January - Janus Looking Back to 2011 and Forward to 2012

January is named for the Roman god Janus, a god of doorways, portals, transistions and new beginnings. He is usually depicted with two faces, one looking back and one forward.  That is what I am doing right now. Looking back  to 2011 and forward to 2012.

2011 was  hard, although there were many sunny days, it also held disappointments, sickness and sadness. Luckily I had my best friend with me and we had some good times among the hard. I am fortunate that my best friend is also  my husband. 

This year though we hope will be better. We are both looking forward to some big changes in both home and working life.  We are putting our house on the market, downsizing to something more manageable, seeking pastures new. This will give  me time to write without feeling guilty about the lank lawn and weed choked flower beds or the dust that is collecting in the sitting room.  A smaller house will give us both the financial space to take life easier - have more fun.

One good thing that happened in 2011 was that I finally became published as a Romance author. With the advent of Kindle I was able to publish in quick succession For One Night Only, a gently erotic romance set within a tired marriage, Vittorio's Virgin, a more complex story about a man's struggle to come to terms with his traumatic upbringing and first marriage and find love and trust with the honest but sharp tongued, Jennifer Trent. Then came The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter, which examines the complex relationship between Charlotte Martin and billionaire playboy, Nicholas Barberis Jones.

At first things were quiet, sales were slow, but soon some nice comments and emails began to arrive. 'I've read them all now and want to know when the 'next one' will be out.'
Since I hadn't even begun to write it I published a small booklet of short stories to give myself some time. Something for the Journey is also now being well recieved.

I cannot stress how much these reader's comments mean to me. They really help. The don't just provide a much needed boost to my creative ego but help me discover what my readers really love ... and what they don't.  By using a mix of their praise and criticism I am now able to move forward with Come, Dance with Me with more confidence than ever before.

Writers are babies (or is it just me?) In order for them to continue writing they need to know that their work is appreciated.  An email, a short comment on a blog or an Amazon review or Facebook of 'I loved it' or 'I told all my friends about it,' can make all the difference.  So, if you read a book and love it, let the author know, if you hate it also let her know but gently, please, she is a sensative soul and only wants to please you.  I write a lot of reviews but tend to avoid being less than positive. Constructive criticism is the key to helping an author improve.  We appreciate that - thank you.

As I said, Come, Dance with Me is coming along nicely.  It is set within the world of ballroom dancing competition, a growing interest and armchair sport in both the UK and America.  It is a world that I find fascinating and repelling. WRiting in this genre also means that I can sit with a clear conscience and watch re-runs of the hit dancing show, Strictly Come Dancing, all in the name of research.

When Sasha finds herself drawn into the glizty, glamorous world of ballroom and is swept off her feet by the beautiful Russian heart throb, Andrei Kovalevsky, at first she can scarcely believe her luck. But, as ever in the world of romance, the path to true love is not an easy one. When the curtain falls,will they live to dance again?

 All four of my current Kindle books can be found on Amazon Kindle, please download a free sample and see if you like them too.

Mary Middleton on Kindle

More details about me and my work can be found on my web page

Tips and Advice for New Writers

I have read a lot of blogs lately providing invaluable advice on how to get a novel down on paper and infront of a publisher. There are, it seems, reams of important rules you must follow, things you must never do, cliches you must never ever use. It is a tough world with millions of talented writers all fighting for the spotlight. Only the best will succeed. So, I thought I'd add my little bit of wisdom to the pot.

My advice would be this: Have fun with your writing. If you don't enjoy every stage of the process then find another job/hobby. There is no point in becoming an author if  you don't love the solitude, the frustration, the failure, the criticism and the very small pay cheque.

Never listen to people who say you are doing it 'wrong.' We all have different methods and if you want to develop a writing style that is unique, which is I presume something we are all striving for, you are not going to suceed if you tie yourself in knots trying to write just like your favourite author. Your story must be yours and your voice unique and to stand out from the crowd you sometimes have to break rules!

Stressing about rules at this stage will stifle your creativity.  Every writer's first draft, whether they admit it or not, is full of cliches, typo's, over writing, errors in continuity etc. etc. etc.  These things are easily ironed out  later on in the writing process.  If you develop a unique writing style and a strong voice, it can make even a rubbish plot sound good. So relax, pour a glass of wine, open some chocolate and have a good time with it, let your imagination run away with you. If an author enjoys writing the book then it will invariably be an entertaining read.

When you have a completed manuscript, put it away and don't look at it for at least a month; write something else, begin your next novel, write some shorts or do some blogging. If you think your novel is ready to send off to a publisher or agent, then it probably isn't ... yet.
Once the month is up re-read your work and smooth out the gaffs that will by now be very apparent.  Then, get a friend to read it and highlight anything they notice, act on any improvements they may suggest. My husband is invaluable for this task and has learned not to tell me that everything I write is 'wonderful.'  He has developed an objective, critical eye and I cannot thank him enough for that.
After making those corrections, leave it another couple of weeks before going through the whole editing process again. I stress that you cannot edit enough, it is a process that crafts your rough diamond into a flawless jewel.

Overwriting is the worst mistake a would-be writer makes, long flowery passages of description that take up space on the page, detract from the plot and bore your poor reader to death. Be concise, be punchy and above all, be interesting.
Just because your friends love your story doesn't mean it is any good. Think youself lucky to have such loving and supportive friends  but don't let their praise go to your head; every writer in the world needs outside help. Get yourelf a critique partner, someone who you haven't known since infant school is preferable. Show it to a stranger, post it on a writers' website and ask for critiques, then brace yourself for the onslaught.
Even constructive criticism hurts like hell but it is usually correct. Read the comments objectively and take on board anything you agree with (it may take a week or so to see that the reader is actually right). Once you know what changes to make, you will find that good editing improves your piece no end.
If you don't agree (and be honest with yourself, now) then ignore the advice, the story is yours, you should write to please yourself and you will not, and cannot, please everybody.
I read alot of amateur work and talent is always visible, even in the early stages when I have to trawl through oceans of misplaced commas and flowery phrases. Formatting problems are common too but computer skills are necessary to an author and are easily learnt. So, if formatting is your weakness, book yourself a course and learn to do it properly.
The things I cannot tolerate (and not just in the work of  newbies) is bad grammar and incorrect spelling and that is because both of those errors are avoidable. I had one manuscript that persistently used the symbol & instead of 'and.' I had to stop reading it; it was unacceptable. Every reader should check and re-check their work, hire an editor if need be, although small errors will still slip through. If all else fails use your spell checker.

Every one of us is learning to be the best that we can. I am not the best, most intellectual writer in the world and neither am I in the best seller lists but I am a reader who has read widely and I do know good work when I see it and, in my experience, the independent and unpublished writers usually knock the socks off many of the big names. The shame is that mainstream publishers don't seem to be able to see us, probably because they all have their heads somewhere where it is very, very dark.