Write That Book - Week 7 - Proposals and Agents

shoestring trade pbk cover to use

Welcome to week seven of Write That Book. If you’ve just stumbled upon this blog, weeks one to six, covering getting started, characters, plot and editing may also be of use to you. Once you’ve finished your manuscript and have rewritten it many, many times and copy-edited it meticulously, you will need to find an agent or a publisher. I’ll deal with why you need an agent below (and in some cases you don’t), but first, titles.

Book Titles

Book titles are very important. They say a lot about a book. Some writers find titles easy, for others it’s like pulling teeth. And it can differ with every book. In the world of popular fiction/romantic comedy, I’ve always liked Katie Fforde’s titles: Thyme Out, Practically Perfect, Highland Fling. Maeve Binchy’s titles are also excellent – simple and catchy - Tara Road, Nights of Rain and Stars, Circle of Friends.

On the children’s side, I’ve always loved the quirky Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret as a title. It shouldn't work, but it does. How to Train Your Dragon, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Under the Hawthorne Tree, Ballet Shoes, Skulduggery Pleasant, Artemis Fowl – all fantastic, memorable titles. It’s hard to define what makes a good title. It must be simple and catchy, but it must also say something about the book.

So spend time getting your title right.

Writing a Proposal for an Agent

So you’ve finished your book, made it as perfect as you can (after many, many edits and rewrites) and you’re finally ready for the journey to publication. Some publishers will accept unsolicited manuscripts, but many of the larger publishers only accept submissions from agents. If your book is a local history of Dublin, you can send it directly to an Irish publisher, and we’ll talk more about this, along with self-publishing, next week. If your book is a novel, and you’d like to see it published in the UK, all over Europe and the US, as well as in Ireland, you will need an agent.

Preparing your manuscript

Presentation is so important. Your manuscript must look professional. Make sure the pages are freshly printed out and look pristine. Make sure your covering letter is clear and polite. Include any personal details that you think are relevant and interesting - your experience living in an exotic country where the book is set from for example, working in the circus in your teens, your years as a ballerina/ballet teacher - but keep it brief and succinct.

Make sure your manuscript is neatly printed on plain white A4 paper, using double spaces and easy to read (eg Times New Roman) 12 point type; and make sure every page is numbered. Put your name, address and telephone number clearly on the title page, as well as the title of the book, and place a large elastic band around the pages. Don’t staple the pages together and don’t bind your manuscript - agents like to be able to read manuscripts on the train and in bed.

Some agents prefer a synopsis and a few sample chapters first, check with each agent for details before sending anything to them. Place the whole lot in a jiffy bag, and cross your fingers.

These days, some agents read most of their submissions on their Kindle or iPad, make sure to ring or email and ask how they like submissions before you send anything off. Be warned – sometimes you will ring an agent’s office and they will answer the phone themselves. And they may ask you to tell them about your book right then and there. Be prepared! This happened to me once and I was caught completely on the hop. I didn’t have my notes in front of me and I was hideously tongue tied. (In my case it didn’t actually matter – but it could have!)

This is what you will need to send an agent:

A brief, polite and informative covering letter A brief biog – especially anything exciting or book related. Are you a librarian, bookseller, teacher, bee keeper, lion tamer? A brief blurb (like you’d find on the back of a book – sell your book to the agent in 3 or 4 lines) A synopsis of the whole novel – 2 to 3 pages Character biographies of your main characters – to show you know who they are (I’m not sure if this is standard, but I always do it) The first few chapters depending on their length – about 30 to 50 pages – ask how many chapters/pages the agent would like to see.

Most agents ask for the first few chapters; if they like them, they will request the entire manuscript. So you’d better make those first few chapters REALLY, REALLY GOOD. Never say in your letter ‘These aren’t the strongest chapters, it does get much better later on’. Never send an extract from the middle of the book.

And finally all agents want career writers, people who want to write lots of books, not just one book. So it’s a good idea to tell them what other book ideas you have, or what other books you have also written.

They want writers they feel they can work with, who are professional, hard working and in control of their work. They want writers who know what they are doing and have confidence in their own work, writers who aren’t afraid of rewrites, who take the business of writing seriously. Is that you?

Why Do I Need an Agent?

People often me ask this and I tell them the following:

The Irish publishing world is quite small and very few writers could survive writing only for the home market. This is where agents come in – to find international publishers for Irish writers, and to sell foreign rights.

There are many reasons why agents are useful: 1/ An agent can advise you on your manuscript and on how to make it more attractive to a publisher. Some of them, like my wonderful agents (I have two agents – in the same agency – one for my children’s books, another for my books for grown-ups) will act as unofficial ‘editors’ to their clients, or can, at the very least, suggest changes or improvements. Many are in fact ex-editors and are highly qualified for this work. 2/ An agent can find the right publisher for your work. Good agents will know what kind of areas particular publishers are looking to publish in at the moment. And they can sell your UK, US and other foreign rights. 3/ Agents deal with the difficult and technical area of contracts. They are also experts in digital rights and ebooks, which is an area that is becoming more and more important for writers. 4/ Money – they can chase up your royalties and talk to your publishers about outstanding monies owed to you. 5/ Good agents make you want to up your game – they make you want to write better books. Which is always a good thing! Ditto good editors – more on that next week.

Agents can be found in the Writers and Artists’ Yearbook. It can take a while for them to get back to you (up to 3 months). It used to be good practice to approach them one at a time, but these days it is perfectly acceptable to approach several at the same time. Of course, if you get an agent, do let other agents you have sent submissions to know, it’s only good manners and you don’t want to waste their time.

There are only a few literary agents in Ireland, the main ones being Jonathan Williams, Faith O’Grady and Marianne Gunn O’Connor (Details below or in the Writers and Artists’ Yearbook as above – or google them). Many Irish authors are with UK agents.

Contact the chosen agent and find out what they would like to see – for some it’s a few chapters, for others it’s the whole manuscript, plus news cuttings, reviews, biog, photo - anything relevant. Even the top agencies are always looking for new talent so don’t be put off by the fact that they represent Cecelia Ahern, JK Rowling or Marian Keyes.

See below for a list of recommended children’s agents and popular fiction agents. And finally I will leave you with some tips from the experienced Irish agent, Faith O’Grady:

Top Tips from Faith O’Grady, Literary Agent at the Lisa Richards Agency

1. Do some research on the literary agency before submitting your work to find out if they handle your particular genre. It is worth making a brief phone call or looking up the agency website to find out what their requirements for submission are. Agencies have different submission policies so it is worth finding out what they are looking for.

2. Write a cover letter which is clear and concise, giving a brief description of your book and of yourself. Don't exaggerate or oversell yourself or the book as this is quite off-putting.

3. Include an sae if you would like your work returned. And don't expect an immediate response as most agencies are inundated with unsolicited manuscripts.

And next week - the final week - we will deal with publishers and self publishing . . .

Who Represents Who?The Agents Who Represent the Most Successful Irish Children’s Writers (with Contact Details)

 Remember to check each agent’s website for submission guidelines before you send anything out. Or ring the agency for details – I know it’s daunting but they are always happy to advise you on how (or if) to submit. Be warned – you may get the agent herself/himself on the phone. Be prepared!

Eoin Colfer is represented by Sophie Hicks.

sophie@edvictor.com 0044 (0) 2073044100

Derek Landy is represented by Michelle Kass (Who also represents the wonderful Patrick Ness)

office@michellekass.co.uk 0044 (0) 207 74391624

Darren Shan is represented by Christopher Little

Christopher Little Literary Agency 10 Eel Brook Studios 125 Moore Park Road London SW6 4PS

Tel: +44 (0) 207 736 4455 Fax: +44 (0) 207 736 4490

For general enquiries please email: info@christopherlittle.net

Sarah Webb (moi!) is represented by Philippa Milnes Smith at LAW

Contact: All submissions should be sent, in hard copy, by post to: LAW, 14 Vernon Street, London, W14 0RJ www.lawagency.co.uk

Cathy Cassidy is represented by Darley Anderson (Spends a lot of time in Ireland and a lovely woman so I’ve included her!)

Contact: Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency Estelle House 11 Eustace Road London SW6 1JB Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7385 6652 Fax:00 44 (0)20 7386 5571 Email: enquiries@darleyanderson.com

Judi Curtin and Marita Conlon McKenna are represented by Caroline Sheldon

Contact via: www.carolinesheldon.co.uk 71 Hillgate Place, London W8 7SS

 Other Recommended Children’s Agents:

Julia Churchill Greenhouse Literary Agency

If you want to make a submission, we take e-queries only, please. To Julia at submissions@greenhouseliterary.com.  Check our submission guidelines on this site for full information before querying.  Please note, we no longer accept snail-mail queries or email attachments. We are sorry that we cannot take (or return) phone queries regarding submissions. 

Eve White, Eve White Literary Agency (represents Andy ‘Mr Gum’ Stanton) eve@evewhite.co.uk 00 44 (0) 207 6301155

Veronique Baxter at David Higham Contact: David Higham Associates 5–8 Lower John Street Golden Square London W1F 9HA Switchboard: 00 44 (0)20 7434 5900 Fax: 044 (0)20 7437 1072 E-mail: dha@davidhigham.co.uk

Who Represents Who?Irish Popular Fiction Writers and Their Agents with Contact Details

 Remember to check each agent’s website before you send anything out for submission guidelines.

Maeve Binchy is represented by Christine Green

Contact: 0044 (0) 20 7401 8844          info@christinegreen.co.uk Christine Green Authors' Agent 6 Whitehorse Mews Westminster Bridge Road London SE1 7QD

Marian Keyes, Cathy Kelly and Monica McInerney are all represented by Jonathan Lloyd (also CEO of Curtis Brown)

Contact: 0044 (0)20 7393 4418 lucia@curtisbrown.co.ukwww.curtisbrown.co.uk

Sheila O’Flanagan is represented by Carole Blake

Contact: Blake Friedmann Literary, Film & TV Agency 122 Arlington Road London NW1 7HP   Telephone: 00 44 (0)20 7284 0408 Fax: 00 44 (0) 20 7284 0442 email: info@blakefriedmann.co.uk

Cecelia Ahern is represented by Marianne Gunn O’Connor Marianne also represents Claudia Carroll, Anita Notaro and Sinead Moriarty

Contact: Marianne Gunn O'Connor Literary Agency Morrison Chambers, Suite 17 32 Nassau Street, Dublin 2 mgoclitagency@eircom.net

Melissa Hill is represented by Sheila Crowley Sheila also represents Colette Caddle, Emma Hannigan and Sarah Harte

Contact: 00 44 (0)20 7393 4492 crowleyoffice@curtisbrown.co.uk

Sarah Webb is represented by Peta Nightingale at LAW (LAW also represent Sophie Kinsella – Irish name, but not actually Irish!)

Contact: All submissions should be sent, in hard copy, by post to: LAW, 14 Vernon Street, London, W14 0RJ www.lawagency.co.uk

Clare Dowling is represented by Darley Anderson

Contact: Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency Estelle House 11 Eustace Road London SW6 1JB Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7385 6652 Fax:00 44 (0)20 7386 5571 Email: enquiries@darleyanderson.com

Marita Conlon McKenna is represented by Caroline Sheldon

Contact via: www.carolinesheldon.co.uk 71 Hillgate Place, London W8 7SS

Patricia Scanlan is represented by Lutyens &  Rubenstein Literary Agency

Contact via: www.lutyensrubinstein.co.uk 21 Kensington Park Road, London W11 2EU

Other Recommended Popular Fiction Agents:

Madeleine Buston at Darley Anderson

Contact: Darley Anderson Literary, TV and Film Agency Estelle House 11 Eustace Road London SW6 1JB Tel: 0 44 (0)20 7385 6652 Fax: 0 44 (0)20 7386 5571 Email: enquiries@darleyanderson.com

Lizzie Kremer at David Higham Contact: David Higham Associates 5–8 Lower John Street Golden Square London W1F 9HA Switchboard: 00 44 (0)20 7434 5900 Fax: 044 (0)20 7437 1072 E-mail: dha@davidhigham.co.uk

Write That Book - Week 6 - Editing

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Welcome to Write That Book, the free eight week online writing course. If you've missed weeks one to five, covering getting started, characters, plot and lots more, it might be helpful to read them first.

This week we’ll be taking about editing. Once you’ve finished the first draft, then comes the hard bit, the edits and the rewrites. Yes, plural. The first draft is just the beginning. Have patience. Rewrites make the difference between a published writer and an unpublished writer.

Before you even think of sending your book out to an agent or to a publisher, you must make it as good as you possibly can. Some people are excellent at editing their own work, others need help. Here is how I edit a manuscript before it goes anywhere near my agent or editor:

I print out the whole manuscript, read it and make notes as I go along in a (yellow) notebook. If you read this blog on a regular basis, you’ll know that I’m addicted to yellow legal pads.

Some authors suggest waiting a little while before reading. William Trevor puts his writing in a drawer for a year before taking it out to work on it again, and although it is good to get a little distance from your work if possible, I quite honestly don’t have the time for that, so I tend to get stuck in to the editing process straight after finishing the first draft.

For me, there are three stages of rewriting (and I’m sure I got some of this from a book on editing once upon a time, but apologies, I can’t remember the title):

1/ The first rewrite – structure

Step one - I read through my (printed) manuscript carefully, focusing on the overall structure of the book. I use a notebook to jot down thoughts, I scribble on the pages, I put lines through scenes that don't seem to work. Once I've read the whole thing through on paper and made all my notes, I start working on the computer again - I may add scenes, or delete any unnecessary ones. I may even get rid of characters at this stage - kill your darlings as they say. Or I may combine three small characters into one – say a teacher, neighbour and babysitter – they could become one much stronger character rather than three bit players. And many people do more than one job after all!

I re-arrange chapters, and I work on making the opening of the book more dramatic and the ending unforgettable. I add as much drama as possible and cut anything that slows down the action.

This takes a few weeks (sometimes a couple of months, depending on the book) and I find it tough going, but also very satisfying, watching the book’s structure take shape and improve as I chip away at the raw material and re-form it, scene by scene.

2/ Rewriting for meaning

Step two - I make sure everything in the book is clear to the reader. Sometimes I am so close to the characters and the plot that I leave vital information out. I make sure the book runs logically – especially if the time shifts around. And I make sure my characters stay ‘in character’.

I add ‘colour’ sometimes, a couple of lines here and there to enable the reader to imagine the setting; and I take out anything that is not vital to the plot or my characters’ journey.

3/ Rewriting for style

The final step - I work on making the prose as strong and as full of life and vitality as I can. I also work on the dialogue, making sure it’s as good as I can make it.

I make sure every description is strong and not over-written, and I delete any lazy descriptions – ‘white as snow’ etc – and replace them with something more original.

And of course I clean up any typos, spelling or grammar mistakes as I go along – that goes without saying!

After I’ve done the above between two and eight times depending on the book, I finally send it to my agent and editor for their notes. Phew!

If you find self-editing very difficult, or just want another opinion, ask someone you know and trust to read your work. A word of advice, don’t give it to your mother to read – it’s her job to love it!

Ask your reader to be honest. Ask them which parts they liked and which they found slow or boring. Ask them to comment on the characters, the plot, the writing and the pace. Once they have given you their honest opinion, listen to what they have say and try to work out how you can make your book better. Does it need a stronger opening scene; is the action bogged down with irrelevant detail; are there too many subplots vying for attention? Has your reader picked up on the overall ‘theme’ of your book, on what you are trying to say in your work, or not?

If your friends or family can’t help, you could try asking a local librarian or bookseller to read your book for you. If you still can’t find anyone to read your manuscript, never fear. There are professional readers out there who are willing to help you. Cornerstones (UK based) and Inkwell Writers (Dublin based) are two highly respected companies that may be able to help. I've mentioned them before, but they are worth mentioning again.

This is one of my favourite quotes on the editing process:

At one time I thought the most important thing was talent. I think now that the young man or the young woman must possess or teach himself, training himself, in infinite patience, which is to try and to try until it comes right. He must train himself in ruthless intolerance--that is to throw away anything that is false no matter how much he might love that page or that paragraph. The most important thing is insight, that is to be--curious--to wonder, to mull, and to muse why it is that man does what he does, and if you have that, then I don't think the talent makes much difference, whether you've got it or not.William Faulkner, Paris Review interview

Stay Positive

If you get some negative feedback (from outside readers or an editor) try not to get disheartened. All professional writers have to deal with editorial comments and suggestions, it's part of the job, and yes, some are negative. Pick yourself up and get on with making your book even better. Rewrite and keep rewriting until you can honestly do no more. You’ll never be totally happy with your book - even when it’s published - but it will come to a stage when it’s time to let go. And then begins the scary and nerve wracking part - letting go of your baby and sending it to an agent or a publisher, which we will talk about in weeks seven and eight. For now I will leave you with this quote:

Writing is a hard way to make a living, but a good way to make a life. Doris Betts

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

PS After fifteen years of writing, the last manuscript I sent to my editor, Ask Amy Green: Dancing Daze, came back with only three editorial comments - less than a page. Which is a miracle. Maybe I'm finally getting to grips with this writing life!

Write That Book - Week 5 - Staying Motivated

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Welcome to week 5 of Write That Book. If you're new to the blog, I'd recommend reading weeks 1 to 4 first. This week are are talking about motivation.

Sometimes writers get to around 30k or 40k words and then they hit a wall. They say ‘There is so much more to write, so much more work involved, I don’t think I can do this.’ It’s important to note that all writers have off days or weeks, published or unpublished, and it’s important to develop a ‘writing habit’ if you want to finish a whole book. As Clare Dowling says in this week’s excellent writing tips (below) ‘writing is a craft and the best way to learn it is to practice.’

But how do you stay motivated?

All writers find writing a book tough going. The average novel is 100,000 words long after all. I often hit a difficult patch roughly half way through a book, knowing that I still have a lot of work ahead of me. It’s perfectly normal to feel a bit overwhelmed at any stage of the writing process. You are writing a book after. And if you are a huge reader like me, you have a responsibility to both yourself and the future reader to produce something worthwhile, something special, something original.

Woody Allan once said that ‘90% of success is just showing up’. And for writers, showing up at the page day after day, week after week is vital. For some, the effort proves too much, and the book never gets finished.

Here are some of my favourite quotes about motivation and staying the course:

The mere habit of writing, of constantly keeping at it, of never giving up, ultimately teaches you how to write. Gabriel Fielding

The only certainty about writing and trying to be a writer is that it has to be done, not dreamed of or planned and never written, or talked about, but simply written; it's a dreadful, awful fact that writing is like any other work. Janet Frame

The way to write a book is to actually write a book. Anne Enright

And I particularly like this one, also by Anne Enright –

Remember if you sit at your desk for 15 or 20 years every day it changes you. It just does. It may not improve your temper but it fixes something else. It makes you more free.

She is quite right, it does change you. It does make you more free.

If you’re finding writing difficult and need some encouragement, here are some suggestions:

1/ Keep a writing diary

Every time you’ve finished writing, jot down how many words you’ve managed and how you feel your work is progressing. If you respond well to deadlines, keep deadlines. For example: Monday - write 500 words, Tuesday - finish Chapter Two. If you’ve stuck to your deadlines reward yourself with some television or a bar of chocolate.

2/ Attend writing workshops, readings and talks

Many libraries host regular events for writers. Check your local library for details. I love hearing other writers read their work or talk about their work, and I always learn something valuable or that makes me think. It’s a real treat to be around fellow book lovers too.

3/ Read books about writing:

On Writing by Stephen King

Inspiring and full of good advice – worth buying

The Right to Write by Julia Cameron

One of the best books about being a writer and living a writer’s life I’ve ever found. Succinct, direct and truthful, a book I come back to over and over again if I’m in need of a little writerly pick me up.

If your writing has come to a standstill and you need some practical assistance the following might help:

1/ Ask for advice and/or encouragement from a respected friend or work colleague; someone who loves reading and who will give you an honest but kind opinion. Explain that you need honest feedback, but ask them to be kind. If you don’t know anyone suitable, see number 3.

2/ Join a writers’ group

Many libraries host regular writers’ groups. These are not for everyone, but many writers swear by them. Many published writers are in writing groups, others have writing friends who they talk to about their work and any problems they are having. I have several writer friends and they are a Godsend. Writing can be a lonely old business, and having someone to talk to who understands is very important. Seek out fellow writers on the internet or in person.

 3/ Contact a writer’s advisory service

For a professional opinion on your work, the following advisory services are recommended – www.cornerstones.co.uk/  and www.inkwellwriters.ie

Inkwell are based in Ireland, Cornerstones in the UK and both are excellent, well respected professionally run organisations.

On the Practical Side of Things

Even if you don’t feel like writing try to do something writing related: research, editing, making notes. Sometimes you may be simply too mentally tired or out of sorts to write, never force yourself, take a break and come back to it the following day instead. Try to approach the page with optimism and enthusiasm, not dread! Sometimes you will have to talk yourself into a positive frame of mind, but you’re a writer – you are smart, creative and powerful. If you can create a whole world on paper, you can certainly cajole yourself into a bit of writing.

As I’ve said before never use ‘I’m too busy’ as an excuse. Your house will probably be less tidy, the loo seat won’t get fixed in your life time and sometimes the dishes will sit in the sink for the evening, but these are the sacrifices a writer has to make!

Once you’ve set your writing time aside try to sit down at your desk regularly so your story will stay fresh in your mind. If you can’t write every day, think about your characters and your plot when you can. Agatha Christie once said she did her best plotting while washing the dishes.

Try to write at a desk or table in a well lit and if possible quiet area. Buy yourself nice notebooks and coloured pens - these small things make writing more of a pleasure.

If possible get your hands on a computer. Typing directly onto a computer takes a while to get used to but it makes writing and most especially editing so much less painful - plus you have spell check!

How long does it take to write a book?

The old expression ‘how long is a piece of string’ springs to mind. Each writer is different. Popular fiction writers are often contracted to write a book a year. If you can manage to write 2,000 words a week for example, it will take you just under a year to write a whole book. Try to find a writing pace that suits you and your lifestyle.

The honest fact? I can’t motivate you to write. No-one can do that but yourself. If you want to write badly enough, you will do it . . .

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

Tips on Staying Motivated by Clare Dowling

1/ Get into the habit of writing. This doesn’t mean you have to knock out a thousand words of a novel a day; it can be emails, letters to friends, or a description of your cat. Writing is a craft and the best way to learn it is to practise.

2/ Get yourself a proper writing space. Some people can write a book on the kitchen table amongst the dinner dishes but most of us can’t. It really helps if you have a special place for writing and when you arrive at it, your brain clicks into writing mode.

3/ Don’t wait for genius to strike. It probably won’t, and you’ll achieve tonnes more if you spent your time practising your writing, developing interesting characters, and thinking hard about what you’d really like to say. Most successful writers aren’t published because brilliant ideas visit them on a daily basis, but because they work very hard and stay motivated.

4/ Read, read, read. We can all learn from other authors’ work - how they construct a plot, how characters are effectively drawn; how they manage to make a scene in a supermarket the most memorable you’ve read all year. Don’t be afraid that you’re going to copy their style; you won’t. But you might find that that you learn lots of new techniques that will lift your own writing up a level.

Find out more about Clare here.

Write That Book - Wk 4 - Plot

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Welcome to week four of Write That Book. So far we have covered motivation and getting started, genre, ideas and creating characters. This week we will talk about ‘plot’, or story.

The first question I am always asked regarding plot is how do you come up with a story in the first place, and the second question is how do you plan a book, and indeed, should you plan at all?

I’ll answer the second question first - there is no right or wrong way of plotting a book. Many writers - the crime writer James Lee Burke for example - never use plot outlines. They just write blind. At the other extreme the author Jeffrey Deavers outlines are almost as long as his books, and J K Rowling spent months planning each Harry Potter book carefully. For most people, plotting is a process of trial and error and it may take a while to find what suits you as a writer. Using a plot outline is a method that works for many writers starting out.

What’s a plot outline?

A plot outline is simply an outline of how your story is going to progress. There’s no need to stick rigidly to your outline once you are writing if you’d prefer not to; think of it as your safety net, a document to refer to when you’re a little stuck or need a reminder of where your story is heading.

So now to the second part of the question - how do you come up with the story?

That’s a difficult one to answer as the story tends to build organically. For me, it starts with a major problem or dilemma. How the character deals with this problem, that’s my plot.

I’ll give you an example. At the beginning of The Shoestring Club (my latest book for adults) the main character, Julia is bombarded with problems – her best friend announces her engagement to Julia’s ex-boyfriend, Julia loses her job, and then she starts binge drinking. How she deals with all these things, that’s what I’m interested in dealing with in the book, that’s my plot. A book (popular fiction) is roughly 100,000 words long, so make sure you have to have enough drama to fill it the pages. Take some time to really think about your plot before you start writing your novel. The more work you do on both character and plot beforehand, the better your book will be.

I would suggest that you at least need to know the beginning of your story and have a clear idea of how your story ends. As for the middle – if you’re a planner in life, by all means plan the middle, if you are not a planner, you might prefer more freedom. Some writers produce detailed chapter-by-chapter outlines, and if this suits you go right ahead. But remember that your characters may not stick to your outline and if this happens, just go with it. Never force characters into doing things in your book just because your plan dictates it. For the record, I’m a planner but if my story veers off in different directions, I go with it, see where it takes me.

How should I open the first chapter?

As dramatically as possible. Your first scene is vital, it must pique the reader’s interest. Try starting the book just before something attention grabbing/interesting/different happens - a murder, a wedding, a marriage break up, an accident, a birth, a funeral. This incident is your narrative hook. Starting your book just before this incident means that the reader will have some idea what impact the incident will have on the characters.

Always open with a strong and attention grabbing sentence to draw in your readers. For example:

 ‘It is a truth universally known that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.’

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Or try this for impact:

‘They said I was a drug addict.’

Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes.

Over the next week study the openings of some of your favourite books and think about why they work.

What next?

Once you have opened the book (hopefully with a bang) and introduced your main characters it is vital to keep your readers interested. Present your characters with problems to solve and difficulties to overcome, and make them take action. Keep the dialogue snappy and realistic, and keep descriptive passages to a minimum (especially if writing popular fiction or children’s books) - they can slow down the pace of the book. Also try to avoid too many flashbacks where possible for the same reason while starting out, this isn’t as relevant for seasoned writers (in fact, in some novels the flashbacks make the book). And throw in lots of surprises and twists along the way to keep your readers on their toes. Ideally the action should come to a heart-gripping climax, and then a satisfactory and well thought out resolution or ending.

Every scene in your book must have meaning, it must tell the reader something about the character, or move the story along. If it doesn’t, it has no place in your book. Write your book scene by scene and take infinite care each time you sit down at your desk to craft the best scene you can. Give it your all, every single writing day.

Next week we will deal with endings and staying motivated. After that, editing and getting published. Until then, happy writing.

Yours in writing,

Sarah XXX

 Writing Tips from Cathy Kelly

(More great tips on her website here)

1/Write the sort of book you'd like to read. I considered writing a 'clogs and shawl' book years ago and never did it because I didn't like reading that type of book. The moment I began writing what I enjoyed reading, I was hooked and couldn't stop.

2/ Be true to yourself. This is a bit like hint 1. Don't try and copy anybody or write the Booker Prize winner if that's not you.

3/ Enjoy it. Writing can be hard work but if you don't love it and have fun doing it, you'll never finish a book.

4/ Plot-wise, know roughly where you're going but I've never found that a detailed plot-plan in advance helps as it stops the novel developing in its own way. If your characters come alive on the page, then they will move the plot themselves and if you keep rigidly sticking to a pre-ordained idea, you will lose something. Treat your plot like a living thing that grows and changes.

5/ Show don’t tell. Telling means narrating the story endlessly instead of actually showing what happened via scenes. Telling is easier but less interesting for the reader. Showing can be a couple of lines of dialogue relating to the past, but it brings the reader back to a real moment in time and that can be more powerful than four pages of narration explaining what happened.

6/ Have courage. If you write for days and think it's rubbish, then join the club! All writers are riddled with self-doubt. Just don't throw out the stuff you hate, because in a month, you might re-read and think it's not so bad after all.