What are common traps for aspiring writers?

Staying too subjective – once you have finished your first draft, you need to be able to edit it objectively. It’s a very difficult mental switch, but essential.

Linking in to that point, submitting to agents or self-publishing too soon is a common mistake – it’s very difficult, especially with your first book, to know when it’s really finished and ready to send out into the world. Beta readers are essential – either a writing group where you can swap manuscripts or readings for honest critique, and friends who will be honest with you – and you can’t hold their feedback against them!

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Just write. Don’t worry about the finished product or whether it will be any good. Just write your stories. You’ll work out the rest later.

What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?

Understanding their point of view, and not putting my frustrations with a partner on to my fictional characters.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

Assuming my health does not slow me down (I live with a chronic pain & fatigue condition), I mull over a new book for a year or two while I’m working on current projects, making a few notes and developing the idea. When I’ve finished the book I’m already writing, I’ll start the detailed research for the next one – about 4-6 months – then the writing usually takes another 4-6 months. I do edit as I write, but then spend another month or two on polishing the manuscripts, while also having two independent editors going over it. I usually have 3-4 books on the go at once in various stages of thinking, research and writing, with more ideas queuing up to be heard.

Do you believe in writer’s block?

Not being able to write is so frustrating, but I’ve found that spending hours in front of a blank screen or blank paper doesn’t help. There is usually a reason the words aren’t flowing – I’ve either gone down the wrong track and my characters are taking a break until I realize it and get back to their actual story, or something happens later on in the book that I haven’t yet plotted, and I need to realize it.

When this happens, I’ll write the question, ‘What happens next?, How does ——— get from this point to that point?’ Then I’ll focus on something else, other characters, later chapters and/or another book I’m thinking through, this frees up the subconscious which will working away to answer the questions I’ve asked, and after a few days (or occasionally a few minutes!) I’ll know exactly why I had to pause, and then the words will flood out once more.