Annette Young

I’m often asked how to become a writer and the answer is simple; dedication, commitment and passion. These are the key components but link those with a heightened sense of imagination, an ability to visualise and a great deal of enthusiasm and you are onto a winner.  If you really wish to become a writer, then you need to start thinking like one, allowing your life to change dramatically and also, by expanding your mindset so that you see a potential for stories in everything around you.

You can become a writer by thinking outside of the box, exploring opportunities, taking risks and by playing with the technical aspects of writing. It is only through a continued exploration of various writing genres and the practical application of your own creative skills that can make a difference to your writing future.

My writing journey began by reading voraciously (I was reading Agatha Christie novels at five years old) and although I didn’t know it at the time, even then I was trying to work out how a story was put together although to be honest, Enid Blyton was also a massive inspiration at that time. I loved her simplistic view of life and envied her characters that could explore exciting places and face hidden dangers because my own childhood was so restricted. She had the ability to be able to connect on the same level as a child and connecting with the reader is something all writers should aspire to do.  I also had a vague idea that I wanted to write exciting stories and I wanted to illustrate those stories too and as my two creative passions were writing and art, it made sense to me that I would use both..

To become a writer, you need to have a natural sense of curiosity, a need to be able to pick a successful work of creative writing apart, so that you can see just what the author has done and…why. Writing is a vast learning curve that never ends, especially not with publication. There are always better ways to write and to create but that is what makes it exciting and if you want to become a writer today, then get started.

Annette Young 

Writers block may be the curse of the creative but if you are a determined writer, you will always find ways to overcome it if you can understand why you are struggling.  

 To give you an example, writing has always been a passion of mine, even from an early age and words used to flow like the proverbial river  as I had so many ideas, thoughts and feelings and I never once used to suffer with writers block at all.

In fact, I couldn’t understand why those articles published in writing magazines seemed to make  such a drama about writers block. My views at that time were that surely if you wanted to write enough, then writers block must only affect those whose writing convictions were not as deeply embedded.

Of course, I was writing therapeutically, recording events that happened to me on an intrinsically personal basis (especially through my teenage years) and capturing all that angst on paper was a creative relief. When there is that much new and exciting emotion cursing through the veins, it is easy to channel it consistently.

 Years later when I was experiencing the break -up of my marriage, I suddenly realised that writers block was a REAL problem and for once, instead of being able to relinquish my pain through words, everything felt frozen inside. No longer a steady stream of eloquent words, they were disjointed, forced and there was no pleasure to be gained by trying even to link static sentences together to make a paragraph of sorts.

 I have to admit this went on for some time….a few years in fact, and deeply rooted inner angst is a powerful barrier against creativity. I was traumatised and numb. One day, the creative spark ignited again, ably abetted by my dreams and inspiration surged through me for days.  I then began to write feverishly to make up for lost time. The release from writers block is overwhelming and intensely pleasurable and when that frustrated state has been experienced for some time, it is like shedding layers of oneself, all those experiences come flooding out.

 Knowing that writers block was real, I learned how to avoid it as much as possible and to channel those days when writers block threatened to rear its head once more. It seemed that if I kept my mind open to fresh new writing challenges, I could keep writing even on those days when the words became slow.  I realised that if my mind became frozen due to facing difficulties on any one project,  I simply had to start something new and that project had the ability to overwhelm any inadequacies.  My brain would freeze and then relish the joy as new creative ideas would send any frustrations spiralling….

If you suffer with writers block, keep the brain open but allow it to flirt with as many new ideas that emerge, half formed and let them play with your subconscious mind until viable ideas take root. Most importantly, keep writing, the very act of capturing those words …whether good or bad….will keep writers block at bay.

Judith Barrow

The dog is snoring on my lap; she’s used to these hours of immobility as I wait desperately for the next paragraph, the next sentence, even the next word (letter?), to inspire me; to move my writing on. I re-read what I have already written; alter a word here and there, marvel that I have created a wonderful story, despair that the work I produced yesterday now reads so deadly boring; blundering its way to an ending that is so obviously uninspired.
I haven’t blogged before.

Until this last year I didn’t understand what it was or why anyone would want to write one. After all writing time is precious, I thought, why spend it doing this rather than producing another manuscript to hide away in the filing cabinet; neatly typed, spell-checked, double-spaced, edited ten times and protected in a folder. But then I started reading other people’s blogs and I realised I wasn’t alone. Other writers suffer from the same self-doubts and fears; scared of rejection, of being proved that the poem, the short story, the novel they have created is something that no one else would want to read.

So, eventually and with great trepidation, I bundled up my manuscript and, giving the envelope one last pat, posted it. Of course it came back – numerous times.

But 2010 is my year. I know, I know, as my family and so called friends tell me so often, I said the same about 2000,200I, 2002 and so on and so on. But I have persevered and even had some small successes, But this year it’s all coming true; this year my book will be published; this year I will be the one doing book launches and book signings. So what if no-one turns up other than me and a representative from Honno (my publishers): I will be there!

Judith Barrow BA MA

email ja.barrow@ btinternet .com
www.saddleworth-house.co.uk
www.judithbarrow.co.uk
www.judithbarrow.com

Mike Dale

“Write about what you know.” It is a piece of advice much used, and abused, in the teaching of writing techniques to beginners. As an exercise pointer it might be fine, but when it comes to getting published it may turn out to be far too limiting.

I prefer “write about what interests you.” What is the difference? Let me give you an example.

A while back I was thinking about a story involving scenes at an auction of fine art. The problem was as a starving artist I had never been to an auction except to buy a second-hand car. So I contacted the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers (yes, there really is one for everyone!) and spoke to several of their members. They were extremely helpful and provided me with lots of background and procedure; some of it even finished up in the story.

Generally, when you tell people that you are an author doing research they fall over themselves to help. This method has uncovered some fascinating areas for me, from poisonous plants to seafood cookery, and even an interview with a smallholder on the tribulations of country life. None were areas that I knew, but they were interesting and made it easy to write something fresh. And they got me published.

I have two works in progress at the moment. One revolves around computer fraud, of which I know a little from my time in information technology. The other is about a serial killer, and I assure you that I have no experience whatever there! But that is what makes research so much a fun part of the writing.

So remember, rule no topic out just because you are not an expert. There are so many fascinating things in this world. You wouldn’t want to miss any of them, would you?

Mike Dale

http://www.mikedale.co.uk/

Mike Dale a freelance writer, lecturer and critic, and lives in Manchester, UK, with his wife Sue.

His background is in senior business management, but he now writes both fiction and non-fiction on a range of topics. He has been published in magazines as disparate as Twisted Fairy and The Countryman. He has also had published many short stories and has won several prizes. None have been the Booker.

Mike is working on a novel, but the need to eat is slowing down progress. He persists.

Mike Dale

The big problem with New Year resolutions is that, by definition, they require the presence of resolve.

I have read widely on this topic and it would appear that this is a rare commodity in the oft-published writer, so what chance do the rest of us have? However, undiscouraged and foolhardy as only the ignorant can be, I have presumed to establish the following personal resolutions for 2010.

• I will get a non-fiction article published by someone other than an aspiring web-site publisher who can’t yet afford to pay me.
•  I will begin to write stories and articles for a market that exists, rather than for one that should exist if there was any justice.
• I will not get cross when I am rejected by some spotty youth who clearly does not recognize the next Iain Banks. (NB, not Iain M. Banks – don’t do that Sci-Fi stuff. Good Lord no!)
• I will write a minimum of 5000 words per week and thus complete my novel. No, really. Yes, I know I haven’t but I intend to give it my full and undivided…
• I will stop having one-sided conversations with my muse. Maybe then it will be able to get a word in and the big idea will gallop, cavalry-like, over the horizon.

All that is missing now is a large helping of self-motivation and we are on a winning track. Writing? Easy; don’t know what all the fuss is about…

www.mikedale.co.uk

Annette Young

Murder mystery books are always a popular read and if you take a look in your local bookshop, you will see what I mean. We can learn a lot from published authors of this genre if we take the time to do a little research. For me, browsing through a bookshop is always a delight, in fact it’s hard to get me to leave once I’m browsing the selection of novels and there is without doubt, something so addictive about wandering down rows of published books, reading book covers and getting a feel for the stories within.

Take your time, but once you have chosen any murder mystery books that appeal, then the fun can really start.

 Settle back into a comfy armchair and immerse yourself in the plot. Allow yourself to notice how the author spins that intricate murderous web around the characters, the plot and cleverly draws the reader into the story. Re-read the opening sections of the book and those all-important first paragraphs, how did the author capture your attention? Vivid imagery? Murder or a sense of intrigue? Why did the opening section work so well?

 As you are reading, try to analyse how the author has kept your interest throughout and how they carefully dangled any red-herrings to throw you off the true plot that has been carefully concealed. A good writer will keep you guessing and this is what makes for a good page turner.

 I can appreciate that sometimes it is difficult to analyse whilst enjoying a cleverly crafted plot, and if this is the case, then simply settle back and enjoy the craftsmanship as the plot unfolds.  There will be time afterwards to re-read and analyse then.

 We should never try to emulate the style of another writer but we can put their published efforts to good use by taking a section of their work and re-writing it (whilst trying to improve it in our own style) or  we could even use their characters in a plot of our own.

This is for personal use only and not for publication  and it helps you to absorb the necessary skills by using characters or plots that you are completely familiar with now. It’s fun, useful and can give you an insight into the skill of the author and allows you to ascertain your own technique.

 As writers, we have productive days and we also have those days when extracting words from our brains is akin to pulling teeth.  But researching genres that we instinctively love will help us get past writers block or just churning out fiction without ever progressing fully. Why shouldn’t we learn from those who enjoy publishing success? I know that when I have been writing a story that I have totally enjoyed, the words flow, the ideas strengthen and the time flies by.

So if murder mystery books do it for you, then create a murderous plot of your own and have your own avid readers analyse your skills. 

Annette Young

One of the main reasons that writers fail when writing horror stories is that they are not able to immerse themselves into the plot totally and by this I mean, that, irrespective of how the plot is constructed, the writer should feel the ripples of trepidation in a similar way to the reader.

Writing horror stories in a convincing way means having to scare yourself.

You might be asking yourself how you can do that, considering as the writer, you will be crafting the plot so therefore would know exactly what is going to happen and when, but it’s simple, you just need to see through the eyes of your characters.

Horror stories should incite fear wherever they have been set: A creepy, derelict old mansion or a brand new block of flats …for example.

Whilst the first example sets the scene for the reader, the writer simply needs to work that little bit harder to instil the same sense of foreboding in the second example as the reader has no preconceived idea about what could happen in a brand new flat and therefore you need to build up the tension.

If you want to write horror stories that literally terrifies the reader, then you must imagine that you are actually ‘witnessing’ the events that unfold and hearing every creaking floor board, every menacing whisper and feeling the thudding of your heart as the anticipation rises.

If you struggle with this, then try a little experiment.

One night when you are home alone, turn out the lights in the house and sit quietly. Even if you are not scared of the dark (and I admit I am) you will immediately start to hear lots of strange noises coming from all directions. Depending on how nervous you are, you will even start to imagine manifestations and make odd shapes out of the blackness. Try to sit in the dark for a while or to accelerate the tension, light a candle and walk around the house, noticing the strange shadows on the wall. Imagine that you are your character and that something evil is lurking.

The point to all of this is that if you can feel the fear yourself and let your imagination run wild, you will be able to portray that sense of apprehension and dread to the reader and your horror stories will have the reader hanging on to every word.

Annette Young

www.annette-young.com

www.creativecompetitor.com

Kate Williams 

My Inner Critic has decided to out itself. No longer is it content to just whisper vile negatives to my every written word – now it is engaged to Procrastination and a wedding seems inevitable. The two together have gobbled up my muse (a green tree frog); belched in my face and said “Delicious. Any more?”

It isn’t that I haven’t the stories demanding to be told; there are just so many that they have constipated my fingers. As they are stuck halfway between my throat chakra and my emotional centre, it seemed reasonable to try and shift them by a session on the Zen-chi machine. All that achieved was wobbly legs and the realisation that I had forgotten to do any Tai Chi exercises. Standing meditation as if I am hugging a tree fills up about ten minutes. Then it’s back to the page.

I polish my computer and stare at the white blank screen. Then riffle through the thesaurus as if my life depended on finding that perfect word. Which of course it does. I can’t find it and in any case, I need to check on the progress of the Sun-birds nest. I couldn’t sleep let alone write if anything prevented the eggs from hatching.

I must Google and see what can be done about eradicating Indian Mynah birds.

Deciding to sneak up and perhaps catch the betrothed couple sleeping; I cycle to the beach with notebook and pen and the intention of letting a character emerge and speak. There are dozens. Voracious in their need for centre stage.

In the end, we all gaze out at the Coral Sea looking for dolphins then admire the lacy patterns made by sand-crabs.

Tomorrow, without fail, I am going to write my Christmas list; and plan what I’ll wear to the wedding.

Annette Young

I can remember when I first began writing seriously. I wrote completely on instinct and adhered to creative muse allowing that to guide me. My writing was precious, like a new-born baby and I wrapped and coddled it, correcting it, re-writing it and nurturing it through to completion.

 I then kept it safe and warm and away from everyone else.

 Why did I do that? What possible use is saving your writing in a computer file or tucking it in a dark drawer and thinking …one day?

 Having experienced this strange protective process in the early stages of my writing, I realised finally when I could no longer squeeze another manuscript into the drawer that I had to rethink my writing goals to ascertain what I really wanted to achieve. The answer was simple, I wanted to be a published writer of merit but I also knew that was impossible for as long as I kept hiding my creative merits . What was I scared of?

  Rejection.

 Sadly, rejection is likely to be  inevitable…….

Many writers fear rejection until they have learned to face it a few times, some writers fall by the wayside and decide to keep their writing as a hobby whilst others, grit their teeth and learn to brush off their bruised egos and they start writing again.

Steely determination is the best way to overcome fear and determination to succeed eventually will have the writer…i.e. you, sending out the best possible work in the hopes that someone will see the merit within your creative endeavours.

Once I had overcome my sense of fear and faced the fact that in order to grow and develop my writing, I was going to have to dig deep and send my prized possessions out into the big wide world,  I began to acknowledge my position on my writing journey, knowing that my destination might still be some way off, but at least I was heading in the right direction. 

I saw rejection as a way to spur me forward and it worked because I learned to analyse why. Four steps forward and two back might seem a painfully slow way of reaching publishing success but, it also helps to build the strong foundations that is needed and when success is finally obtained, boy, is it ever worth the wait…!!

Good luck on your journey.

Annette Young

www.annette-young.com

www.creativecompetitor.com

Annette Young

One of the good things about having a blog is that you get to rant occasionally and vent your frustrations and one of my all-time writing hates is when writers submit sub-standard work to publishers. Frankly I don’t understand it.

 Editing work is an essential part of the writing process and it reeks of unprofessionalism if the writer does not make that extra effort to polish their work. It certainly doesn’t bode well if the writer does not have the ability to see a project through to completion and most publishers would reject work received that is inundated with errors.

 We all make the odd mistake when editing work, especially if we have been immersed in a writing project that is long and intense and have read and re-read every word over and over again. No wonder the odd spelling mistake sneaks through our careful checks but mistakes should be few and far between and not littered throughout each paragraph blazing a trail of carelessness for all to see.

As a writer, I try to edit carefully but I’m only human and I have spotted an odd mistake after sending work out (imagine the mental berating) and the reason it happens is because we have read our work to death and the brain, following this repetitive process, knows just what word we were supposed to have written and chooses to see that word and not the one that we actually typed. The mind can certainly play tricks and one tip to avoid this scenario would be to read your work aloud as this will highlight obvious errors. Imagine you have an audience and are projecting your words for maximum impact; this can often bring silly errors to light. Alternatively, if someone else is available, ask them to check it for you.

As a writing coach, I know that I will often read first draft work with many barely concealed mistakes and although the errors scream at me, I don’t expect it to be flawless as the writer is focussing on learning new techniques and the polishing takes place later but as a publisher, I get fed up when final drafts are sent to me and these are still riddled with errors. It does seem as if sometimes apparently professional writers expect me to polish and edit their work for them. The same goes for competition entries, I can understand writers wanting their work to stand out but sending crumpled, poorly checked submissions only stands out in a negative way.

Whilst there are many writers who will spend a great time editing work and who care about their submission, there are sadly those who won’t commit to the full process of writing and take time and care over their ‘baby’ before sending it out in to the world, so if this is you, take a moment to rethink your processes and reasoning, do you really want to be a professional writer? If the answer is yes, then editing work is vital and calls for a commitment from start to finish.

Rant over.

 Annette Young

www.annette-young.com