MY WRITING JOURNEY
In 2008 I brought a computer purely to write for my own indulgence. My head was full of beginnings and ends, many which complemented each other, random scenes and very loose storylines. There was little organisation, I typed whatever was in my head at the time. Sometimes it was only the barest outline of a plot or merely a description of the characters.
My first ‘sort of’ completed novel was 32,000 words, very much tell with limited dialogue and completely unpublishable. The second, 49,600 words, was a little better. I’ve recently flicked through them and still love the storylines and my heroes and heroines so maybe there’s hope for them in the future.
In August 2009, I attended my first South Australian Romance Authors meeting and still considerate it the best move I’ve made on my journey. Every newcomer is warmly welcomed by a diverse group of generous women who are always willing to give advice and guidance. Their enthusiasm was contagious and I began to think of taking the next step and maybe putting my writing out there to be judged. Maybe even published a long way down the path.
On their advice I joined the South Australian Writers’ Centre and Romance Writers of Australia. Over the next few years I did workshops and courses as well as burying and reading writing skills books.
In August 2010 I went to my first RWA conference in Melbourne and haven’t missed any since, loving the diverse atmospheres of the different cities. Pitching to an editor or agent can be daunting but every one I’ve met has made me feel as if I have something to contribute. After introducing myself in 2010, I was gently stopped once I’d mentioned the genre because it wasn’t one my interviewer was interested in. On finding out it was my first ever pitch, she then spent the five minutes allotted advising me on pitching and submitting.
From 2011 to 2015 I entered a total of 10 stories in RWA’s Little Gem’s short story competition, gaining valuable insight into readers’ perspective from the feedback. In 2013 (married name) and 1015 (Bella Bucannon) my entries were published in the anthology.
In February 2014 I joined a local writing group which encompasses all genres both prose and poetry. I find writing 1-2 page stories or poems helps to hone my skills, and encourages me to find alternative words. I also enjoy listening to the diverse works the other members bring.
At the RWA 1014 Conference in Sydney I pitched my surrogate mother story to Flo Nicoll from harlequin UK and she asked for a partial. I went home, reread and edited the whole manuscript then went through and tweaked it again. Finally in late November I wrote the email, attached the synopsis and 3 chapters, closed my eyes and pressed send.
While waiting I worked on a Little Gems competition entry and began to plot my next category story. I’d submitted my short story and was focused on my new hero and heroine when I received the email every writer aspires to. Flo liked my voice and my story line, and wanted to know if I would consider changes to make it fit the Harlequin Romance genre.
Of course I would. I followed her suggestions and resent the partial. In late June after more revisions I forwarded the complete manuscript. The request for more–some quite drastic–changes came within a week. For over four months I cut and saved in another file scenes and a secondary family, added more emotional tension and checked every line for references to anything no longer relevant.
And every second was worthwhile when, on Monday evening 16th November 2015, Flo called from England and offered me a two book contract. I’m not sure what I actually said but I accepted thankfully.
Seven years ago filling blank pages with my characters and their stories was simply fun, something to do in quiet times of my day. Now I have to be disciplined and focussed, neither of which come easy to me but the rewards will be worth it when I hold my novel in my hand.
I could not have achieved all I have, especially this last year, without the emotional and physical help of my husband. He’d a down to earth Aussie who reads most of my writing even though he finds much of it unbelievable and claims ‘Australian men don’t do or say stuff like that.’ The same man can be very romantic at times and did much of the housework as I sat in my study doing the revisions.
I feel like I’ve only just set sail on my writing journey and hopefully will find many exciting places and meet lots of interesting people to feature in my stories.
My first ‘sort of’ completed novel was 32,000 words, very much tell with limited dialogue and completely unpublishable. The second, 49,600 words, was a little better. I’ve recently flicked through them and still love the storylines and my heroes and heroines so maybe there’s hope for them in the future.
In August 2009, I attended my first South Australian Romance Authors meeting and still considerate it the best move I’ve made on my journey. Every newcomer is warmly welcomed by a diverse group of generous women who are always willing to give advice and guidance. Their enthusiasm was contagious and I began to think of taking the next step and maybe putting my writing out there to be judged. Maybe even published a long way down the path.
On their advice I joined the South Australian Writers’ Centre and Romance Writers of Australia. Over the next few years I did workshops and courses as well as burying and reading writing skills books.
In August 2010 I went to my first RWA conference in Melbourne and haven’t missed any since, loving the diverse atmospheres of the different cities. Pitching to an editor or agent can be daunting but every one I’ve met has made me feel as if I have something to contribute. After introducing myself in 2010, I was gently stopped once I’d mentioned the genre because it wasn’t one my interviewer was interested in. On finding out it was my first ever pitch, she then spent the five minutes allotted advising me on pitching and submitting.
From 2011 to 2015 I entered a total of 10 stories in RWA’s Little Gem’s short story competition, gaining valuable insight into readers’ perspective from the feedback. In 2013 (married name) and 1015 (Bella Bucannon) my entries were published in the anthology.
In February 2014 I joined a local writing group which encompasses all genres both prose and poetry. I find writing 1-2 page stories or poems helps to hone my skills, and encourages me to find alternative words. I also enjoy listening to the diverse works the other members bring.
At the RWA 1014 Conference in Sydney I pitched my surrogate mother story to Flo Nicoll from harlequin UK and she asked for a partial. I went home, reread and edited the whole manuscript then went through and tweaked it again. Finally in late November I wrote the email, attached the synopsis and 3 chapters, closed my eyes and pressed send.
While waiting I worked on a Little Gems competition entry and began to plot my next category story. I’d submitted my short story and was focused on my new hero and heroine when I received the email every writer aspires to. Flo liked my voice and my story line, and wanted to know if I would consider changes to make it fit the Harlequin Romance genre.
Of course I would. I followed her suggestions and resent the partial. In late June after more revisions I forwarded the complete manuscript. The request for more–some quite drastic–changes came within a week. For over four months I cut and saved in another file scenes and a secondary family, added more emotional tension and checked every line for references to anything no longer relevant.
And every second was worthwhile when, on Monday evening 16th November 2015, Flo called from England and offered me a two book contract. I’m not sure what I actually said but I accepted thankfully.
Seven years ago filling blank pages with my characters and their stories was simply fun, something to do in quiet times of my day. Now I have to be disciplined and focussed, neither of which come easy to me but the rewards will be worth it when I hold my novel in my hand.
I could not have achieved all I have, especially this last year, without the emotional and physical help of my husband. He’d a down to earth Aussie who reads most of my writing even though he finds much of it unbelievable and claims ‘Australian men don’t do or say stuff like that.’ The same man can be very romantic at times and did much of the housework as I sat in my study doing the revisions.
I feel like I’ve only just set sail on my writing journey and hopefully will find many exciting places and meet lots of interesting people to feature in my stories.