MY WRITING

From experience I have found there are certain questions which writers are most frequently asked.

How did you start writing?

Fear of my bank manager is the answer. Twenty years ago I had a hotel in the Northern Highlands of Scotland which was losing money fast. I decided to write myself out of near bankruptcy. I had never wanted to write and had no idea that I could. But on that first attempt I fell in love with my new career. Now I can't imagine doing anything else and wish I had started years ago. But I also learnt you can't write for money, you write because you love to and have to.

How do you choose what to write about?

There is invariably a trigger, that sets me off on an idea for a book. It can be a conversation overheard, a snippet in the paper, something seen on TV, a story told me by a friend.

However I have themes which recur again and again in my work. They are: class; the effect of money on people's lives; rejection - emotional and social.

Aren't you afraid that others might pinch your ideas?

With most other writers I've met the problem is choosing which of ones own themes to write and not bothering about other's ideas.

Do you wait for inspiration?

If one waited for inspiration it would be a long wait. Writing is work, enjoyable work, but routine and discipline are what is important.

I work from 10 to 5, six days a week - even when I don't want to. I keep a diary because I find writing is rather like playing the piano - you need to practise every day.

What are the rules?

My rule is there are no rules. The trick is to relax and enjoy what you are doing. If you do, then your readers are much more likely to enjoy reading you.

What have I written?

I have 18 books published. And am working on the 19th.

I belong to the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors.

PUBLISHING MYTHS

1. It's impossible to get published if you are over a certain age.

I was first published when I was fifty. I believe if the story is well written and has appeal it will be published.

2. Write about what you know.

If you interpret that literally very few writers would write many books. The whole point of being a writer is that you presumably have an imagination, therefore you can become whatever you want. As I have shown, one uses past experiences and weaves them into your tale.

3. It's impossible to get a book published unless it is similar to what are best sellers now.

Trends move all the time and if you write only what is currently popular the wagon will have rolled on and something else will be trendy. Write what you need to and want to.

4. You must always write a similar book.

They say this is for reader identification. Phooey. I write modern books, historical books and I've written funny books too.

There are many others. If you want to write just do it. If it's good enough it will be published. I think the most important thing a writer needs is optimism.

Isis Publishing - publishers of Soundings unabridged audiobooks, whose list includes many of my titles

GENERAL LINKS

Orion Books

Romantic Novelists' Association

Society of Authors

The Historical Novel Society

Interview at Chatshow.net

What's New in Women's Fiction

The Watermill at Posara - Writing Courses - new

The Speakers Agency - new

All my books are available from:

    

These pages are best viewed at a resolution of 800x600, with 32-bit colour and using Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher.

Last revised 27 October, 2007 . Content © Anita Burgh and design © Artemis Web Design