brilliant name!). In fact, my latest book, The Shoestring Club is set in a similar shop. 2/ The life of a young Irish fashion designer and fashion illustrator – great piece on rising stars of the Irish fashion world in the magazine. Some fascinating people with most interesting jobs. And we’ll be dealing with creating big, interesting characters next week. 3/ There is also a piece about two young Irish women who are working for a gourmet food store in New York – now a story using that bakcground would be brilliant, what a setting!

I also love finding unusual names in magazines and newspapers – in the same magazine there is a model called Danielle Winckworth – what a fantastic surname to borrow for a character. More on naming next week too – naming characters is so important. 

It’s vital that you chose something that you are passionate about and find fascinating to write about. Your subject must consume you. If it doesn’t, if it’s something that you decided to write about because it sounded like the kind of thing readers/agents/publishers might like, stop right there, the reader will quickly sense this and move on.

It is a bit of a cliché, but it’s often best - when starting out - to write about what you know - that way you’ll be more confident about your subject. Or to focus on something you’ve always wanted to find out more about. For example I know a little about ballet and I wanted to include a young Irish ballerina in my next teen book (Ask Amy Green: Dancing Daze, out in September), so I interviewed two ex-dancers, read lots of books on ballet and ballerinas, watched Romeo and Juliet several times on DVD (the ballet my character was starring in), and travelled to Budapest to attend the ballet there, as the book is partly set in Budapest – ie I did my homework!

Even if you think you know a subject well, research is vital to make your book realistic and authentic. Read all you can about your chosen subject eg ballet. Take out library books and study them and make notes. Scour newspapers and magazines for interesting articles and keep them in a research folder. Use the internet. Research is particularly important for historical novels and your local library will prove invaluable. I’ve always found talking to someone who does the job I want to write about is the most useful research tool of all, and all kinds of people have happily given me their time – zoo keepers, female politicians, Olympic sailors. Most people love talking about their job (especially if it’s a particularly interesting one). They can provide the tiny details that will make your book authentic and ‘real’.

You will probably find that you use a small fraction of your research in the actual book, but it will give you the confidence to create your book’s world and its characters. Think of it as an iceberg - only the tip shows but without the mass beneath it would sink. Hemingway once said: If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one ninth of it being above water.

So you’ve chosen your genre and you have an idea, what next? Now select your setting. This could be somewhere familiar to you, Dublin, London or Cork for example. Or it could be a fictional town or village - you decide. People do love reading about unusual and slightly different places. I love travel and I often put my trip locations in books – Budapest, Paris, Miami. Writers such as Marian Keyes and Claudia Carroll have chosen to set some of their books in glamorous worlds: LA and a movie set in Ireland respectively. In my books I have used lots of different settings that interest me - a kite maker’s loft, an art gallery, a wildlife park, and a children’s bookshop to name a few. If you can’t visit the place where you want to set your book, interview someone who has, read travel books and watch travel videos or programmes.

So your homework this week is this: select your genre, find an idea for your book (making sure it’s something that you are passionate about and fascinated by – and starting your research on the subject if needs be), and fix on a setting. Plus throughout the course, continue to read as many of the best books in your chosen genre as you can.

Next week we will talk about the most important (and fun) element of all, the characters.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

Write That Book - Week 1 of a Free Eight Week Course

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Want to finally write that book you've been talking about for years? Then read on. For the next eight weeks I’ll be telling you how and, best of all, it's absolutely free. From getting started, to creating characters, inventing plots, and how to catch an agent or publisher's eye, I’ll try to cover everything you need to know about the book world. My tenth adult novel, The Shoestring Club has recently been published in Ireland (Sept in UK) and after over a decade of writing and publishing books I'd like to share some of that knowledge with you. And maybe once you're published you'll pass on what you know to other new writers. Just think of me as your own personal Writing Coach! So without further ado . . .

Week 1: Getting Started It’s terrifying, isn’t it, staring at a blank sheet of paper or a blank computer screen? The writer Gene Fowler once said ‘Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.’ That’s where I come in. Over the next few weeks I’ll try to demystify the writing process and help you find your writing wings. I’ll also ask some experienced authors to give you some of their own writing tips.

Before we start, there are three general pieces of advice that I always give to would-be writers: 1/ Be optimistic, plan for a miracle - new writers get published every day, so why not you? 2/ Work hard, but never let writing become a chore. If you’re not enjoying writing, your reader is not going to enjoy reading. Try to write with joy every day. It’s not always possible, to finish a book you must write even if you don’t feel like it, but it’s something to aspire to. 3/ Develop a thick skin and never take no for an answer. Get used to rejection, it comes with the territory. Think of it as book matchmaking, you just need to find the right person for your book, someone who truly loves it. More on that later.

The first thing you need to be a published writer is motivation. You have to really, really want to write. It may sound obvious but many people have a vague idea that they’d like to write some day, but few people actually sit down and get on with it. So first, motivate yourself. Tell yourself that it’s not going to be easy, but if you work hard and put your heart and soul into it that you will succeed, you will finish that book. Then make the time to actually write. This may sound obvious but being a writer means making sacrifices. ‘I’d write a book if only I had the time.’ ‘I have this amazing idea for a book but I’m too busy to write it.’ Does this sound familiar? How many hours a week do you spend watching television, on Facebook or Twitter, surfing the internet? Be honest. Switching off the television in the evenings is a very good place to start. Try inventing your own soap opera in your head instead and translating it to paper - soon you’ll keep yourself entertained and you’ll also have the makings of a book to show for it. The best way to actually finish a novel is by writing a little every day or as often as you can every week - there’s no real secret, you just have to stick at it. You must write on a regular basis, you must keep the story and the characters ticking over in your head, otherwise you will lose your connection with the book. And when you’re not physically writing, you need to be thinking about your book whenever you can.

Now that you’re mentally prepared and have made the time to write (and to think about your book), what do you need to get physically started? The good news is you don’t need the latest laptop; you don’t actually need a computer at all to begin with. All you need is a notebook and a pen. It’s that simple.

But before you put finger to keyboard or pen to paper, it helps to start thinking about a genre. What’s genre? It simply means the type of fiction you want to write. For example are you interested in writing popular fiction with bite like Marian Keyes, a warm, family/friendship based novel like Maeve Binchy, crime like John Connolly, thrillers like Dan Brown? (Children’s books are a whole different ball game and I’ll talk about these at a later stage.) I would suggest the type of book you like to read is a good place to start. More about genre next week, but in the meantime have a think about what genre might suit you and your writing. It makes things much easier when it comes to finding an agent and getting published. And it will make getting started a lot easier. Each genre has its own conventions/’rules’ and this isn’t such a bad thing for writers who are just starting out – it gives you something to work with. For example popular fiction tends to have a happy or hopeful ending; in crime the murder/crime tends to be solved by the end of the book.

So for your homework: make a positive start by getting motivated, making the time to write, firing up your computer or finding a pen and paper and, most importantly, thinking about what type of book you’d like to write, the 'genre'. Next week I’ll talk about inspiration and coming up with ideas.

Yours in writing, Sarah XXX

Tips on Getting Started from Martina Devlin:

1) Don’t give up hope, our greatest enemy is lack of self-belief. 2) If you feel you really, really want to write, then just keep plodding away. 3) Try writing something every day - even if it’s only a few hundred words. 4) Writing, and the imagination which fuels it, are like muscles - they benefit from being flexed on a daily basis. Keep them working regularly. 5) And remember to congratulate yourself when you do a good job. Martina Devlin is an award winning journalist and a novelist. Her latest books are ‘Ship of Dreams’ and ‘Banksters’

My Writing Resolutions

I made three writing resolutions this week which I’d like to share with you: 1/ To put 100% into my work every single day. To hold nothing back for another day or another book. To use it all, straight away.

One of my favourite writing quotations on the topic of putting everything into your writing every day is this gem from the American writer, Annie Dillard:

One of the things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now. The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to spend it now. Something more will arise for later, something better. These things fill from behind, from beneath, like well water. Similarly, the impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you. You open your safe and find ashes. Annie Dillard, The Writing Life

She’s so right.

2/ To write scenes that I’m insanely proud of and am itching, yearning to read out loud to anyone who  will listen.

While writing The Shoestring Club (out in February) I discovered two things – a/ that making myself cry while writing isn’t such a bad thing, it means I truly care about my characters, and if I care there’s a good chance that my readers might care too. And b/ that I can’t wait to read two particular Shoestring scenes out loud to an audience, really can’t wait. Luckily I’ve been invited to a literary festival in March to read, so I won’t have to wait much longer. I truly feel I’m learning more and more about writing and about connecting with readers with every single book. I’m not afraid of tackling big subjects or creating HUGE characters, in fact, I relish the challenge.

Speaking of which 3/ is to think elephant ENORMOUS for the next two books – a new series for children and a new stand alone novel for adults. I’ve blogged before about creating larger than life characters and it’s so important to make your characters memorable. I have two new books to create and I’m going to put my heart and soul into both of them. I have an Amy Green (age 10+) to finish and two books waiting to be edited and once that’s done, I’ll get cracking on the new ideas. I’ve already started filling two new notebooks with character and plot ideas (yellow paged legal pads naturally – if you’re a regular reader you’ll know I have a thing about them!) and I’ve started doing some research. More about developing a new book from initial idea to final manuscript later in the year.

So there you go, my three resolutions – do you have any writing resolutions?

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

How to Catch an Agent’s Eye + 9 Free Book Ideas

Yes, I’m offering nine free ideas for popular fiction novels (and a couple of longer book blurbs). The only catch – they’re ideas that never made the cut. My deleted scenes so to speak. But if you want to write successful popular fiction and catch the eye of a great agent, read on. I'm a firm believer in learning from mistakes (especially my own!). I recently gave a six week workshop on writing. On the last day we talked about book proposals, and how to ‘sell’ your book to an agent. I explained that a book (and I was talking about popular fiction here, but it goes for pretty much any fiction) must have a very strong, original story and brilliant characters to make an agent sit up and take notice.

Exactly how strong and original, they asked? How about a sweet story that’s nicely written, will that cut it? Absolutely not! I told them. It has to be brilliant.

To illustrate this I pulled out some of my old ideas that never made it – because the plot or the premise or the characters weren’t strong enough. It seemed to help them understand, so I’ve copied some of them below for your entertainment.

I’m lucky, I get lots and lots of ideas. Most of them end up never being written. Some of them are terrible, and some of the ideas below are ten years old, so please don’t judge my present/future books on these snippets. I cringed reading them, but hey, if it’s helpful, what the heck.

It’s really important to find an idea that excites you as a writer and down the line, excites an agent and an editor. But first of all, and most importantly YOU have to be so darn excited that you can’t but write the book. And if you can get that excitement across in your proposal, you’re in!

Remember – these ideas below never made it. Some of them aren’t all that bad. However others stink. Some are written in note format, so apologies for any roughness.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

PS I have given them all marks out of ten. Just because. Yes, I should have been a teacher!

The Last Man on Earth

“I wouldn’t go out with you if you were the last man on earth, Owen Scally!” “Really?” Annoyingly he just smiled. “We’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we?”

Donna’s ex-marine boyfriend, Curtis, is putting pressure on her to get married. They’ve been engaged for two years but she’s not sure how she truly feels about him. Her friends and family think she’s mad - he’s good-looking, attentive and a hugely successful business man, but Donna feels there’s something missing in their relationship. And when she meets the infuriating house painter and artist, Owen Scally things begin to get complicated.

Poppy’s got the opposite problem. Her boyfriend, professional rugby player Ralph Driver, the self-professed ‘heart-throb’ of the Irish rugby scene, won’t commit to their relationship and she’s getting fed up and her life strangely feels empty.

Ellen knows all about feeling empty. She’s been trying to have a child with her husband, Colm for over three years now. Her job doesn’t exactly help. As one of Dublin’s most popular Doulas or birthing helpers, she has daily contact with pregnant women and babies. But she’s determined not to give up hope just yet. 

The three women have been friends since school and their weekly Saturday brunch keeps them sane. But things are about to change for them all in unexpected ways. But sometimes friendship is the strongest bond of all.

Why it doesn’t work: it’s been done before and none of the characters sound very exciting looking back at it! I’d give it a very lukewarm 2.

Wedding Belle/Never the Bride/The Wedding Planner/The Reluctant Bride/Planning for a Miracle

(Not bad titles actually come to think of it, some of them!)

Plot - weddings - different ones - the 3 friends lives change with each wedding

Belle is a wedding planner and very anti-marriage She was jilted at the altar and swears she’ll never do it again

Her best friend Chloe is living in wedded bliss with her husband and 2 children - seems too good to be true but is it? Chloe has an affair and her marriage is threatened Was in art college Husband - now lecturer in art college - has an affair with one of his young students Not working - artist - paints on silk scarves and sells them in exclusive boutiques at end - feels more fulfilled

David - their friend - holding out for the right woman - can’t see what’s good for him - and that he’ll never have everything in a woman Refuses to settle or to change his ‘wants’ in a woman - needs to be more flexible Property investor - buys up old houses and does them up and sells them on Ex architect

Belle - organises a wedding for a girl she thinks would be perfect for David - tries to change her mind but ends up changing her own

Chloe - does her table plans for her

David - looks at the properties to see marquee etc - good with houses and design

Why it doesn’t work – again ,not original and my heart wasn’t really in it. I’d give it 2.

Never the Bride

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride . . .

Or so Amy O’Sullivan thought before her boyfriend, Steve Jones, world famous children’s book author, pops the question. But, in a fit of panic, instead of getting married, Amy runs away and travels half way around the world to New Zealand to visit her sister, Suzi.

Suzi’s just opened ‘The Ruby Red Make Up Store’ in Auckland and has her own problems in the shape of her predatory nanny, Wilma, who has her eye on Suzi’s rugby coach husband, Matt.

In Auckland, Amy meets the dashing and impossibly good-looking English America’s Cup sailor, Gray, and just as life is looking up, unwittingly gets caught up in a huge yacht design scandal.

Meanwhile Steve has just finished his latest book and is about to embark on a world-wide tour, last stop New Zealand, to try and win Amy back. What he doesn’t know is that Amy has gone missing. And back in Dublin, alerted by Suzi, Beth and Jodie, Amy’s best friends, are so worried about her that they decide to travel to Auckland to find her.

Together Suzi, Beth and Jodie set out to find Amy and talk some sense into her before it’s too late. But fate works in mysterious ways.

A comic tale of love, lust and long distance adventure, as Amy discovers the truth about love in the most unusual places.

Might have worked – the first book, Always the Bridesmaid was very popular (no 1 in Ireland for 9 weeks!) – and it has some interesting elements, but I should have done a sequel straight away, not 5 years later! Marks out of ten – 4.

 Almost Like Being in Love

When it comes to love - anything can happen

What is it about unsuitable men? Meet Martha. She’s a Fine Art Auctioneer with an Egyptian mummy obsession and a history of falling for the wrong guy. When she meets handsome young celebrity gardener, Gavin Tynan at a charity auction she falls head over heels in love immediately. But Gavin also has a history of terrible relationships, not to mention a well-documented (by the Irish tabloid news) sex addiction, and a vindictive American ex-wife who wants him back at any cost. Has Martha has bitten off more than she can chew this time?

Martha’s best friend Holly hates her job as the interior design consultant for posh Dublin department store, Henna’s. She’d much rather pack it all in and work from home, restoring old furniture, but her husband, Ryan, a respected and feared food and wine journalist/writer, is dead set against the idea. Holly’s let him rule her life so far, so why should now be any different? But when the opportunity to change her life does come along, is she brave enough to take it?

And Olivia aka ‘Barbie’, a twenty five year old single mother with a sad addiction to designer sunglasses, has more than enough on her plate without taking on a new client. Her Private Investigation firm, Eagle Eye PI, specialises in spying on errant husbands, but she’s never come across anyone as bad as Gavin Tynan before. And, to top it all, her eccentric Great Aunt Hattie is convinced she’s Audrey Hepburn’s long-lost cousin and makes Olivia take her on a wild goose chase to find Audrey’s Irish roots. And boy, are they in for a surprise! If they could only let their heads rule their hearts this one time. A compelling tale about friendship, love and . . . life-changing surprises.

Actually this one isn’t that bad, I just never loved it enough to actually write it. The characters sound kind of interesting though. I’ll give it a 4 for potential.

Fortune’s Fools/You Will Meet a Tall, Dark Stranger/Cross my Palm with Silver/Horoscopes and other Horrors

(Terrible titles for a start!)

3 women visit a fortune teller and she tells them things and they go off and change their lives

The fortune teller is an out of work actress and feels bad afterwards – she’s been having a bad day – tries to trace the women – sub plot

Bee Clancy – interior designer – almost marries the wrong man Mona Clancy – mum, goes off traveling on her own – leaving husband and Bee and Alice behind her Alice – other daughter

The problem – I’m not all that interested in fortune telling – so I lost interest in this idea pretty quickly! 1 out of 10

The Bonus Baby

Emma thought her baby days were well behind her – but she was wrong

Emma, 43, has a new baby girl, Leonie. For most people this would be a blessing, but Emma doesn’t feel that way. She’s a highly reluctant third time parent. Her sons are 20 and 22 and about to leave home she was looking forward to having the house to herself for a change.

She’s just been promoted at work (radio presenter on a morning show in RTE) and having a baby to look after just doesn’t suit her lifestyle, thanks very much.

Emma’s life spills over into her presenting, she’s so tired that she just doesn’t care what she says on air sometimes and with every honest rant she gets more and more listeners.

On her enforced maternity leave (she would have much preferred to hand over the baby and go straight back to work) she meets Rowie, a young single mum, and Juliette, an old friend of Emma’s from work (they have lost touch as Juliette left RTE, married and had children young and Emma was too busy with her career to make any effort to visit) and a stay-at-home mum at the mother and baby clinic. Rowie’s only 17 but she’s made to be a mother. But Rowie has her own problems including a less than useless boyfriend.

And when Juliette, 34, starts disappearing for long days, leaving her children with the two other women (mainly Rowie, but it’s Emma who’s most outraged), they decide they have to take a stand. But they aren’t prepared for the consequences. (Juliette has breast cancer, but doesn’t want anyone to know, because it makes it real)

Together the three women learn that having a baby isn’t easy at any age. But sometimes blessings and miracles can happen when you least expect them.

Yawn, 3 out of 10.

The Baby Moon

One last child free break – one life changing holiday

Younger woman, 32 Older man, 39 Told from each point of view Worries, betrayal, secrets – they make friends with other couples in this ‘baby moon’ resort – Blue Moon – and learn that all couples have their secrets Several interlinked stories within 1 book

Double yawn, 2 out of 10.

The Shared Holiday

3 very different women, 1 extraordinary holiday

Eva is 34 and feels every year of it. With three children under the age of five and another one on the way working would be pretty much impossible. She knows she should be grateful for her stay at home life, but sometimes she just doesn’t feel all that bloody grateful.

Her oldest friend, Rebecca, one of only two female partners in her solicitors’ practice, commutes to Dublin every day to pay the mortgage on her glossy new house in Greystones. Her children, Denis, 17, Ryan, 13, and Bee, 8, are besotted with their ultra efficient Polish nanny cum housekeeper, Paulina.

Tully has a different kind of life. A hugely successful and robustly single children’s author, she spends most of her time flying around the world to promote her books. But is all as it seems? In reality she’s addicted to a younger man who treats her like dirt. And her body has slammed her into early menopause, making her swiftly rethink her childfree life.

Throw in Eva’s eccentric eighty-four year old granny, Bax, five assorted children, one sullen teenager, and one leggy twenty-year-old Polish nanny, and two husbands and it’s a recipe for disaster. Or is it?

Better – throwing different women together is always a good plot device – 3 out of 10.

My Utterly Fabulous Nervous Breakdown/Mothers on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

What happens when your old life just stops?

Lauren, a working mum in her thirties who has a nervous breakdown and has to leave work to look after her own children and run her own house Previously she had a nanny and a housekeeper, now she just has a rather mad au pair She learns to be a good enough mother and starts to find out who she really is – previously work defined her

Yawn, yawn, yawn – 1 out of 10. Nothing original here!

The Suddenly Single Saloon

Dumped, betrayed, fed up with men . . . this is the club for you

Every week a group of women get together at an evening class – ostensibly to learn computer skills (from Vanessa) But they soon realise they have more than an interest in e-bay in common – they are all single Mona is 88 and has led quite a life – there’s a man in her sheltered housing who’s interested in her but she can’t be bothered – she’d much rather spend her remaining years in the company of other women Clare, a separated mum of three is 38 and spends most of her time and energy fighting with her ex-husband – she needs to stop fighting and start living Vanessa, 41, has never had much luck with men – she’s highly demanding and set in her ways. But she’s desperate for a child. The other women persuade her to try dating men she’d normally turn up her nose at. Rowie, 24, is a single mum who is fed up with meeting the wrong sort of men over and over again. But maybe she’s just looking for love in all the wrong places.

Again not very original and the characters sound pretty flat really. 3 out of 10. I did use that name again though, Rowie! So it wasn’t all wasted.

The End

(Boy am I glad to see the back of that lot – cringe-arama! But I hope it was helpful! Next time I’ll write about ideas and proposals that did make the cut!)

An Open Letter to All 2012 Debut Writers

Dear Writer, So your first book is coming out in 2012. First of all, congratulations! It’s a huge achievement. But no doubt you are rather nervous about what exactly is going to happen once your book is finally published.

Will it be available in Italy, America, Poland? How much will your publisher do to promote it and how much will I need to do? How does the whole publicity thing work? Do I wait to be asked to do things or do I make your own suggestions? Will my publishers get annoyed if I visit shops on my own? Should I move books around in the shop? Ask why my book is not in the window?

And these questions I’m sure are only the tip of your own personal book-related iceberg. And I will try to answer them honestly. If you have any other questions do ask in the comment box below.

Here goes - Let’s start at the beginning:   What happens on publication day?

The honest answer is not much!

The pr person in your publishing house may have contacted you some time in advance of publication to talk about your media contacts (if you have any – don’t worry if you don’t). This may not happen. Many things I mention may not happen – but in an ideal world they will contact you and you will chat about media possibilities, local and, if you’re lucky, national.

So you may have a few things set up pre-publication, media wise pre publication. You may not. If nothing is planned – see my previous post on marketing and promoting your own book here.

Publication day will be a non event unless YOU celebrate it in some way. Walker Books send me a Happy Publication Day card, signed by the staff, Pan Macmillan send me flowers and their lovely Irish sales rep rings me to say congrats – but I do happen to have rather lovely publishers and I know this is unusual. I’m sure J K Rowling gets flowers, and chocolates, and champagne etc, but don’t expect anything at all and then you won’t be disappointed. Celebrate the day yourself. Go for lunch or dinner with friends or a loved one, go shopping, buy something special to remind you of the day.

What are ‘informal signings’?

About a week after publication your sales rep may take you on a tour of bookshops in your region to meet booksellers and do what’s called an ‘informal signing’. This means there will not be any readers there. Don’t expect people! You are there to meet the booksellers. It also gives them a heads up as to who you are and why they should bother hand selling your book (which is vitally important if you want your book to do well – readers trust booksellers).

Be lovely to the booksellers. They are amazing, dedicated, hard working people. I was a bookseller for many years (and will be again) and I can tell you that we remember the lovely writers and the horrible ones. If we like you, we will go out of our way to hand sell your book, simple as that! If we don’t . . . Oh and if you bake, bring muffins!

Never move your book into the window, or onto a better table or re-arrange the shelves. Booksellers notice these things! We spend all day working with the shelves and displays. Never, ever complain about your book not being in the window. If they are out of stock of your book, don’t scowl, be gracious.

Always let your publisher know that you’d like to visit a particular shop – they will ring the shop and let them know to have stock in to sign. It’s only polite to give them due warning, they are busy, busy people!

Will I be in the newspapers or on the radio?

In the first two weeks of publication (or in the case of magazines, several weeks before this), you may be asked to do some media interviews. Do these with good grace – even small local radio stations on an island off Kerry. If you feel uneasy about telling journalists your secrets – like what you really have for breakfast – make it up! You write fiction after all.

Your book is only new for a month (or two weeks in busy publication months), after that time the next set of ‘new’ books will push your book off the tables and onto the shelves. Make the most of ‘your’ month.

So what about foreign rights? When will my book be available in France, Spain and Poland?

If your publisher has bought world rights, they have the responsibility for selling these at book fairs and to other international publishers that they deal with. If you have an agent (and they have not sold world rights to the publishers), she or he is responsible for these rights. If your book is really, really good you will hear about rights pretty quickly. Otherwise it might take a while. Or you might not sell foreign rights at all. Not all my books have been translated. My first book, Kids Can Cook – a cookery book with mainly Irish recipes – is only available in Ireland for example. Don’t worry about it, maybe your next book will be snapped up by lots of different publishers worldwide. Focus on writing brilliant books and it will happen in time.

Will there be a book launch?

If your publishers are keen to have a launch and you like the idea, great. In the current climate, they may not be keen however. You may like to organize your own launch party, in a local bookshop. Or have a party at home to celebrate. If it’s your first book, absolutely have a launch! First books are very special indeed.

Will my book be reviewed?

It might be, but don’t hold your breath. I review books for Inis magazine and The Irish Independent, and so many great books never get reviewed because of space restrictions. And don’t worry too much about the bestsellers charts either, or the Amazon rankings. If your book is good, it will sell. People will buy it and read it. No book has ever had zero readers!

I feel so helpless. What can I do to help my book sell?

Lots! But make sure to talk to your publishers about it first. Here are some suggestions: A Blog Tour (if you have friends with blogs – if you don’t blog, start!) Join CBI (Children’s Books Ireland) and go to their events to meet fellow readers and writers – if you write for children Set up a Facebook page and hold a competition to win copies of your new book Hold a Twitter competition Write a piece for your local newspaper/school newsletter/parish times etc

Remember no-one cares as much about your book as you do! Do everything you can to promote it.

What if someone gives my book a horrible review on Amazon?

Read it, learn from it and then forget about it. If you want to write for a living you will get many, many reviews, learn to deal with criticism and also praise. There will be good reviews too, I promise.

Will I meet other authors?

Yes, if you attend readers’ days, conferences, and other writers’ launches (often your publisher will invite you to these). Having a writer friend, someone to talk shop with, someone who understands, is important. You could chat to other writers on Twitter – say hi to me for a start @sarahwebbishere – I promise I’ll tweet back!

Why does Derek Landy/Marian Keyes/John Connolly get all the attention and the bookshop space?

Simple answer – they writing amazing books that readers love. Write an amazing book and you’ll get the same attention!

What if my book doesn’t set the world on fire?

Write another one. And keep repeating until you write one that does!

I'd love to tell you that it gets easier, but it doesn't - sorry! OK, maybe it does a little, as long as you know in your heart that you've written the best book you can, you don't worry so much about reviews and things that you can't control. And it is all worth it, honest!

Good luck!

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

How to Promote and Market Your Book and Get Results

The good news is that every writer can do a lot to market and promote their own book. The secret – and yes, there is a secret but like most things it’s this – hard work, organisation and determination. A lot of work can be done behind the scenes months before your book reaches the bookshop shelves.

When I started out in books, I had no experience in marketing or publicity, I just used my head, so what I did, you can do too.

But before that some general points.

First things first, don’t worry about any of this unless you have written a book worth promoting. Put your time and energy into the writing first and foremost.

1/ Marketing - Marketing means promoting your book to the market and in the marketplace, ie the shops. It means getting information about your book to the relevant buyers and booksellers, backing up that information with display material – such as posters and bookmarks. And keeping the bookshops informed of any publicity you have lined up for the book.

In general, your publisher should be on top of the marketing, but if they don’t intend to do posters or bookmarks – say for example they are small, your book is self published, or published in England or the US (this is directed at Irish authors of course!) and there is no marketing spend - think about doing it yourself. And dropping postcards/posters/bookmarks in to your local libraries, bookshops and schools.

Think of investing in business cards, stickers, thank you cards – useful things are good – pens, post cards etc. Chris Judge had some lovely postcards printed up for his debut picture book, The Lonely Beast.

Yes, it costs money. But think of it as money invested in your future as a writer.

The more booksellers know about your book the better chance it has of being recommended, restocked, put on a table, put in promotions. But there is a fine line between being pushy and helpful. Never be pushy, never be arrogant. Treat booksellers like royalty, they are the ones who put your books on the shelves and into adults, parents and children’s hands.

If your book is not on the shelf, it is nothing personal. See it as your problem. Send them some information on your book – or even a copy of the book with a friendly covering note saying you are a local author and would be delighted to see your book on their shelves.

Always check with your publishers before doing this or before calling into bookshops and talking to booksellers. They may like to ask your sales rep to go along and intro you. They may like to use it as a sales opportunity. Work with your publisher.

But remember, no one cares as much about your book as you do. Be passionate and talk about your book with enthusiasm – and as Patrick Ness would say, joy!

And no bookseller wants to hear you grumble about how little your publisher does to promote you – get on with it yourself (and over yourself) – take control.

But one thing I’ll come back to time and time again – be prepared to work hard and do things yourself. Do not leave everything to your publisher. They have a lot of books to market and promote. Your book is your baby. Once your book is published, your journey is just beginning.

There are over 8,000 children’s books published every year. If you want to make your book stand out, and especially if you want to earn living from writing or part of your living from writing, then you must do all you can to promote your book.

The reality is that it is not enough to just write a book and sit back and see what happens. You also have to connect with children, with booksellers, with librarians, with teachers, with parents – with anyone who buys books. You need to make them aware that your book is a/ in the shops now and b/worth buying.

Looks do not matter in the least bit, but personality and professionalism do.

Above all, be yourself. Maybe a glittery, happy version of yourself but still yourself. I call it being on – be the person you’d be at a party, or at a job interview. And think about the image you are projecting. Think about what you are wearing when visiting bookshops/schools/going to book conferences.

And get involved with your own publicity but keep your publisher informed of what you intend to do. It can be daunting at the beginning but having a plan makes everything easier.

Publishers are only too delighted to have help – well organised, professional help – talk to them about how you can help.

2/ Publicity - Publicity means using the media to tell people about your book: print, radio, telly.

4 to 6 months before your book is published set up a meeting with the publicity person in the publishing house (if possible) and bring a list of possible publicity angles - I’ll talk about angles in a few minutes - and any media contacts you might have.

In a moment I’m going to fly through the different stages of an ideal publicity plan.

But first – my first book – for my first book I started local. Everyone can do this!

Kids Can Cook – I had no profile at all

I rang Southside News and wrote a piece on cooking with children for them.

My church newsletter – I wrote a piece for them. I also did a piece for my sailing club newsletter.

The Evening Herald did a piece on me - the first cookbook for children in Ireland - I friend of mine worked in the Herald and she set this up. I had an angle, Dublin single mum gets kids cooking.

I did a lot of school events during the Children’s Book Festival that my publisher set up and that I set up. Because I did hands on cookery with the children during the sessions it was something different, and they really liked the idea. And I did several special needs schools also. Also library events. Mostly for free.

If I was bringing out a first book now I would certainly use the internet to reach readers – see below for details.

For Ask Amy Green: boy Trouble, my first children’s novel for age 10+, the publicity plans were a lot more elaborate – Walker Books created a special Amy Green website, and did some super posters, fanzines, pink leather luggage tags and hand outs, but I still did some of the publicity myself.

Here is what I call the ideal publicity plan, with all bases covered. If you can do even some of this great! I hope it will make you think and consider the possibilities. It is not meant to scare you, just to point out what can be done . . .

4 months before publication

Meet the pr person in your publishing house Draw up your pr plan with the pr person

Set up your website – I would advise every writer to get a website – and put the details of the website in your book so readers can contact you and also teachers and librarians can contact you (to book events if you write for children).

Set up a Facebook page and a Twitter account.

If you do not want people to know too much about you, invent a writing persona, a writerly version of yourself. I find it easier to just be myself, but not everyone is comfortable with this. But you must connect with people online these days. Especially if you want an international career.

3 months before publication

Submit feature ideas to magazines Now this many take months, years to get anything taken but keep at it, once you have one piece published, it is so much easier. Are there any specialist magazines you subscribe to? Try submitting an article to them, it's a great place to start. Or internet magazines/newsletters – again, good experience.

You could offer to review for Inis magazine (specialist Irish children’s book mag) – which is how I started reviewing – for free of course – but I got a/ experience and b/ some lovely books! (Contact their review editor here)

2 months before publication

Submit feature ideas to the magazines of newspapers

Set up your book launch if you would like to have one (organise your own in a local bookshop or venue, and yes, you may have to pay for the wine!)

Children’s writers - Set up some school and library events – use your contacts – your child’s school etc But make the events interesting, don’t just expect to go in and read to them. I spend several days a year working on new content for talks, workshops and readings and making it fresh and exciting. Work at it! Practice! Watch other authors in action and pick up ideas. Once these events are fixed, send the details to the listings of the newspapers and also local newspapers.

And on that subject, network, go to children’s book events, join CBI, join the Society of Children’s Writers and Ilustrators.

1 month before publication

Submit ideas to the features pages of newspapers – yes, you need to come up with these ideas yourself – depending on you and your life/book

Think of column ideas for guest columns (realistically this will be down the line when you have some experience of writing articles etc)

Write your press release for sending out with review copies (your publisher will probably do this for you)

3 weeks before publication

Send out the invites to the launch

2 weeks before publication

Send out review copies of your book to relevant newspapers and magazines with your press release, eg Inis, Book Fest etc (your publisher may do this, check with them), the Irish Indo, the Irish Times.

Set up radio interviews – using your press release (again, your pr person may do this) Don’t forget local radio – a great place to start – East Coast for eg. Send a book and a press release and then ring them politely, with the blessing of your publishers of course. Local radio stations love local authors! You could do a competition and give away copies of your book.

After Publication

Start your school events and library events

If you have any news stories, this is the time to use them – advances, film deals, winning competitions, your dog winning a dog show (for the local papers!).

Angles

An ‘angle’ is something that makes you stand out as a person for pr purposes.

Some of the ones I’ve used:

Single mum Parent of teens and toddlers at the same time Partner of a hopeful Olympic sailor

Other people’s angles: Teacher – Eoin Colfer Librarian – Patricia Scanlan Movie geek and ex screen writer – Derek Landy

Anything that makes you different is good – and that you are prepared to talk about!

Everyone has something - Do you keep bees? Can you shoe a horse? Do you dive? Travel a lot? If so, you can write about it

I hope I’ve given you some ideas to think about. You put 100% into writing your book, so why not put 100% into doing the best you can to promote that book? It deserves it. Writing for children, getting published and visiting and meeting young readers are rewarding and joyful experiences, and worth fighting lions and sweating blood for. I wish you all the best of luck with your own journey to publication.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

Are Bestsellers Taking Over? + Puffin Ireland News

The Bookseller magazine has an interesting article in a recent edition (18th November), looking at children’s frontlist (new) fiction. It says that the received wisdom is that bestselling books and brand authors dominate the children’s market. It quotes agent Caroline Sheldon who says that publishers are now looking for ‘bestsellers’, in any category. They want a book that bowls them over. Curtis Brown (London literary agency) adds that publishers are being very cautious. ‘Authors have to reinvent themselves to have much more high-concept ideas that are instantly appealing, or literary, with prize-winning potential.’

Francesca Dow, MD of Penguin Children’s Books plans to cut output of Penguin Children's titles over the next three years in response to high street bookshops who are reducing their range. This is her strategy (Bookseller, 30th September): ‘To make our big brands bigger, to reinvent our classic brands . . . and to create the brands of tomorrow.’ (For brands, read authors or characters.)

Meanwhile over at Puffin Ireland, they have just let their children’s editor go. David Maybury says in today’s blog – (the full piece is worth reading if you are interested in Irish publishing): After launching the Puffin Ireland editorial post two years ago and the first books earlier this year with much fanfare, Penguin Ireland have decided that they don’t require an editor in-house. Michael McLoughlin (Penguin Ireland MD) insists that Puffin Ireland has not closed, that manuscripts submissions are still very welcome and that he and and Shannon Park (Puffin UK) will be working with the authors and titles already assigned. David goes on to say: Removing the Puffin Ireland editorial position may make good sense if you crunch numbers – but the investment in children’s fiction and the growing relationship and goodwill with reader markets, organisations, booksellers, media, libraries and beyond has hit a hitch. I heartily agree. I’m glad that Irish authors can still send in their manuscripts directly, but saddened that they have let such an experienced and knowledgeable Irish editor go. No doubt Puffin Ireland, like Puffin UK  is looking for books with ‘brand potential’.

Interesting The Bookseller article points out that the received wisdom is incorrent, that only 19% of all children’s sales come from the top 10 authors (2010 figures). Even so, many publishers are looking for ‘instant bestsellers’ and are not publishing the range of books they used to. But young readers are veracious, and boy do they read fast! My daughter has recently taken to re-reading her favourite writers' books, as there are not enough new books being published to satisfy her book habit. I have to buy my son American books on amazon.com to supply his need. I just can’t find enough of the right kind of titles to keep them in books, and I know I’m not the only parent finding this problem. And I live in a house full of books, I have access to review copies and all kinds of book information, and I have publishing and bookselling friends. I can’t imagine what it’s like for average parents.

I am well aware that publishers (and writers!) need to make a living, but don't they also have a responsibility to make sure that young readers, the readers of tomorrow are well served? Too idealistic? Maybe.

Must publishers seem to be following the market, what about trying to set the market? What about grouping together several new authors who write family/friendship tales and promoting them together? Yes, it’s probably a lot of work for not much return, but what if one of these authors goes on, in time to be the ‘next’ Cathy Cassidy or Jacqueline Wilson? Ditto with action/adventure books for boys. And animal tales. And funny books for younger readers. My daughter reads a Wimpy Kid in two days - what's she supposed to read then?

I’m concerned about the new writers coming through and the message they are being given – write a bestseller or an award winner with a good hook, or else don’t bother writing at all. No writer is born fully formed – everyone learns by writing and by making mistakes. Many of the bestselling Irish and international children’s writers have years of experience writing in other mediums or genres. Derek Landy wrote screen plays, some successful, others not successful before writing his Skulduggery series; Eoin Colfer write many books for O’Brien Press before coming up with Artemis Fowl; Judi Curtin cut her teeth on adult popular fiction; Jacqueline Wilson wrote dozens of teen books before inventing Tracy Beaker; Charlie Higson wrote for television and adults before his Young Bond and teen zombie books.

‘New’ Irish children’s authors and Irish Book Award senior category nominees, Anna Carey and Denise Deegan have many years of writing behind them – Anna is an experienced journalist, Denise wrote several adult novels before turning to teen fiction. And this experience shows in their work. (Anna won the award, beating off Darren Shan, Denise and Derek Landy, no mean feat.)

New writers need both experience and encouragement, they need to be allowed to make mistakes and to develop. Maybe the first few books they write are not ‘big’ books, maybe they are funny and charming family and friendship dramas (like Eoin Colfer’s first books), animal tales, or time slip stories. If no-one will publish books like this, which don’t have a huge ‘hook’ and ‘bestseller’ potential, that particular author may get discouraged and stop writing altogether. Which would be a shame. No Artemis Fowl is a horrible thought!

I’ve published nine adult novels and four young teen novels (as well as many other non fiction books) and I feel like I’m only really getting started. And I’m very grateful to the editors and publishers who took an early punt on me and my work, and who are still supporting me and my writing journey.

Luckily there are still children’s publishers out there like my publishers, O’Brien Press and Walker Books (and there are others) who are willing to look at unformed authors, willing to publish books that are sweet and wonderful and not all bells and whistles and bestseller lists (although they publish those too of course – Judi Curtin – O’Brien, and Anthony Horowitz – Walker - for eg), books for thoughtful young readers who want more than just the top ten titles on their bookshelves, and for that I am grateful. Long may they prosper!

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

The Truth About Writing Popular Fiction

I have a friend – a much published, very experienced writer of popular fiction – who is worried about finishing her latest novel. She’s almost 50,000 words in and she knows she has at least another 40 to 50k more to write. Her pre-Christmas deadline is looming and she’s freaking out a little. She has no idea how she’s going to finish it in time as she says it’s like pulling teeth. Plus she’s not enjoying the writing anymore. In the same week, another writer – again, popular fiction - posted her worries about finishing a book in time on Facebook. Both have young children to mind, husbands to listen to, bills to pay, other writing jobs on the side. This is the writing for a living story that often goes untold.

Publishers are under more pressure than ever to produce novels that sell widely. With ebooks starting to make inroads into the market, things are very uncertain at the moment. Writers are under extra pressure to write faster, deliver earlier. Popular fiction writers are expected to produce a book a year without fail. Recently I’ve heard several top authors say they are now being asked to write a book every nine months, or to consider adding a book of short stories to their yearly output.

I believe that putting writers under this sort of pressure is counter productive. I’m lucky - I’m a fairly fast, consistent writer. I write 2,000 words a day, four days a week (five if I have a deadline). I write full time. I can sit down at my desk at 10am and stay there until 2pm which is a great luxury. Some weeks – during the Children’s Book Festival and around book publication time - I have other things on like school visits, shop visits, interviews, and I have to take time off from writing. But generally I’m at my desk. Even so, I still find it stressful sometimes.

Stress is the enemy of the writer. It can physically stop you writing as my friend has found. It can block ideas, it can stifle your flow; it can start making you think ‘I can’t do this/I’m rubbish/I’m not a writer/This is all a joke’. And once you start thinking that you can’t write, then you can’t physically write.

The year before last – 2010 – I had a bit of a writing meltdown. I was working flat out on 2 Amy Green novels and an adult novel (and an early reader in fact) and I just couldn’t keep up the pace. Towards the end of the year, I was trying to finish my adult novel but it just wasn’t happening. I didn’t like the story all that much, the characters weren’t working and I just wanted to crawl into bed and forget about writing ever again. So I called a halt. I told my agent and my publishers that I couldn’t deliver my manuscript, that I needed a lot more time. They weren’t exactly thrilled but they were very understanding and they gave me the time I needed to find my way out of the slump.

I took some time off. I read good fiction. I stopped beating myself up about not being Wonderwoman Writer. And gradually when I got some energy back, I started picking apart the book I had been working on and I pretty much started again. I decided I needed to put everything I had into the book, and everything I’d learned over the years about writing popular fiction – big characters, high stakes, drama, emotion, dealing with subjects that matter both to me and to readers. And the book (The Shoestring Club – out in early 2012) is a far better book because of it. In fact, although it has flaws, I think it’s the best adult novel I’ve written so far. And the next one (the one I’m working on at the moment) is even better. Because I’m enjoying the writing process, I WANT to write and, most importantly, I’m minding my writing energy. If I need a day off writing, I take a day off writing. I’m not agreeing to any deadlines I can’t meet and I’m not saying yes to any projects that take me away from the desk unless they are very special.

Writing is a tough business. I’ve been writing full time for nine years now and it’s not getting any easier. But I still love it. And that’s the truth. It’s still my dream job. So I’ll cling to it tooth and nail. But my life is also important, my kids, my partner, my family, my friends, my health. We all need to mind ourselves as writers AND mind ourselves as mothers, partners, girlfriends, aunties, sisters too.

Will writing popular fiction always be so pressurised? I’m not sure. I’m hoping the market will settle down soon for all our sakes. 

But at the moment if you want to write popular fiction, you need to keep strong, keep mentally and physically fit, and keep writing about things you truly care about.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

What Are Children's Agents Looking For?

I chaired a most interesting Irish Pen night last week on Writing for Children and Getting Published and I took some notes for you all. (See how nice I am?) The panel included - Anna Carey, newbie author who is on the current shortlist for the Irish Book Awards; Oisin McGann, highly experienced author and illustrator;  and Julia Churchill from Greenhouse Literary Agency, London. Click on that link to read an interview with Julia. So here goes - what Julia wants - she said she'd love a big love story set in space, but she's not all that concerned with the market. She loves the slush pile.

This is what she is looking for in a nutshell:

1/ concept 2/ character 3/ story 4/ theme 5/ voice 6/ setting

She wants books with a great hook and premise and she needs to get excited about a book to take it on. She likes books with high stakes and for her, character is vital. She likes books with a strong sense of place like the Northern Lights series (Oxford). Overall, she is a young, hard working, vibrant agent who is worth considering if you are the next Derek Landy or Eoin Colfer.

So there you go - some thoughts to get your writing teeth into.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

This is an updated version of a previous post.

Why Writers Need a Bit of Passion in Their Lives

passion

Passion. It’s a great word, isn’t it? It conjures up images of Mills and Boon-type heroes with bare, oiled chests; flame haired women in Gone With the Wind ball dresses . . . or maybe that’s just me.

The paranormal romances riding high in the current books charts are all about swoon and passion. In fact, the latest Lauren Kate novel in her bestselling Fallen series is called just that, Passion.

I was at one of Lauren’s talks in Eason, O’Connell Street, Dublin recently and she certainly spoke with passion about her characters and her plots. She based one of the love interests on her own husband, she admitted with a shy smile. And she wants Ed Westwick (Gossip Girls) to play the character in the movie version. I hear you, Kate!

But today I’m talking about passion for your subject, for your writing, for your characters, not romantic passion. It’s so important to write with passion, every day. To approach the page with all the energy, and enthusiasm and sheer ferocity that you can muster. And believe me, I know it isn’t always easy, especially if you’re tired, or feeling a bit glandy, or are in a dark mood. I’ve been there, trust me! But here’s the thing, if you want to finish your book, you have to work through that.

And I can genuinely say that in nearly nine years of writing full time, I’ve never once sat down to write and not managed at least 500 words. Usually I aim to write 2,000 words a day; often I don’t achieve it, but that’s the goal. I have a little notebook beside my desk and I jot down my word count every day. It’s one way of keeping myself motivated. (It probably sounds very stressy and controlling– and yep, it certainly is, but whatever gets you through, right?!)

In Friday’s Irish Times there was an interesting piece on social networking, Facebook in particular. The journalist, Karlin Lillington interviewed Carol Rozwell, an expert in these matters and Carol said (about Facebook): “It ain’t about the brand. It’s passion about an issue or a topic.” She (Carol) gives Adidas and Nike as good examples of companies using social media tools such as Facebook. “People are not going there because the companies have introduced a new sneaker. They’re going there because of their own passion about fitness and running and so on. So, via social media, the companies are taking what was a transaction and turning it into a relationship.”

Again, it’s all about passion. That’s why I think writers love Facebook and Twitter so much, they love sharing their passions with other people. And they love hearing about other peoples’ passions too. Writers are big passion fans! And that’s how it should be.

What are YOU passionate about? If you want to be a published writer, you need to put writing top of that list. And you need to make sure it stays there!

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

Why Do Writers Teach Creative Writing? Is It For The Money?

There was an interesting conference today in Dublin all about writing classes/workshops which I've been following on Twitter. A question came up - why do writers teach creative writing? Is it for the money? Book sales? To find material. And it got me thinking. Why do I teach?

In fact I was teaching only last night - Writing for Children at the Irish Writer's Centre. We talked about what makes a good children's book - unforgettable characters, beautiful writing, a cracking plot, emotion, drama . . . ? We talked about memory and using our past to shape fictional characters. And above all, it was fun. I learned a lot and I hope the other writers did too!

And that's the main reason I teach: because it's fun. Writing is a lonely old business, and now and again it's very healthy to step out from behind the desk and meet 'real people'. I also teach because I believe in passing things on. I've been very lucky in my writing life, many, many people have been very kind and helpful to me. And if I can help someone else, even in a small way, I believe it's my duty to do so.

I've been involved in the book world as a writer and a bookseller for nearly twenty years now, and I like passing on what I know about the business to people who are interested. Plus I adore talking about books, and as most writers are also huge readers, the book chat in workshops is always fascinating.

To answer the question posed on Twitter (and above): I genuinely don't do it for the money. Depending on the organisation, I don't always charge for workshops or talks. I don't do it for book sales - I'm not sure 15 sales (the max number I like to take in a class) would make the slightest bit of difference overall. To find material? If this means being wowed by the amazing people in the class and their life stories, then yes, often they do inspire me. I love meeting new people and, like most writers, I'm always curious about what makes or made them who they are. But their writing doesn't give me material as such, no. Writers have to find their own obsessions to write about, and my passion for Hungarian ballet probably isn't your passion for example!

For me the answer really is: I teach because 1/ I have something to share with other writers, and 2/ it's fun. Teaching children can be the most fun of all, but that's a blog for another day. Young writers can teach us oldies so much about writing.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

PS The best writing talk I've ever heard was given by Patrick Ness who told the audience to 'write with joy'. If he's in Dublin again soon, check him out! He's a remarkable speaker.

So Your Book is On the Shelves, What Next?

off the phone cork and autumn 2011 236

So what happens after a book is published? I’ve had two books out this month – Ask Amy Green: Love and Other Drama-ramas (Amy 4 for short) and Sally Go Round the Stars: Rhymes from an Irish Childhood. I know a lot of people think that all kinds of exciting things happen on publication day like fireworks and lunches with champagne, and maybe they do, if you are JK Rowling! But nice things do happen if you have the right publishers. Walker Books sent me a Happy Publication Day card, signed by my editors and all the other people I work with. This is a lovely thing to do, very sweet!

The publishers of my adult novels, Pan Macmillan always send me flowers on publication day (although I’m not sure if they still do this in the ‘current climate’ as I don’t have a book out with them this year). Again, a thoughtful, kind thing to do.

Sometimes books have launches, sometimes not. This depends largely on the marketing budget for the particular book, and the publishing house’s policy on launches. I had a very glam dinner for the first Amy Green book, with booksellers, journalists and reviewers. For Amy 3, I had a launch in a bookshop. I also launched two other books at the same time (it was a busy year!), Emma the Penguin and The Loving Kind. It was a really fun night and all my friends and family came along to celebrate the ‘christening’ of the books with me.

This year, I didn’t have a launch for either Sally or Amy 4. O’Brien Press didn’t have time to organise one for Sally (sadly), and I didn’t have the energy to do it myself after a hectic few weeks of book festivals and back to school activity. And I decided not to have one for Amy 4 as I had a lot of events organised around publication day anyway. I’ll definitely have one for Amy 5 however, as a launch is a fantastic way of celebrating a book and giving it a good send off.

So if there’s no launch what happens to the book?

Basically it is put on the shelves of the local and national bookshops after the ‘publication date’. Often the books appear on the shelves before this date. It’s quite a stressful time. You wonder ‘Will anyone buy the book?’, ‘Will anyone review it?’, ‘If they do review it, will they like it?’ It’s only natural to worry about your book’s reception. I always try to tell myself that I’ve written the best book I can, I’ve promoted it to the best of my ability, and now it’s out of my hands. Whatever happens, I am doing a job I love, every day of my life, and that’s the important bit. And that’s it pretty much! Doesn’t sound too exciting, does it? But of course, then comes the marketing and publicity.

Marketing and publicity

About a week after the publication date, my publishers (being proactive and organised people) generally invite me to visit the bookshops and do an informal stock signing. This means calling into the shops, saying hi to the booksellers (fab, hardworking individuals – I used to be one so I’m biased of course!), and sign the stock they have on the shelves. It’s a chance to thank booksellers for stocking your book. And if the shop doesn’t have the book at all, it’s a heads up for them to order some before you arrive.

If you’re lucky, you might be invited to do some pr for the book. I have a wonderful publicity team both here and in the UK, and I often get asked to appear on shows like Elev8 (RTE), the TV3’s morning show. I also write blogs for my own and other peoples’ sites around publication time, like writing.ie, articles for newspapers and other bits and pieces. I also visit a lot of schools to talk about my new books (this only happens for the children’s books obviously). And after the launch (if there is one), the ‘will anyone buy it’ angst, the signings, the publicity, life goes pretty much back to normal and it’s on to the next book.

I do try to celebrate publication day in my own special way – I often buying myself a special gift, take a day off to visit an art gallery, or meet a friend for lunch – just to mark the occasion. But for me, the actual writing of the book is the part I love the most. A good writing day, when everything clicks into place and I’m happy with my work beats a publication day hands down.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

A Who's Who of Exceptional Children's Literary Agents

Who represents Eoin Colfer? Who is Darren Shan’s agent? Who helped Derek Landy climb to the top? As this month I have two new children's books out - Ask Amy Green: Love and Other Drama-ramas (Walker Books) and Sally Go Round the Stars (O'Brien Press), I thought I'd focus on writing for children.

You’ve written a book for children (or teenagers) and you’d like to get it published, so what’s next?

If you are interested in reaching the widest readership possible and giving your work the best possible chance to be successful, you’ll need to find a good agent.

Why do you need an agent? Can’t you just go it alone?

In Ireland we are lucky to have the O’Brien Press where the editors are happy to read unsolicited manuscripts. You can send your book directly to one of their editors. Details of how to do this are here. But most UK publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts so you will need to submit your work through an agent.

What does an agent do exactly? 1/ An agent can advise you on your manuscript and on how to make it more attractive to a publisher. Some of them will act as unofficial ‘editors’ to their clients or at the very least can suggest changes or improvements. 2/ An agent can find the right editor or publisher for your work – like a book matchmaker. And they can sell your UK, US, digital and foreign rights. They can also look after any film or television rights. 3/ Agents deal with the difficult and technical area of contracts. This is particularly important at the moment, with ebooks coming to the fore. 4/ Financial back up - they can chase up your royalties and talk to your publishers about outstanding monies owed to you.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when writing for children is not paying enough attention to the age range. Who is your book for? An early reader of 5 to7? A confident reader of 8 to 10? A strong reader of 10 to 13? Your characters/language/themes must be appropriate for and also interest the age you are writing for. Read award winning and bestselling books in the age group you are writing for to get a clear idea of what works best. I’ll come back to this again in another post as it’s so important – you must write for children for the love of it – not because you want to make your fortune. Write because you can’t not write. And be very aware that these days writing for children means schools visits and events – and a lot of them! If you are not good with children you might need to reconsider. The very best children’s writers have a child like quality and also remember what it feels like to be a child or teen – to be 4, or 13, or 17.

So back to finding an agent: My own children’s agent is called Philippa Milnes-Smith from the LAW Agency (details below). She used to be the MD of Puffin, which gives her a brilliant insight into the market and a great eye for what works and doesn’t work in books. I have a different, equally brilliant agent for my adult books (also in LAW). These days having potential isn’t enough, your manuscript must be as perfect as you can make it before it goes anywhere near an editor – this especially goes for children's and YA fiction. A good agent can play a vital role in this process.

So to the Good Bit - The Agents Who Represent the Most Successful Irish Children’s Writers (with Contact Details)

 Remember to check each agent’s website for submission guidelines before you send anything out. Or ring the agency for details first – I know it’s daunting but they are always happy to advise you on how (or if) to submit. Be warned – you may get the agent herself/himself on the phone. Be prepared!

Eoin Colfer is represented by Sophie Hicks sophie@edvictor.com 0044 (0) 2073044100

Derek Landy is represented by Michelle (Who also represents Patrick Ness) office@michellekass.co.uk 0044 (0) 207 74391624

Darren Shan is represented by Christopher Little Christopher Little Literary Agency 10 Eel Brook Studios 125 Moore Park Road London SW6 4PS Tel: +44 (0) 207 736 4455 Fax: +44 (0) 207 736 4490 For general enquiries please email: info@christopherlittle.net

Sarah Webb is represented by Philippa Milnes Smith at LAW Contact: All submissions should be sent, in hard copy, by post to: LAW, 14 Vernon Street, London, W14 0RJ www.lawagency.co.uk

Cathy Cassidy is represented by Darley Anderson (Spends a lot of time in Ireland and a lovely woman so I’ve included her!) Contact: Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency Estelle House 11 Eustace Road London SW6 1JB Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7385 6652 Fax:00 44 (0)20 7386 5571 Email: enquiries@darleyanderson.com

Judi Curtin and Marita Conlon McKenna are both represented by Caroline Sheldon Contact via: www.carolinesheldon.co.uk 71 Hillgate Place, London W8 7SS

And finally John Boyne is represented by Simon Trewin

See www.simontrewin.com for details

Other Recommended Children's Agents:

Julia Churchill Greenhouse Literary Agency  submissions@greenhouseliterary.com 

And note this - Check our submission guidelines on this site for full information before querying.  Please note, we no longer accept snail-mail queries or email attachments. We are sorry that we cannot take (or return) phone queries regarding submissions. 

Eve White, Eve White Literary Agency (represents Andy ‘Mr Gum’ Stanton) eve@evewhite.co.uk 00 44 (0) 207 6301155

Veronique Baxter at David Higham Contact: David Higham Associates 5–8 Lower John Street Golden Square London W1F 9HA Switchboard: 00 44 (0)20 7434 5900 Fax: 044 (0)20 7437 1072 E-mail: dha@davidhigham.co.uk

Pre-publication Nerves

amy4

Out Next Week!

I have two books out this month – Ask Amy Green: Love and Other Drama-ramas and Sally Go Round the Stars: Rhymes from an Irish Childhood – and as always I’m dreadfully nervous. Will readers like them? Will they pick them up in a bookshop? Will they buy them? Are the covers right? Did I find all the typos? This morning I woke up at 6am, my head already full of my To Do list: finish putting content on my new website (more on that in a second), write Amy 5, think about the short story I have to write for a Walker Books anthology called ‘And Then He Kissed Me’, write articles for the launch of both books, write this blog, and let’s not mention the tax return hanging over my head or the rewrite of Shoestring 2! I also programme the children’s section of a book festival, Mountains to Sea in Dun Laoghaire which starts in, gulp, a week.

My new website is almost ready to go live – on 6th September. Lisa, the designer has done an amazing job. It’s fresh looking and easy to navigate, it has a Facebook feed and all kinds of clever things like a media box (for video clips and photos). I’ve updated all the content and added lots of new content, like exclusive background details to all my books – how the titles were picked, where the idea came from etc. I’ve very proud of it and I can’t wait to share it with you all in September. I will of course be continuing my writing blog, and do please keep reading!

Writers at every stage of their careers are riddled with doubts and insecurities, especially around publication time. I’ve written eleven adult novels now (nine published, two out in the next two years), I’ve written four Amy Green novels, and lots of other children’s books, but I’m still horribly nervous about the reaction to each and every new book.

Seeing your new book on the shelf for the first time is terrifying, yet exhilarating. Not seeing it on the shelves when it’s supposed to be there is of course, far worse! I’m in the very lucky position of having publishers behind me who believe in my work and do all they can to edit, market and promote my books to the very best of their ability. And I try to do my part, writing articles for papers, magazines, blogs and websites, being interviewed by journalists on all kinds of things – yesterday it was on proposing to Ben, my partner, for the Irish Examiner – visiting the bookshops to say hi to the booksellers and to sign stock, doing school events, library events, festivals. Around publication time I generally set aside a full month to work on the publicity side of things. There is no point spending a whole year writing and rewriting a book and then just sitting back and letting it find its own way in the market, I like to get out there and do as much as I can to help it on its way.

I know some unpublished writers look forward to the bookshop visits, the interviews, talking to school children or reading their work to adults, but many don’t. After over fifteen years writing and publishing books, I guess I’m just used to it; but publication month never gets any easier – it’s exciting, joyful, stressful and exhausting. But you have to embrace all the publicity and the marketing for what it is – part of every writer’s job. And I’m very, very grateful that people actually want to read my articles, want to interview me, want me to visit their students. October is Children’s Book Festival month and I’ll be travelling around the country talking to young readers about writing and my books. But in November it’s back to my desk to finish Amy 5. And I’m already looking forward to it. Sometimes I think publication month is there to send us writers scurrying back to our desks with added dedication and vim, ready to type again until our fingers throb.

But in the meantime I’m going to take a deep breath, jump into September head first and embrace all the madness of publication month. And now I can cross ‘write blog’ off my To Do list!

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

A Who's Who of Popular Fiction Agents

Who is Marian Keyes’s agent? Who looks after Cathy Kelly and Sheila O’Flanagan? Who helped Melissa Hill climb to the top? If you write popular fiction, live in Ireland and would like to get published, these are the agents to try first as they have a proven track record with Irish authors. Now, because they have such high flying clients they may not have the time to take on new authors, but if they spot talent, they may pass you on to another agent in their company.

I secured my first agent (who was with Curtis Brown at the time) via a recommendation by Cathy Kelly. This agent and I have since amicably parted ways, but I found my new agent via another writer friend, the wonderful ‘Vampirate’ Justin Somper. I’m currently represented by Peta Nightingale in Lucas Alexander Whitley on the adult side (I also write for children). I’m her only Irish popular fiction client, but many of the other agents on my list have several ‘Irish girls’ in their stable, such as Sheila Crowley in Curtis Brown.

Peta has been a wonderful asset in many different ways. She worked as an editor for many years and has a brilliant eye for plot and character. She’s very honest and she pushes me, makes me want to be a better writer, which is vital at this stage of my career. When it came to writing my new book, The Shoestring Club (due early 2012), her help was invaluable.

These days having ‘potential’ isn’t enough, your manuscript must be as perfect as you can make it before it goes anywhere near an editor – this especially goes for popular fiction. A good agents can play a vital role in this process.

If you are looking for an agent, Godspeed. Hopefully this list may help you in some small way.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

Who Represents Who? Irish Popular Fiction Writers and Their Agents with Contact Details c/o Sarah Webb www.sarahwebb.ie

Remember to check each agent’s website before you send anything out for submission guidelines.

Maeve Binchy is represented by Christine Green

Tel. 020 7401 8844 info@christinegreen.co.uk Christine Green Authors' Agent 6 Whitehorse Mews Westminster Bridge Road London SE1 7QD

Marian Keyes Cathy Kelly Monica McInerney are all represented by Jonathan Lloyd (also CEO of Curtis Brown)

0044 (0)20 7393 4418 lucia@curtisbrown.co.uk

Sheila O’Flanagan is represented by Carole Blake

Blake Friedmann Literary, Film & TV Agency 122 Arlington Road London NW1 7HP

Telephone: 020 7284 0408 Fax: 020 7284 0442 email: info@blakefriedmann.co.uk

Cecelia Ahern is represented by Marianne Gunn O’Connor Marianne represents Claudia Carroll, Anita Notaro and Sinead Moriarty

Marianne Gunn O'Connor Literary Agency Morrison Chambers, Suite 17 32 Nassau Street, Dublin 2 mgoclitagency@eircom.net

Melissa Hill is represented by Sheila Crowley Sheila also represents Emma Hannigan, Sarah Harte

00 44 (0)20 7393 4492 crowleyoffice@curtisbrown.co.uk

Sarah Webb is represented by Peta Nightingale at LAW (LAW also represent Sophie Kinsella – Irish name, but not actually Irish!)

All submissions should be sent, in hard copy, by post to: LAW, 14 Vernon Street, London, W14 0RJ www.lawagency.co.uk

Clare Dowling is represented by Darley Anderson

Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency Estelle House 11 Eustace Road London SW6 1JB Tel: 020 7385 6652 Fax: 020 7386 5571 Email: enquiries@darleyanderson.com

Marita Conlon McKenna is represented by Caroline Sheldon

www.carolinesheldon.co.uk 71 Hillgate Place, London W8 7SS

Patricia Scanlan is represented by Lutyens & Rubenstein Literary Agency

www.lutyensrubinstein.co.uk 21 Kensington Park Road, London W11 2EU

Other Recommended Popular Fiction Agents:

Madeleine Buston at Darley Anderson

Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency Estelle House 11 Eustace Road London SW6 1JB Tel: 020 7385 6652 Fax: 020 7386 5571 Email: enquiries@darleyanderson.com

Lizzie Kremer at David Higham David Higham Associates 5–8 Lower John Street Golden Square London W1F 9HA Switchboard: 020 7434 5900 Fax: 020 7437 1072 E-mail: dha@davidhigham.co.uk

The Joy of Rewriting

And So I Come to the Final Day I’m procrastinating. My book – The Shoestring Proposal (working title – The Shoestring Club is book 1, this is Shoestring book 2) - is one chapter away from completion. Yes, it’s only the first draft and a fairly loose one at that. Half way through writing it I changed all kinds of things: the name of one character, another character’s motivation, the age of a child. So it’s all up for grabs in the second draft.

After writing the book solidly since Thursday 3rd February (I keep a writing diary with daily output including a word count – it’s a way of staying motivated and it’s really interesting to read back over the entries too) I know exactly what I want the book to be, what I’m trying to say on the pages, how I want the reader to feel while reading it. I just have to re-write it now and craft it into the best novel it can be, the closest I can get to my vision of the book.

I love the rewrite stage. I love tinkering with scenes, making them stronger, cutting away the fat, leaving the good, lean stuff, the muscle if you like. Tightening the dialogue, making the characters BIGGER. Making sure each person’s dialogue is distinctive. It’s an exciting stage of the writing process and one that isn’t (as far as I know) taught in schools, which is a shame. The re-writing habit should start early.

A few weeks ago I was corresponding with a writer who wants desperately to be published. I asked her how long it took her to write her book. Nineteen days she said. I was impressed and slightly taken aback. She must have been going at it full tilt.

‘And the re-writes?’ I asked.

She seemed puzzled for a second. ‘The editing you mean?’ she said. ‘Oh, they’ll do that at the publishing house. I don’t have time for all that.’

I was about to explain how you might only get one shot to impress an editor or an agent etc etc, but I kept my mouth shut. She’s clearly a very busy woman!

Next week is the West Cork Literary Festival and I’m speaking to young readers about the Ask Amy Green books and also hosting a workshop, again for young readers. After that, my holiday proper begins. Two weeks to read, eat, sail, swim and read. Did I mention the reading? Monday’s post is all about the books I’m taking with me. After that, in August, I’m back on Ask Amy Green duty, writing book 5. I can’t wait! It’s all about a young Irish ballerina and is set in Dublin and Budapest. See – my job is so much fun!

Then, when I’ve written the first draft, it’s back to The Shoestring Proposal. I’ll read over the manuscript in hard copy, make copious notes and start rewriting, by hand in notebooks and also directly onto my laptop (shell pink Sony in case anyone’s interested). It won’t go near my agent or editor until I’ve done at least three rewrites. Then – probably half way through this process – my Ask Amy Green editorial notes will wing their way back to me and I’ll get stuck in to them quickly as that book is out next year. Shoestring 2 won’t be published until 2013. Phew!

But look at me now, still procrastinating. I’m due at the page but the honest truth is I don’t want to finish this book. I’ve had so much fun writing it. Typing The End means saying goodbye to Pandora and Jules and Iris and Bird and all the characters I’ve had so much fun writing about over the last 2 years. God knows what I’ll be like saying goodbye to Amy and Clover after 5 years! But such is the writing life. And it’s a good one.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

PS Look out for the shiny new sarahwebb.ie website in September – it’s only beautiful! PPS My book is now finished - yes! *sniff, sniff*

Are You Writing Fit?

‘What’s that?’ Charlie says.We’re taking the short cut home from school, through the wood. It’s dark in here and the mouldy, damp leaves smell like rotten meat. ‘What’s what?’ I ask, stepping over a muddy patch and trying not to get my new white runners even filthier. Mum’s going to have enough of a fit already. It’s not my fault - you can’t play footie with the boys without getting your shoes a bit scuffed. He lowers his voice. ‘The rustling. I think there’s someone following us.’ A stick breaks and something moves in the bushes behind us. He’s right. There’s someone, or something there. I take a deep breath and swing around. And then I get the shock of my life . . .

I wrote these opening lines for a Bord Gais Writing Competition for children of age 7+. I said yes to doing it because I knew it was something I could do quickly. I don’t know about you, but life’s moving pretty fast these days and I’m struggling a bit to keep up with all my various commitments. But I do everything I can to supporting anything to do with young readers or writers.

The young writers entering this particular competition will be both boys and girls, so I made the two main characters one of each. I gave it a forest setting to make it a little unsettling/different, and ended it abruptly to get them instantly involved in the story, instantly thinking ‘who’s in the bushes? A monster, an alien, a girl from school . . .’.

The young writers can add to the story and make of it what they will – a ghost story, a horror blood fest, a sci fi alien invasion, a unicorn fantasy tale – whatever genre or mash-up of genres they like. It took me roughly five minutes to think up and write, and a future ten minutes to edit and play around with it until I was happy. But here’s the thing – it took me fifteen minutes in total because my mind is trained to think of stories, characters and ‘what ifs’. My writing muscles are reasonably fit and healthy at the moment (wish I could say the same about the rest of me!).

As a writer you have a huge advantage if you are writing fit. When I visit schools I always tell the children – ‘If you want to win the X Factor, you have to practice. If you want to run or hurdle in the Olympics, you have to practice; if you want to be a published writer, you have to . . . practice.’ And it’s true. It amazes me how many people think they can just pick up a pen, scribble down a first draft, and boom, they will be the next Marian Keyes or Jon Banville. I don’t think the average person has any idea how the writing process really works. The hundreds of hours that go into thinking, making notes, writing, rewriting (x 8/10/12 times in the case of most of my books), editing, copy editing.

In The Right to Write, Julia Cameron says ‘Over the long term, writing is a lot like marathon running and, just as a runner suffers withdrawal when unable to run for a day or two, so, too, does a working writer miss his writing work. A certain amount of writing, like a certain amount of miles, keeps the artistic athlete happy and fit. Without this regular regime, tensions build up. Irritability sets in, life becomes somehow far less hospitable. A good writing day rights this again.’

Julia is bang on. Regular writers get very twitchy if they haven’t been at the page enough. The page is their lodestar.

I’ve been a published writer for over fifteen years now, full time for eight. And it has taken me a long time to find a writing routine that suits me, a balance between sitting long hours at my desk, and doing other things that I enjoy – like organising festivals, doing school visits and talks, touring – all which send me back to my desk happy and glad to be writing again. I’m a very sociable person, I like company, and I’m prone to feeling down and alone, so I have to be careful to pepper my writing week with solid, fun human interaction. But I miss my desk if I’m away from it for too long – it’s all about balance.

Each writer has to find their own writing routine. But routine is the key. No practice without routine. No publication without practice and damn hard work, and as Patrick Ness always says ‘writing with joy’ - turning up to the page every day (or as often as you can), and writing as if it’s your last day on earth. And that’s the ‘secret’ of getting published in a nutshell – routine, practice, hard work, joy . . .

So it’s back to the page for me to unleash some of that joy.

Until next week, yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

The Key Ingredients of Successful Popular Fiction

I’ve been reading a lot of popular fiction recently. For two reasons: there are loads of cracking new books out by some of my favourite writers, and also I’ve been quite tired and a bit run down and there’s nothing like curling up in bed with a comforting book when you’re feeling under the weather. I’m also reading a biography of Emily Dickinson, but it’s dense (if fascinating), and I can’t always rustle up the energy to tackle it. Does this make me any less of a reader? No. It means I am a normal, busy mother of three who needs some time out at the end of the day. And as a writer I love the idea that another tired mother, or lawyer, or nurse, or teacher, or bookseller is looking forward to a few pages of one of my books after their busy day.

Two books have really stood out:

I adored The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyles. It’s a stunning book, swooningly romantic, beautifully written, seamlessly plotted. It’s the story of two women, one the discontented 1950s wife of a rich business man, the other a young modern journalist who is having an affair with a famous middle-aged crime writer. The characters are flawed and at times you want to give both of them a good shake, but they are hugely likable, real women.

I also loved Summer of Love by Katie Fforde. Katie’s books are sheer pleasure. You know she’s going to cleverly keep the main character and her love interest apart until the very last chapter, and her leading women are the epitome of warmth. I’ve fallen for every one of her heroines.

I read another book recently and nearly threw it at with wall in frustration. I wanted to like the book – it was by a new author and the premise was spot on – but the characters. Mamma mia! There were nine main characters (far too many to keep proper track of – I’d recommend no more than five or six tops), none of whom where all that nice or interesting. There was no humour, no warmth, a lot of ‘poor me’, and I did well to finish it at all. I won’t be recommending it to anyone. It’s a shame, I always like to see new blood in the popular fiction genre, it keeps both readers and the book trade interested.

If the characters do not win us over (I’m speaking as a reader here), if in some way they remain unredeemed at the end of the book, if we wonder why we’ve wasted hours of our reading life with such unpleasant (fictional) people, then the writer has a problem. And they clearly haven’t read enough popular fiction to know better. I think some people think it’s ‘easy’ to write popular fiction. But as Nathaniel Hawthorne once said ‘Easy reading is damn hard writing’, and not everyone is suited to it.

Marian and Cathy and Sheila and Maeve and Cecelia are well suited to it, along with other Irish writers who are blazing the trail world wide. Irish popular fiction is renowned for its warmth and its realistic, likable characters. International readers talk about the humour of the dialogue, the close knit family units, the steadfast, lifelong friendships in the books. The two words that appear over and over again are warmth and humour. Jojo and Katie nail this too - do they have Irish ancestors I wonder – only kidding ;).

If you’re writing popular fiction, reading some of the best books in the genre is a must. I’d highly recommend both Katie and Jojo’s latest novels to anyone.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

Lessons for a Writing Life

One of my friends in writing is having trouble finding an agent. They like her writing very much, but they say the market is difficult and they just can’t take a risk on someone new at the moment. This must be really tough to hear – that you’re good but circumstances beyond your control are conspiring to prevent you from being published. I told her to keep going – that the writing’s the thing. That if she can afford to, to give herself some more time and maybe work on a new book, a book that she HAS to write, more than anything else in the world. A book that means so much to her that she can’t not write it.

She’s so close but it would be so easy to give up at this stage. But I have every confidence that she’ll keep writing, because she is a true book lover and adores the writing life.

If you are in a similar situation, hang in there. Keep writing – don’t stop. Even if you have to write at night or early in the morning or in snatched work breaks, you are still a writer.

I’m not usually one for chain email type things, but one struck a chord with me this week. It’s by a 90 year old woman from Ohio called Regina Brett and was originally one of her newspaper columns. As I read it, I realised how many of her maxims for life were relevant to a writing life. So I’ve updated some of them. My additions are the ones underneath Regina’s lines.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

Life Lessons Lessons for a Writing Life

Life isn't fair, but it's still good. Publishing isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

When in doubt, just take the next small step. When in doubt, just keep writing.

Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Life is too short to waste time worrying about other writers and how brilliant/critically acclaimed/famous/rich they are.

You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. You won’t always agree with your editor or agent – pick your battles.

Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck. Save when you can. Writing is a precarious business.

When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile. Nothing I can add there!

Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present. Use your regrets and mistakes to fuel your books. It’s all material.

Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. Don’t compare your writing or publishing career to others. You have no idea how many unpublished manuscripts are sitting under their beds.

When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer. Amen to that.

Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special. Give it all away, every day. Don’t save a brilliant idea for another book. Use it, right now.

Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now. Show up to the page, every day, and write with passion.

Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere. Walking is a great way to start a writing day – get outside – ideas are everywhere.

All that truly matters in the end is that you loved. (And that you wrote!)