Clebs

Congrats @johnalty and @elle – that’s great news and I’ll keep fingers crossed for teh next stage – when is the short list announced?

I do too. I’m really annoyed with myself for not entering the last one. I had an idea and half the words down but I ran out of time…

Congratulations @Johnalty. Lovely news!

Nice… my kind of prompt.

Thanks so much, guys. Good advice @bren on the pacing! SO important.

I’ll let you know how the next phase goes…..

Brilliant – thanks John and well done Jonathan, a tour-de-force of purple prose

@philippaeast this is brilliant. You are fab, and you deserve all this success. And like Daeds says, it is so valuable to see the non-glossy version of people’s experiences, although I know it takes bravery to tell it. There are too many stories from authors who knew someone who knew an agent and tada! they were taken on, so it is heartening to…[Read more]

I think you’re right to be absolutely honest and not gloss over the difficulties and how emotionally taxing success can be. As writers we need to hear it and be under no illusions (and I think it would be nice if readers were a bit more aware of that too – a fellow writer and illustrator tells me his daughter’s friends refuse to accept that’s what…[Read more]

Thanks guys!

I think I am like the “doom-monger” blogger. I read so many articles that are like “the whole thing was amazing and I felt thrilled the whole time” and I’m like… “really??”

Alright, so I am a born worrier and totally neurotic, but I do want to share an honest account of the challenges that come, even when on paper what’s…[Read more]

Fascinating but daunting. So glad for you that it turned out so well, but anyone reading this who believes they’ll have it made once they’ve got an agent is really going to have their eyes opened. But we need to know what we’re up against, so thanks for posting this. And, again, congratulations.

Wow, what a ride! Really illuminating blog. This stuff is difficult, isn’t it? Sounds as though you made absolutely the right choice. Heart/gut has to inform head in these circumstances. Loved reading about it, looking forward to the next stage

It is such an emotional rollercoaster, isn’t it? So glad you came out of it on a high – well deserved. Really happy it’s all come together for you. x

Happy vicarious dancing down here! Congratulations and so well deserved 😊

Hooray hooray HOORAY!! You deserve this so much, for your amazing perseverance, your all round kindness and your writing (looking forward to reading this!). So very happy for you 😘🍾🥂💕

Ahead

I cannot look ahead.

There is no ahead. There is only now, and I can’t handle it. He is tearing up the carpet. Chomping the furniture. Treating my arm as a chew toy.

And he’s there. Always. Always having to be watched. Placated. Fed. I am tiptoeing around the edge of my own life. If I slip I will fall off.

Virtually the only place tha…[Read more]