When I first started out writing I didn’t really understand what a rewrite was all about. I just thought it was for refining the words – felt I’d worked hard on my first draft and that was enough; all that remained was to check it flowed pleasantly. And to be totally honest I think part of it was laziness. It can be gruelling writing a novel – certainly when you are just starting out and aren’t used to the process – and the thought that I needed to look at the whole manuscript once more felt overwhelming.

This is probably why it took me several unpublished manuscripts to bag an agent! And to appreciate that the rewrite was a valuable opportunity to look at the project with fresh eyes – from a distance, at a less involved level, to really make sure that each component of the story (plotting, characterisation etc) was doing its job properly. And to not be scared of deconstructing the story. You have to be brave to make your novel the very best it can be.

So for anyone else who sometimes finds it difficult to know what the next step is, after finishing a first draft, the following – in my experience – are common reasons to rewrite:

The settings aren’t vibrant enough. Not only do settings help the reader visualise where the characters are, they can also reflect mood or hint at plot.  So during the rewrite I focus on really involving all of the five senses. Say my protagonist visits a coffee shop – I’ll develop the smells and noises. I’m thinking coffee grinding, a till bleeping, customers deep in chat, cutlery on plates. Delicious aromas might accompany a feel-good scene or give welcome relief after a drama, along with a warm, visually cosy decor. The amount of work you need to do will largely depend on how detailed your first draft is but speaking for myself I often get so excited about the plot and dialogue and focus on those things, that my first draft settings suffer.

By the same token characters are not fully developed. I don’t think much about my protagonist before I start a new manuscript. I just dive in and keep continually going back to tweak him/her as I go. By around Chapter 6 I usually have an in-depth idea of what they are like and can then just continue  moving forwards. However, as I mentioned above, when I write first draft I don’t do this with the minor characters that are mostly created as I go along. Consequently during the first read-through I’ve just done I even found I had to completely change some of the supporting cast’s motivations. This  meant adding in a couple of chapters. Minor characters are there to assist the plot and show important dimensions of the protagonist – how/why they were as they were, how/why they’ve changed. So whilst minor in presence, they are major in importance and should be fully thought-through and rounded.

The pace hasn’t resulted in a gripping read. There are not enough hooks to keep the reader turning the page – or there are but they are in the wrong places. Lulls in action (important because the reader needs to catch their breath) have resulted in unnecessary scenes that don’t move the plot forwards or develop the main character – this is something I personally have to watch out for. I like nothing more than sitting my characters down, for a chat, over a cup of coffee to recover from recent drama but more often than not these scenes serve no real purpose. Every page of the book has to earn its place in some way.

The narrative needs refining. For the most part my first draft is thrown down onto the page – that’s the best way I can describe it. So the metaphors or similes aren’t necessary appropriate. The rhythm of the sentences might not flow easily. There’s repetition. I might use adverbs too liberally. I might show – or tell – too much (I’m a great believer in tell having its place!) For me the main point of writing is to exactly transfer my thoughts and emotions onto the page. Sometimes this takes time, so I compromise during the first draft. The rewrite will be when I might consult my thesaurus, and will really hone my craft and rethink words and sentences with care. Because if I get hung-up on doing this during the first-draft I can lose my mojo and come to a halt. And I find it’s such a joy and so satisfying during the rewrite to really take my time and polish or restructure what’s already on the page.

The dialogue needs working on. It might not sound natural. Or may not sound unique to each character speaking it. Perhaps it contains superfluous words.  I find I am always having to remove Yes and No’s. Certain dialogue tags may not be necessary (he said, she called, etc). And this time around I had to remove many nods and smiles that accompanied my characters’ speech.

And other aspects of editing, editing, editing such as tightening sentences and checking continuity, the timeline and tense. Book 11 was written in the first person present, this Book 12 in the first person past. On reading through I found that I’d slipped into the present many times and had to change that.

Also double-check your facts. If you include anything written in a foreign language, is it correct? Have you thoroughly researched anything historical? What about locations? If, like me, you don’t do all of the necessary research before the first draft, then the rewrite process may not involve checking but finding out things for the first time.

Take a step back from your personal experience. As writers we inevitably put ourselves and aspects of our lives into our stories – emotions, themes, perhaps even characters or plot. This is ploughed into the first draft. But don’t make the mistake of thinking this means you don’t need to still do research. My latest release, Forgive Me Not was inspired by my own journey through addiction services but I still found I needed to interview case workers to make sure the detail of the novel was spot on. It’s also about Alzheimer’s and my family has suffered experience of this – but everyone’s experience is unique and I still researched how this disease might have affected other people differently. During the rewrite take a step back and consider if you have explored all aspects of your themes or if it’s one-sided by being simply based on what you’ve gone through yourself.

Some rewrites need to be more brutal – and this may be discovered after passing your manuscript on to a trusted beta reader, editor or agent. I virtually had to start Forgive Me Not again from scratch and I blogged about that here.

Whatever your reasons to rewrite accepting, in advance, that there will be some helps soften the blow when you come to that first read-through or receive initial feedback. First drafts are never oven-ready for publication and try to see this as a positive. Don’t be afraid of cutting or reconstructing. Now it’s your chance to really make that precious story sing!

Good luck!

I sent off my latest manuscript and eagerly awaited feedback. Finally it arrived. I opened the email and… Okay. I admit it. Cue a mini meltdown. The suggestion was that the book needed stripping right back to the original kernel of the idea. Chapters needed down-sizing into paragraphs, or cutting out completely. A good number of characters needed to disappear.

We’re talking a major rethink. We’re talking murdering many darlings. Or possibly ditching the book.

This was new. In the past – and I’ve had eight books published, now – I’ve had what I call “extensive” rewrites but now I realise they weren’t. At the most they’ve meant restructuring a plotline or adding emotion or developing a protagonist further. My first drafts have rarely needed fundamental changes. I plan each chapter in detail before I write. At the end of the process I’m more of a tweaker and that seems to have worked. I’m not used to completely pulling apart a finished draft.

So this has come as something of a shock.

Especially as, when I send off my first draft, I am always in what I call  “delusional X-factor contestant mode”. I make no apologies for this. It’s necessary for me if I want to write any book. I need to think it is going to change the world!

This meglomania doesn’t last forever, of course. My feet soon settle back onto the ground during the process of rewriting and editing, of publishing and getting reviews… but I need to feel super excited and confident about any project at the beginning. So when this feedback came back I wasn’t sure what to do.

I had two options. Move onto my next project (which I’m very enthusiastic about) or tackle the major rewrite. And of course, sometimes there are genuinely valid reasons for moving on. My advice, here, is listen to your heart and talk it through with reliable and knowledgeable writerly confidantes. I shelved several projects before getting published because I could not re-ignite my motivation and I think, deep down, that was because I realised those stories were never going to work.

Indeed, my first reaction in this instance? With all my confidence gone and feeling despondent, I decided to start my next book and leave this one either to stay permanently under the bed or revisit at some point in the future. I decided fixing the problems would involve too much work and take too long.

However, something unexpected happened overnight. The characters began to talk to me. Ideas slowly formulated around which needed scrapping and how to improve the remaining ones. Then new plotlines twitched in my brain. I woke up feeling rather excited. Eventually, after a day or two, I realised that this book, this story still existed – I just had the  opportunity now to really make it shine, having already done a lot of the groundwork.

I mapped out all the chapters and almost enjoyed slashing some out and combining others together. As for the characters, it’s not proving to be as hard as I expected to ditch some even though, in my head, they’d become my friends.

Perhaps they’ll resurface one day in another story. And that is the essence of embracing the major rewrite – realising that what you have to lose is not a waste. Characters can be used again and all of that prose you wrote is practice – continually you are improving your craft.

I’ve now regained some confidence and cringe when I think about the initial version. I’m grateful for the knowledge I now have of where and why I went wrong. This should help with my next draft and future projects.

So here’s my own advice for embracing a major rewrite -and if you’ve any tips then please do share them!

Sure, throw a little pity party and lick your wounds when vigorous feedback comes back. Eat chocolate. Take a long bath. Grieve for the story you believe you have lost. But don’t let this stage last too long.

Sleep on it. Even take a break for a few days. Try to stand back. Put your ego to one side when asking yourself if the editorial suggestions are valid.

Don’t see it as having to start over again. See it as simply continuing with, and fully fleshing out, a plot and characters you have already well developed. Refuse to see slashed characters and chapters as wasted.

Realise that if someone takes the time to give you detailed feedback, be that a potential agent, signed agent, editor or critque partner, they believe in your writing. 

As a resident Mancunian, I’d say  make your mantra “You don’t get owt for nowt”. Yes, writing can be bloody hard work.

Remind yourself that a first draft is called that for a reason. It isn’t the last.

Compare starting another story from scratch, to *starting* one where you’ve already worked extensively on the nuts and bolts. No contest!

Good luck!

It pays to bear in mind that most dreams are unrealistic – the getting published bit isn’t, but it’s what we subconsciously attach to that aspiration. Your view of “getting published” might be that… you earn loads of money. Buy a big house and fancy car. Gain respect from everyone you meet. Suddenly become irresistible to the object of your affection. Never feel depressed again. End up on the Booker List. Stand on the red carpet next to George Clooney. Fit into that size ten dress. Prove to everyone who ever doubted you that their view of you was incorrect.

IT IS UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT ANY OF THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN AS A DIRECT RESULT OF FINALLY GETTING YOUR BOOK OUT THERE!

So how can us writers hold onto our happiness during such a roller coaster career?

Over the last year I’ve learn a lot from Buddhism. One of its tenets is that unhappiness comes from being attached to either good or bad things. What helps is realising that nothing is permanent. If we can do that, our life will achieve a sense of balance.

Take my 2015 bestseller Game of Scones. It reached #5 in the Kindle chart and stayed in the Top Ten for a good length of time. It won an award. Many readers loved the story. I was finally on my way to “making it” I whooped! I attached myself to that success and expected it to continue.

That was my  mistake. The next book didn’t do badly, but didn’t do as well. I felt I’d failed. I attached myself to those feelings of disappointment and wondered if I’d ever have a bestseller again.

As it turned out I did and last year Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun got to #8. However, these days I have a different perspective. I don’t become attached to the peaks or the troughs. And I have zero expectations when a book is released. I write it the best I can, with love and heart, and I promote it at the outset… but then I let it go and get on with my next project. What will be will be. There are SO MANY reasons why a book does or doesn’t do well: the publisher’s strategy, the cover, title, price, the timing of its release, the other books around at that moment… I find that if I distance myself from my successes and see them for what they are – transitory events – it gives me a much more balanced view of my career.

Remember, the path to misery is littered with expectations and senses of entitlement!

And all of this can be applied to life. Physical looks, our own and loved ones’ personalities, domestic circumstances, financial earnings, our state of health … be aware that everything is impermanent and in a constant state of flux. This makes it easier to accept your situation when the status quo changes – which it will.

By all means enjoy your highs. You have worked hard. You deserve them. And lick your wounds during the lows. But remember – neither is permanent. Work hard and keep submitting manuscripts and you will get a deal. Keep writing and learning more about your craft and those good reviews and sales rankings will once again appear. Finding working with your current publisher/editor/agent difficult? One way or another that situation won’t last forever.

In my experience, keeping detached and enjoying the good moments simply for what they are (without further expectations), and realising the bad moments will eventually pass… THAT – in writing and in life – is the secret to happiness.

As an aspiring author, I used to dream of the day I would hold my book in my hands – and smell it (or is that just me?!) I fantasized of Hollywood movie deals, glittery crystal awards, appearances on the Graham Norton show… Ha ha, yes, really. Of course lots of little dreams have come true since signing my deal and in many ways, it has fulfilled lots of my desires. Yet there are challenges I never expected, whilst having six books published. So here are my own tips for any authors who haven’t yet seen their work in print. I’m no expert by any means, but these things would have certainly been useful for me to know before my hopes became a reality.

DO accept that nowadays, no publisher is going to be the sole promoter of your work. Prepare for that now. Set yourself up a Facebook author page and Twitter account (er, okay, guess you have done that if you are reading this!) A large part of getting word out there, about your books, is going to be down to you. Consider your “brand” and start posting and tweeting about it, for example politics, family issues, cookery, crime… For me it is an array of fun subjects, including romantic heroes, movies,  cats,  and food and TV series relating to some of my books , including Downton, Poldark and Game of Thrones. Fill your social platforms with appealing and useful content that relates to you as an author. And network, network – retweet others who might then retweet you. Get to know bloggers.

DON’T expect all your writerly problems to magically disappear. Agreed, you no longer have the stress of trying to get published, but you will be faced with a different set of issues. In my experience, the years of trying to get an agent were a rollercoaster with the down of rejections and ups of an encouraging word – with full manuscripts being requested and then rejected and with meetings that got me excited then came to nothing concrete.  There are still peaks and troughs when published, for example great and bad rankings or brilliant and poor reviews. Keep your expectations realistic. Getting published won’t wave a wand over your life and extinguish every stress or concern.

DO treat your writing job as the career it is. Get professional. Find out about declaring earnings for tax purposes, however small they may seem at the beginning. Meet deadlines. Engage with your readers – both fans and critics – in a professional manner. As authors we are emotionally tied to our work but try not to let that creep into your dealings with others in the trade. Don’t respond to an insulting review or tweet. Don’t ping off a discontented email when your editor sends revisions that you think are way too thorough. Keep a calm head, even though almost anything to do with our stories pulls at our hearts.

DON’T refuse to compromise. Presumably two of the reasons you want to become published are to reach an audience and earn from your writing – and that means making sales. Editors and agents have a vast experience and getting published is, in some ways, just the beginning of learning everything you can – from them – about your craft and career. Whilst initial suggestions to changing your story or title might sting, I have usually found (after a couple of days drinking wine, in a darkened room) that they are spot on. Try not to be too precious. For example the original title for my second book, From Paris with Love, was “On Abbey’s Secret Service” (it is a standalone sequel to my bestselling debut Doubting Abbey).  It was hard to let go of my idea, but now I’m glad I did. The new title was far more search-engine friendly and commercial.

Finally DO enjoy every minute. Yes it is tough being an author in these times, the market is incredibly competitive and the goalposts are ever-changing, due to the revolution of the ebook. Plus there is always another social platform springing up that we are expected to use.  In my opinion, every challenging moment is worth it when you get lovely feedback from a reader or praise from your editor. Or when you experience the excitement of a launch – something I’m looking forward to with my upcoming July novel, Breakfast under a Cornish Sun. And never stop dreaming. I’m still secretly holding out for Graham Norton to come knocking at my door. In fact– one last tip – try to overcome shyness. Be assertive and proactive. And on that note, does anyone happen to have Graham’s number…?

1. Don’t be afraid of the colour pink. Pink clothes. Pink pastel book cover backgrounds. Pink cupcakes. Pink fonts. Here in the romance world we embrace this stereotypically sentimental colour. It derives from the House of Red – and I’m not talking wine, I’m talking HEART.

2. At the same time, don’t be fooled into thinking we are a slushy, gushy, glistening-eyed lot. You need real grit to write in this genre, because you are going to face criticism from people who don’t appreciate or understand it; who snort at the girlie covers and sneer at the Happy Ever After endings. Forget a rhino hide, you are going to need a skin made of steel. Years of subbing work and getting it rejected will help achieve this, so see every one of those returned brown envelopes as an important step forwards in your journey to becoming a resilient romantic author.

3. Drink Prosecco. Lots of it. That way your tolerance will increase to levels able to cope with intelligent conversation at the Romantic Novelists’ Association meetings, where people surreptitiously fill up your glass. Which they will.

4. If you aren’t already, become a fan of chocolate. When romance writers aren’t discussing their craft, or their latest romantic hero, this is a common topic of conversation. Us ladies – and gentlemen –  in red take our writing fuel very seriously.

5. Don’t expect to write about sex, without having to talk about it. I had a very, um, enlightening conversation at a recent romance party, which I couldn’t possibly repeat here. You may write “sweet” romance like me, but will eventually meet and mingle with writers who not only go into the bedroom with their characters, but leave the lights on! Whilst we love the colour red, there is no room for blushes in this world!

6. Finally, and most importantly, maintain your sense of humour! Writing is a serious business, and tongue-in-cheek comments about pink and Prosecco aside, once published you are effectively working for yourself. This means tax-returns, deadlines, setting short and long-term goals, upping your interpersonal skills to deal with editors and agents… In the face of bad reviews, slipping rankings or self-doubt, you are going to need a laugh. Yet don’t worry. You couldn’t meet a more welcoming, self-deprecating, witty, generous bunch of people than those from the romance writing community.