The Writing Coach

How NOT to get published -

I'm delighted to welcome Writing Coach consultant 

Sara Bailey to write this, the second Guest Post on the Writing Coach blog.  Sara will be running two courses for The Writing Coach over the summer including 'How Not to Get Published' and 'Plan your Novel Day' at Shane Global, London (pictured).

Sara is a lecturer in Contemporary Fiction and Screenwriting at Solent University, Southampton and is one of my most trusted consultants.  She writes:

We've all read those books offering advice on How to Write and How to get published – here are some a few tongue in cheek pointers on how NOT to get published.

How NOT to get published - 10 top tips

• Send your manuscript in accompanied by full-length photograph, or indeed any photograph.  In fact if you send in a glamour shot, your chances of not being published will decrease, unless of course you are a glamour model, in which case you just struck gold.
• Send your manuscript in with fancy font and if possible coloured paper, if you can add in some sparkly confetti all the better.
• Do say in your letter that this is not so much a cross genre novel, as a new genre, where you have taken several different well-established genres and bonded them together.  No one likes to pigeonhole an author’s work. 
• Do remember to add in all the testimonials and quotes from your family - obviously if they loved it then the reading public and possibly the Booker Judges will adore it too.
• Don’t worry about finding out the name of the agent.  Best to just send it to the agency and let them fight over it.
• Do remember to make sure your manuscript is well over 400 pages or under 100.  Everyone knows a book is sold by weight.
• Don’t bother to check the spelling or punctuation; otherwise the editor won’t have anything to do.
• It is perfectly acceptable not to number the pages.  The story will be so compelling they’ll easily find the next page
• Tell them that this is your final draft and that you won't change a thing.  You are after all an artist and this is your perfect baby.
• Finally - it is fine to call the agent within the week to see if he has made you an offer.
  

Of course, if you really want to get published, Sara would love to welcome you along to one of the courses she is running this summer in London at Shane Global, South Molton Street, W1.

The 'Plan your Novel Day' runs on Saturday 11th July from 10am - 5pm. This one-day course uses the techniques derived from Nanowrimo (Novel in a Month) to help the writer bypass the internal editor and get to the brilliant story waiting to be told.  You will cover the basics of technique and storytelling and find a way to combat the blank page on a daily basis.  

The 'How Not to Get Published' course runs on Saturday 1st August from 10am-5pm.  This is a one-day course on presenting work to Agents.  The course will show you how to find an agent and the best way to approach them.  You will learn how to write a synopsis and covering letter.  We will look at some common mistakes and some alternative approaches. Bring your first ten pages and a sample synopsis.

The fee for each course is £80 or you can attend both courses for £140.  Both courses are limited to 12 places.  

If you'd like to book a place on either course, please fill in the contact form on the website here.

A Room of One's Own

"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction." - Virginia Woolf 

When I was working with my own coach Cynthia Morris earlier this year, I talked a lot about 'creating space' for something new to happen.  It was quite an alien concept:  the idea of finishing projects but not taking decisions about what would fill the space that would open up, once the project came to a conclusion.  And yet - this sense of space was exactly what I wanted. I wanted to be open to 'not knowing'.  And in the end I became comfortable with the concept.

So here I am, several months later, sitting writing this from my new office (pictured) on Richmond Green in London.  The office is just three doors up from Virginia Woolf's first home in Richmond-upon-Thames and looks over a beautiful green open space.  I have 'A Room of One's Own' from which I coach clients and I am now an Associate of the Richmond Green Practice.  I'm quite a pragmatist but even so, I can't help but be just a little awe-struck at this particular outcome. 

It's been a while since I blogged here (and now, with a little more space, I'm going to have time for blogging more often) so let me fill you in on what's happened since I last wrote a post. 

First, I finished my fourth novel.  I'm tremendously excited at that, and this has of course opened up a lot of space in my diary.  I'm now waiting for my agent's response and am focussing on taking the business forwards and introducing more in-person coaching to my practice.  Other aspects of the 'creating space' theme, included graduating from CoachU my coach training school.  And also reducing the number of literary consultancy clients I take on, by building up a team of consultants. I was determined to have a summer where I had more time for developing my own creative play by taking art classes/learning guitar and one where I had lots of time for the children - but also for a new challenge.  And the office has provided exactly that. 

Essentially, my intention is to use the office as a place where I can meet coaching and consultancy clients in person. To offer my clients 'a Room of One's Own' - a calm environment where you can develop your creative process and get productive, whether as a writer, an artist or a creative entrepreneur. I plan to work with clients who seek focus and success in their creative lives and will coach on all aspects of the creative process from the initial germ of an idea, through brainstorming, time management, discipline, organic growth, structuring your work and bringing a project to fruition. I will also run a limited literary consultancy service from the Practice.

In addition, I am launching an Advanced in-person Creative Writing group, limited to four people. This will launch on Tuesday 23rd June and is an opportunity to get feedback on your work from a group of fellow experienced writers who take their work seriously. The group also includes three one-to-one coaching sessions, a Yahoo group and a monthly drinks meeting. Please do get in touch soon if you are interested in the group, as I am anticipating strong demand - and I want to choose people who are truly committed to a mutually beneficial working relationship. Full details are available on the Richmond Green Practice page of the website.

Richmond Green holds fabulous memories for me and I know I'm going to create a lot of new good experiences here too. The little coincidence about Ms Woolf is just the icing on the cake to this venture. Most of all, I'm looking forward to more in-person work: to meeting my clients and working together to facilitate exciting creative work.  If you are based in London, do feel free to book in  for an introductory session over a cup of tea.

Guest Post from Fiona Robyn, author of 'The Letters': The Icing on the Cake

Fiona Robyn is a Writing Coach Consultant whose first novel 'The Letters'
has recently been published by Snowbooks. 

I asked Fiona to write a piece for the Writing Coach blog that would give some indication of how publication of her novels has changed her experience as a writer.

Here's Fiona's response:

"One of the things people have been asking me over the past month is how my life has changed now I'm a published author and my books are in the shops.  Good question.  I've been working towards publication for the past six years, and now it is finally here.  My debut novel The Letters IS in Waterstones, and my friends keep writing to tell me where they've spotted it.  Who knows how many strangers currently have my book on their bedside tables - maybe someone I've never met is reading about my character, Violet, RIGHT NOW.  Is it a dream come true?

The answer is yes, and no. Let's take the 'yes' first.  It has been a great privilege to work with my publisher, Snowbooks.  They've polished my words and turned them into a real live book.  They've arranged for it to be on sale up and down the country.  They've done it because they hope to make some money, but they had thousands of books to choose from - they chose mine.  It also makes me very happy to know that people are reading and enjoying Violet's story and maybe even learning something about themselves.  I'm looking forward to making a wee bit of money, too!

The other part of being a published writer is - my life hasn't changed. I still have to make my breakfast and then do the washing up.  I still feel the same insecurities about the novel I'm currently working on.  I still have the same troubles I had before being published.  It really doesn't fix anything. 

I do count myself as lucky, as I had a long time to 'prepare' for being a published writer.  I read Anne Lammot's advice about making the process of writing an end in itself, and cultivated this.  I got support and learnt to deal with rejection (an ongoing project!).  I worked on the part of me that feeds on praise like sugar, with its empty buzz followed by a need for more, more, more.

Publication has always been an important goal for me - how else will people get to read my stories?  But it also brings its own difficulties.  Even lottery winners get to keep the same problems they had before.  What I CAN do is continue to work on my writing, and continue to practice paying attention.  This all helps me to take any praise that comes my way as gravy, rather than the meat and veg.  The good stuff that comes from being published is the icing on the cake.  Not the cake."

     
 

I'm just back from the first day of the Design your Creative Life Conference at St. Katharine's Dock in London, an amazingly inspiring day and I'm looking forward to feeding back and telling you more about this next week.

In the meantime however, I'd like to tell you about another upcoming event, where I'll be presenting on the Organic Process of Writing.  Full booking details below:

Exploring Creativity

~A one day workshop and symposium~

Create time for a stimulating day of writing, sculpture, drawing

and engaging group discussion

in the beautiful setting of Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham

Saturday, March 21st, 2009.

10:00 – 5:00

Programme of events:

"Inventing Confidence" - an introductory talk examining the role of self-belief in creativity

“The Organic Process of Writing” – in this hands-on workshop Novelist and Writing Coach Jacqui Lofthouse dispels the myths around planning in advance.

"Drawing from Within" - a practical drawing workshop suitable for all levels with Artist and Life Coach, Lee Campbell

"Creating Visual Goals" - focus your aspirations using sculpture and metaphor with Conceptual Artist, Julia Ruppert

"Ornament and Perception" - explore the impact sculpture has had through history on our experience of the landscape with Antiquarian, Sharon Powell

*£85.00 per person including materials, refreshments and lunch.

Please call 07711 938 921 for more information or email info@collective-arts.org

* Reduced to £75.00 if booked before March 16, 2009 - Offer extended-

www.visitrichmond.co.uk

Design Your Creative Life Conference

March 7-8 2009 at St Katharine's Dock

This week I'm getting ready to present at the Design Your Creative Life Conference  which will take place at St Katharine's Dock in London at the very lovely Dickens Inn (pictured).  I'm excited to be appearing with people that I greatly admire, including the novelist Fay Weldon; my own coach and artist of life, Cynthia Morris  (who I can't wait to meet!); and America's foremost creativity coach Eric Maisel. 

I feel extremely privileged to appear in this line-up.  And I know it's going to be an excellent weekend.  The intention is to provide those attending with insight into what supports a thriving and dynamic creative life.  I would love to see you there!

I have really enjoyed preparing my own presentations.   These will be interactive events, designed to give you the tools to really focus on your creative life and to thrive as a creative artist - in terms of inspiration, productivity, profitability and artistic satisfaction - whether you are  a writer, an artist, a performance artist, musician or creative entrepreneur.  

My own presentations will be on:

• Money and Art - Rules for Artistic Freelancers
• The Organic Process of Creativity: Busting the myths around planning in advance
• Inventing Confidence: A creative artists' guide to self-belief

I've been having fun pulling together all the material that I've been working on in my years as a novelist and coach, and I have some great exercises that are designed to allow you to leave with a clear idea of how to be not only successful as an artist but also fulfilled.

Other presentations over the weekend will include:

    * Creativity for Life
    * Giving and Receiving Feedback
    * Five Keys to Finishing your Creative Project
    * The Rigour and Discipline Required
    * Happiness without Goal Setting
    * Creativity and Self Care
    * The Agonies of Writing (humourous presentation!)

Other speakers include Susan Raeburn, clinical psychologist, Suzy Greaves - a leading self-development expert, author and journalist and Swedish comedian, Maggan Hammar.

I would love the opportunity to connect with you at this conference and am so looking forward to it - do let me know if you come along as it would be great to speak with your personally. I encourage you to give yourself the tools you need to make creating easier and more enjoyable and join us for a weekend of inspiration.

The cost of the conference is now £195 and you can read more about and book online here.  There's also a special offer whereby four people can book for the price of three - so why not bring your friends?

If you'd like to speak to me about the conference, please do e-mail me and I'd love to tell you more.