Wednesday 2 October 2019

IWSG (OCTOBER)

I've had an interesting and busy writing month. I took part in the first online writing conference #WOWCON. The brilliant initiative of Stuart White and #Writementor. If you write for children or YA you should definitely check the group out on Twitter. I learned lots and connected with writers at all stages of their writing journey and many industrial professionals. I had my first agent 1-2-1 which was really insightful. It's helped me polish my Cornish fantasy manuscript and I will soon be in a position to start a round of submissions.

My previous manuscript which is already out on submission has received some interest from an agent and a small publisher. YAY! Time will tell if anything will progress but it is all great for giving a much needed boost of confidence.

OPTIONAL QUESTION
It's been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don't enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?

I think it is important to read extensively, especially in the genre you are writing. I guess there is always the chance that your writing will pick up influences from other books and writers but as long as you aren't trying to become a copy of their work I think it is useful to see how other writers approach things. It is great to help you understand what works or doesn't work for you. It is also a good idea to know what the current market is like. But most importantly of all, I love reading and can't imagine my life without books in it!





Thanks to  Alex for hosting the IWSG and this months fabulous co-hosts Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Mary Aalgaard, Madeline Mora-Summonte, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor