Need a little help?
I often get asked for advice on how to write a book.
But the trouble is not so much how to help, but where to start and where to finish. You see writing is a BIG subject and there's a lot to learn, and, importantly, a lot to experience. I've yet to find a magic wand, and when I started out I knew nothing. Twenty odd books later, I still know nothing – except that if you're prepared to work hard, be utterly determined, and already have or can develop a pretty tough skin, it's absolutely the best job in the world.
So how can I help?
Well, writing is a very personal thing. There are a gazillion ways of doing it, and what might work for me, might not work for you. Part of the fun, however, is working all that out for yourself. One thing I have always found is that the writing community is incredibly generous and supportive, and if you're prepared to do the research there's a lot of really helpful information out there. Whether you're just about to get started, part-way along the road, or have several books under your belt, there are always new things to learn. So, I've gathered together a few things which I've found useful – some practical resources, a little encouragement, and some links for further information.
Simply click on the photos to access them. I hope you find them useful, so have a browse and happy writing!
I don't make any charge for using my templates, but if you'd like to support my work and buy me a cup of tea,
that would be much appreciated!
Practical Resources
Don't you just love a form? Something to fill in, to make you more organised? Trouble is (and I'm just as guilty as everyone), sometimes all we're really doing is procrastinating - getting everything absolutely planned out, plotted, 't's crossed and 'i's dotted because then, and only then, can we write… Er, yes and no. Yes, because we do need some help to organise our thoughts, and the process in general, but also no, because much like most writers have a well developed fetish for notebooks, we never fill half of them. Same is true for forms. They're exciting and make you feel like a real writer, but fill them all in and you could have written a book in the time it took (I jest). But seriously, don't get bogged down in the detail, but do use things as a prompt or to give your brain somewhere to dump its ideas. Here are I few I've developed over the years and why I find them useful. Sometimes I use them all, and for some books hardly at all. Feel free to nab whichever ones you think you might find useful. Click on the photo to access the resources.
A Little encouragement
Here you'll find a few blog posts or articles I've written over the years. Some were thoughts I had about certain aspects of writing, while others charted my own personal writing journey. They were written to provide inspiration, mostly for myself, it's true, but one thing we definitely all need is encouragement. Because if it can happen to me, it can happen to you. Simply click on the photo to access the posts.
where to go next
There are a huge number of resources available for writers – from books to literary organisations, software and websites, to social media forums and blog posts. Here are a few of those I've found particularly useful. Simply click on the photo to access the information.