Spaces filling

Just a little reminder to anyone considering joining my new mentoring bubble, that starts next week with a short meet n greet on Zoom tomorrow!

Since I offered the group sessions (with or without a single critique 121 session) more people have decided to join. Group sessions are much more fun with more taking part. You will learn a lot, and it is fun and interactive. £59 for course or £84 with a single 121 session. To do the full bubble, so group sessions with the 6 mentoring sessions (1 x weekly) it’s £299.

Do email me if you want to join…. £59, £84… or £299.

Where does the time go…?

I thought it was a good time to catch up. At the moment I am busy writing another new novel while others are out on submission.

It’s a scary thought that While No One Was Watching was published almost a decade ago. Yikes… eight novels later… well number 9 is the current work in progress, and here I am. It will be sixty years this year since Kennedy was assassinated and I remember when my novel came out, all the JFK 50 hype. I am still immensely proud of that debut and in fact I recently asked my publisher for any books he has as I will talking at a WI meeting in the summer on Canvey, and I might also do something in my role of writer-in-residence at Canvey Library about it, perhaps on or around the 60th anniversary on 22nd November. So a few signed copies will be available, maybe give it a new lease of life if you have not read it!

I guess it looks for anyone on the outside as if not a lot has happened since that novel came out. That was three years after I gave up my day job for the dream. Not true, I am always writing… and as I said I have written another eight novels. My short story collection was out in 2019… but yes, I really do want something else published soon!

My editing business is going strong and I love the changes made since Covid. While I still work as I always did, both privately and for Cornerstones, the mentoring bubbles have added another aspect. And are always a great source of enjoyment. The idea was to make the feedback to help writers more interactive and hands-on. It also means people are expected to produce work to deadlines for the 121 Zoom sessions, hence making them accountable to me. Some established writers have signed up a few times now, not so much in need of guidance with the writing although it’s always great to brainstorm on plot and advise on style etc, but some more to have a weekly deadline. Other writers have decided instead of sending me the whole novel to critique once finished, to hire me at a similar price, to work on sizeable chunks each week and then post-edit I read it all for the bigger picture and to assess flow. This seems to work really well for some. These are people who did the bubble and saw the benefits of weekly calls. The share-the-screen function on Zoom is invaluable for real hands-on editing.

Everyone who has been in a bubble has stayed in contact in one way or another.

While we do have a cost-of-living crisis, and I am aware that it can be tough on pennies, I have tried to keep these courses reasonably priced. It’s odd because when I advertised in the Writers’ Forum magazine alongside my usual ad, but specifically about the bubbles and also used Facebook/Instagram ads, which have been successful with other things, I don’t seem to get a response re the bubbles. It might be that the price is a factor, but not too high, to the contrary. Perhaps people don’t think they will get a lot but I have to say, everyone who has worked with me, has said they get far more than they expected and overall it has been an extremely positive experience for all!

So, if I can get at least 6 people who want to work with me, the next bubble starts on May 21.

3 weeks then a week off mid-term, then another 3 weeks. You get:

A weekly 121 Zoom 45-60 mins on approx 5000 words sent that week at a time and day to suit (any day including weekends, evenings, early).

Weekly group teaching session on Zoom, Powerpoint, interactive 60-90 mins at a time and day to suit the group (often Sunday).

Weekly Zoom drop-in if needed to chat all things writerly.

Dedicated Facebook page.

This new one is £350 but if you book before May 3rd then you get the special rate of £299.

Because we need at least 6 to make the group sessions more fun, I am gathering interest now ahead of May 3 so please me know if you want to take part and feel free to share with writing groups and writing friends.

Email any queries or to express an interest in booking writer@debhobbs-wyatt.co.uk.

Let’s do this!

I will blog again soon! I am back 🙂

Got yours yet?

Make this the year

We all know how hard it is to have work accepted; I submit less than I used to, but there was a time when I thought nothing would ever be ‘good enough’ but what I learned was to never give up… no matter what.

Over the seven years that I have been working for myself I have met so many writers at different stages of their career — and, without doubt, the ones who made it did so because they refused to give up, they took advice and they worked even harder when they were rejected.

I offer in-depth critique on short stories and novels (from flash to novel and anything in between) … this is the mainstay of my work and the thing I probably love the best. However, since editing is a multi-layered process I also offer copy editing/line editing sand final proofing. I also work on proofing, copy editing and structural editing of non-fiction and have worked on a number of self-help and mental health books and memoirs.

It never ceases to amaze me that since I left the security of the day job in science (a lot of scientific writing) to what could only be described as an ‘uncertain future’ I have never been without work (phew). I did also get taken on by Cornerstones a couple of years ago and this past year I have edited more for them too and, in particular, have really stepped up the mentoring. And that is what I wanted to talk about.

If there are any of you out there who are keen to get more ‘hands-on’ ‘on-the-job’ training then why not consider a mentoring programme with me. It would be tailored to your needs, so let’s say you are working on a novel and plan to write two chapters a month, then I could work on these first drafts and perhaps as we go on two revised chapters so it’s a chapter a week. This might be 2-3 hours per week, so based on 12-15 hours per month so let’s say discounted to £250 per month. This can involve phone calls, Skype, even the odd meet-up. If you think you might be interested I urge you to get in touch. I can make it fit with you and your needs so costs might vary. But it does require commitment and needs to based on at least 2-3 months ideally but again we can discuss this.

Please do get in touch if this appeals.

Have a look at my website! www.debzhobbs-wyatt.co.uk

Make 2017 the year!

 

Here to Help

I have had a request for a subject which I plan to post about later this week. If anyone else has a request for something to do with the nuts and bolts of writing, about publishing, how the process works for example, even about my own writing, then please feel free to make a suggestion. I tend to get up and write whatever is in my mind and sometimes it’s more than other days! So please do get in touch.

I also wondered, since we have not done it for a while, if anyone has a small 500-word piece they would like critiqued here on-line for Fiction Clinic, if so we can do it at the end of next week. Please email me writer@debzhobbs-wyatt.co.uk

And also not had someone In The Spotlight for a while so if you have a novel/short story collection you want to plug and tell us about your writer’s journey particularly, then please do get in touch. I can’t feature them all if I get too many but I can certainly choose!

I also wondered if anyone out there wanted to post a Book Review of something you have read recently really that had an impact on you. I saw the shortlist for the Costa Prize was announced yesterday and I hope to start ticking off some of those books. LIST

Also here are the novel ones:

2014 Costa Novel Award shortlist

Neel Mukherjee for The Lives of Others (Chatto & Windus)

Monique Roffey for House of Ashes (Simon and Schuster)

Ali Smith for How to be both (Hamish Hamilton)

Colm Tóibín for Nora Webster (Viking)

2014 Costa First Novel Award shortlist

Carys Bray for A Song for Issy Bradley (Hutchinson)

Mary Costello for Academy Street (Canongate)

Emma Healey for Elizabeth is Missing (Viking)

Simon Wroe for Chop Chop (Viking)

Any appeal? Perhaps someone out there wants to take one of these and read then review it? It would be interesting to see what is deemed good enough to make this prestigious list? Any takers? Let me know which book you want to read and perhaps we can each take a different one? I did this with the Commonwealth Book Prize when they had it and I loved reading them all and I also chose the same winner!

I do like this blog to be a place where we can not only have me waffling about my own work, but to cover a lot of subjects that will be helpful to both readers and writers.

One day I have told myself I’d like to make it onto one of these lists. That is my goal and now I have said it out loud it has to be. Right?

And one final thing before I go and write the last three or four chapters of Isle of Pelicans (well rewrite and perhaps not all of them today!) — I have decided, in honour of my novel’s first birthday to offer a super low special rate on novel critiques this side of Christmas only. If you have something you want me to copy-edit, write a detailed editorial report, the same type of thing I do for Cornerstone — and throw in a synopsis review and help with your query letter, do it now! 100,000 words usually £300 is only £225! The offer is only for work sent now and will be limited to the first few received.

Here is the LINK.

Please do post your suggestions here in response to my questions and make this blog work for us all!

Have a great day everyone!

 

 

Rochester LitFest Rocks!

 

I had a great night last night. It was my first appearance at a literary festival and I hope not my last!

The venue the Nucleus Cafe is a trendy arts cafe in Chatham. If I lived closer I have a feeling the kind of place I’d be meeting writer friends! My north Wales writer friends would love it! I think Jaye has done a great job with this new festival that only started last year. Check out the website here: www.rochesterlitfest.com

 

The Venue (sorry slightly blurry photo taken by me!)

I wrote to a few festivals when I knew I was moving back to the south east proposing a talk about ‘Blurring the Lines between fact and fiction’. Jaye Nolan who organises the festival said yes, it fit her other talks and the rest I guess is history (literally!). I want to thank her for all her tremendous efforts and again if I was closer I would certainly like to be involved and help out. I will try to do more next year, perhaps spend the week with my brother so I can offer my support to the writers etc.

Jaye is pictured here (centre) at the event last night

Photo by Bill Gooch — official photographer for the event, thanks Bill!

 

I hadn’t given this particular talk before, although I have talked about the subject matter a lot and it was part of my MA dissertation, how fact and fiction are not opposite ends of a spectrum but intimately woven into the fabric of how we tell stories. ‘Factual account’ — uses wiggly in the air finger thing — are often biased, spun from yarns, filled with opinion and conjecture while fiction does what it says on the tin and is created from imagination but needs fact for authenticity, right?

The venue was intimate and being a great fan of the coffee-shop culture (not enough of that on Canvey Island) it worked well for the talk. The first half I felt was slightly less coherent as I did jump about a little in subject, although the audience were kind and receptive and I felt enjoyed it from the great reaction in the break. The second half was more focussed and more engaging. By then everyone had relaxed, we’d chatted and everyone wanted to interact so having thrown out the odd question it then became really interactive and I think it worked well. So I think I need more of that in the first half when I do this again. I am wondering about hosting an event on Canvey — ideas machine now flowing!

I loved meeting the people, some readers, some also writers and I already see friend requests and followers on Twitter, so I hope to have made some new friends!

Another photo thanks to Bill — do check out his FB page here: LINK

 

I am still buzzing from the event and the engaging conversation and I can’t wait to do it all again!

It’s been a crazily busy few days since my move, so busy I can not wait for a couple of days just to relax. I have worked this week too although not written but my plan is to do a rare thing and take tomorrow off after my workout as I have a full day at the Southend Book and Art Fair this Saturday. And next week will be a normal working and writing week, which I need! I also seem to have a short story buzzing like a fly inside my head — perhaps one for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize I wonder …

So I will leave you with the last two photos from Bill Gooch, and will share some my brother took next week!

Thanks again to Jaye and the festival for having me!

Clearly making an important point!

 

Thanks Rochester LitFest!

 

 

 

 

Getting someone to hear

To continue on from discussions here on Friday, I have spent the weekend giving a lot of thought to this whole marketing game and how it can feel as if it gets in the way of writing.  If you Google How to promote your book  you will find lists and lists. And in fact I am doing most of them, a lot of it is common sense. But it can become an obsession when really all you want to do is WRITE!

The question is how do you get people to know about your book?

With so many books out there how do you make someone listen to you?

I now have more than 500 likes on my FB page but the promo ran for 2 week and cost me £100 more or less. I have to stop it now. How effective is this in getting sales? Well I don’t think it translates financially but I hope the post engagement, the interactions and making new friends will make a difference, it’s all part of gaining a following. And I’m sure it helped to get me as many downloads as we achieved!

I have also boosted posts. I think it was worthwhile, but everything is limited by pennies!

I do as much as I can to get free advertising of course — radio interviews, magazines, blogs etc.

I guess we must do what we can!

I will be visiting some universities soon to give talks and have more bookshop signings being organised!

We do what we can.

I think this is an issue for all writers, perhaps more so with those who have self-published but even those with big publishers. It is part of the job.

I think one of my biggest fears is I have a book, and one that seems to be getting a lot of positive interest,  but it will disappear because people don’t know it’s there. I guess this reflects a fear for all of us. So now the question becomes, so how important is that? Should we focus more on just writing and not worry, or do we need to think about this?

I think it’s about finding the right balance. Why do we write if not for people to read your story? And really honestly truly for me it is not about the money! I don’t want sales to be rich but to know people are reading the book — is that a bad thing? I guess it depends who you are. The accountant might say it is — the writer might agree with me!

I also noticed in myself a new trait — checking reviews! How can we not, but it sits up there alongside how many likes we get and how many retweets– how many stars! This new obsession feels unhealthy and in fact I wonder if I am becoming like Amy in my new novel. She is rather a flawed character (I am still trying to make her more likeable) but she talks about connection and is a social networker, she says it’s like we check the number of likes and retweets as if is a measure of who we are. Do we become like our characters?

I will leave these questions with you and with a further request to be a guest on some of your blogs? I need to do a little tour!

Have a great day everyone!

Couldn’t resist sharing this!

Keeping the dream alive … responding to criticism

I was reading an article this morning about how we receive and how we give feedback and criticism and it made me think.

As a writer I am no stranger to having my work picked over. Fortunately those who have, have always been encouraging even if there was plenty to address.

I also give feedback as part of my day job and I like to think I have developed a style that is encouraging and empowering, but at the same time, honest. It has to be.

What I did was look at what I want from a critique, honesty first and foremost, but no point in saying what’s wrong if you can’t offer a fix, an idea, a suggestion. This is where I think various things combine — me being a writer myself, the fact I work in publishing (albeit on a small scale) but I have worked with lots of stories and lots of writers to know what works, being a reader helps, and my MA alongside numerous other courses so I have a strong grasp of what works and what techniques to use to make things work better. And like you, I return to books and I read magazines and I make sure the advice I give is as solid as it can be.

I once had someone critique my work who just said things like — nah, boring, cut, don’t believe you — and no offer of why or how. I found it demoralising. And I vowed I would never do that or make someone feel that way.

Yes I have worked on manuscripts by very new writers that need a lot of work, but handled right, the comments and suggestions and advice make it clear they have a lot to learn, but a good teacher empowers and makes the student want to learn, and doesn’t demoralise or make them feel like giving up forever.

It helps I am, a ‘people’ person, or I like to think I am, so I approach the job with passion and enthusiasm and do go the extra mile for people. I love it when they tell me they can see the improvement and when they start to have success.  And since I have my publishing contacts, the various projects I am involved in, like CafeLit, I do offer ways to kick-start careers where I can and have suggested they submit to various collections.

Not everyone can teach, I like to think I have the balance right between honesty and encouragement. All I can say is it seems to work and we start the official first full week of work this year, I have a full board of jobs and lots are new clients, as well as familiar faces — so I look forward to what we can do together.

2014 is going to be a great year, come along and see!

Have a great week everyone!

Ps the kindle version is still 99p!

 

Shiny happy thoughts

Well it was about this time last year Parthian first showed an interest in my novel, a phone call on an answer machine asking if it was still available …  and so started the year with great hopes that did not disappoint. It just got better!

This year I just heard they are ready to do a second print run of the book. Small presses do small runs so we’re not talking thousands but it does mean it is selling, and slowly getting out there.

I believe we’ve had over a thousand downloads too so it is certainly reaching beyond my sphere of friends which is what you want. Small steps and all of that. I am realistic but also an eternal optimist, bestseller, come on!

I just know 2014 will be an amazing year.

For those who missed it, here’s the interview I did over on Laura Wilkinson’s blog just after Christmas. She is also enjoying great success with two novels out this year, her sequel to All of Me her saucy fiction and also her serious novel so I will have her talking about that over here when the serious one comes out!

My Blog Hop

Have a great weekend and hope everyone was okay in the storms — stay safe and keep pets in and safe too.

And my eBook is still 99p so get it now! While you can!!!

Oh yes …

Looking back with a smile, looking forward with expectation …

Happy Christmas from The Jet-Set!

 

Christmas has always been my favourite time of year and it seems to have taken ages to come this year. I guess with all the excitement of the book launch I already felt as if I’d had Christmas!

It’s been a whirlwind of busyness and now finally after working my little socks off I sent some work off and can sit back and relax for a few days with the family.

I see Christmas and New Year as a time to restore the default settings. The same way I have a day every week when the house is cleaned and the messiness of the week is restored to its rightful place to welcome in a new week, and perhaps the same at the end of the month, but paying myself too so finances are restored. And so the big one is the end of the year — when we all take stock and I get out my new journal and look at my list of goals.

I love the pages in a new diary and the look of a new calendar. I like to write what I have achieved as if I have. It’s something I leaned from The Secret. I wrote a press release announcing my success in finding a publisher long before it came true and I was able to use it!  Now the focus is bestseller, but that’s where word of mouth has to come in and where I need all of you!

For the last few years I have told myself soon — soon someone will want to publish my novel and it finally happened. And what a year 2013 has been — in every sense. And it started right at the beginning of 2013, early January when I had a message on my answer-phone from Parthian Books asking me if my novel was still available. Then it was the waiting game. March 11th was the day I started to dance and have not stopped. It was the day they said we love it and we want to publish it! The very words I had on my wall on one of my positive affirmations.  It was not so long after that I learned about being on the short list for the Commonwealth and then WINNING the Bath Short Story award.

This year I have also been published in three collections as well as having one of my stories in a literary journal.

It will be a hard year to beat, but I’m gonna try. Oh yes.

Of course you can’t expect that every year and I know it will be business as usual when I try to find an agent and a publisher for the next one — but onwards I go. Always believe. Always do what you love, and always celebrate every success, no matter how small. BUT dream BIG. And I do.

This year has seen much sadness in the world, but then what year has not? And Christmas is also a time that reminds of me the dawn chorus — when we have a roll call and remember those who did not make it this year and those we have lost in the past. So for us there will be tinges of sadness, but in all of that you must make sure there are plenty of places for the light to get in.

People live in unrest and war and every day can be a struggle so I am so so so grateful for the life I have. I mean this morning the only thing to irk was a  2-star review, and while my writing is my world,  in the great scheme of things, what is that but a blip, right? I am so thrilled with the response from my novel. I knew the run of 5 stars would not run forever but it interested me this morning to see someone say they thought Lydia was the most boring character ever and had far too much padding so they glossed over a lot of her parts. Then they missed the real crux of the story I guess. But we all have different tastes and you can’t please ’em all. I will accept her opinion with grace. Of course Lydia to just about everyone else is the character they truly loved and couldn’t wait to get back to and the reason we return to her at the end. But if you don’t like books that err on the literary side for depth of character, then I accept opinion is opinion. At least she bought the book.

In the great scheme of things this is what you have to expect in the arts — so long as people don’t think it’s badly written as that would hurt — and for what it’s worth, it’s not. Honest.

So I went to a lovely carol service last night at the church and I think this is the first Christmas in a long time when I have thought about the real meaning. I’m not religious. I am spiritual, however, and while I find it hard to believe in what I can’t see, I think like so many of us, I want to. And I have to say I really enjoyed the service. No matter what you believe, a time to look back and be THANKFUL and to gather close to those you love (and think about those you’ve lost) can be no bad thing, right? And it was all by candlelight.

So I look back at this amazing year with a HUGE smile and my heart does that flippy thing as I look forward to 2014 and write down what will come true then. It will be a GREAT year. BRING. IT. ON.

I will be having a rest from blogging for a week or so to just enjoy ‘being’ and relaxing with the family. So I want to wish everyone who has stuck by me, read my ramblings and listened to me talk endlessly about bookish things and indulged in some glorious self-promo — a truly WONDERFUL Christmas and a SUCCESSFUL 2014, in every sense.

See you soon. Debz x

This was a great year. You wait till you see what next year brings!

 

It’s really about the writing

A Writer’s Life for Me

 

As you will know I have covered many subjects here from the nitty-gritty of writing technique to publishing, reading, MAs, books, authors etc, etc. And a few things about something different.

Lately it seems like a bit of an ego trip (sorry!) shouting about my novel but it’s proof that getting it published might be the hard part but writers also have to sell books, especially with the smaller presses.

When I met Sarah Banham last week before the Saint FM interview she asked me what I wanted from this book and perhaps somewhat flippantly I told her ‘I want it to be a bestseller.’ I think it took her aback and maybe me too! At the end of the day it’s about being the best writer I can be and it has always been about the writing. I wanted this book to be recognised as worthy of publication and then my hope is people will get it and love it — so far so good.

But very few become bestsellers!

So does it have to be one? Well it would be nice. And I hope somehow it does spread beyond my family and friends and reach a much wider audience but I guess we have to wait and see. I will use The Secret and imagine it does make it. And weirdly to some it’s not a focus on getting rich (I honestly don’t care about that) it’s about the book being read far and wide, at airports and on trains. Really I just want my characters to meet as many people as possible. Is that weird, maybe but hey, that’s how I feel.

Sales so far have not been  bad for a small press but now it’s about getting that message further. So I appreciate all those who have helped with that and written those great reviews.

What I mustn’t do is get hung up on it not being a bestseller! I was thinking that last night. Very few books are so we need to focus on what this is really about, good writing, total immersion in  process and loving it. And I do. The success can be measured in many ways and I feel successful for sure.

I kind of feel guilty with all the book things like last week that the emphasis was more on talking about me and my work and less on the writing, but then I realised that is part of the job too and a long time coming so perhaps no apology should be made for indulging in that, for a while?

This week is more normal with writing and working, lots of editing and critiquing this side and the other side of Christmas all lined up, which feels great. So off I go.

I will return to more blogging about writing technique as well … I think we need more of that again as I knuckle down and just write! I still might publish an eBook about writing … pondering it at the moment.

But egotist that I am I will share the piece in this month’s Writing Magazine for those who might have missed it!

Oh and the paperback is on offer on Amazon this week and the Kindle version is 99p! Do get it while it’s HOT!

PAPERBACK   KINDLE

PS I have had lots of lovely writers on my blog, so I hope to be on some of their blogs soon! Anyone else want me on, send me some questions!

The Writing Magazine, January 2014, Members’ News Section

Good being a writer, in it?