WRITER, EDITOR, MARKETING EXECUTIVE, BLOGGER & SUPER MUM

I’m a happy, peaceful, hardworking writer, super Mum and generally a good human being but always looking to improve.

Oh, I am such a space geek! Friday’s eclipse was so incredibly exciting for me. Stargazing Live has been enthralling too but let’s face it Dr Brian Cox could make party manifestos sound interesting, right?

Friday set the tone for the weekend. This week it felt like the planets had finally aligned too. Peace has descended on my gorgeous family. Honestly, you have no idea what pressure we have been under recently, from multiple directions. However, we feel we can see the light at last.

Saturday was an incredibly busy but proud day. In the morning, Lucas played football and in the afternoon Wes made his debut for Sheffield Hallam Eagles. I spent most of Saturday freezing to death on the Siberian touchlines – okay it was Wetherby and Sheffield but boy it felt like Siberia! Words could not do any justice to the pride that overflowed from my heart.

I admit, when I saw the opposition at the rugby league game, they literally cast a shadow over me like the Dementors in Harry Potter or the eclipse. I was petrified my cute little boy was playing against these giants. Actually, I don’t know when it happened but my little, cheeky boy has turned into a stropping, young man who did not look out of place or miniature at all. In fact, he held his own magnificently and just to give me that usual heart stopping moment, his first involvement was to tackle the biggest MAN on the pitch. This boy, now man has NO fear.

It’s the start of a fabulous, hopefully long journey and I feel so privileged to be a part of it. The boys inspire me to follow my dreams.

If, no when, I become a successful writer, I would love to set up a fund that helps finance scholarships for young people who would otherwise be deprived of the opportunity to follow their dreams. You certainly can’t put an economic price on striving for your dreams.

WRITING – LEARNING ON THE JOB

 

I can’t wait for the day when I can pay someone to edit my work. My publisher edits it but I like to edit it and re-edit until I am happy to submit it. In all honesty I would probably edit my work before I let an editor see it anyway. So it does beg the question, do I need an editor? Of course I do, I’m not perfect and no one can 100% edit their own work.

I have learned new editing techniques and requirements since publishing my first novel, Beyond the Past. When you are learning on the job you have to accept you will make mistakes BUT mistakes are okay. That is how we develop as human beings. You will ALWAYS get people who jump on other peoples’ mistakes, ALWAYS. However, they are likely to be the ones that will never leave their comfort zone and obviously believe they are super human and immune from making mistakes. Let them get on with it! Concentrate on learning from your mistakes and you will develop.

FIRST DRAFT

 

Unless you are super talented, and I never profess to be, the first draft will never be your final product. I hand write my books so that I can further edit when I type my work. Even after this first edit, I still consider this my first, rough draft.

When I wrote Beyond the Past, I wanted it right first time, with everything in place and perfect. I was so naïve and put myself under so much pressure. Not now, in fact I laugh at myself so much. Thankfully, I learn very quickly.

Beyond the Past is selling well. You can read the 1st three chapters FREE here. Links to buy the book are:

Pegasus Publishers
Amazon UK
Kindle
Amazon US

Or you can order from your local bookshop. The ISBN number is : 978-1-84386-789-0 

BEYOND THE LIES

 

When I drafted Beyond the Lies, I knew it was not the finished product. This has actually made editing much more interesting. I know the ending of the book now so I can beef up the story and suspense throughout. That is very exciting.

The edits the book will go through BEFORE anyone in the business sees it include:

1. First, rough draft scribbled on paper then typed
2. Spelling, grammar checks
3. Search and delete unnecessary, words like ‘very’. It’s interesting to find over 300+ ‘very’ in your work and be upset with yourself that you’ve used it that many times in 170,000 words only to find that the majority of them are actually part of other words like everyone, everybody, etc. I am such a dork sometimes.
4. Print and dissect the draft. I mean crucify it!! Every piece of it is scrutinised.
5. I have totally re-written some chapters of Beyond the Lies. I am so happy with the re-write. If I’m not happy with it, it won’t go out. A lesson learned the hard way.
6. Once all the amendments are done, and I’m only a third of the way through Beyond the Lies at present, I go back and repeat steps 1 to 4.
7. Final read through and my reader edits too.
8. Then I may send it to the publisher.

Step 8 will only happen when I am 100% satisfied – I am my harshest critic and I like it that way.

SCRIPTWRITING

 

On top of all the editing work, I have my other projects I am working on, two of which involve scriptwriting. I want to add this to my skills, have another string to my bow and another option to pursue when the boys don’t need me anymore (Haha).

Out of the Depths of Despair has been retitled Charity. One word encompasses so many aspects of this work. Intrigued? Good x

This week I don’t have enough hours to cover the work I want to do but I will keep plugging away. I will be successful, I WILL! I’m working hard for our future, hopefully being a great Mum and role model along with way.

I really do believe that everything I have done in my past lives, have led to where I am today and I am NOW in the right place, doing the right thing. Being an author isn’t just about writing. You need so many more skills. What I have learned is to adapt my previous experience to my new career and this includes:

1. Writing
2. Editing 
3.  Proofreading
4. Marketing
5. Legal/contract work
6. Customer services
7. Planning and preparation
8. Public speaking
9. Resilience
10. Time management
11. Sheer hard work and determination
12. Web design
13. Social media management
14. Blogging
15. Chief negotiator, diplomat, fixer
16. PA, receptionist, tea maker (most important job of all!)

I’m not special, I just don’t give up but boy do I really do all this ? No wonder I'm exhausted 😆

I always welcome your feedback and comments. Have a fabulous week. You can follow my news and events on my website.

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