 and dive into the first draft, telling myself the story. In the second draft, I add details, colour.
Does writing energize or exhaust you? I need to write regularly, most days, or I end up feeling very flat and out of sorts.  Other times, I feel like I’ve rather depleted myself – so I recharge with a walk with my dog!
What’s your writing Kryptonite? The lack of creative time. I have a young family and my brain is full of lists of jobs and demands for snacks. I always feel guilty if I sit to write and there’s a household job I’m ignoring. I can sit & knit a scarf in ten-minute bursts but I can’t write fiction like that! On the plus side, I rarely get time to let self-doubt creep in.
So what did you learn about approaching publishers? I couldn’t say that I’ve completely cracked it yet! I do know that as well as having a good submission that follows the guidelines and sending it to someone who is actually looking for work like yours, it helps to be confident. I started introducing myself as a writer, thinking about myself as a writer, speaking of my project as a serious endeavour, not just a hobby. I started going to writing groups and events, and found myself thinking of these in a different light. Not quite “professional development” as one might have at work, yet certainly as more than just entertainment – and that was when things started to fall into place. Believing in myself as a writer – not just Charlie Who Likes To Write – gave me the confidence to introduce myself and my book to publishers, to the world.
Have you ever frightened yourself while writing? Yes! For instance, when I was writing The Broken Pane, I told Tam’s story as I felt was truthful to her character, to the narrative. Every scene is there with a purpose – she had been through hell but she was able to find herself, to grow, to start to heal and I knew that was the aim. But when I was re-reading the draft and I knew Tam & Bugs, I felt absolutely awful for what I put them through! I was more than once tempted to just erase or change a scene to spare them going through it.
Do you have a particular approach to how you create the structure of your novels, or is each one different? I’m starting my next novel and just as I did with The Broken Pane, I have fleshed out the main characters, and the main elements of the plot, the key events in the story. Thereafter the character of the novel takes me through.
When you approach your desk in the morning, do you ever just want to run screaming in the opposite direction? If so, how do you get yourself to sit down and start writing? My desk is covered in my children’s stuff so I tend to clear the kitchen table and work there. I’m usually desperate to get going when I finally find some time. I work through a lot of the ideas in my head and make notes on my phone – when I’m walking the dog, standing around in the play park, waiting for my children to fall asleep. It’s all ready to go when I get a moment.
How long on average does it take you to write a book? The first draft when I’m really telling myself the story takes about four to six months, but then I let it stew a bit. Ideally, I’d aim for about six months – I’d like to get to the point when I can alternate projects better, but Future Me will work that out. Then back for the second draft with fresh eyes. This stage is where I will fill in a lot of detail, pull the threads together. That’s two to three months. Then another break before a final big go through to polish it all. I could condense it to a year I think eventually but right now it’s more like two.
What does literary success look like to you? I think that being a literary success would mean that on the whole you achieved a level of critical acclaim. I think that is different to being successful as a writer – that to me would mean that I would be able to earn enough from my writing to do it full time. Mostly I hope that I am able to write the stories I need to tell freely and that my novels find readers that connect with what I am putting across.
As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot / avatar / spirit animal? A bear. Or maybe a squirrel. A creature that hoards and hibernates in any event. I write in almost seasonal bursts: a lot of poetry in the spring. In the summer, I tend to have lots of ideas which I scribble down on post its, in notebooks and on my phone. I have just been through a phase of sorting all these out, and I’m settling in for an autumn and winter of prose writing. It isn’t at all intentional. I only noticed the pattern a couple of years ago.
Product has two copies of The Broken Pane to give away. For a chance to win, e mail us your name and address (or those of recipient) to |||EMAIL_ADDRESS||| or DM us on twitter @scottishproduct by 10 p.m. on Wednesday October 27th. Winners will be chosen randomly and contacted on Thursday, October 28th.
What's Next For Five EPL Players Out of Contract? | Sagna, Lescott...
The end of the season is very near and clubs need to start planning their summer transfer business early to prevent a poor start to the next campaign. This has proven to be a problem for several sides in the past, costing managers their jobs in process, therefore it’s crucial for clubs, especially near the bottom, to have a good start to the season. There are a lot of players in the Premier League who haven’t got a contract for next season, and they’ll be keen to get a deal sorted either with their current club or another side in the Premier League.
Bacary Sagna
Bacary Sagna looks set to leave the Emirates in the summer after seven years at the club. He has proven to be a very good player and Arsene Wenger is still keen to keep him at Arsenal, but it appears that the right back wants a new challenge. He has played in 34 of Arsenal’s league games this season, starting all but one. The French international has one goal and two assists to his name, which is good considering his limited attacking license at right back. There have been reports linking Sagna to a move to Manchester City in the summer, which would be a questionable move as they already have Pablo Zabaleta at the club, who is regarded as the best right back in the league. There have also been links with a move to Italy, which may prove to hold better career prospects for Sagna.
Joleon Lescott
The Manchester City centre back has been on the outside for the past couple of seasons and he desperately needs a move to breathe fresh impetus into his career. He has only played in ten games this season, which is incredible given the defender’s undoubted Premier League class. Lescott has seen his World Cup hopes die, due to his failure to get a move in January and to be involved with the international side in the future, he has to play first team football. The likes of Aston Villa and West Ham would really benefit from having a player of Lescott’s ability and experience, while even Arsenal may consider bringing him in on a free to give the defence more solidity in the big matches.
Tom Ince
Tom Ince has struggled to make an impact at Crystal Palace, but there will be plenty of clubs chasing his signature in the summer. He proved himself to be a very good young player at Blackpool, scoring goals for fun, in addition to the numerous assists to his name. His pace and dribbling ability makes him a very dangerous player in the final third and several clubs would benefit from having Ince in their squad next season. He has only played 6 matches for Palace, but he has managed to get a goal and an assist showing he can cut it in the top flight. There are several sides who should look to sign Ince on a free, including West Ham, Newcastle, Sunderland and Swansea, there will also be the opportunity for a big sell on value in the future.
Steve Sidwell
The future of Steve Sidwell is uncertain, he may well stay on at Fulham after becoming a key player in the side, but there will be Premier League interest if he chooses to leave the recently relegated side. He has been an ever present for Fulham this season, playing a part in all 37 games to date and he has been without doubt the club’s player of the year, scoring seven goals and getting two assists. This is a very good return for a player, not known for his goal scoring ability. Moreover, at the age of 31, he still has two or three seasons left at the top level. He would be a perfect signing for most of the bottom half clubs, while either Burnley or Leicester may look to bring him in on a free to add top flight experience to their sides.
Jack Colback
Jack Colback has played a vital role in Sunderland’s recent run, which is likely to lead to their survival in the Premier League, but he is approaching the end of his contract. He is only 24 years old and will develop into a player of top flight ability. The midfielder is an excellent passer of the ball and his work rate is second to none, which will interest clubs in the Premier League. Sunderland are desperate to keep their home grown talent, but it looks likely he could leave