This coffee shop, in Cardiff Bay, is one of my favourite writing places.
This coffee shop, in Cardiff Bay, is one of my favourite writing places. I like to abandon my laptop for a notebook and pen. There is something reassuring about forming every single letter with my biro. With the onset of autumn, I remembered a blog post I forgot to publish last October, because I had been absorbed in the agony of the editing process. I wrote this post when editing You Can’t Go It Alone.
My imagination roams free in this setting.
Once my coffee cup is empty, I let the pen wander across the page. Hoping to catch some dialogue from the unsuspecting customers, I listen with my best writer’s ear. I am happy here in this café suspended above the water. Alas, the sound of my beeping phone collides head on with my imagination. I stop writing and must look at the email from an insurance company. I wonder if writers had less distractions prior to the digital age, so I google ‘writing quotations’.
Virginia Woolf pops up on my phone, but she doesn’t look happy and she says:
Sitting on the dock in the Bay wasting words
‘Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.’
Obviously, Virginia never had to cope with the disruptive influence of a mobile phone. I decide my imagination has been temporarily locked by my phone: it is a twenty first century condition called ‘beepitis’. Fortunately, I do not need to re-boot my imagination as it starts up again. I am trying to re-work a menacing scene in my book. Hoping to get inspiration, I look at the murky water from the window. Despite the distracting background noise, I make a list of adjectives. The shopping list of words stares at me, defying me to write something coherent. It is useless!
I decide to drive home via Cardiff Docks to gather some words for a scene in my novel. It is a sinister setting.
I decide to drive home via Cardiff Docks to gather some words. I drive off absorbing the atmosphere of the autumn’s day and watch the leaves dance across the road. Almost forgetting to stop at the red light, I look out for the sign to the docks, but realise I am driving over a new road. I hate the massive construction with barriers at each side. Finally, I drive through the docks and stop to pull over to make some notes for finishing touches to a scene. I am considered with suspicion. I ignore the onlookers and write until my car beeps me to tell me there is something wrong with a filter.
Clearly, I need ‘a room of my own’ to write.
Time to go home to my laptop: time to find ‘a room of one’s own’, time to sculpt my manuscript and stop wasting time and listing words. The truth is the book is almost done but I don’t want to let the characters live their lives without me.
My book costs less than the price of a coffee and will last longer.
You Can’t Go It Alone has been available since May. I have been delighted with the reviews. Reviewers have enjoyed visiting Delfryn and getting to know the inhabitants. The agony of the editing process was worth it, as it helped readers to connect. In celebration of my thirteenth review, I am reducing the cost of the kindle format next week. Of course, I would be delighted to receive more reviews. My book is less than half the price of a coffee and will last longer. Indeed, one reviewer wrote:
‘An intricate, thoughtful story of real people whose life will continue long after the author has typed the end’ Perdisma, Amazon reviewer
Here is a snapshot of my most recent reviews:
Reviewers have enjoyed visiting Delfryn and getting to know the inhabitants.
‘It’s a roller-coaster of a novel in which the beautiful Welsh countryside and weather take a leading role. I was gripped by these characters, and by Cahalin’s fascinating touches.’ Professor Maggie Humm
‘The author has a real feeling for character and place… Her ideas around plot and how a story unfolds are original, and well executed, with a good balance of lightness and shade.’ Welsh Annie, top 500 Amazon Reviewer
You Can’t Go It Alone is available on Amazon.
‘The author is not afraid to face life’s most challenging problems head on. What appeals about the novel is that she does not ‘go on crusade’ but underpins these problems with a deep, rich humanity …’ John Broughton, author
‘Complex and vivid tapestry of a story’ Jena. C. Henry, USA author, blogger and reviewer
‘As a debut novel, You Can’t Go It Alone is an accomplished read. Eloquent, moving and packed with vivid imagery…’ Audrey Davis
The Crime and Coffee Festival beckoned me to Cardiff Library to solve the mystery of writing and publishing. The workshop: Cut, Slash and Perfect promised to reveal more about the writing and traditional publishing journey. As I passed the crime scene tape surrounding the bookshelves, I did wonder if any authors had been lost during the cutting, slashing and perfecting process. I went undercover to find out more about traditional publishing. Would I need an agent, and would I need a sharper pair of scissors?
The panel discussion with: Thorne Moore, Caroline Oakely and Judith Barrow. Has Judith spotted Jessie?
Authors, Judith Barrow and Thorne Moore, chatted with the editor, Caroline Oakley, of Honno Press about publishing. The entertaining chat provided food for thought for all authors who wish to publish their work. As I listened, I captured some of the main points and discovered what makes editors cut and authors cry. The panel put me at ease, and I was able to remove my disguise as an indie author.
Introducing Caroline Oakley who is the editor at Honno Press
Caroline has worked in general trade publishing for over thirty years and has edited a number of award winning and bestselling authors. Caroline works for, Honno Press, an independent Welsh Women’s publisher in Wales.
Clues from the Editor
Caroline gave a balanced overview of publishing
Big publishers only work through agents.
A good editor is key to success for all authors
Agents often have useful contacts within the publishing world and deal with the contracts. Care must be taken when selecting an agent because, as in all businesses, there are inefficient, self –styled experts, with little experience, out there. Google and search for those authors who write in your genre to find out the names of the agents who deal with your kind of book before submitting. You can approach independent and smaller publishers with or without an agent. Find out what this kind of publisher wants before approaching them. Research their website; look at the work of the signed authors. Take your time to select the appropriate one for your genre; consider how much advance that publisher pays, the amount of royalties for sold books you will get, your rights (such as audio and foreign rights for your work) and the terms and conditions of your contract. You must read the small print!
Don’t get disheartened with rejection letters sent to publishers. Hope your manuscript reaches the publisher at the right time (by this I mean that it’s not a miserable Monday morning for them, or they’ve not had a quarrel with a partner or their family – or they’ve not had a week of wading through a pile of “not very good” manuscripts before they get to yours)– it is subjective.
Indie publishing has its challenges, but it gives you more control and you get all the profit. The Indie author deals with every element of the process; from the writing to choosing the cover, the blurb formatting, publication and marketing. Traditionally published authors also are expected to promote and market. Indie publishing is time- consuming but as I said before, they do have complete control over their work.
The venue – Cardiff Library
Whichever publishing route you choose, you must get yourself an editor! Although time-consuming (and sometimes devastating!) you must go through the cut, slash perfect process. A good editor will identify gaps, things that possibly don’t work in your writing, mistakes such as change of dates of characters’ birthdays or colour of eyes in different parts of the book, errors in time scale etc.. But will not tell you what to do, only point out those mistakes and suggest changes to make your work stronger.
It is advisable that every author, whether self-published or traditionally published, has a website, blog and social media accounts.
Judith Barrow has published four books with Honno Press. She writes historical family saga fiction. She has also self-published books and a collection of short stories of the minor characters in her trilogy.
What did Judith say about her publishing journey?
Judith Barrow and Thorne Moore are published by Honno Press
I love working with Honno Press. The staff are friendly and accessible. As a writer you learn what you can and cannot get away with. I have built up trust with the editor who I know has had a long and professional career in all genres. And, although Honno Press also organises the front cover for the books, they have allowed me input to the final decision .
Working with Honno Press provides me with quality, professional editing. I cry every time, I get the editor’s comments, but I know, in my heart, it makes the work better. An editor will read your book line by line and give an overview. A good editor will ask the right questions but will not give you the answers. When you edit your work, you must keep your own voice.
I do not send my very first draft to an editor and probably have about ten revisions. I ask my friend, who is an author, to give me an honest opinion on anything I have doubts about. I am also a member of a writing group and we email sections of our books for discussion. But do, avoid too much input from too many sources into your work as it can confuse you – have a small trusted network of writers. Believe in yourself! The cut, slash and perfect stages involves a first general edit, as many more detailed edits then necessary to get the writing to its best, a line by line edit to weed out any noticeable mistakes and then a proof read by the publisher’s proof reader. Finally, it comes back to me for a last read to make sure all is correct. I do like this final stage; it does make me feel as though I have control over the end product to some degree.
Thorne had published three books with Honno Fiction and writes domestic noir and psychological fiction. Thorne has self-published and works with two publishers.
What did Thorne say about publishing?
She has self-published short stories in order to market a published book. The different publishers are relevant to the books promoted. Regardless of how the books are published, the author must have a good editor.
A writer needs an editor to stand on the mountain and look down on your work. During the writing process the author becomes too absorbed to be objective. Through the feedback from the editor, you learn to write. The editor will locate your common mistakes then you will avoid these in subsequent drafts.
You do need a small critical group of friends who will give you constructive criticism.
Don’t worry about the reviews. Jane Austin has plenty of one star and two star reviews on Amazon.
Don’t give up! I was rejected by Honno at first. In an interview with Thorne, she told me about the trials and tribulations of her publishing journey. This story of Thorne’s publishing journey will be published very soon.
A good editor is key to success for all authors: traditionally published and self-published need a good editor. A good editor will identify gaps in your work and ask the right questions. My editor forced me to ask lots of questions about my book and rework sections. I learnt a great deal about my writing through this process. As a self-published author I have involved a professional editor, beta readers and other authors. One must be careful of making new mistakes in a new edit – it is expensive to pay for all the various stages of the edit. I understand the security of working with an independent publisher who provides an editor. The indie author has greater control of the book but must complete all stages of the process including the book cover and the marketing. In the end, all clues pointed towards the importance of a professional editor during the publishing process. No matter how many times the author sharpens the scissors to cut, they still need an editor and dosh to pay for quality. Clearly, this wasn’t an open and shut case and more investigation needed to be completed.
Clue of the Day
Narbeth Book Fair – see Judith, Thorne and Jessie!
Caroline suggested the market for the unreliable narrator in all genres will change. Like fashion in clothes, fashion in books also changes. No one knows what will be the next ‘in thing’ for novels.
You can book individual session with Caroline Oakley of Honno Press for £35. For more information visit the Narberth Book Fair website. Children’s writers can book sessions with Firefly Press.
‘Autumn is the best time of year for me to write because the tranquillity inspires reflection.’
The light is magical in October and bathes everything in a warm glow. There is also a stillness in the air, suggesting nature is waiting to go to sleep so that it can create more colour in the spring. Autumn is the best time of year for me to write because the tranquillity inspires reflection.
As leaves flutter to the ground, characters come to life. The promise of the festive season hovers as winter waits patiently to present the first shimmer of frost. It is no wonder, then, that I am delighting in penning a Christmas scene at the moment.
I am writing a novel set in World War Two. It is a joy to escape to the era where my grandmother was a young woman and the festive season required creativity. At Christmas time, my grandmother made her own festive wreaths and table decorations with foraged holly, ferns and berries and added bows and gold paint. She told me stories of how my great grandfather spent months making and renovating toys in the lead up to Christmas. I have given this resourceful nature to the characters. Everyone was creating Christmas decorations the last time I visited my novel.
‘Thanks to my grandmother’s memories of the era, love and laughter are shining in the scene packed with friends and family.’
Thanks to my grandmother’s memories of the era, love and laughter are shining in the scene packed with friends and family. Furthermore, families are collaborating to celebrate Christmas and there are some heartwarming moments, especially when gifts are exchanged. Romance is also sparkling but a mystery lurks beneath the Christmas magic.
‘As leaves flutter to the ground, characters come to life’
When I listen to the characters chat, I reflect on how we can create a unique Christmas without all the expense. Recent events have made me very aware of how much people matter and my characters teach me new things all the time. I am excited to share this heartwarming story one day, but for now I am enjoying the process of cutting back the scenes and walking amongst the words that have fallen.
Wishing you all a calm and creative autumn.
For more information about my writing and how Wales inspires my stories, please click on the links to the Frost Magazine below.
