I’ve just finished two edits and a novel recently. Book number thirty, maybe – I’m not good at counting them. But this means it’s time to do a few things I’ve missed out on recently. Think. Read. Chat. Blog. Hang out.

I haven’t been away in ages, and it would be lovely to do a bit of travelling. Some research. I’ve missed out on visiting France so far this year.It might have to wait…

Anyone up for a visit?

I was listening to someone on the radio who was talking about going into space, and they said that there are so many wonderful places to visit on this planet first. That started me thinking of places I want to go. The North East. Antarctica. So many places in between.

For research. Or just for the hell of it.

My intention is to write another novel before Christmas, so that I have the first two books in a series lined up. I’m so pleased with the first book. I’m usually hypercritical in the early stages, but this one has me thinking.

Recently, I’ve done a lot of talks and visits to groups. I’ve heard from so many people who want to get a book published, and I’m not the worst person in the world to give them advice. Apparently everyone has a book in them.

So here’s a blog post – the first instalment, if you like, of how to get published.

Remember, it’s a journey. With twists and turns and stopping places.

So do you really want to be a published author? If so, read on.

• Do you? Really? Are you just writing for fun? Because you love writing? Or because you’ve got a story to tell? All these reasons are fine. But do give it some hard thought.Examine your motives. Are you writing for fame, glory, money, happiness? For yourself? For your Mum? For another reason? Just think it through. It doesn’t matter why, as long as you know from the beginning. Then if you’re sure about what’s driving you, you’re ready to go.
• The first point about getting published – and there are no compromises here – is that your audience comes first. Not you, or what you like to write. If you want to write stuff for yourself, just do that. That’s great and fulfilling. If you want to get published, though, there are some preparations to do before you begin. You need to start your journey to publication with cold, hard, focused research. First, read lots of published authors in the genre you want to write in. Because they’re already published. They’ve done what you want to do.
• Approach your novel’s content like a science, with research and analysis. Whose books do you like? Which writers don’t resonate with you? Why? What can you say about their novels, in terms of style, content, characters? What works for an audience of readers in terms of the voice, pace, language? What sings loudly? What moves you? Makes your heart full of joy or pain or love? That’s the stuff that sells. Are you sure you still want to write?
• If you do, pick your genre carefully and look at several people whose books you love. Make a list of what jumps off the page for you – it’s a subjective industry and while we admire all writers, we won’t all enjoy everybody’s work. Keep that in mind. What doesn’t resonate with you, and why? Research thoroughly. Make good decisions. Map out your intentions. Know yourself well as a writer.
• The books you’ve chosen, the writers you admire, the genre you’ve honed in on, is your focus now. It’s not a template. Don’t copy them. But it’s a clear map to being published. A publisher will want to know who you write like. Where your niche in the market will be. If you write like Maeve Binchy – kerching!
• You’re ready to go. You’ll need a good starting idea, a plot that really grabs you, a commercial storyline, great characters that bounce into readers’ imaginations. Ones that people will be fascinated by and will want to read. Are you there yet?
• Good. Write the first four chapters. Or your first 7,000 words. Give it your best shot. Stop.
• Read it all through again. Would other people be gripped by the story? Are you delighted? Excited? Raring to write more? If not, go back to the drawing board. Or at least ask yourself why.
• Avoid too many words. Or too few. Each word should work hard for your reader. If it doesn’t, it has to go. If there are gaps of meaning or depth, fill them. And don’t try to be a ‘writer.’ You don’t have to be Dickens or Joyce. Be simple and be yourself. Write from the heart and let the words flow at this stage. But pick the right ones that evoke feelings and hit the mark, like arrows.
• Whether you’re a pantser or an intensive planner, you have to be excited by what you’re going to write, enough to sustain you through 75,000 or 90,000 words. And you have to excite your reader, to keep them turning the pages.Are you still straining at the leash? Good.
• Once you’ve got this far, get writing. Go for it, go for the whole novel. Have a regular schedule – don’t procrastinate. Just write and write. And write like you mean it.If the going gets tough, you have to keep going anyway. Or find a buddy. Or a mentor. Or talk to me.
• There’s much more advice to come, if you want it, about how to cope with sagging confidence, a wobbly middle to your novel, impostor syndrome, the feeling that you’re flagging, battling against all odds miles from the finish line. There are ways through those moments.
• And I’ll let you have some advice on editing. Being stuck. Feeling rubbish, low on confidence. It’s all part of the process. All that will come in a second instalment.
• After that, there are all the big issues to discuss, once your novel is written. Finding good agents. Good publishers. Avoiding pitfalls. The first steps. The next ones.
• When I did my masters, we were warned that we’d have to paper a whole wall with our rejection slips before we got published. So – read my advice again. You have to write something that will sell. Something that publishers will want. Otherwise you won’t be in the running at all. You’ll neeed impetus. Resilience. And passion.
• But the good news is, you have what it takes if you’ve read to the end and you still want t write…Good luck!! You can do it.

I hope you’ve found this introduction useful. Let me know if you want some more, and what areas you’d like me to focus on.

It’s up to you.But time’s always a factor.

I’ll be back in the cave soon, before I know it.

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