When I started writing ‘Beltane’, my first novel, I had plenty of enthusiasm but not much clue as to how to go about it. I bought ‘how to write books’ and followed them to the letter but I still felt as if I was on a journey without a roadmap. Things got easier when I joined the New Writers Scheme of the Romantic Novelists Association in 2013 and met a group of writers who were on the same journey as me. I will forever be grateful to my New Writers Scheme reader whose report was positive, constructive and gave me the confidence to share my book with the world.
In the years since I wrote ‘Beltane’, I’ve written and published two other novels as Alys West and am working on a fourth. I’ve also been on a wider journey to understand the theories behind writing and how stories work. I gained an MA in creative writing from York St John University. I’ve taught creative writing to adult education and community groups in colleges, universities, museums and libraries. I’ve learned the importance of building confidence and sparking inspiration and as well as teaching the skills required to write a novel.
On these pages is advice that I’ve put together based on my experience as a writer as well as the questions I get asked repeatedly as a creative writing tutor. Before you read them (or watch them) I just want to say that there’s no one right way to write a novel. You need to find what works for you. If anything I’ve said helps then great but if it doesn’t then that’s okay too.
Resources:
- Creating Compelling Characters;
- How to find your Character’s Voice:
- Six Steps to Writing Sizzling Dialogue.
Recommended books:
These are some of the books I’ve found most helpful on my writing journey:
Into the Woods by John Yorke – I recommend this to everyone as it is brilliant. Written for scriptwriters (but extremely useful for novelists too) it investigates how and why stories work. Introducing the key concepts of narrative structure this book explains, clearly and with lots of pop culture examples, how to get them to work in your manuscript.
The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogel – This is also about structure but Vogel approaches it based on the ideas developed by Joseph Campbell. As Campbell’s work was based on myth and legend, The Writer’s Journey can be especially helpful for fantasy writers.
Steering the Craft by Ursula K Le Guin – A wonderfully clear introduction to the basics of writing with chapters on all of the key areas. I found this an invaluable help when I was starting out.
How to Write a Damn Good Novel by James N. Frey – Frey doesn’t mince his words and I love the directness of his style. To be honest, this book is probably more useful if you’re writing suspense or crime than romantic fiction but still worth a read.
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg – I love this book. It made me believe I had something worth saying. It’s not going to teach you how to write a novel but it might spark the inspiration that makes you believe you’ve got a story to tell.
Green Man Words 