B is for Book 

So, what story should you tell? My advice would be to write the book you really want to write, from your heart. Don’t be led by what’s selling at the moment as books can take a long time to come to market. If you see ‘X’ on a bookshelf in a shop, by the time you’ve written and tried to sell ‘the next X’ the market may have moved onto ‘Y’. Think about what books you like to read and write a blueprint list of things that catch your imagination. Think about locations, interesting real life stories, plot twists in films or books you’ve enjoyed, your favourite hobbies or objects, people you find fascinating, issues you’d like to explore, etc. Stick your list to your wall and use it as a blueprint for your book. Here’s mine for my debut novel…

Charm bracelet + bereavement + tiger + India + Paris + older protagonist + family + London + art college = The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper

C is for Characters vs Plot 

Which comes first, character or plot? It’s a similar question to ‘what comes first, the chicken or the egg?’ Some writers think of a plot then find a character to inhabit it, for others it’s all about the character and finding a plot for them to follow. I’m a bit of a plotter. I like to collect ideas from magazines, blurbs I’ve read on the back of books, reviews in newspapers, films and stories I’ve heard in the news. Then I pull a few strands together, change a few things, and weave together something new. Speaking to a friend, he used to work in a factory with lots of ‘great characters’ so he tends to think of people first. There’s no right or wrong way, but every great plot needs great characters, and vice versa…whichever way around you plan your book.

D is for Draft

Don’t worry too much about your first draft. Get your story down, any way you can. Scribble it in a note book, on sticky notes, record notes on your mobile phone, find a quiet spot on your lunch break to type up a few notes. You can edit and polish it all up afterwards.  I like to write a brief plot outline on sticky notes or postcards, a few lines per chapter, so I can use the cards/notes to move the story around and make sure it all runs through and works properly. 

E is for Edits 

If you wrote an important report you’d like an extra pair of eyes to look at it, to ensure it’s at its best, right?  It’s the same with editing a novel. If you’ve submitted a book to an agent or publisher and they suggest some edits, then it’s good to take notice. They’re the industry experts after all. I actually love to hear different thoughts about my work, to see it from a fresh perspective. Then I can make the story and writing stronger. If you’re not open to the opinion of others then self-publishing might work better for you.

F is for Firsts 

Make your first line, your first paragraph and your first chapter really count. Give them some punch. Pick up a few novels you love and see how other authors have done it. Does the first line hook you? Why and how? Don’t waste your first words by talking about the weather, unless it’s crucial and sets the scene for your book. The first sentence and paragraph should plunge your reader straight into the story and give them a flavour of what’s to come. 

G is for Goal

Ask yourself what your character wants more than anything in the world. Once you know, you can take them on a journey to find it. If James Bond wasn’t actually that bothered about saving the world, or if Harry Potter wasn’t that interested in becoming a wizard, or if Jack Reacher didn’t care about uncovering a killer, their stories would be a lot less interesting! Your character’s goal doesn’t have to be as ‘big’ as changing the world. It could be about reuniting a family or finding love. But always remember that it takes around eight hours to listen to or read a book. It’s a big investment, so give your character an exciting goal to pursue and a great story will follow. 

H is for Heroes and Heroines 

Whose story do you want to tell most? What will make readers want to know more about your hero or heroine? Have they got any strange habits or obsessions? What are their strengths and weaknesses? What can they do that no-one else can? Drill down the finer details to make them feel like real people. Think about your own favourite literary characters (or even celebrities) and write down what you admire about them. What are their best and worst qualities and what makes them different. Now think about your own characters and do the same exercise for them. 

I is for Idea

Do you want to write a book but aren’t sure what to write? For inspiration, write down your five favourite books or films, your five favourite people or celebs, your five favourite objects and five favourite places. Write them on postcards and select a card from each pile (one book, one person, one place, one object) at random to see if the exercise sparks any ideas. Writing a book can take several months, so you may as well take inspiration from things, people and places you like!

J is for Journey 

If your story is character-driven then your hero or heroine needs to change on their journey through the book. This is known as the ‘Character Arc.’ Their change may be physical, emotional or both but your character should start off their story by thinking/acting/doing something in one way and undergo a reversal by the end of your story. As you take your character on their journey be sure to throw lots of intrigue and obstacles in the way, to make their journey as interesting as possible.

K is for Keep going!

Do you feel stuck, finding yourself staring blankly at a scene or chapter that just isn’t working? Leave it alone for a while and do something else instead. Go for a walk and chat into your phone, to get your ideas flowing again, or flick through a magazine. You could edit something you’ve already written or write a scene that really excites you. If you use a computer, try writing longhand instead. If you’re stuck on what a character does next, try changing their name or thinking of an unusual object for them to discover. It might spark some new ideas. Just keep going.

L is for Letter 

Agents receive hundreds of query letters or emails from aspiring authors each week, so check on the agency website what their submission process is. If you send a sci-fi novel to someone who is only accepting thrillers, you’re wasting your time and theirs. Look at what other writers the agent represents to make sure they’d be a good fit for you. It’s always good to personalise your query letter and to tell the agent why you’ve chosen them to approach. Your letter needs to stand out from the crowd. Do double check you’ve spelled the agent’s name correctly and that their address is correct.

M is for Manuscripts 

Popular novels are usually 85,000 – 120,000 words in length. You can have as many chapters as you like, of whatever length you like. I like to keep my chapters relatively short, to hold the reader’s interest, as well as my own! However, they do need to be long enough to introduce your characters and story properly. I aim for approximately thirty six chapters in total. Manuscripts should be neat and tidy – and don’t forget to spell check. Most agents specify on their website what format sample chapters/manuscripts should be submitted in, so be sure to check before you send anything.

N is for Name

Your character’s name should say something about the person. For The Library of Lost and Found, I chose a traditional first name for my heroine Martha Storm and a more unusual surname to reflect the quirky journey she undergoes. Take your character’s age and occupation into consideration. You wouldn’t name a glamorous florist ‘Edna Smith,’ or name a daring action hero ‘Herbert Longbottom.’ Would James Bond conjure up the same cool spy image if he’d been called Jimmy Bardsley? One of my characters was originally called Mildred, but she didn’t really come alive until I re-named her Miriam. 

O is for One sentence 

Imagine you were in a lift with a publisher or agent and had just a few seconds to pitch your book to them. What would you say to hook them? Work on summarising your novel in just one or two sentences. Rehearse it over and over so you can reel it off. I took a full weekend to work on mine for The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, so if anyone asked me what my book was about, I could tell them confidently and clearly – “A 69-year-old widower finds a charm bracelet in his late wife’s wardrobe and sets off on an epic journey to find out the story behind each of the charms, discovering his wife had a secret life before they met.” In just those two sentences we learn about the main character, his age and situation, his discovery, journey and a central intriguing mystery to solve.

P is for Publishers 

If you search online, there are hundreds of publishers out there, so which is the right one for your book? You’ve probably heard about the slush pile, where manuscripts pile up on publisher’s desks until they reach the ceiling. This is why getting a literary agent is useful. Agents know what publishers are looking for and can match your book to the right one. When I first met my agent, Clare, she said she’d be my matchmaker, to find the right home for my novel. And she did - in twenty-five different countries! So, if you’re serious about finding a publisher for your book, my recommendation would be to find a great agent first. There are plenty listed on the internet and they should never charge you for reading or representing your work.

Q is for Quality 

Make sure your work is as good as it can be. Read through it, then do it again. You might even want to ask a friend to read it too. Double check your spelling and grammar. If you’re not confident enough to tackle writing a full novel then why not give writing a short story a try. There are lots of short story competitions around on the internet and in magazines. If you have some success it will give you a great confidence boost and confirm the quality of your writing.

R is for (be) Realistic 

It’s not a good idea to give up your day job to write a book. The majority of writers have second jobs to supplement their income, and the process of publishing can take months and even years. From my signing with Clare at Darley Anderson to my first book hitting the shelves took almost two years. So If your dream is to write a novel and earn lots of money, that’s great, but try to be realistic.

S is for Setting 

Let’s say your story is about an old house where an estranged family gather for a funeral and unearth a secret. Sounds familiar? It’s quite a common plot. Now, what if the house was set on a wild Scottish coastline and was only one house around for miles? Or what if it was a mansion in Saint Tropez? The plot might be the same, but the setting conjures us very different sights, sounds and smells. What if instead of a house, the book was set in a jazz club? Can you already smell the sticky carpets and stale cigarette smoke, and hear the sound of the saxophones? Play around with different settings and see which works best to bring your story to life. 

 T is for Time 

Yes, we’d all like more of it. However, no-one is going to wave a magic want to grant you more minutes in your day. For my first few years of writing, I only did it after I’d loaded the dishwasher, cleaned the bath, done the supermarket shop, etc. In other words, I put everything else first – and by then I was often too tired or had little time left to write. If writing is something you really want to do, you have to find the time to do it. Write for half an hour before bedtime, or think of quick dinners. Clean the bath once a week rather than twice and farm out chores if you can. Pledge not to take business calls on your commute, because you’re writing instead. You have to become selfish about finding time to write.

U is for United 

Writing can be a solitary pastime, but it’s a united effort to bring a novel to fruition. After the many months of writing The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper I allowed a handful of close friends to read it. I’m glad I did because their support and comments spurred me on.  Thoughts and suggestions from my agent and editors make writing feel like a co-operative effort. It’s easy to shut yourself away and to keep your writing a secret, but there is lots of support out there – friends, family, writing groups etc. It can be good to share. 

V is for Voice

Think about what makes your character unique and gives them their ‘voice’? What would they say if they banged their elbow? It can give a little insight into their personality. There’s a big difference between ‘Jeepers’ and ’I am sick of the mess in this house’ and ‘For f**k’s sake!!!’ Pretend that your character is sitting in front of you and that you’re interviewing them. (Yes, it sounds a bit strange, but it can help to chat to them). Ask them to tell you a bit about themselves. What are their problems and what do they want to say? What story do they want you to tell on their behalf?

W is for Worst 

What are the ten worst things that could possibly happen to your character? Write a list, then make some of them happen. (Go on, be a bit cruel). How would your character react? What would they say? What would their emotional response be? What would happen if an agoraphobic found themselves locked in a lift, or a shy person found themselves on stage in a nightclub? Have a go and see what happens. 

X is for X-Factor 

No, not Simon Cowell. Your book and character have to have the x-factor to stand out – a quality to make them special. One tip is to make your character the ‘most’ at something he or she does. They might be the tidiest person in the office, or the untidiest. They could be the fastest swimmer in school, the richest person in the world, the greatest dentist in Manchester, the loneliest dog in the kennel, the most celebrated seamstress in Paris or the most hated TV critic in the US. Whatever it is they do, make them the ‘most’ and give them the x-factor.

Y is for Youth

You don’t need youth to be a writer. Hurray! It’s one profession where you don’t need to be fresh out of university with a degree. In fact, the more life experience you have, the more jobs you’ve done, the more people you’ve met, the more places you’ve visited, can all help in your writing. So dig deep into your life experiences and don’t let thoughts of ‘being too old to start writing’ pop into your head. 

Z is for Zzzzz 

If you’ve read all these tips and you still want to be a writer, that’s fantastic! Why not sleep on it tonight? Great ideas can often pop up when you’re at your most relaxed. Fluff up your pillow, pull up the duvet and let your mind take you to a place, and to people, you’d love to spend more time with. Then start to write about them! 

Good luck!