Early in my career, I met an author who told me he’d been “working on dialogue” that day. I was beside myself with insecurity – and panicked that I should make Mondays my dialogue day, have Tuesdays for landscape and backdrop, Wednesdays for character description….until I thought hey! I LIKE the way I write, because it WORKS FOR ME.

Perhaps the greatest encouragement I can give you is that there really is NO RIGHT OR WRONG WAY TO WRITE! And that’s a fact.  Most authors would agree.  Check out my writer-chum Mike Gayle‘s website – he has loads to say too!Initially, I assumed I was doing it all wrong…because I was quite happy to work a 9-5 day on my book, I was never awoken by the fabled muse at some ungodly hour and I didn’t require copious amounts of gin, fags and a drafty garret to write.

I don’t write to a plan – but I know authors who plan their books methodically.
I start with Chapter One and I just beaver away until I hit The End – but I also know of authors who don’t write sequentially.

I don’t edit – I prefer to let the story tumble out and I then shape it and tweak it once it’s written, but I know writers who will edit and rewrite each chapter before they are happy to start the next one.

I take 18 months to write a novel – 2 months or so for research, a year or so for the book itself, a couple more months to smarten it into the draft I then submit to my publisher. I know an author who is given the same amount of time…but crams the entire writing of the book into the 3 months before the delivery date, working day and night!

You WILL find the way that works for you. Immerse yourself in that sacred ‘zone’ – your characters are depending on you to tell their tales for them because no one else can!

Tags | Advice