Tag Archives: writer

🏃🏻‍♀️How Following Athletes on Social Media Turned Me Into a Motivated Writer #MondayBlogs #writer

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For years, my social media feed has been a stream of writing advice, trending writer quotes and hacks on how to write more words. I have followed countless authors and writing coaches. I have spent hours celebrating their book successes, admiring their book covers, and appreciating their writing practices.

One day over the summer, I found myself spending more time scrolling through their feeds looking for motivation to write, but I wasn’t actually writing.

So, I made an odd decision. I started following professional athletes and filling up my social media feeds with their training vlogs. I still followed the authors, but I shifted my focus.

In my youth, I was a long-distance runner, so watching athletes train for the 800m and 1500m events felt like reconnecting with that younger version of myself. I started following GB athletes like Keely Hodgkinson, Georgia Hunter-Bell, Laura Muir and Jemma Reekie. I also followed American sprinters such as Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

I began watching their training vlogs on YouTube and their Insta reels, where they discuss discipline and the mental battles they face. I admired their physical dedication, the way they tracked progress, and their calm acceptance of failure as part of the growth process. I admired them for showing up to train in the pouring rain, the suffocating heat, and the times when they faced personal issues off the track. They persevered through the training despite the challenges.

Soon, something shifted inside me.

Athletes made me view discipline in a new light. Watching athletes train reframed discipline for me. They don’t just “feel like” going to training, they go because that’s who they are. Their discipline isn’t glamorous; it’s about repetition, consistency, and patience, in all weathers. Writing is not glamorous. I write books, and they often feel like marathons. My books require me to show up regularly, not when I feel like it.

Progress became about progress, not about perfection. Athletes celebrate small milestones, such as shaving off a second or two, achieving a better sprint, overcoming the little things in the finish, and improving their running style. I started celebrating the little wins with my writing. It became less about the outcome and more about the process.

The power of training. I have started viewing my writing sessions as my own form of training with adequate periods of rest afterwards. Instead of searching for motivation, I have begun building discipline. Instead of waiting for creativity to strike, I have trained for it.

Writing is a sport of endurance and a test of patience and mental toughness. It’s about showing every day and trusting that repetition makes us stronger.

📔 The Surprising Writing Tool I Didn’t Expect: A Gratitude Journal #mondayblogs #writingcommunity

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On Friday, I announced on social media that I am represented by Intersaga Literary Agency.

It has taken me a year to find someone who believes in me and my work.

During my year of querying, I wrote a book and rewrote another, queried numerous agents, and received a range of responses, some positive and some not so much.

Through all this, I kept a gratitude journal.

I have never kept a gratitude journal before. I never believed in them, until I heard this phrase, when you start appreciating the good, the good gets better. No idea where it came from but it was linked to a post on gratitude.

I am sitting here, flicking through my gratitude journal, and I think this has been a surprising writing tool for me. I am grateful to it because I believe it kept me sane and kept me focused.

Keeping a gratitude journal shifted my mindset. With my writing I focused on progress and not perfection. Every word written became something to celebrate. I am looking at the page where I drew stars and hearts after giving thanks for 1,567 words.

I even celebrated the rejections. They were medals of honour. I had been brave and taken a risk. Despite being hard to write, I thanked the universe for each rejection, and I thanked the agent too.

If the rejection had been received within twelve hours, I thanked the agent for their promptness in redirecting me.

One agent mentioned that even though she was rejecting me, my query had made her snort with laughter a few times. That, for me, was a small win, and I gave thanks for her honesty.

The big thing was that I thanked myself for showing up when life outside of writing was tough. The act of doing this was powerful. I gave thanks to myself for getting words down on paper when there was a giant hole in my kitchen ceiling and water coming through, when I had an allergic reaction and my face went bright red for days, when I was going through a challenging time at work and when my kids were going through difficult episodes in their lives.

My gratitude journal has become a writing habit and a mindset practice.

Sometimes the best writing tools aren’t the fancy ones we expect – they’re the ones that remind us to notice what’s already working.

Do you keep a gratitude journal?

If you want to learn more about me click here

🐶 The Benefits of Adding Pets When Writing Romance Books 💖 #MondayBlogs #WritingCommunity

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There’s something magical about a good romance book —the spark, the tension, the swoony happily-ever-after. But you know what makes it even better? A wagging tail, a judgy cat, or even a diva of a parrot chiming in at the wrong moment.

🐈 Whether it’s a loyal dog, a mischievous cat, or even a naughty hamster, animals can do more than create some comedy moments. Pets become catalysts for character development and drive your plot forward.

Here’s why adding pets to your romance books works:

  1. 🐾 Instant Relatability
    Most readers either have pets or have fond memories of them. Including a dog curled at a heroine’s feet or a cat demanding attention mid-conversation creates a moment of recognition. Those little details make your book’s world feel grounded and familiar.
  2. 🐶 Revealing Character Traits
    How a character interacts with an animal speaks volumes. A patient hero who adopts a rescue dog shows compassion. A heroine who spoils her cat reveals her nurturing side. Even a character who struggles with a pet can highlight flaws, growth arcs, or hidden softness beneath a prickly exterior.
  3. 🐈‍⬛ Natural Icebreakers and Plot Devices
    Pets can help two characters meet or reconnect—think of the classic “dog-walking encounter” in the park. They also create organic reasons for repeated interaction: pet-sitting, vet visits, or a runaway animal who keeps bringing two people together.
  4. 🦜Adding Humour and Lightness
    Romantic tension often benefits from levity. A cat knocking over a wine glass at the wrong moment, or a dog interrupting a kiss by jumping onto the couch, adds warmth and laughter without derailing the story.
  5. 🐕 Emotional Anchors
    Pets embody unconditional love. They can comfort characters through heartbreak, loneliness, or self-doubt, reflecting themes of loyalty and devotion. A pet’s presence often mirrors the growing bond between the romantic leads, offering a symbolic thread through the narrative.
  6. 🐱 Expanding the World
    Animals naturally expand a character’s circle. Dog parks, vet clinics, pet stores, or animal rescues all provide new backdrops and opportunities for character interaction, giving writers more variety in setting and pacing.
  7. 🐭 Building Reader Investment
    Readers often become just as attached to the fictional pet as they do to the main characters. That extra bond deepens emotional stakes, making the story more memorable and engaging.

    In romance, every detail matters—especially those that reveal heart. By weaving pets into the storyline, authors don’t just add charm; they enrich character depth, heighten emotional stakes, and create moments of humour and relatability that resonate long after the final page. 🐶🐾❤️

Here’s my latest book: The Christmas Dog Sitters – Humphrey the mischievous spaniel is the star of my book ❤️

Find out more about me and dog – click here for cute dog pics

📚 How To Survive Comparing Your Unfinished Draft Novel to a Successful Author’s Bestseller #MondayBlogs

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Here are the stages of comparing your unfinished draft to a successful author’s bestselling novel:

Reading euphoria. Your favourite author’s latest book is hard to put down. You haven’t surfaced for food, drink, or some basic form of interaction with another human being for most of the day.  Their book is AMAZING.

As you reach a juicy bit in the book, you get a rush of what can only be described as reading euphoria.

Panic. During this intense spell, you become aware of a helpful little voice inside you saying, ‘You couldn’t write anything like this’.

You start to think about what the little voice said. You place the book in your lap as a dark cloud of writer’s doubt passes over you.

In a panic, you glance at the pile of papers making up your unfinished draft novel. It’s taken you months to reach this stage, and the project is not even finished. Up until you read this book, you thought your draft novel was pretty awesome.

Comparison Hell. You enter what can only be described as a form of writer comparison hell.

Your mind starts to unpick your draft whilst replaying the amazing bits of the book that you are reading back to you.

The helpful little voice returns and gives a handy running commentary on:

– how your draft does not have this author’s engaging tone

– your draft does not contain the plot twists that this author’s book possesses

– your draft does not have the amazing characters which bring this author’s book to life.

You reach out for a box of tissues. All those loving feelings for your draft novel are washed away with your tears.

Gigantic cloud of self-doubt. After some careful consideration, you decide that the best thing all round will be for you to…quit writing. You could never come up with something as good as this book.

There is no hope for you so why put yourself through anymore misery?  

The literary dream is over.

STOP!

Your successful author’s book has been through NUMEROUS revisions. It will have been changed, edited and rewritten a LOT before it hit the shelves. It has been polished so much, the damn thing shines!

Your draft hasn’t, and more importantly, it’s still not finished.

Your draft is still at the ‘ugly duckling’ phase. All draft novels go through this stage.

Your successful author’s book even went through the unfinished draft stage and probably looked nothing like what it does today.

Behind every great book on sale are hours, days, months and in some cases years of hard work.

So, how do you learn to survive this?

  • Make notes on what made their book so good. Use this insight to feed into your own work.
  • Read book acknowledgments more. This is where an author documents their struggle, pain and journey to publication. If you read these you will see that the journey to a published bestselling novel is long and arduous.
  • Take out an old project you wrote a few years ago and compare your current draft. Look at how far you have progressed. This is the comparison we should all be doing.

Keep writing and finish your book!

💖 My First RNA Event – RNA Summer Fling 2025

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This was my FIRST RNA (Romantic Novelists Association) and my first writing conference event in a long time. It’s very easy as a writer to lock yourself away and hang out with your laptop and extensive notebook collection. I have been guilty of this so 2025 is about getting out of my cave.

Friday: I got the train from Newport to Birmingham. It was very hot and I prayed my deodorant lived up to its marketing promises. I did not need to be let down by my deodorant at my first event.

Met my local RNA Chapter on the train – The Cariad Chapter and we all travelled together which was nice. Got to Birmingham and we all stayed at the Premier Inn. It was so hot on Friday but this hotel room’s AIR CON was on top of its game.

I was invited to the Cariad Chapter’s meal on Friday evening which was nice. I wore a green jumpsuit to the meal and prayed my bladder would not get excited as jumpsuits are not easy to wriggle out of in the loo. The meal was a giggle, the food was lovely and it was nice to chat books. Luckily my bladder behaved itself and there was no sweaty wrestle in the loo.

Saturday

I started fan girling early and this was me with my author heroine – Sue Moorcroft near the coffee machines at breakfast.

Got to the event which was held at The Grand Hotel ❤️

Really beautiful venue and the pastries were fab.

Now…10 years ago I met this lovely blogger at a blogging event. The one and only Ritu from her fabulous blog which I follow. Look how young and fresh faced we are!

Here we are 10 years later at the RNA event and I got to sit next to her 📚❤️ She has got younger so I was asking her for her eternal youth secret.

We sat next to author Laila Rafi who is lovely and we had a fantastic group exercise together.

It was such a beautiful room – look at that ceiling ❤️❤️

Then I met another friendly face from 10 years ago – the legendary Shelley Wilson ❤️

Had a great chat with Shelley about all the things blogging has taught us for this world of romance writing.

The author below is Fiona Lucas and she’s a whiz on TikTok as well as writing fabulous books.

The WordPress blogging girlies had a selfie ❤️

I met two authors who are also with my current publisher Bloodhound Books. I should have got selfies but was too busy chatting. Hello Georgia Hill and Nicola Knight.

I met a fabulous author – Katy Summer who has an audiobook out and we had a giggle about writing spicy scenes.

I write with the door closed right now (no 🌶️ for me) however Katy has basically removed the door (🌶️🌶️🌶️ ) and I was asking her how I open my door 🤣 🚪

I also had a laugh with Coco Elliot about the same topic.

It was a fabulous event and the talks were so informative and funny.

My only regret – not enough selfies. Too much chatting!

It has inspired me to get writing 📚

Learn more about me here

📝 10 Things That Helped Me Revise My Draft Novel

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On Friday, I finished revising my latest draft novel. I think this novel has added a few more grey hairs and definitely a new wrinkle or two. I have now sent it to someone important (will tell you more in September – high-pitched squeal), and I can start writing my next book, which is desperate to get my attention.

I wanted to document the things that have helped me get through the revision of my draft novel, because it hasn’t been easy and I need some sympathy….

This book was planned out last year, and I wrote a messy short first draft last year. I rewrote it in April and May. So, the revision I have just done is the third draft.

  1. Feedback. I used a professional novel critique service (Elspells), which is one I have used before. There was a cost, but I trust Ellie, and even though her feedback was painful at times, I know she wants to see my draft novel improve and be the best version it can be.
  2. Post Feedback Emotional Breakdown. This was needed. I had to grieve for the old version of my draft novel, and I had to say goodbye to a character and a few storylines. For this, I needed a box of tissues, chocolate and my dog to hug me.
  3. Pocket Notebook. I found that new ideas for my revision didn’t come to me when I was sitting at my desk. They arrived while I was on the train, the bus or in the car. They appeared in the supermarket or shopping for clothes, and at the coffee machine at work. Carrying this notebook around with me has been useful.
  4. Shelved Novels. I have written 12 complete novels, and I have 6 half-finished, shelved novels. Only 5 of the 12 have been published, so I have a lot of characters, plots, and settings that didn’t work the first time but could be extracted and used in this new book. So, I went on a scavenger hunt through my old files.
  5. Junk Journalling. When I wasn’t writing, I was junk journalling, and this has proved useful as it is a great stress reliever for me. I think my brain needs a few creative outlets to work on. There is something magical about sitting down with glue, journal material, stickers, scraps of junk, and a blank journal.
  6. Kitchen dancing. Dancing whilst revising is a must. The kitchen at night became my dance floor, and let me tell you – I got creative with my arms and legs! A clap combined with a high leg kick is good for writer’s block. Just be careful you have no hot pans on the stove.
  7. Painful changes first. I worked on the painful modifications first. It was tough.
  8. Spreadsheet. I set up a revision spreadsheet, listed all my changes and ticked them off as I went.
  9. Red lipstick. I wore red lipstick as I made the big changes, like removing characters. It’s a power move.
  10. Read a different genre. I switched to non-fiction books while I was revising. I find that if you read the same genre you will find the book you are reading appearing on the page.

Revising your draft novel is tough, and it is a long, dark tunnel but you must keep moving.

Never lose hope and keep writing.

Learn more about me here

📚 The Lies I Am Telling Myself About My Recent Notebook Purchases

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My lifelong notebook addiction is over, readers (Lie 1 🤣). I thought I’d pop in here and tell you that I won’t be buying any new notebooks from now on (Lie 2).

I have purchased two new leather notebooks. One pocket-sized, which can go in my handbag, and one A5-sized, which will be my writing notebook. As these notebooks contain refills and they also allow me to insert other refills, I won’t need to buy any new notebooks.

Ignore my judgy Harris – the brass hare, in the photo. Harris knows nothing about my notebook addiction.

These notebooks whispered to me, ‘You’re the kind of woman who writes important thoughts.’

With these beautiful notebooks I won’t have that worry about spoiling them. I mean, I have had them a week or so, and both are still empty, but the ideas will soon start flooding, and they will be well used in no time (Lie 3).

I don’t need lots of notebooks in life. I can work on 2 maximum. (Lie 4).

Up until now buying a new notebook has been my go-to response at the sign of a life problem. Whenever my life has chucked a curve ball at me I will pop out and buy a notebook, These new notebooks will stop this. (Lie 5)

Big ideas are coming, readers. My new notebooks and I are ready for them.

I can’t wait to update you all on….my failed attempts at not buying anymore new notebooks 🤣

Harris the brass hare needs to stop giving me judgy looks as I sit here and stroke my new notebooks.

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😳 Sliding Door Moments: How To Nail Alternate Reality Plots

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Have you ever wondered what would have happened if… You had turned down that job, stayed with that love interest, gone travelling instead of going to university, or taken a different life path?

Would you love to glimpse at what I refer to as the road not taken?

I am reflecting on the crossroads in my life and the roads I didn’t take;

What would have happened if, at seventeen, I had stayed with the handsome lifeguard who was great to look at but didn’t talk much? When he did talk (not that often) it was one maybe two word type answers. I couldn’t cope with the lengthy silences…

What would have happened if I had not gone to university and remained a till girl in the teenage clothing department of C&A?

What would have happened if I had self published my first ever novel – a space romcom which defied the laws of science but was like – Bridget Jones in space – and I had become famous because of it? Plus the famous scene where they are doing saucy things whilst passing by the rings of Saturn would be like a legendary film clip.

My mind is boggling.

There are lots of good examples of alternate reality stories. In one of my favourite books, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, Nora steps into a library filled with books representing different versions of her life. She gets to glimpse at the roads she didn’t take in life. In the film Sliding Doors, Gwyneth Paltrow’s character misses or catches a train, leading to two different life outcomes.

I love how small moments can have a profound impact on your life; the text message you didn’t send, the bus or train you missed, the party invite you declined or the notebook you didn’t buy – the one which you would have taken to a writer conference and as you proudly waved it about you would have caught the eye of someone significant (my notebook addiction coming through here – sorry).

Can you imagine being able to see what would have happened if you had got on the bus or gone to the party?

Why do we love these types of stories? I suppose they tap into deeper emotions, such as regret and curiosity, and they make us ask whether there is such a thing as destiny? Or is everything down to chance?

Here are some things to consider when writing stories where the character gets to see an alternate reality:

  • What lesson is the alternate reality TEACHING your character? It’s not about how things could have been; it is about what the character needed to LEARN.
  • Think about why your story needs alternate realities. It is a tool and it must be used to explore a character’s inner journey. It’s not just a gimmick.
  • Think about what your character will think by the end? How has it changed them?
  • Don’t go alternate reality crazy. Limit the number.

Good Luck …

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💻 Let’s Start a New Blogging Chapter

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This little blog has been trying to get my attention for sometime. For months it has been tugging at my virtual coat tails. It is persistent, I will give it that, and it was not put off by my excuses: too busy, too tired, have not consumed enough sugar and need to wait for blogging inspiration . It didn’t care about those.

So, here I am at the start of a new blogging chapter.

What’s been happening in my creative life? I had five contemporary romance books published, and then… something beautiful (see below) came into my life and I wrote a funny and heartfelt romance novel with a speculative twist (enemies to lovers in the afterlife). It didn’t go anywhere, but it unlocked something inside me.

I got so much enjoyment from writing that book (I even enjoyed editing it) that I decided to write more of these sorts of romances. These are love stories where I add a sprinkle of fantastical, supernatural or futuristic subplots. In simple terms my new stories couldn’t exist in reality, as something about the world I have created is fundamentally different.

I have tried to get my writing brain to return to contemporary romance, but it refuses and keeps serving me these weird but delicious love stories. Writing has become a joy again, and I have found a part of me that I never knew existed. There’s something liberating and satisfying about this new journey.

I blame my new antique Gothic writing bureau. Isn’t she beautiful? My husband found her on a second-hand church furniture website.

She’s giving me strong female energy and has done so since she arrived in a van…during a thunderstorm. She is such a diva and I love how she made a dramatic entrance into my writing life.

Ever since she arrived, all these fabulous wild and wacky new love story ideas appeared in my brain. I can’t write the stuff I used to write. It’s as if she slammed the door shut to contemporary romance and yanked opened a new one.

So, if you have ever wondered where I am, I am sitting at my antique Gothic bureau writing love stories which combine my love of all things weird. I am also hiding secrets in all of her little drawers.

I do wonder whether my Gothic writing bureau is possessed and is channelling all sorts of weird stuff through me. If this is the case you need to remember this blog post 🤣

Oh, and I am going to start blogging about all things weird and wonderful. I am going to write about things that blow my creative mind: time slips, synchronicities, special gifts (not the type wrapped up in pretty paper and a bow) and the unexplained.

My Gothic writing bureau and I both say hello and thank you for reading.

Until next week 🙂

Learn more about me here

✉️ The Role of Love Letters in Romance Stories #Romance

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I have been busy working on book 4 where the main characters used to date as teenagers and write each other love letters.

Does anyone remember sending handwritten letters or even better receiving them? I used to cover mine in doodles – flowers, hearts etc and maybe the odd – T.L.N.D (true love never dies) and S.W.A.L.K (sealed with a loving kiss).

Love letters / romantic post-it notes / romance text messages/ romantic emails serve multiple purposes, enriching the narrative in various ways:

Intimacy and Connection: Love letters provide a glimpse into the intimate thoughts and feelings of the characters. They allow readers to witness the depth of emotions shared between the protagonists, fostering a stronger connection between them and the story.

Romantic Gestures: Love letters often serve as romantic gestures within the storyline, showcasing the effort and thoughtfulness of one character towards another. This can heighten the romance and create memorable moments for readers.

Character Development: The content and style of the love letters can reveal insights into the characters’ personalities, backgrounds, and motivations. Through their writing, characters may expose vulnerabilities, desires, and fears, deepening readers’ understanding of them.

Plot Advancement: Love letters can drive the plot forward by conveying important information, such as hidden feelings, secrets, or conflicts. They may serve as catalysts for character decisions and actions, influencing the direction of the story.

Historical Context: In historical romance novels, love letters can provide historical context and authenticity, reflecting the communication norms and societal expectations of the time period. They offer readers a window into the past and enhance the setting of the story.

Anticipation and Suspense: The exchange of love letters can create anticipation and suspense as characters await each other’s responses, heightening the emotional tension and keeping readers engaged in the unfolding romance.

Overall, love letters serve as powerful literary devices in romance books, enhancing the emotional depth, character development, and overall storytelling experience for readers.

Here’s some tips:

  • Be specific. Mention the ‘little things’ – the way they make you laugh, the moment you knew they were special.
  • Show vulnerability. Let the character reveal their fears, hopes and desires. Vulnerability makes the letter more moving and initmate.
  • Use sensory details. Describe how they feel, sound, taste and smell.
  • Stay true to the character.

Learn more about me.