On My Holidays

 

Currently enjoying the view from our apartment in Spain, getting some much needed R&R. We've left the 20 year old and 18 year old back in the UK so I'm trying not to think what the state of the house will be like when we get home.

I am using the time to catch up on some writing although its so hot here that the pen often slips from my fingers and my writing is terrible, but at least I'm trying to get something down on paper. (Don't you just feel sorry for me?)

Also catching up on reading, both fiction and non-fiction.  I've recently read Romancing The Beat by Gwen Hayes.  

Its quite a short book but an excellent tool for helping you plot the structure of your novel, or for checking that your structure is on track during the editing phase.  I'm definitely going to be using her advice for my next novel.

Now all I have to do is concentrate on my tan and hope that I can actually fly home as I'm travelling with Ryan Air on one of the days their cabin crew are on strike.  If not, then I guess I'll just have to stay here!

How Do You Want To Be Published?

I’ve been writing for a long time now with limited success. As a working mum, bringing up a young family, its always been hard for me to find the time to write consistently and most of my writing has been in fits and starts.

 

During this time, I’ve had several short stories published in women’s magazines, but so far have had little luck with sending longer pieces of work to agents. 

 

With the demise of the short story market I have lost a little bit of my love for writing short stories and so am concentrating now on writing romance novels. 

 

In the past I’ve been a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and have received feedback on a couple of my novels through the New Writer’s Scheme. This year I’ve been working on one of those novels previously submitted and dare I say it, I think now it’s in much better shape. 

 

It’s always been my dream to be traditionally published – it’s the ultimate validation that you are indeed a writer and that your writing is worth paying good money for, but recently my thoughts have turned towards self-publishing. 

 

Self-published books haven’t always received good press. The ability to easily upload and publish a piece of writing meant that anyone could become a published author regardless of the quality of that work. This has led to a poor reception for self-published authors. 

 

But following my research I think the tide is turning. What has struck me more than anything is that self-publishing doesn’t have to be – and shouldn’t be – second rate. In fact, I think it would be impossible to make a living from your writing if you didn’t consistently produce professionally written and edited work. There is of course much to learn and that’s what I’ve been trying to do through online courses, and the increasing number of podcasts which are available to listen to, and the thought of being in control of my own destiny is certainly appealing. 

 

With my youngest about to head off to university in September, finally the time might be right to devote more time to my writing and building a business out of one the things I love doing the most is certainly appealing.

 

What are your thoughts on traditional versus self-publishing?