Writing Tips

There are lots of general writing tips that I have found very useful, such as to read lots, write lots and not be afraid to experiment with different styles. But each author is different in the way they approach their writing. Some know their story down to detailed chapter summaries. Some just start writing without knowing where the story will end up. Some write longhand in journals and notebooks. Some tap away on laptops in coffee shops. I love hearing about the way other people approach their writing, so I thought I'd answer some of the questions people often ask me.

Q: Do you have a clear idea of a story before you start writing?
A: Usually the story has been swirling around in my head for some time, so I have an idea of the basic storyline before I start writing. I often know the beginning and the end scene and have to fill in all the rest.

Q: So do you start writing straight away, at chapter one?
A: No. I want to find out more about my characters before I start a story. I write diary extracts from them and I write scenes where they interact with the other characters. Most of these exercises will never make it into the book, but occasionally other ideas come out from them. Sometimes I draw my characters. I draw them looking directly at me from the page. While I'm sketching I think about who they really are, what they like to do, their greatest wish, what they are afraid of, if they have any secrets. I try to get to know them inside out, although quite often they still surprise me while I am writing the story too.

Q: Do you do other drawings for your story?
A: Yes, I think it helps me think about shape and colour and texture. For Sky Hawk, I did many drawings of ospreys; ospreys in flight, ospreys catching fish, their nests and eggs... etc. I like to use pastel pencils as they can be used for sharp definite edges or lovely finger smudges. Drawing helps me to explore ideas without fixing them on the page as words.

Q: It sounds as if you do a lot of research for your books. It must take ages.
A: Yes, but I love doing it. One piece of research leads to another and another. Sometimes it can be difficult to know where to stop and sometimes I do hours of research just for one tiny paragraph in the book.

Q: What sort of research do you do?
A: I use the internet. I read books. I try to contact people who have experience and knowledge about the subject I am researching. I try to visit places and learn new skills. For my next book, White Dolphin (publication date 2012), I enrolled on a dinghy sailing course with trained instructors. It was scary and fun at the same time... a real challenge for me, but I needed to know what it was like to sail a small dinghy in rough seas. There's no substitute for capsizing into freezing water in a force seven gale!

Q: When do you start writing the story down?
A: Once I feel I know my main characters, I start writing the first chapter. I keep in mind a good piece of advice once told to me, that it's important not to worry too much about the first chapter. It'll probably need to be re-written later anyway. Sometimes, only by finishing a book, do you know how you want it to start.

Q: Do you re-write a lot of your work?
A: Yes. Sometimes I re-write whole chapters. I know authors who have re-written whole books. I cut out characters who aren't working well in the story. I try to think, 'does this scene really need to be here. How is it driving the story forward?' The first draft of any of my stories feels like a big lump of clay that I have to carve and shape to find the story I really want to tell.

Q: How long did it take to write Sky Hawk?
A: It took about nine months from thinking of the idea to the final draft.

Q: What is your typical writing day like?
A: After I drop my children off at school, I switch on my computer and put the kettle on. I can't start writing straight away. I make a huge mug of coffee and stare at the computer screen for about an hour; day-dreaming and re-reading previous chapters to sink back into the story. I have to see the story running though my head like a film strip before I put any words down.

Q: Have you ever had writer's block?
A: I sometimes struggle with how to connect different parts of a story, or I can't see how to move a story forward. Sometimes a writer can be too 'close' to their work. This is where a friend or editor can look at your work with fresh eyes and give suggestions to how you overcome the problems.

Q: If you had a piece of advice for writers what would it be and why?
A: Observe. Observe everything and anything. Notice the small details. Watch the way people react to one another in different situations. Watch how they use their hands and faces to show their feelings. Use your other senses too. Take a walk in the rain and feel the wind and rain against you. Close your eyes and try to listen to every sound. Open all your senses. Let your readers see, feel, hear and smell the things you do. Including small details like these will bring your writing to life.