Do authors need advice?

Or “should I use an author advisory service?”

This is a question I’ve been asked quite a few times. Well, like all decisions, you’ve got
to weigh up the pros and cons. Of course, the benefits of using a service like this are very much dependent on your experience as an author.

I started writing seriously in 1996 after winning the Sunday Times Short Story
competition. If you want to have a quick look at my winning entry, here it is in pdf format.

http://www.scott-hunter.net/pdf/sstory.pdf

Kate Saunders, the newspaper’s literary editor at the time, asked me if I had considered
writing a novel. The answer was along the lines of, hmm - maybe. But it got me thinking
that a novel might be a fun thing to do (that shows you how naïve I was. . .). And so I
embarked upon a painful journey, writing a novel set in 367AD during the latter days of
the Roman Empire’s occupation of Britain. . .

I made every mistake in the book ('scuse the pun). Here are some of them, in no particular order:

• Changing viewpoint in a scene, randomly and confusingly
• Overwriting
• Choosing the wrong character as the protagonist
• Over egging the plot
• Resorting to the supernatural (don’t ask)
• Being pleased that I’d written 70,000 words and
• Being sure that everyone would love it, including Kate Saunders (she didn’t)

I could go on, but it’s hurting too much to remember the trauma. As you can probably guess it wasn’t long before I was forced to admit that writing a novel is slightly more challenging than writing a short story. I finally conceded that I needed help.

But where was this help to come from?

Enter Hilary Johnson.

I found an advert for her services and emailed for a chat. She was great; she understood.
She offered a full critique service which would point out my failings, and better still, make sound recommendations for fixing the problems. And she was true to her word. I soon received a comprehensive report from one of her experienced team showing me exactly where I had gone wrong, and, more importantly, also pointing out where I’d hit the mark and written some good stuff along the way. Yes, some of it was OK (!)

Of course there was a fee for Hilary’s services, but the lessons I learned more than compensated. And, critically, they are lessons learned for life that I was able to apply in future novels. Hilary’s website will tell you that she is a scout for a leading literary agent, and I can vouch for that. I was massively excited that Hilary felt able to recommend my novel to the agency and even more excited when I learned that the agent in question was seriously considering my work. As it turned out he passed by a whisper, but I nevertheless was hugely uplifted to know that an agent of his calibre had spent a week over the decision making process and that he had very nearly taken me on.

You can reach Hilary at http://www.hilaryjohnson.com/ and do send her my regards.

Advice with plenty of laughs

I can’t leave you without mentioning another inspirational lady, Celia Brayfield. Her book, ‘Bestseller - Secrets of Successful Writing’ is entertainment with a capital E in its own right. I can honestly say it has been my most useful and thumbed resource. 'Bestseller' is a tonic when you feel inspiration has deserted you and the book is a kick up the bum when you’re just feeling plain sorry for yourself (and we authors all feel that way sometimes, huh?)

You can find Celia’s excellent advice here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bestseller-Secrets-Successful-Celia-Brayfield/dp/1857023838

Writing update

Well, here I am with a week in Yorkshire ahead of me and a break from writing. But you guys have no such excuse, so crack on with that novel! If you fancy a curl up with a good book after all that hard work,
 
‘The Trespass’,  my archaeological blockbuster (!) is now available in Kindle format  - at last!

UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trespass-Scott-Hunter/dp/0956151000

US:   http://www.amazon.com/The-Trespass-ebook/dp/B004URVAG2/ref=sr_1_cc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302271355&sr=1-1-catcorr

'The Trespass' is currently priced at $3.45. What a deal! Check out the Amazon reviews via the UK page (a huge thanks to all my readers for the five star reviews!) and don’t forget to Twitter your comments about the novel using hashtag #fridayreads, on a friday, natch.

'The Ley Lines of Lushbury', a fantasy adventure for children which was longlisted for the Times/Chicken House Children's novel competition last year is available via Amazon as well:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ley-Lines-Lushbury-Scott-Hunter/dp/144615713X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294500319&sr=1-1

‘Silent Order’ which I mentioned in my last post, is undergoing editing at present for a Kindle Autumn release.

Promise I'll shrink these long and rather ugly URLs next time. Honest.

Have a sunny weekend!