It Works For Me. Jen Gilroy Shares Her Personal Writing Rules.

This week I am delighted to welcome my good friend Jen Gilroy to my blog to share her personal writing rules with us. Jen's debut contemporary romance, The Cottage at Firefly Lake, will be published on January 31st 2017, but readers of this blog will have the chance to win an advance reading copy. It's the first time my blog has had a giveaway and I'm possibly even more excited than Jen!

Thank you, Susanna, for inviting me to guest on your blog. I’m delighted to be here and have followed your “writing rules” series with great interest. It’s been lovely to learn from so many other writers I know virtually through the Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA), or whose books I’ve enjoyed.

When you asked me about my “writing rules,” I wondered if there was anything new I could say. However, as I thought about it (and you reminded me!), this series is about sharing our experiences and recognizing commonality. After all, if we have similar rules, “we must be doing something right!” For me, though, it’s also about celebrating and learning from our differences, and I’m delighted to add to this dialogue.

Although my writing rules have evolved over time, my approach to writing as a newly contracted author is much the same as it was when I started on my writing journey.

Keep learning

When I began writing towards publication, I was focused on craft. Whilst dialogue has always been more instinctive (possibly because I’m a shameless eavesdropper), I struggled with how to develop impactful, emotionally-driven conflict, to show not tell, and to master point of view. As such, I took online courses, read multiple craft books, and learned from my RNA New Writers’ Scheme (NWS) critiques, and conference talks.

Although I’m still working on craft, as my writing career has developed, learning about “how to write” has been supplemented by education about the business of writing—first, the rules of querying agents and editors, and now publishing trends, and the author as small-business owner.

Schedule, schehule, schedule

Although writing is creative, if I waited for inspiration to strike, I’d never finish a book. When I first started writing, I had a full-time day job with international travel. I also had a young child, and a husband who travelled for work too. I didn’t have the luxury of time to write so I had to schedule it and give up other things in the process. Although I’m woefully ignorant of what’s happened on television in the past seven years, I’m proof that it’s possible to write a sellable, 90,000-word novel in daily, 250-word chunks.

Now that I have books under contract, I have more writing time, but the same principle applies. I look at my deadline and work backwards, setting my daily word count accordingly and in the context of what else is happening in my life. I also schedule the other aspects of my writing life—social media, and marketing and administration—outside my most productive time for getting words on the page.

Take small steps towards a big goal

I’ve wanted to be a published author since childhood, but it was only in February 2009 that I started working seriously towards that goal, and set SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely) goals along the way.

It took six and a half years, multiple manuscripts, and numerous rejections before my agent called to tell me that she’d sold what is now my first book, The Cottage at Firefly Lake (releasing 31 January 2017). Although I persevered to reach my big goal, I got there in part because I set a multitude of small goals. Those small steps in my writing journey included submitting manuscripts each year to the RNA NWS for critique, entering writing contests, and becoming active on Twitter to connect with other writers.

Be professional, but be yourself  

I spent many years in the corporate world, and although the rules for writers are different, writing is still a business. Even though I now go to work in my joggers and fuzzy slippers, I try to act as professionally as I did when I was entrenched in the 9-5. That means I honour commitments, meet deadlines, and am mindful that as an author I’m a public figure—what I say on social media reflects not only on me, but on my agent and publisher, too.

It’s also important to be yourself or, as Kate Field said in an earlier post in this series, “know who you are as a writer.” When I write from my heart, not only does the writing flow, but I’m authentic to my readers, too.

Celebrate, be grateful, and pay it forward

Writing is hard work both physically (aching back anyone?) and emotionally. We put bits of ourselves into everything we write, and if we’re writing towards publication, we’re opening ourselves up to the pain of rejection and negative reviews.

It’s thus important to celebrate every success, large or small. I have a writing charm bracelet, and each time I look at those silver charms jingling on my wrist, I’m reminded of milestones in my writing journey.

I’m grateful for the blessings writing has given me, especially friends I cherish. Although writing is solitary, a writing career is not. Many people helped me get where I am today, and my most important writing rule is to pay it forward. Kindness and encouragement cost nothing, and you never know when you can make a meaningful difference in another writer’s life.

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Now to the giveaway. Jen has just received ARCs (advance reading copies) of her book from her publisher, Forever Romance. She is offering a signed copy as a prize to someone who comments on this post and also subscribes to her quarterly author newsletter via the following link:

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Subscribe to Jen's newsletter

This giveaway runs from Saturday November 19th to Thursday November 24th. I will pick a winner at random on Friday 25th.  This giveaway is open internationally. If you win, you will need to share your postal address with Jen and me, so that Jen can send you the book. Good luck!

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Jen Gilroy's links:

Her website and blog 

Her Twitter page 

Her Facebook page