I've finished my book, now what?
'I've finished my book Sarah, but now what?' This is one of the most common conversations I have with authors. These are the ones who get hold of me when they feel they have finished their book. We sit sometimes thinking….. I've written this book. I'm done and dusted. But truthfully, writing the book is only one step of the process. I want to guide you through your next steps. My first question is – you sure you are finished? Finished (for me as a literary agent and pote
What are publishers looking for this year?
Once again, we turn our attention to the publishing market and the trends shaping the upcoming cycle. For authors, understanding what readers are buying is invaluable—particularly in non-fiction, which must tap into the mood of the times. That said, a book can also spark a global trend, unleashing a new concept and capturing imaginations in unexpected ways. The “Let Them Theory,” for example, demonstrates the power of fresh ideas, amplified by podcasters, social media, and ce
Should you plan or just write?
Should you plan a book? In my view, there is only one answer: yes. If you want to publish, writing with intent matters.
In non-fiction, planning is especially critical. You will know exactly what belongs in your book, how the chapters build, and what material sits where. That outline becomes your proposal and, later, your compass for the entire manuscript.
Many writers assume novels are different. They aren’t. In fiction, your plan becomes your plot.
Where do most writers get stuck?
Most writers don’t get stuck halfway through a book — they get stuck before they’ve even begun. After 17 years of helping writers publish, I’ve seen the same patterns repeat again and again: too much thinking, too much planning, and not enough words on the page. Writing isn’t magic. It’s work. And once you understand where the real blocks are, it becomes much easier to move forward.
Finishing is the hard part in getting published
Still midway through the book? Or stuck on your first version? Or it’s still sitting unfinished. Oh boy does it take a lot of real grit to finish a book. Starting is the fun bit. I start with great enthusiasm and a spring in my step. Its really fun getting all the information into the right place and doing the interviews and research.
Who is going to write this book?
YOU WANT TO FINISH? Stick to these rules
1. Set a deadline to start ... this means to stop plotting and planning and start writing. This means starting your story at page 1, and not turning back again.
2. Have targets that are outcomes-based not hours-based. Many writers say they will write for an hour a day. On my mentorships I set targets at 25,000 words a month.
3. Set a realistic deadline to complete your first draft of the book. Then stick to it. A good goal is to h
Writing can change your future
Writing can truly change your life. You have heard this before, right? Writing all of mine changed my life in very unexpected ways. Hint - it wasn't ever about my bank balance.
So often we think the endgame of writing a book is becoming an author or having a bestseller. Well, most of my authors find the real reward is so much more intangible and subtle. One thing I do know after 20 years in the book business is that it is absolutely never about money. Writing is not often
Should you write about yourself
I always used to tell writers NOT to write about themselves. For years and years.
This was in the interests of cultivating good fiction authors. And before memoir stormed the charts. I still believe you shouldn't.... but that's for FICTION (or a novel).
Because if you write about yourself in fiction, you really only have one story to tell. It is also a totally misunderstood maxim of writing that you must ‘write what you know.’
Many writers misinterpret this to mean – write ab
Who are the writers that actually get published?
Who are the writers that actually get published? Starting a book? That is the (relatively) easy bit. Keeping going is a bit harder.
You start off with a bang, writing every day, working on your plot. But as the months drag on and the going gets tough you start to make excuses. Work is pressing, kids are demanding, too much travel, family coming to visit. No time. You will do it later…. Now is not the right time for you. Next year…later in the year.What really happens? The
Meet me in the middle of your story
I was stopped at a recent Literary Festival by a debut author who ran up to me, waving wildly. She had just released her book and was very excited. She told me that she had a publishing consultation with me many moons ago, and I had told her to go back on her book, relook at it and ‘take her time'. I had (apparently) told her that her book was not ready yet. “I will meet you in the middle of your story,” I had told her. “But you need to do the work first. Take a year”
Okay, so what book are you going to write?
When I ask you, 'what are you writing?' what I am really asking is this... what is your genre?
This is the very first thing any agent (like me) or publisher is going to ask you. What genre is your book? This doesn’t mean we want a breakdown of your plot. I want to know what kind of book it is. Now this is a one-concept answer. Like: It’s a crime/self-help guide/children’s book / Young Adult novel / a romance, or a memoir.
Not… "Well it’s a fable but it is written lik
Why Stories Can Save Lives
Why stories can save lives . When I was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 41 my friend called me up, “make something good come of it,” she told me. I knew then I would write about it and that became my 5th book Love and Above. My way, like so many other storytellers who have lived through the centuries, is to share stories by writing or telling them. We tell them in social gatherings, on a stage, in a book or in a diary. But we must tell them because storytellers have a c
