Nikki Moore: I wish I had time to write a book...!

 Welcome to Nikki who has found time in her very busy schedule to write for us. Whatever you do don’t tell her you have no time to write…

Over the years I’ve heard that many times. Should I admit that it both sets my teeth on edge and fills me with amusement? Probably not! But here’s the thing – writers have the same twenty-four hours in a day as everyone else. We don’t have a magic wand that makes time stand still at midnight (oh, how I wish I did). Many writers have day jobs, bills to pay, friends to see, children to raise, family to care for, housework to do, gardens to tend and everyday stresses to deal with.

The demands of being a published author are numerous. It’s not just the bum on seat, fingers on keyboard time hammering out a first draft. There is also research and (sometimes substantial) rewrites before the manuscript gets anywhere near your agent/editor/beta reader. Then there are the edits and the promotion that’s required of an author nowadays. You can spend hours on the radio, TV or social media trying to drive sales and get your name, brand and title of your newest release in front of readers, bloggers and reviewers. There might also be social events to attend for networking purposes, sometimes at your publisher’s request, and their needs have to be taken into account so that you meet their deadlines to hit the right market at the right time. There is all this and more, so when people say to me, ‘I wish I had time to write a book,’ what I tell them is this I can’t imagine not writing, it’s something I have to do. I’m lucky to be an author and I love it. I’m grateful for every review and all the support I’ve had in my writing career so far. But I don’t have time to write books. I make time. I make writing a priority, sometimes lower down the list than I’d like, but a priority nonetheless. Time that I could otherwise spend watching TV, reading, scrubbing behind the toilet or ironing (I buy crease-free clothes and let them hang!) is spent on writing instead.

I work full days in Human Resources over a nine day fortnight, meaning I get two Fridays off a month as dedicated writing time. I’m a single mum with two kids, one of them a teenager. They see their dad regularly but are with me day to day. Sometimes I write between 6.00 – 7.00 a.m. before the school run, but usually it’s after my youngest has gone to bed from 9.00 p.m. until I fall asleep over the laptop. I do this at least three times a week but it can be closer to five or six evenings and weekends too if I’m up against a deadline. Sometimes I fling food at the kids and tell them I’m neglecting them for a few hours, before closeting myself away. Mostly they accept this with good grace, as does my lovely boyfriend, who is more patient than I deserve. My friends and family also accept falling by the wayside if I have a deadline. Equally, housework drops from my usual gold standard to bronze level. It’s a delicate act to keep all the plates spinning but if I keep moving, I’m usually okay!

I asked other RNA members how they find time to write and to share tips.

Jules Wake, whose last release is From Italy with Love (HarperImpulse) works four days a week, volunteers at a local theatre, has an active social life and two teenagers. She suggests setting realistic goals and sticking to them. ‘Usually when writing a first draft, I aim to write 1,000 a day for five days out of seven. That's realistic because it gives me two days not to get any writing done.’ She’s written a book a year for the last five years and wrote an 87,000 word novel in seven weeks this year!

Bestselling author Katherine Garbera’s latest release is Carrying A King’s Child (Harlequin Desire/Mills&Boon Desire). She usually writes Monday through Friday from 9.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m. around the school run, managing a chapter of around 3000 words every day by being disciplined about her writing time and not spending too long on social media. ‘I also use the timer to jumpstart my writing on the days when it feels more like a job than fun. I set it for ten minutes and tell myself I have to write for those ten minutes.’ With this routine she writes an amazing 4-6 books a year.

Jenni Keer, who attends the Chelmsford RNA Chapter and was shortlisted for the Choc Lit 'Search for a Star' competition, has four sons and cares for her elderly mother. Her husband works irregular shifts and she writes around the school day. ‘For me, family will always come first, but writing is now a definite second. Housework, socialising, helping out at the school and even my lovely garden are all things that have dropped down the list. I don't need to live in an immaculate house but I do need to get this current novel finished!’

Elaine Roberts has had over a dozen short stories published since joining the RNA New Writer’s Scheme and Elaine Everest’s writing classes. She is currently working on her novel The Legacy. She works 35 hours per week for a Local Authority and is an active grandparent. ‘My time is very precious. Every second counts. I am thankful for having an understanding and supportive husband who has basically taken over the household chores, freeing up my evenings and weekends to spend on writing.’

Elaine Moxon’s (writing as E S Moxon) debut novel WULFSUNA is out now with SilverWood Books. She is a mum, writer and community volunteer and doesn’t set weekly word count goals or set specific writing times. ‘I simply have a personal agreement to each week set aside some time for writing. I limit events to no more than once a month and use evenings and weekends for promotion at key times.’

Susie Medwell’s latest release writing as Zara Stoneley is Country Affairs (HarperImpulse). With wedding plans, supporting her son through A' levels, flying out to see her fiancé in Barcelona and working two days a week, her writing schedule has been disrupted recently but she always aim for an impressive 10-12k words a week. She knows how to make the best use of her time. ‘My ‘planning brain’ works best in the mornings so I try to schedule things so that I do this on my non-office days. When I’m writing the words tend to flow faster in the evening so I often work until quite late, I also find it easy to write at the airport/on the plane.’

So what are you waiting for? You can write a book too if you want to badly enough… Good luck!

About Nikki:

 A Dorset girl and RNA member, Nikki Moore has a HR day job, two kids and a lovely boyfriend to keep her busy alongside the writing. Published mainly by HarperImpulse, she’s the author of the #LoveLondon series and has a story in the bestselling RNA/Mills & Boon anthology Truly, Madly, Deeply. Nikki’s debut novel Crazy, Undercover, Love was shortlisted for the RNA Joan Hessayon Award 2015 and she is a strong supporter of aspiring authors. The last in the #LoveLondon series Picnics in Hyde Park is due out later this summer.

Please pop over and make contact via Twitter @NikkiMoore_Auth or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NikkiMooreWrites

Thank you, Nikki. This shows the dedication to writing from our members.

The RNA Blog is brought to you by:

Elaine Everest & Natalie Kleinman  (who are also busy writing!)

If you would like to write for the blog please contact us on elaineeverest@aol.com

Jules Wake: Joan Hessayon Award Contender 2015

Today we welcome Jules Wake to the blog. Jules is another of the talented contenders for this year’s Joan Hessayon Award.

Congratulations on graduating the RNA New Writers’ Scheme. Can you tell us when you first decided that you wished to become a romantic novelist? 

I remember quite clearly the moment, age of 12, when I decided I would write a book one day. Of course one day didn’t materialise until I was in my thirties and I was given six months gardening leave.   It never occurred to me write anything but romance. Looking back now, what I wrote then was laughable … despite being an avid reader, I didn’t have a clue!  Luckily Melanie Hilton came to talk to the writers’ group I’d set up and told us about the NWS – that was the real turning point for my writing.

How many years were you a member of the NWS scheme and did you submit a different book each year? Which year’s book did you graduate with?

I was a member for six years, submitting five different books in that time.  Ironically the very first book I submitted, which got a second read, was the one that got published first.  Despite writing another four books, I never gave up on that one.  I rewrote it five years later to target a specific publisher, and having learnt so much more about writing, I was able to improve it further. 

How did you find your publisher?

Through being a member of the RNA and networking at the parties and going to the conference, I heard about Choc-Lit.  Having met a few of their authors on and off-line, I read their books and really liked the production values of the paperbacks they were producing at the time. 

Promotion is a big part of an author’s working life. How did you promote your novel?

I’d already built a bit of a profile on Twitter, so I used that but tried not to do the ‘buy my book’ thing.  I’m a big believer in a picture is worth a 1,000 words, so created a couple of Infograms and used those on social media.  I also did several blog interviews, again trying to approach each one with a different creative hook to make them stand out. 

What has happened to you as an author since that first sale?

I signed my publishing contract after I’d signed up for the NWS, so could still submit a manuscript.  This received the best review ever with my reader urging me to find an agent. To my great delight, Broo Doherty at the David Hedley Literary Agency took me on and she sold my book From Italy With Love to HarperImpulse. Having someone who is enthusiastic and supportive about your work has been such a revelation.

How did you celebrate your first book sale?

I phoned Donna Ashcroft, fellow NWS buddy, She has been with me every step of the publishing journey and her support has been unconditional. With every rejection, she has encouraged me to go on.  I think we probably shared a bottle of bubbly… but then we do that frequently!

About Jules:

Since the age of four when my Dad first taught me to read, I’ve been an avid reader and my idea of hell is being stuck somewhere without a book.  I studied English Literature at the University of East Anglia, sadly a time before creative writing was offered to undergraduates.  By day I’m a School Business Manager, champion shirker of housework, world class jelly-herder, mother to two amateur thespians, one of whom is also an aspiring rock star, and married to Nick, who keeps the family supplied with hair products and wine.   I earned my writing stripes in public relations writing incredible fiction about the merits of lipstick and organic bacon.

Links:

Amazon

Blog

                                                              

Thank you, Jules, and good luck with your writing career.