I'm a traditionally published author of commercial fiction - AMA

[charduck]

I was reading this thread with interest:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/what_were_reading/4342858-AIBU-to-have-had-a-gut-full-of-psychological-thrillers

And I noticed a few requests for an author to do an AMA!

So here I am!

I write psych suspense, have had three novels published, with my fourth out in a few weeks. My last book was a bestseller both here and in the US.

Happy to answer anything I'm allowed to!

@Lasair

I know you didn’t do this for sales but I’m an avid reader and I’m always looking for new books! I’ve not heard of you but I’ll give the perfect father a go! Good luck to you.

thank you so much x

My DD has an ambition to be a creative writer. She is currently applying for A Levels in English, Law and Physiology as she says these subjects will help her to create really authentic story lines and characters. She is quite a prolific short story writer, and although very green is talented and keen to start to get her short stories out there for feedback. I wondered what the best platform or route was please? She has looked at Whatpad, Amazon and even thought about releasing paragraphs at a time on social media.

I’ve just finished Unfollowme, I enjoyed it. How do you feel when someone tells you they’ve read your work? I still think back to primary school and being told to read out my poem and feeling mortified. Can’t quite get over that. Obviously if that hadn’t happened I’d be writing bestsellers ;-)

@Youngatheart00

What type of journalism did you work in and what gave you the impetus to write your first book?

Do you believe that ‘everyone has a book in them’?

I trained as a magazine journalist and worked for interiors magazines for years. It was a brilliant, if poorly paid, job. Was very lucky.

I always wanted to write a novel. Was a massive reader as a kid - the usual story. Wrote a novel about orphans (!) when I was 11 and precociously sent it to Penguin, who sent me a letter telling me to read it to my class at school. As if!

Yes, I believe everyone has a fascinating life story at the very least.

Did your first two books start to sell once your third one became popular?

@ANameChangeAgain

My DD has an ambition to be a creative writer. She is currently applying for A Levels in English, Law and Physiology as she says these subjects will help her to create really authentic story lines and characters. She is quite a prolific short story writer, and although very green is talented and keen to start to get her short stories out there for feedback. I wondered what the best platform or route was please? She has looked at Whatpad, Amazon and even thought about releasing paragraphs at a time on social media.

Oh she sounds amazing. I don't know enough about short stories to advise much unfortunately (really wouldn't want to say the wrong thing) but she must keep going, and try to join some creative writing groups either IRL or online, to meet likeminded people. Also: enter competitions!

@Llareggub

I’ve just finished Unfollowme, I enjoyed it. How do you feel when someone tells you they’ve read your work? I still think back to primary school and being told to read out my poem and feeling mortified. Can’t quite get over that. Obviously if that hadn’t happened I’d be writing bestsellers ;-)

Thanks. Honestly, I find it a bit mortifying. I don't like talking about my books! I like talking about writing though :)

Thanks for doing this thread. Do copy editors ever ask you to make changes that you just don't want to make? And if so, is it a matter of negotiation, or do you have to do as you're told?

@Faevern

Did your first two books start to sell once your third one became popular?

Yes they have definitely done better since.

@whatwasIgoingtosay

Thanks for doing this thread. Do copy editors ever ask you to make changes that you just don't want to make? And if so, is it a matter of negotiation, or do you have to do as you're told?

Yes! And you don't have to make any changes you don't want to. But I try to analyse whether it's an ego thing or whether they're actually right before I refuse.

I'm off to bed (see aforementioned post about daughter's sleep!) but happy to answer any more questions tomorrow. Or just, you know, shut up.

Thanks so much everyone for your interesting questions!

How did you know you had what it takes to be a writer? What gave you the confidence to do it? Or was it training?

Interesting you say reading is the best training.

Love this thread and definitely need to read a few of those books...

Do you ever feel like an addict? That moment when the words are flowing and you've just uncovered another piece of that puzzle or your character has gone off the reservation and you don't know what happens next....

I write because I can't bear not to and read because I write. Whenever someone tells me "I am a writer" I do a little happy dance because that's another fictional world being created.

Are your books best read in sequence? Do you have a main character that can be developed? Have to admit if I find a book with a main character that I like I buy the book regardless of the story.

Though I was reading a series where I lost interest but I think that’s because the author moved too far away from the original premise.

I have read and enjoyed Unfollow Me and The Perfect Father, I'll get your next one lined up on pre-order!

Do you find it hard to avoid cliches and stereotypes when you are writing? I often wonder if subconsciously they just creep in without writers being aware and how they handle it?

I ask as sometimes halfway through a book I feel like 'I've already read this haven't I?' Check kindle library, no, hmm. It made me think how writers must get frustrated sometimes. You might think you've got a genius plot and then suddenly discover it's been done already. How do you know it's your own awesome idea or something you've read years ago that's accidentally bubbling up? Would you then abandon a certain plot element or a character completely if you found you were echoing something in existence, or can you easily alter it with your own style and tweaks?

If you don’t mind me asking roughly speaking how much does being an author of psychological thrillers earn you per year?

One of my friends got a six figure deal with her first historical fiction book and resigned from her job. Well when she broke it down, she was actually earning £31k per year as an author. She left a job that paid her £45k. She now wants to look at other genres as she’s struggling to pay her mortgage.

What do you do in the 2 week planning stage?

What do you typically have at the end of that 2 weeks?

Not sure if that makes sense but I mean do you have the whole plot mapped out? All characters?

Where does that 2 weeks get you to?

Sorry, another question!

How many ideas do you come up with for plots?

How do you decide which ideas 'have legs' and which not to pursue?

Just wanted to say - thanks for starting this thread, I found it very interesting and inspiring. Wishing you all the best with your new book xx

@ANameChangeAgain

My DD has an ambition to be a creative writer. She is currently applying for A Levels in English, Law and Physiology as she says these subjects will help her to create really authentic story lines and characters. She is quite a prolific short story writer, and although very green is talented and keen to start to get her short stories out there for feedback. I wondered what the best platform or route was please? She has looked at Whatpad, Amazon and even thought about releasing paragraphs at a time on social media.

Your daughter might enjoy Writers HQ.

They have lots of courses, a forum, free online workshops and a weekly flash fiction challenge where the short stories are published on sight and sometimes read by the authors on live streams.

If she writes fan fiction AO3 is the biggest site for that.

@charduck and @MintyCedric thank you, that's really useful advice. I've shown my dd your replies. I think she would enjoy being involved in a writing virtual community for encouragement and inspiration. Many thanks 😊

@jewel1968

How did you know you had what it takes to be a writer? What gave you the confidence to do it? Or was it training?

Interesting you say reading is the best training.

This is a really good question. I don't know where it came from. I was good at English at school, and teachers etc would always comment on my creativity. I was constantly making up stories. I guess it was just an innate sense that it was what I was best at?

But as I got older, I also read tons of books on creative writing and did an Arvon course, then got involved with a writers' forum and met a lot of writers on there. I also did a Faber Academy course later on, even though I already had an agent, just so I could meet other writers and really focus on my writing for a set period of time.

I think your confidence grows the more you do something. I have been writing for a really long time now, and definitely feel more confident as time passes. But I'm not sure you ever feel you've made it or anything like that, and of course I still have tons of doubt all the time about my work!

@TheABC

Love this thread and definitely need to read a few of those books...

Do you ever feel like an addict? That moment when the words are flowing and you've just uncovered another piece of that puzzle or your character has gone off the reservation and you don't know what happens next....

I write because I can't bear not to and read because I write. Whenever someone tells me "I am a writer" I do a little happy dance because that's another fictional world being created.

Ah I love this. Yes absolutely, I get very 'in the zone' when I'm writing and can't bear to be interrupted.

I also think writing is my therapy. It's my way of processing everything that I think/feel and dealing with life. I would definitely still write even if I wasn't being published. I think it's hard to switch that side of your brain off once it's been unleashed!

@Faevern

Are your books best read in sequence? Do you have a main character that can be developed? Have to admit if I find a book with a main character that I like I buy the book regardless of the story.

Though I was reading a series where I lost interest but I think that’s because the author moved too far away from the original premise.

My books are all standalones so can be read in any order. Not sure any of my characters would be ripe for more than one book, but it's an interesting thought.

I would love to write a series one day, but they are quite unusual in my genre. But yes, it can be a good commercial decision for a writer to do a series for sure!

@NewlySingle2021

I have read and enjoyed Unfollow Me and The Perfect Father, I'll get your next one lined up on pre-order!

Do you find it hard to avoid cliches and stereotypes when you are writing? I often wonder if subconsciously they just creep in without writers being aware and how they handle it?

I ask as sometimes halfway through a book I feel like 'I've already read this haven't I?' Check kindle library, no, hmm. It made me think how writers must get frustrated sometimes. You might think you've got a genius plot and then suddenly discover it's been done already. How do you know it's your own awesome idea or something you've read years ago that's accidentally bubbling up? Would you then abandon a certain plot element or a character completely if you found you were echoing something in existence, or can you easily alter it with your own style and tweaks?

Oh thanks!

Yes it's really hard and the more books you write, the more you worry you're repeating certain expressions or tropes. My characters are always 'giving' smiles, for eg!

I try to write really spare prose now. I like clean writing; pacey writing that moves the story on. Depth of character can be created with very little actual description if you're clever about it. Dialogue is so important and something I've tried to improve over the years.

It's awful when you think of an idea and realise it's already been done, but I think that you can always have a fresh take on something, so it's not always a dealbreaker... Ultimately, books are about characters and so long as your characters are as unique as real people, then your novel will be too.