But it also means you are thrust into an environment where you are ranked against everyone else in terms of success and popularity, just like you are as a teenager in the classroom. This can, inevitably have a downside. But first of all let me explain my comparison.

Publishers remind me of teachers. They can be seen to have *favourites*. Some can hold you back. Others can push you and your career forwards. On the whole I’ve been very lucky with my experiences with my three publishers, and I’ve been chuffed with the success they’ve helped me achieve, including two Top Ten AmazonUK Kindle bestsellers. But I’ve heard of other authors experiencing, for example, editors that don’t reply to emails, promises of marketing that don’t materialise or publishers’ Twitter feeds that rarely feature their books…

Agents are the prefects or peer mentors. They’ve got your back. They are someone to go to when the going gets tough – to give you advice or perspective. They are a go-between and can talk to the publisher on your behalf if there is anything you aren’t happy about.

Other authors are the classmates – there are those who like the same subjects as you, those who don’t; the tight cliques and the loners; the populars who look as if they are having 24/7 fun and success; those who have to work all hours to move forwards – those who don’t; the frustrated big dreamers and content pragmatists.

Amazon rankings are the exams and tests – within a few weeks of starting high school everyone knows what position they are in, compared to everyone else.  I can’t think of another job where you are ranked by a number, day in day out against your peers.

Best friends are best friends. They support you. They help you commiserate and celebrate.

Whilst it’s great to belong to a body of people who are passionate about learning their craft and achieving the same end goal, how can you happily navigate the challenges this environment might throw up?

Simply having awareness is a great thing. Before I got my first deal, I never realised, for example, that publishers might favour certain authors and give them more attention and a larger chunk of their budget. I didn’t realise that publishers sometimes paid to have particular books placed in shops at a certain chart position. It was naive of me really. But I don’t think I actually thought of publishing of a business. It was simply a dream machine!

Now it makes sense. Although having said that, some of the newer publishers, predominantly digital-first, have made it part of their mission statement that they treat all their authors equally. So there has clearly been some awareness, on the part of the industry, that this is very important to writers.

Get yourself an agent. Mine has always got my back. Has helped me avoid some bad decisions. Has dealt with publishers when there have been disappointments or things haven’t gone to plan. It’s definitely helped lessen the stress. And, of course, an agent does many other things such as helps shape your long-term career.

Accept that – like at school – your peers are a diverse bunch, and SO ARE READERS. You’ll find your niche.  And realise that almost every author, at some stage, faces rejection, poor sales, bad reviews, an unrenewed contract… I’ve often been surprised by the story behind some of the social media fronts (as I’m sure people were surprised when I came out about my own issues in 2018). Sometimes all is not what it seems. Only a few authors don’t face career peaks AND troughs. There is lots of fun to be had, as an author, but it’s not realistic to expect that 24/7.

Don’t obsess about rankings! It’s a hard one, I know. Limit yourself to looking only a certain number of times a day or week. There is so much more to how good a book is – such as reviews or touching readers’ lives, in the same way that, at school, there is so much more to a pupil than how well they can do in a written exam.

Keep your best friends close and support them back in the way they support you.

Of course, getting published isn’t actually going back to school. There are no mean girls (or boys!). It’s a wonderfully supportive community and within that I include fellow authors, aspiring writers, editors, agents, readers, bloggers… My career, to date, has given me lots of joy. Every new release is a whirlwind and I’m currently enjoying the preparations for the upcoming publication of my festive novel, The Christmas Calendar Girls.

It’s an exciting time – just like it’s exciting starting high school and moving onto the next stage of your life. The industry isn’t out to get you. But you need to get yourself a realistic view of it as a business. AND you need to find a set of  helpful tools – and people –  in order to surf the ups and downs

At first the usual thoughts went through my head:

It’s not fair.

Poor me.

What’s the point?

I may as well stop writing.

Everyone else is having an easier time.

The world is against me.

Ridiculous really. I’m in a great place at the moment, with a fantastic agent and brilliant publisher, writing two genres that I absolutely love – and with Knowing You recently out, a book I’m very proud of, receiving wonderful reviews. But oh yes, I had a full-on pity party. Despite all the mindfulness and Buddhism I’ve learnt about over the last couple of years, I still have meltdowns now and again – I’m only human. The difference is I pull myself out of them quicker. NetFlix and chocolate help.

And another aid to recovery is to look back on previous disappointments and see how I’ve got over them and this acts as a huge pick-me-up.

In fact I’ve listed a few here – to show those of you currently in the doldrums that things do change and move forwards. The troughs don’t last forever, even thought they feel interminable at the time.

Years of rejections.

It took me six years to get my first agent. I’ve got a folder of 80 rejections. During those years I swore I’d give up writing, it wasn’t worth the tears. In fact my young kids offered to publish me when they grew up. I’m still holding them to that, even though they are now at uni, in case my career nosedives! But yes, tough times – but I just kept going, writing and sending my work out there and eventually got to sign on a dotted line.

Up and down sales

My debut, Doubting Abbey, was a bestselling Christmas book December 2013. I even had interest from a Hollywood film producer! I thought that was it. I’d made it. All my books would continue with this success. But then the sequel From Paris with Love came out. The reviews were great and it did reach #600 in the AmazonUK charts, but it didn’t reach the dizzy heights of its predecessor. With a sharp shock I realised complacency was not going to be allowed to feature in my career.

In 2015 Game of Scones, got to #5 in the kindle chart, won the 2015 Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category and has sold 100,000 copies. The following two books didn’t sell as well. But then my summer 2016 book Breakfast Under a Cornish Sun got to #5 as well.

So for many authors there will be ups and downs along the way and after having 11 books published I realise that, and it helps me now if there are sales disappointments – who knows what is around the corner. I always say an author is only as good as their next book and this excites me and pushes me forwards. And I imagine that is the same excitement felt by agents and publishers when going through their submission pile. There are always endless possibilities. Who knows what your writing brain will come up with next?

Lack of understanding of the industry from bystanders

And it isn’t their fault. I don’t know much about any other sort of career so why should I assume bystanders understand how mine works? Indeed, before I started writing I linked a successful author career with red carpets and mansions with swimming pools. However once you’re in the thick of it, you realise what a tough career it is and the photo below reveals how unglamorous the day to day can be! It can be frustrating when yet another person asks if your life is like J K Rowling’s (I had that just last week). Or they question whether an ebook is a “real” book, or they dismiss your success if you aren’t currently in every single bookstore in the land.

Over time I’ve learned to distance myself from this and accept that the general view of what it’s like to be an author isn’t likely to change – and I’ve been lucky, most people who know about my job have been nothing but supportive. I’ve also found that joining online author groups helps immensely as you quickly realise most writers, at whatever stage, whatever their deal, to one extent or another, are going through the same problems and one of those is facing this very issue.

Rating yourself

It’s a tough one, not comparing yourself to other authors, and it’s hard to remember that us writers are not pitted against each other (even though rankings might make it seem as if we are). Over the last couple of years I’ve had counselling for eating disorder issues that have raised their head again, after 30 years. My counsellor said it was ironic that I’d chosen a career where I am being rated the whole time – Amazon rankings, reviews – as anorexics/bulimics are continually rating themselves too. And yes, it is something I struggle with. But mindfulness and Buddhism remind me to focus on my own journey. That’s what Olympian coaches do. They tell their athletes the only person they are competing against is themselves and their last personal best.

So you aren’t alone. Stop being hard on yourself. Be a little kinder to self. Sounds naff, doesn’t it? But it’s so important. Look back at your positives – an encouraging rejection, a lovely review. You are all amazing just for putting your hearts on the line and getting your words out into the public arena.

It is hard. I feel as if I am soldiering on at the moment. It’s not a 9 – 5 job that you can leave at the office. It’s can be in your thoughts 24/7. And for that reason it can sometimes feel as if you’ve been in the industry for a life-time.

So you must also take a time-check. For example I’ve had 11 books published but that has happened within only 5 1/2 years. I’m still in the early stages of my career, from many points of view. I need to remember that and remind myself of how long it takes, in other professions, to become fully trained and reach your goals.

The ups are followed by downs and the downs are always followed by ups – this is true of any personal or professional life. So to keep sane, try not to attach to either as both will pass.

I also try to remind myself that many women of my mother’s generation didn’t have a chance to follow a career. The problems I am having would have been problems they’d have love to have had. So I remind myself to be grateful

Come and say hello to me on Twitter @SamTongeWriter if you’re having a challenging time.

We’re all in this together

However sometimes you have to accept that there comes a point when it is best – it is the right thing – to let go of a project.

My ninth book, One Summer in Rome, is just about to be published and previous to my debut I wrote several other novels that are are firmly under my bed now. So why did I give up on them? Surely I could have improved and rewritten those stories?

Here are the main reasons, in my opinion, why for some stories the answer is no.

It’s your first ever book

Looking back I had a sense of entitlement with the first novel I wrote in 2005. What an achievement, I thought – and it was – but I decided completing my goal was enough to see it in print. And what a shock – and wake-up call – when the rejections came in. It had seemed like such a mammoth task to write those 90,000 words. How could I possibly waste them by starting something else?

Well, that’s the key to moving on without too many tears. Don’t see the discarded project as a failure or waste. I learnt SO MUCH from that first novel. At 90,000 words it only had four chapters, so that taught me about structure! When I wrote it I knew nothing about point of view or show not tell. It was full of autobiographical anecdotes. Very self-indulgent. And included a ridiculous storyline about making opium out of poppy seeds! I’m incredibly grateful, now, that it never found its way into the public arena.

I received one complimentary, personal rejection from an agent and that gave me the strength to start another book.

So don’t become too attached to your first-born. Statistically, the odds are that it may not get a deal.

And that’s okay. There’s usually a good reason.

Repeated negative feedback tells you the idea just isn’t strong enough

I have a folder of over 80 rejection letters that I’ve kept – to remind me, I suppose, that hard work and determination can bring rewards. But they are also tangible proof that there is a reason my discarded manuscripts are under my bed. Most of those letters are standard, thanking me for my submission BUT… the rest of those letters is inconsequential. The bottom line was that the manuscripts just weren’t different or good enough.

Perhaps the characters and plot are too thin. Maybe your writing still isn’t where it should be. Go on courses. Read How To books. Get feedback from fellow writer friends you trust. I don’t know a single writer that has persevered and persevered and not eventually succeeded in getting a deal.

If you manage too receive personal feedback from an agent that suggests revisions that’s fantastic, but be careful. One once showed great interest in one of my projects. She didn’t like the first draft so I totally rewrote the story and it lost its heart. The agent liked that version even less and by that point I didn’t know what the novel was anymore.

The whole process was heartbreaking but it taught me a valuable lesson – don’t jump straight in to a rewrite, exciting as it can be if you think you might be on the cusp of getting representation. Get another view as well, perhaps from a beta reader or literary consultancy. Ultimately it might just be better to cut your losses and start another project. Rewrites are time-consuming.

Another idea comes along…

Sometimes you might want to ditch a project a few chapters in but feel this would be a waste. SEE ABOVE – nothing is wasted when you are writing, it is all improving your craft. In 2015 I started writing a Christmas book. It was going to be a wedding story related to my debut Doubting Abbey. It was to be a fun story called My Big Fat Frozen Wedding (I wonder if Frozen themed weddings are a thing!) However a few chapters in, an idea came into my head for a sequel to my summer bestseller Game of Scones. I felt more passionate about that so, after talking to my editor, took the decision to shelve the Frozen idea and My Big Fat Christmas Wedding was born.

Follow your instincts. Readers will notice if your heart isn’t in your work.

Your book won’t ever fit the market

It’s a difficult one, this. Write completely for the market and your work may not come across as sincere. I follow my gut but keep one eye on what is selling. It’s a compromise.

I didn’t with one book that – admittedly – I’ve found very hard to let go of over the years. I’ve rewritten it numerous times (and if your gut strongly tells you to give your project another go I blogged about tackling major rewrites here). I’ve submitted it every few years. But finally I’ve accepted it’s place is permanently under my bed. It’s a romcom set in Ancient Egypt. I loved writing it and doing the research but publishers just don’t know how to place it. It’s very quirky and not one hundred percent romance. There are other issues. It would be a risk to invest.

But here’s the thing – you can always cannibalise your old scripts and take ideas from them to use in new stories. The two main characters in my Egyptian book were young executives and formed the basis for Pippa and Henrik in Game of Scones.

In fact, Game of Scones was originally set in heaven (don’t ask!) It was a flat NO from my editor. At the time there was a question over whether paranormal romance was selling. So I let go of that idea and wrote a different story, set in Greece, that went on to sell 100,000 copies.

Don’t see discarding a project as failure. It will have taught you so, so much about writing and the submission process. Be brave and stash it under your bed. Move on to your next exciting challenge. It is hard and, for me, parting company with those much loved babies often brought tears.

But never forget that those unpublished manuscripts are an incredibly valuable and worthwhile part of your journey.

Here are some of the HURDLES I’ve faced and how I’ve got over them.

Rejections – I started writing in 2005 and sure enough, the rejections soon started coming in after I submitted my first novel. And I’m in good company. Stephen King’s Carrie was rejected 20 times, Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind almost 40. I have a pile of over 80 rejections upstairs in a folder for various  manuscripts. For some reason I can’t throw them away. I think it’s because they represent my journey and if I’m going through tough times now they are a pertinent reminder that failure only exists if you give in. But how did I overcome that sense of disappointment and the tears? I sought the support of my online and real-life writing friends. Becoming part of an author community gave me perspective and made  me realise I was not alone – that publishers or agents turning down my manuscripts wasn’t personal. And hearing success stories of writers who’d been in my position but still eventually got that publishing deal was great motivation. So don’t write in a vacuum – network and find some support.

Writer’s Block – this doesn’t happen to me often and that’s because I view my work as very diverse. Stuck on a chapter? Go and write a blog post instead. Or a short story. Or go to a cafeteria and plan the chapter roughly by hand – that always works for me. I consider all of this to still be writing and it takes away the sense of failure if I’m staring at a blank page. Or go and read a book for inspiration. It all counts. Failing that, simply take a break for a couple of hours, a day, a week…

And remember the words of Margaret Atwood: “If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” Just write something. Get on with it. Leave the refining to the rewrite.

Bad Reviews – this isn’t something I thought about before signing my first deal. All I’d dreamt of was beautiful covers, shelfies and launch parties. Yet the first rating I ever received for my debut book, on GoodReads, wasn’t glowing and made me sharply aware that I was going to need to toughen up. Sadly my  horrified expression was captured in my passport photo taken the next day although I’m glad to say that the book became a Kindle bestseller. I can laugh now, but at the time it was upsetting. However, over the years I have learnt to ignore the insulting reviews. I accept that all books get their fair share of poor ones and this is confirmed whenever I look up my favourite authors on Amazon. Some writers never read their reviews – and that is one way of dealing with it. I read every single one, with an open mind, as long as it is constructive (and polite!). It’s interesting to read the criticism, some of which I take on board if I think it makes a fair point.

My work is ME – this attitude is very debilitating and one that needs to be quashed. It’s hard for creative folk to separate themselves from their work, especially if they do it full-time. I went through a very challenging period a couple of years ago when I felt that if a book didn’t do as well as the previous one I, as a person, had failed. This, of course, is rubbish. Writing is my job – not me. I’m also a wife. A mother. A daughter. A friend. A reader. A cook. A homemaker. A fan of Buddhism. A linguist. A Walking Dead fan. And many other things.

You need to separate YOU from your authorly alter ego. Never believe that you are the sum of your sales. There are many dimensions to you. Writing is only one of them.

Self-doubt – I blogged about Imposter Syndrome here – that feeling that we’re not really authors and that someone will one day find us out. Published or unpublished we are plagued by self-doubt, especially before that first deal, but if you are putting finger to keyboard and honing your craft, you don’t simply need a contract to validate that YOU ARE A WRITER. So give the post a read and find out how I overcome those negative voices.

Rewrite Blues – these hit me recently after feedback. I almost gave up on the project but now I’m so glad I perservered. I blogged about how to cope with this here. Just remember that if someone is willing to put in the time to give you detailed, challenging feedback, it means they believe in you and your work. Step back. Deep breaths. Don’t take it personally and then get on with making your manuscript really sing.

KEEP ON GOING, whatever your own hurdles may be. It took me eight years to land my first publishing deal and it’s been worth every minute of what I call The Wilderness Years, when I was writing and submitting – although I won’t add “with little success” because the success was that during that time I was learning my craft.

And last up – manage your expectations. I couldn’t believe my first ever submission was rejected – oh, the ignorance of an ingenue! Forget red carpet film adaptation deals and literary prizes. As JK Rowling once said on Twitter (about her and her alter ego Robert Galbraith):
“Believe me, neither @RGalbraith nor I walk around thinking we’re fab. We just shoot for ‘writing better than yesterday’”.

I’ve never known a writer – who didn’t give up – not to get their work out there.  Believe in yourself. Improve your art. And don’t get your passport photo taken after your first ever bad review because you’ll be stuck with it for ten years

So here are my tips for keeping that passion alive, because you can become jaded whether you are published or not. It’s like a marriage, dedicating your life the written word and sometimes that relationship needs spicing up!

Try writing something different. When I’m feeling stale with my latest first draft, I take a break from the long form and write a short story or a blog post. That means I’m not wasting professional hours by procrastinating because I’ve reached a dawdling point in the novel-writing process. And I’m sure many of you know exactly what I mean! Rather than force myself through the writer’s block, I’ll hop over to Twitter or Facebook. So, this way I am still being productive and not losing too much valuable writing time on on social media. Or you can just jump forwards into your project. Currently stuck on a love scene? Try writing that argument that takes place later on. And usually, when I come back to my novel project, I’ve got new ideas and a sense of excitement to crack on.

Take a break. Many of us writers, pursuing our dream, work at home. And that means we can often end up dedicating too many hours to our passion. Finishing the day at five in the afternoon ends up being seven in the evening. Take me. Probably I should start at nine am, after my cycle ride, a bath and decent breakfast. But no, once I’ve taken off my cycling gear I’m usually at my desk by seven to seven thirty am and grab a quick bath and something to eat at around ten thirty. It’s no wonder the our passion for crafting every word and doing detailed research can wane.

So take a break. Do something completely different – like, dare I say it, housework. Or meet a friend for a coffee. Or go for a lovely walk. Find some me time that allows your brain to switch off. This is equally important if you don’t write full-time and perhaps have another job. This last year I’ve had many other priorities and less writing time, so there is even more of a temptation to burn the candles at both ends. DON’T DO IT.

Manage expectations. As I’ve  blogged about often on here, jealousy of other authors, self-doubt, rejection… this are all things that can wear an author down. Just try to be kind to yourself. This isn’t a race. You will fulfil your own potential in good time. Don’t set yourself up to be the most successful author ever. That is a surefire recipe for disappointment. Just aim to be the very best writer you can be.

It’s a bit like, say, a dating couple, thinking it’s really time they settled down, and hoping this is the right person to commit to. If they are still at the stage of finding out about each other, then this way of thinking, these expectations are only going to result in detrimental pressure. Whereas if they have no expectations at all, they will relax, just enjoy the current status quo and see where it goes. Don’t expect that your current project should be a bestseller or adapted for the screen. Just finish it. Rewrite it. Submit it. Learn from anything you feel goes wrong and move on to your next novel.

Read books by authors you admire. I tell you, there is nothing like this for making you fire on all engines and strive to raise your game. This prevents that real passion-killer, complacency. And the more and wider you read, you’ll realise just how experimental authors are and that will might encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, which is soooo important to keep that passion alive.

Try mindfulness. I took a course in it, last year. It’s all about noticing the detail of life, whether that is the sight of things or their appearance. This gave me a new perspective when writing and, hopefully, spiced up my prose. To find out exactly what I mean, take a look at this post.

My recently released novel, The New Beginnings Coffee Club, is my eighth published book. My first came out in 2013 and since then, I’ve stopped writing short stories (the year before that debut I sold 50 short  to women’s magazines.) And whilst I am now keenly starting my ninth book, I’ve decide to spice my up my art by starting to work on shorts again. And it’s been great -writing about all sorts of subjects, from all sorts of points of view! The diversity of writing in the short form has really spiced up my overall passion for my vocation and job.

So go on – why not try one of my tips for yourself?

Rejection Letters – below are the rejection letters I collected, from literary agents, during the eight years it took me to get my publishing deal in 2013. Each one felt like a failure, when I opened that envelope, but once the dust had settled I was able to glean something constructive. When I first started to send out those manuscripts, a common theme of the rejections was that my main characters weren’t likeable enough. This was something I really had to work on – how to convey a protagonist’s inner angst without them coming across as a whinger. Also “derivative” came up – I wasn’t producing anything that stood out.

With my first novel, in 2005, hands up, I had a sense of entitlement. I thought what an amazing feat, I deserved to be published because I have actually put together 90,000 words! However, these rejection letters taught me that putting pen to paper and sticking at it, then writing The End, just wasn’t enough. I needed to push, push, myself to create a page-turning read, with relatable characters – and prose that had been thought about, not just in terms of every paragraph or sentence, but every single syllable. My apprenticeship took a long time – a long time LEARNING, NOT FAILING, that’s how I see it now. Indeed, my first ever submission, all those years ago, was to the Darley Anderson Agency. A decade later they signed me. My continued *learning* had paid off.

Negative editorial Feedback – this could feel like a failure as well. Especially as to start with, I kept receiving the same criticism – namely, that I wasn’t showing enough emotion in my writing. I’m not sure why  – I’m a very emotional person in real life. So this is something else I have toiled over and, touch wood, over time, it seems to have paid off. I’m currently thrilled with the reviews coming in for my latest novel, The New Beginnings Coffee Club. A story about second chances and being true to yourself, I really acted upon my editor’s comments – from the past and present – about how the emotion could be ramped up. Over time I’ve come to realise that negative editorial feedback doesn’t mean I’ve failed. It simply demonstrates that an editor believes in my work – and me – enough to take the time to point out areas that need working on to make my books the very best they can be.

Bad Reviews. Yes, with my debut book they stung! But as time passed, I realised that constructive ones -without an insulting tone – were actually useful. Take my first book – Doubting Abbey – it was a Christmas bestseller and overall enjoyed great reviews. But, of course, it received its fair share of bad ones and I noticed a common theme crop up. The main character – a pizza waitress who had to pass herself off as an aristocrat – often said the word “mega”. Negative reviewers hated this! One even counted the number of times she said it – over one hundred! So that taught me that whilst people have speech tics in real life, they should be used very economically in writing because they jump off the page. So I never ignore negative feedback from readers. It can be a real eye-opener and stops me getting complacent.

Poor sales. In spring 2016 my publisher released one of my favourite own stories, How to get Hitched in Ten Days and for some reason, it just didn’t sell as well as my other books. The reviews were great and everyone loved the main character, gorgeous Mikey, every girl’s best friend and the owner of a scrumptious Fifties Diner. However it was a novella. A long one at 40,000, but nevertheless a shorter story and for some reason it failed to achieve the success of my other releases. No doubt there were a number of reasons why this book didn’t hit the spot, but at the time – and this is still true – many publishers were releasing full-length novel ebooks at 99p. So my 99p novella was having to compete with those and economically, for some readers, my 40,000 story wouldn’t have seemed so appealing. Also, I’ve kept an eye on Amazon since and, on the whole, novellas don’t seem to sell so well – the occasional hit and Christmas novellas being the exception to this rule. So this experience taught me that it isn’t worth my while – financially anyway – to invest love and time into one. Yet I certainly don’t see this experience as a failure. I put my heart and soul into that story. Readers enjoyed it. And who knows, maybe one day Mikey will appear in another story.

So I hope sharing some of my learning experiences has made you realise that you can’t fail, as long as you keep an open mind when your writing life takes a negative turn. Everything that goes wrong will eventually lead to you getting it right if you keep at it, ditch the self-doubt (I blogged about that here ) and remember Nelson Mandela. “I never lose. I either win or learn.”

The hair technician gets them from a friend in Peru. They are discarded feathers that would otherwise be thrown away.

I also bought this purse made from leaves. It is vegan and only made from foliage that has already fallen to the ground. The leaves are 25cm big and processed using ecologically-friendly materials. 10% of money earned from them goes back to the community they came from (you can find out more about Thamon’s products here).

All of this got me thinking about how I recycle my own writing. First up – NO writing is ever wasted, anyway, as you are constantly learning from every word you write. So, if like me, along the journey to publication you have stacked up several manuscripts that will never see the light of day, don’t despair. Those manuscripts are proof of how you hone your craft.

And, from a practical point of view, some of the work will eventually appear elsewhere, just in a different form. For example, two of the lead characters in my award-winning summer 2015 summer novel, Game of Scones, were originally created for a book I wrote that was rejected across the board. They are two high-flying executives who’ve embraced the modern world and lost sight of the simple things.

In fact that particular rejected novel was cannibalised in lots of ways. There was a catch-phrase in it, to express how much two characters loved each other, and I eventually used that in a short story I sold to The People’s Friend magazine.

Writing for the women’s magazine market is a great example of recycling. Each magazine has a slightly different remit, so when one rejects a story the writer can often re-work it to (hopefully) fit another one’s requirements.

The very first novel I wrote, back in 2005, (and, which, thankfully, was never published!) was set in Paris. I lived there as a young woman and the book was full of vivid descriptions of my favourite haunts. In 2013 I finally got a novel deal and Doubting Abbey was published. Its sequel was subsequently written and published it 2014. It was called From Paris with Love and I recycled a lot of the scenes I’d written back in 2005 – the research had been done and I was even able to lift whole paragraphs of description, which was great!

Then there is a short story I wrote and sold, set during the Gold Rush. Over the years, the characters and setting have kept coming back to me and when that happens, it usually means that, somehow, they will appear in a novel. So that creative work will be recycled too, with the characters and setting already in place.

Recycling old writing is great. It means that some of the work is already done, for a new  project. Plus it is lovely to visit old fictional friends or stories, that no one else had faith in, and incorporate them into something that will have an audience. Over the years your understanding of your craft, and certain themes, will mature an enable you to perhaps take old ideas to a deeper level. A strong theme of my latest novel, The New Beginnings Coffee Club, is about finding yourself, and this was the central subject of another of my rejected books. But that original research, those original thoughts on the subject, of mine, have not been wasted. Years later, I have addressed them again.

So take heart as you build up a pile of those discarded manuscripts (see mine, below). They represent how you are shaping your talent. They represent your journey to success. And the characters, themes and settings within them are not lost thanks to the continuous opportunities to recycle.

Goodness. How inspiring. It took him three years, two of those studying full time, struggling financially as he had a family to support – but taking the long-term view. There’s the theory paper, and then sessions in front of a stern panel, answering questions. People may have to resit several times. I read somewhere years ago, that it takes 10,000 hours of study/practise to become a professional in any field, whether that be a concert pianist, an Olympian, an author – or indeed, a London taxi driver. Once I added up all the time I’d spent writing before getting my first novel deal, and the figures matched this theory.

All of this got me thinking that, really, there are three areas, in my opinion, that writers need to become knowledgeable about, as they make their way along the road to publication. The writing itself, social media and how the publishing world works. And, just like that driver, authors need to take the long-term view – success won’t come overnight.

Writing – I’ll never forget the first novel I wrote, back in 2005. At 94,000 words I’d only written four chapters! I had no idea about structure, point of view or show not tell. It came straight from the heart and was typed withe raw passion. It also contained a lot of autobiographical content which I needed to get out. The next book was rather different as I joined a writer’s forum and started to learn more about my craft. Also, I voraciously read how-to books (see below!) and over the years, had editorial reports done on my work so that professionals could point out where I, personally, was going wrong. I’m not one for rules but feel they  need to be learnt to be broken properly – see my blog post here.

Over eight years, whilst I tried to get a deal, I never stopped learning and pushing myself, hard as it was in the face of rejection. This is the crucial part of an author’s “Knowledge” because no amount of contacts or followers on Twitter will get you an agent or publisher, if the writing lets you down. And the journey doesn’t stop, when you are published. Lately my editor has helped me take my writing in a different direction with my latest book The New Beginnings Coffee Club. I’ve covered controversial themes and really delved into my emotions and whilst it has been hugely challenging, I’m thrilled with the results.

Social Media – Eventually I joined Facebook, started blogging and later, found my way onto Twitter and Instagram. Nowadays, I probably spend half of my authorly working time on social media, promoting my books and networking with readers and bloggers. It doesn’t feel like a sacrifice, even though lately my writing time is limited due to a vocational course I am running it alongside and other new personal commitments. I see it as an essential and enjoy it – probably a little too much! Like it or not, a good social platform is seen as an essential now, by many agents and publishers. Don’t wait for that deal – set yourself up now.

Communicate with the writing community. Get involved. And don’t forget, when creating your brand, to make it three-dimensional. This means to share something about your life that shows the whole you. No one is interested in a flat social media profile that just says “buy my work”. It should reflect an interesting,vibrant, rounded personality. One thing I share a lot about my love of baking. Your interests don’t have to be ground-breaking – and perhaps the more relatable, the better.

Publishing – Over those eight years, I learnt more and more about the publishing business. How best to phrase a submission letter. How to write the most concise but fully informative synopsis possible. I researched agents and publishers by always consulting the latest edition of the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook.  And, as rejections came in, I took what I could from those letters, when given a snippet of personal feedback. I discovered that every agent is different – blanket submissions are no good. You need to research their own personal list of authors and follow their own submission guidelines to the letter. And since I’ve got published, my knowledge is ever-expanding. I’ve had to get my head around pricing strategies, Amazon metadata and promotional tools. The list goes on.

Last week I asked the taxi driver if The Knowledge exam was any easier because of SatNav. Did the examining board expect less? His answer was a vigorous “no!”.  It’s the same for us authors. There are no shortcuts. You need to get to grips with – and constantly evolve alongside – the way our industry works. It’s hard. Like anyone else I can be fearful of new challenges. Just the idea of trying Facebook Live isn’t good for my nerves!

In my opinion, if you want to become a professional and get paid for you work, you really need to focus on this writing malarkey as a job. You need to educate yourself in your craft, social media and how your environment works. Don’t see those years of rejection as wasted, because they are a vital part of your training ground. Good luck!

Secondly… Cats. Youtube videos. Funny memes. All of those things, on Facebook and Twitter might not look like work to you, but scrolling down those pages are an essential part of any author’s day! Honestly. Writing is exhausting intellectually and authors need to constantly break from their work-in-progress to recharge with some trivial stuff. So don’t roll your eyes at your partner’s social media obsession – it could lead to a speedy end to your relationship!

Thirdly… Come over rock-like because they are going to need your support. When a rejection comes in, to a writer it can feel like the end of the world. They need their nearest and dearest to reassure them that this is just a blip and that they must carry on – even if you don’t one hundred percent have faith in their latest project, a romance between an astronaut and a three- breasted alien. You see us writers have enough self-doubt without any negative vibes from elsewhere, so practice that bright smile and those reassuring words. You’ll be glad you did when they become a bestseller.

Fourthly – enjoy the fact that present-giving will be easy. Us writers love, love notebooks. And writing snacks are very important.  Or if you’re flash with the cash, a writer’s retreat holiday would be perfect!

Finally… dating a writer is not for the shy. You see, ahem, parts of YOUR life may end up in their work, being read by the public. For example, a couple of years ago, my family and I had a rather lovely holiday in Cornwall and that provided much material for my new book, Breakfast under a Cornish Sun. On a more intimate note, if you are considering hanging out with an erotic writer, consider which parts of your life might be incorporated into a novel! On the plus side, it means your partner might be fascinated by your job. My husband has just started working for a fashion company and my creative juices are already flowing. Just watch how much you confide – any family secrets might end up in print. Equally, don’t panic if you see your partner’s computer search history. Just because they’ve been Googling how long it would take a pen of pigs to eat a human corpse, doesn’t mean they still hate you after that latest argument

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…?