What I have come to realise in the last year

Is it time to review our goals, and writing life through a different lens?

And what have I learned over the last year through my writing and editing?

1.

It’s okay not to rush at our writing or editing in order to have our latest book published.

2.

Reflect and put time aside to plan, think and develop the stories we want to write. Our readers want to jump straight in. Immediate connection matters.

3.

Let’s take the time we need to write well.

Finely crafted writing along with a great story, pace, and surprise twists will captivate the reader/listener all the way to the end. And without doubt, we remain memorable, leaving our audience excited for more.

4.

Building a loyal audience and readership takes time, planning, and effort if we wish to engage and add value to our followers.

5.

Enjoy working with our Publishers and Editors. (I feel truly blessed, I am signed to The Publishing Circle, (US) with Linda Stirling at the helm. She took me under her wing some two years ago.

True professionals are tuned in to our style of writing, and the story we wish to tell. Working together ensures our voice consistently shows up on the pages.

6.

Less is more as we take the time to polish and hone our manuscript. 

It has to be the best version of the story before our novel is released into the world.

7.

If we really care about our characters, we have to spend time exploring and developing them. Get to know their traits, behaviour, every nuance, ask them questions, give them a lot of heart and soul. That way they become credible and rounded. Our readers will relate and love them too.

8.

Have fun with our writing and make the most of this unique opportunity and experience. If we are not enjoying the journey, how can we expect our readers to become immersed in our stories?

9.

I have come to realise, there is much to learn in the craft of becoming a better author. (I put my hands up; my weak spot is ‘punctuation’) We have to ensure our words, descriptions, paragraphs, and every chapter is attention-grabbing.

Let passion, persistence, and patience continue to power us through, even on the testing days of writing and editing. 

10.

The story and characters must shine brightly long after our novel has been released, read, remembered, promoted, and shared via an ongoing, and diverse marketing strategy. Longevity is attainable with hard work.

And finally, we writers are not robots. We need to regularly get out of our heads, by planning date days or hours away from our desks. Only then can we get back to the page, feeling newly inspired, and completely refreshed to carry on… with our passion of writing.