Wise advice from authors for authors & crying in the toilets
Latest news, events, opportunities including resources for journalists facing redundancy
My dear wordsmiths,
Just a reminder to please subscribe and share Write Reject Repeat as it’s free and, what I hope, is a helpful labour of love. There are several hundred (!!) of you now but it would be lovely to see and hear from more new faces. If you a newbie writer, a best-selling author, a trainee journalist or have won the Pulitzer Prize, you are in the right place - it’s a community.
Greetings from that period before the festive season which is both celebratory and difficult for many in equal measure. It’s about this time that everything collides - from time pressure to financial pressure to family pressure to work pressure. It’s not a useful combination for our collective mental health and, for many, overwhelming. Writers in general, with our over-thinking brains, are particularly susceptible.
In journalism, times are tougher than ever with talk of cost cutting and redundancy from every quarter of the industry with no such thing as a safe job or career. At least, now, there are resources to talk about the human impact of these difficulties. As someone who has worked in this industry for several decades I can assure you I’ve been there multiple times but back then mental struggles were looked down upon and ignored. Admitting vulnerability was traditionally a sign of weakness in journalism and I personally developed a resilience through trauma as much as experience - not something I’d recommend.
The times I cried in the toilets alone at the mercy of toxic newsroom cultures cannot be counted on two hands. Instead, I’d recommend talking and asking for help, so today I’ve collected together some resources and opportunities that offer practical support (see end of newsletter).
This week I’m actually on leave with nothing exciting booked in so instead I am guilty of putting more pressure on myself than ever. The list is huge, too huge, so instead of relaxing I’m guilting myself for everything I haven’t got round to yet. Just me? It’s also got me thinking about my future, what I want, what I should want, how I’ve let myself down, how I’m failing.. it’s not a particularly helpful internal dialogue. So I’m giving myself a free pass and there has been much crisp-eating and cups of tea while reading or general staring out of the window at the sheep. But it also got me thinking about all the authors I have talked to, interviewed, and who have shared critical information over the past few years and I thought I’d share some with you.
Advice from authors for authors
‘It takes four years to learn to be a bricklayer, why shouldn’t it take a decade to become a writer?’
Michael Crowley
The following was all advice shared by authors who have contributed to my website (nicolakristineadam.com) or to this newsletter. Look them all up and buy their books - they are fantastic. I’ve linked all the full chats.
Also, if you a writer who wants to take part in a Q&A (all welcome) the details are in this post..
Fantasy author Philip Cavaney/Danny Weston via nicolakristineadam.com
‘If you truly believe it’s what you were born to do then don’t give up. If somebody turns down what you’ve written then rewrite it and try again. If that fails, try a new idea. Always read your work aloud – the bits that don’t work will jump out at you. And always remember that no writer gets it perfect on the first attempt. Every time you rewrite something it will get better. Fact.’
Best-selling author Jill Mansell via nicolakristineadam.com
‘Love your characters. If you don’t care about them, why should other people want to carry on reading to find out what happens to them? Deciding that the fictional characters are boring is the number one reason I’ll lose interest and give up on reading a novel. (Conversely, amazing characters will make me fall in love with them, and stay in my heart for life.)’
Crime writer Nick Quantrill via nicolakristineadam.com
‘There’s no shortcut to being published. You’ve got to sit down and do the work. It’s a commitment and it’s not easy, but if you define success as writing and finishing the story you want to tell, you’re winning.’
Writer and dramatist Michael Crowley via nicolakristineadam.com
‘Read. History in particular. Get your head down, be industrious, humble,
ruthless with yourself and patient. It takes four years to learn to be a bricklayer, why shouldn’t it take a decade to become a writer?’
Historical Saga author Tracy Baines via nicolakristineadam.com
‘Persevere. Get a tough skin. Years of writing short stories taught me how to deal with rejection. I learned that it wasn’t me they didn’t like – it was that my work hadn’t quite hit the mark (and that can be for all sorts of reasons). Read a lot – and don’t ever stop learning how to improve your work. Attend workshops, readings, author events. You learn something no matter how small from everything you do. One small nugget of wisdom from an hour’s talk or workshop can be so helpful.
Romance writer Katie Fforde via Write Reject Repeat
‘My top tip is persevere. Also, carve out an hour a day and just start. You soon find you’re thinking about your book the whole time and when your hour comes around your fingers fly. Read a lot. You learn so much from what you read.’
Best-selling author Milly Johnson (via Write Reject Repeat)
‘Querying: make your pitch letter relevant. It’s not interesting to an agent that your granny thinks your story is the best thing since sliced bread. Or that ‘you really want this dream to come true’. Everyone who writes to an agent wants it badly. And make sure that you adhere to what an agent asks for. If they only want a covering letter and a synopsis and you send the whole manuscript, they won’t think you’re innovative, they’ll think you’re a berk who can’t follow a simple instruction. Buy the best equipment you can, take your career seriously. You wouldn’t get a top joiner buying his screwdrivers from the cheap stall on the market.’
‘Make the time to write: If you wait until you find it, you never will. Look up the Pomodoro technique on the internet if you have a problem focussing. Don’t stop reading. You will absorb so much in the way of vocabulary and structure and plot devices just by reading. And read for pleasure, but sometimes read analytically and see how the top writers achieve what they do.’
News, events and opportunities for writers and journalists
For journalists incl. those facing redundancy:
Free mentoring (Nick Petrie): The deputy digital news director at Reuters (and former deputy head of digital at The Times and Sunday Times) offers free mentoring sessions for journalists, including thinking about your next move and looking over CVs. You can look him up on LinkedIn and reach out - ideal for those who face redundancy.
Journo Resources: Has loads of advice and articles on all aspects of journalism, incl. for those facing redundancy and, critically, lists latest job opportunities.
The Journalists Charity: Offers financial assistance and support for journalists. If you’re struggling and need some support you can speak to a friendly advisor on the phone, via email or on socials. Link to website in headline.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ): Offers practical advice and guidance for journalists, including your rights at work.
Jobs at National World (where I work): There are a couple of jobs up for grabs at National World titles including:
Journalist at Nottingham World (remote)
Journalist at Birmingham World (remote)
For writers and book-lovers:
London Book Fair & Writer’s Summit & Author HQ: The one-day conference Writers’ Summit will kick start the week of the Fair, on Monday March 11, at the new venue of Novotel West London. The conference aims to equip authors with practical tools for their writing journey, empowering them to get their work noticed by agents, publishers and readers in an increasingly crowded market.
In Conversation with Ed Winter: If you are kicking off your new year resolutions with a vegan pledge, you may want to attend this event at Waterstones in Manchester (Deansgate branch) on January 8. The author of This Is Vegan Propaganda, is appearing this coming Veganuary in celebration of his newest work, How to Argue With a Meat Eater (and Win Every Time).
Christmas sale for Jojo Moyes/BBC Maestro: BBC Maestro which offers courses led by experts, is having a Christmas sale and there are some great reductions. This 25-video course, led by the author Jojo Moyes, is reduced from £70 to £47.50. Course blurb: ‘Learn to create an epic love story that your readers can't help but fall for with the irrefutable Maestro of romance. Join Jojo Moyes as she breaks down her craft into step-by-step techniques for crafting your novel from the ground up.’
So that’s it from me this week. If you’ve read this far, thank you, and don’t forget to say hi. If you are a writer or journalist who would like to contribute a Q&A or have a event to publicise - get in touch at writerejectrepeat@substack.com
And please, please, share! Nicola xx