MY TOP 10 TIPS FOR ASPIRING WRITERS :
So many of you write to me asking for tips on how to
become a writer that I thought I’d post a few tips on my
site that I hope are useful
1) My first big tip for writing a novel is ‘get
writing’. So many people say to me that they want to
write a novel but in fact never write anything longer
than a shopping list! Try to write something every day,
even if it’s just for ten minutes and even if you’re not
in the mood. If you’re stuck for something to write
about set yourself tasks, such as describing what you
can see if you look out of the window, or your earliest
memory or how a new dish tastes. It doesn’t matter what
you write, or even if you ever use the exercises in your
big novel, it simply develops discipline.
2) Have fun. It shows. If you don't enjoy what you're
writing, no reader will enjoy reading it.
3) Read a lot because that’s essential for all good
writers.
4) Don’t become a hermit. Everything you see and do
informs your writing. The more you have experienced,
seen, read, learnt, the more ideas you'll have. No-one
learns much by sitting at a desk waiting for 'the Muse'
to knock on the door.
5) You’ll need a big fat book called
THE WRITERS AND
ARTISTS YEARBOOK. It's published annually and lists
every UK and Irish publisher and agent, plus it offers
some guidance as to which genre the agent is interested
in. This book also gives tips on how to present your
work to attract agents (or at least how to avoid
offending them!)
6) Generally, agents expect to see three chapters of
your work, a CV and a synopsis and I think it’s sensible
to send to one agent at a time (this is important in
case you get accepted by two at the same time, then
you'd be in hot water). The YEARBOOK tells you all of
this and more. Use it as your first reference and then
go on line to check out agent’s websites. It’s sometimes
even worth making a call to a potential agency and
asking who you should approach (never send an open ‘To
whom it may concern’ type of note).
7) Another good place for finding agents is to look at
the acknowledgements in the published novels of your
genre. Often, authors thank their agents and this will
give you some idea as to who you should approach.
8) Try showing someone your work but don’t take offence
at any comments they make. Remember you asked them,
they’re doing you a favour reading it and it’s a
difficult job. Be humble. Accept both praise and
criticism with an equally open mind and act upon them
where necessary.
9) Don't waste time trying to imitate someone else's
style just because you think it's in vogue, no matter
how successful they’ve been. Chances are that by the
time you finish the book, the wave will have passed
anyway. Remember, books hit the shelves about a year
after they are written. Find your own style and voice.
10) Finally, develop a thick skin. Chances are you will
get some knock backs along the way but don’t ever give
up hope. If you have a talent and you are persistent it
will pay off eventually, I promise. Some of the reasons
for rejections are because an agent’s books are full, or
your work is too similar to another author or not like
the other authors that particular agent represents! A
rejection doesn't necessarily mean that your work isn’t
any good. Be realistic. Remember that there are
thousands of new titles published every year. For every
one of these that is published agents and publishers,
read and reject over 100 manuscripts (sometimes as many
as 500). These are the odds. Don't give up - but don't
expect instant success either.
Nothing is impossible, and not much is near-impossible,
so don't give up!
Good luck!
