So I’m over 70,000 words into Book 2! This definitely feels like a milestone. And yet I feel there are so many basic things that are still wrong with it, that I haven’t figured out yet. Or obvious things that I should be emphasising and… Read More

Well, we have a title. And it is … drum roll … The Out of Office Girl. Needless to say, I didn’t think of it: someone brilliant and rather senior at my publisher’s did. When I first saw it, I blinked a bit and scratched… Read More

After a week or two of arctic/monsoon weather in London, it’s finally nice this afternoon. Unfortunately I am inside, because I have to finish looking through my copyedited manuscript. The copyeditor is the person who fixes grammatical mistakes, syntax and spelling, but most importantly for… Read More

I haven’t been doing very well lately on Book 2. Last week I looked at what I’ve done so far (15,000)and realied it’s AWFUL. The main character is vain and smug, her best friend is a cliche, the Mr Wrong is too attractive and the… Read More

(NB: this post was meant to be posted last Friday).Today has not been a good day. I’m supposed to be writing 1,000-2,000 words a day on Book 2. Yesterday I managed about 1,800 which was vg as Bridget Jones would say. But it’s getting harder,… Read More

I’ve spent Easter in Dublin, basking in sunshine, hanging out with my nieces and nephews, and working on my revisions, based on notes from my editor. And very helpful they were too: specific yet concise and full of great suggestions. I was slightly unsure about… Read More

Yes, I haz book deal is all very well, but now comes the hard part: writing book 2. I’ve written about 5,000 words (out of around 90,000) and I have an outline, which is good – I know the whole shape of the story and… Read More

1) We worry that secretly we are a loser of no talent – except when we think we are a genius. There is no in between. 2) Compliments are meaningless unless they’re specific. ‘It’s funny!’ means you’re being polite. ‘I loved the joke about the… Read More