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prue batten's avatar

I can't wait to see what your story is about. May I be a beta-reader please?

I have to say I agree about the drain of time in writing for Substack. It pilfers time when I should be writing the latest novel. Nevertheless, it IS writing and the structure of a column is still the same as a novel, with beginning, middle and neatly tied up end, I suppose. It is also a discipline to turn up every week which I needed a nudge on.

But I am more laissez-faire now - I don't panic to get a book out every 12 months. I get one out when it feels right. The relief is enormous.

Just write, don't chastise yourself. Do it because you want to, not because you feel you HAVE to. If you don't write each day, honestly, it doesn't matter. What matters is that when you do write, you love every moment, words feel like gold nuggets and time flies, and when you read back what you've written, you can't quite believe you've created characters, a scene, a life.

My first ever novel still sits in a box in the office. It's the one that everyone must write before they can become deadly serious. My first published novel took three years to write. But I learned so much from the consultancy who worked with me.

And just so you know, the editing process is THE most amazing experience. You can see the novel being diamond-cut as you work your way through with a good editor. I love editing my novels even more than actually writing the initial story.

Yours in penmanship...

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Eileen Lorimer's avatar

Of course you need the perfect pen and piece of card! Paper goods, writing equipment, such fun.

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