Want to write a book? We asked some of our favourite authors for their top tips. By Liz Jarvis
If you’ve ever finished a book and thought ‘I could do better’ or you have a story you’re simply bursting to write, you’re definitely not alone. But often the biggest challenge is getting started.
‘Give yourself permission to write what you want and need to write,’ says Caroline Smailes, author of Like Bees to Honey. ‘Don’t worry about word counts, don’t worry about starting at the beginning and don’t set unrealistic expectations.
‘I often start in the middle of a story and then go back to beginning when I’ve established a voice. There are no rules that you have to follow. That will lead to feeling overwhelmed. Instead, just write. The rest will follow.’
‘Too many people enter the profession because they want fame, money, glamour,’ says Joanne Harris, best-selling author of novels including Blackberry Wine and Chocolat. ‘You are statistically very unlikely to get these things by writing books, even if you manage to get a publisher. Write because you love it. That way, the work will always sustain you.’
Being a mum means that spare time is often a luxury, but if you really want to write a book say top authors, you’ll make time to do it – and we’ve all heard the story of how JK Rowling would spend hours scribbling in a café at every possible opportunity.
‘When my son was a baby, my husband would take him out for an hour’s walk in the pram,’ says Julie Cohen, author of Getting Away With It. ‘I would drop everything and spend that hour writing like crazy. Because I'd been looking forward to that hour all day, I could usually get about 1000 words done.
‘Although writing wasn't more important than my son or my husband, it was more important than ironing, cleaning, cooking elaborate meals, frequent shopping, or watching television.’
‘I started writing when my daughter was one,’ adds Caroline Smailes. ‘I’d stay up far too late and I’d always carry a notebook with me.’
Getting published
Once you’ve written your manuscript, the next step to getting published is usually finding an agent. ‘It’s very hard to be taken seriously without one (and an agent can protect you against the many sharks and swindlers who may want to exploit you),’ says Joanne Harris.
‘Do your research,’ advises Nell Dixon, author of Crystal Clear. ‘When looking for an agent or publisher find out as much about them as you can. Is the length of your work right? Do they publish or represent that kind of book? Are they legitimate? Money should flow to the author - beware of any agent or publisher that suggests that you pay them upfront for any services. The Writers and Artist's Yearbook is a good starting point to look for publishers and agents.’
If you don’t want to wait for an agent to discover your literary talent, another option is self-publishing. The popularity of Kindle and other e-book readers means that many writers without an agent can publish their own books – and even make money from them.
Melanie Clegg is the author of several books published on Kindle. ‘I've sold over 3,000 books since last March and am making enough now to start seriously thinking about packing in my other job as a researcher,’ she says. ‘If it’s something you want to do then I would read as much as possible about it beforehand, make sure you have an amazing cover, description and author central page about yourself all ready to roll and don’t be scared to play around with things until you get it exactly right.
‘You will more than likely carve out your own little niche in the book world. The sky really is the limit!’
Getting support
The following organisations offer writing schemes:
The Arvon Foundation
The Faber Academy
Authonomy
The Romantic Novelists Association New Writers Scheme
Photograph: Takazumi Uemura
