All of you will now know how I have incorporated into my work, mentoring bubbles. These have proved to be a highly effective and great way to work and so I am now open for an extra special novel mentoring course running August through to October.
What I want are 4 novelists, who have a complete draft of a novel but who don’t know where to go or what to do next. So an early draft or perhaps something you’ve had knocking around for some time that is not getting picked up.
The course will be based on 1 or 2 Zoom sessions a week, depending on your availability and the needs of the novel; so this will be a personalised plan.
I will also have some group sessions for interaction and support, some drop-in sessions as well.
The idea is that we work on the whole novel, so the number of sessions will vary, and we will decide what we’ll look at each week, 2-3 chapters but again it depends on your work, how long your chapters are etc.
I will also run a group session on how to submit your work and offer suggestions… I may also have a special guest session where you can ask an agent for advice.
Times and days for your 121 sessions can be arranged around your schedule. Afternoons, evenings and weekends are all fine. If you have a holiday we can miss a week or two if needed and add it on. I am flexible on this.
If you want to do this email me with information about your novel: genre, word count, how many drafts, your writing history and please send me the first chapter so I can get a feel for your writing.
Spaces are limited so I can give you the time and attention needed.
The 10-week (or thereabouts) is a very special price of £500.
The plan is to start the first week of August.
If you want my help to get your work to the next level email me writer@debzhobbs-wyatt.co.uk
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.
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.
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.
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.
One of the things I tell readers I work with is you decide when your reader pauses. You set the pacing.
Creating the kind of book that really grabs has always been one of my missions. There are so many stories and so many novels where I falter, am not as gripped as I ought to be and any excuse to put the book down, go make a coffee can lose your reader. But how do you keep those pages turning and stop that happening?
Clearly you need a good plot, one that keeps moving and this means not overloading it with filler. By this I mean too much back story, complicated sub-plots that do not tie into the main plot, extraneous detail. Readers will see through this and it will turn them off. So this means you have to really tighten your plot so it all feels credible and it moves the story onwards. Anything that can be removed without the main plot tumbling probably can be removed full stop.
It’s the function of the second BIG edit where you address issue sf plot, characters that don’t need to be there, filler etc.
And also think about narrative devices, teasers that end chapters and have you read the next chapter right away!
The validation comes with the kinds of comments I am getting with reviews about like not being able to put the book down I say a big “PHEW” . You can get there, but you have to be brutal when you edit and tight with your plot and your devices.
Well that’s it for now, have a wonderful day. I am now trying to resolve some plot issues with the current novel… means a lot of note jotting and rocking in my chair … now there’s an image for you … complete with cats too! In fact I am feeling like a real writer! And what a wonderful way to spend the day!
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!
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!
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!
Writerly Debz 