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Author Archives: claudia
Yes! I have an Agent!
Hurray! Does this mean I’m going to get published now? No, I’m afraid not. There are plenty of writers represented by very good agents who don’t make it to publication. What it does mean is that publishers may now be willing, … Continue reading
The Meaninglessness of a First Draft
Whilst I’ve been living my normal life – walking the dogs, clearing out the kitchen cupboards, competing in swimming championships, laying plans for an orangery (I say!) – I have also been writing another novel. Surreptitiously. Almost, I might say, … Continue reading
Competitive Writing
Next weekend I shall be competing in the European Masters Swimming Championships. Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? But it’s really not. I’m just a plodder, not one of the serious swimmers. My goals are to post a decent time (for me), not … Continue reading
The Magic of Iceland
Following on from my previous blog, the question many friends have been asking me since my return is, how was Iceland? As in Iceland, the place, not the writing retreat. I feel somewhat unqualified to answer. Firstly, I spent very … Continue reading
The Writer’s Chair
I have recently returned from a writers’ retreat which involved, amongst other delights, two full days of writing workshops with an impressive line up of authors. The biggest draw for me was the author, Miriam Toews, whose book, All My … Continue reading
Writing as Therapy
I am just emerging from one of those stressful periods in life that come along every so often. One of those periods when you wake up in the mornings with your heart racing and your mind whirring. Days filled with … Continue reading
Warning: Writer in Residence
I recently took the opportunity of a few clear days to book myself into a hotel for some dedicated writing time, away from it all. I splashed out on a really nice hotel in the Cotswolds. I splashed out on … Continue reading
How Many Words A Day?
Whatever stage I’m at in the novel writing process it always seems to be the hardest. Right now, I’m in the making things up stage. Making things up is so hard. You have to use your brain and that imagination … Continue reading
A Few of my Favourites
There are a lot of blogs coming out now comprising ‘best of’ reading lists for 2015. For want of anything better to write, I’m going to join in. Why anyone would care about what I’ve read this year, I don’t … Continue reading
On Failure
The other day, a pretty miserable day in general as it happens, I discovered my novel hadn’t made it from the longlist to the shortlist of a well known competition. All in all, it was a ‘I’m this close to … Continue reading
Posted in On Getting Published, On Writing
Tagged competition, failure, Olympics, process, success, swimming
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