Long solo writing stints, rejections and years with no words. Welcome to the painful life of a writer. All writers get stuck. This is the place we all get to, and there are so many places your writing can get stuck. I can’t tell you how many calls I have with authors who are in a sticky place in their writing. I know this place well, but my sticky place is in the promoting of books, not in the writing. I can write them fast, edit them easily and even do the first few book talks like a star. B

'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 potentially as a...

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.