Lucy Mitchell's Blog, page 47

The 5 Essential ‘Abilities’ of the Romantic Hero – Guest Post by @EllaHayesAuthor #Writers #Romance

Oh my goodness I have such a blog post for you!

Mills and Boon Author Ella Hayes is here to talk about the essential abilities of the romantic hero. I always fall madly in love with Ella Hayes’s male characters and to me she’s the queen of creating sexy male heroes. Her latest character Zach Merrill, from Italian Summer with the Single Dad, made me throw out my new year’s resolution about not getting carried away with fancying fictional hunks and don’t get me started on her character, Cormac from Her Brooding Scottish Heir.

I am a hot mess before this post has even started so let’s quickly hand over to Ella Hayes. 

Hello, here are my essential hero attributes:

Likeability

When it comes to writing romantic heroes, first on my list of essential hero attributes is likeability. I don’t mean that the hero has to be the life and soul of the party or that he can’t be flawed (more on that later), but there has to be an immediate sense that whatever he’s projecting outwardly, he’s nevertheless a “good ‘un”. In the 50,000-word novellas I write for Mills and Boon, early reader engagement is essential. One way of achieving that is through writing both the heroine and the hero’s point of view alternately. It keeps the reader up to speed with what both characters are thinking, and so even if the hero’s demeanour is cool and reserved (as Cormac Buchanan’s is in Her Brooding Scottish Heir) the reader soon understands the reasons for that. I always love writing the hero’s POV, by the way. All that digging around in the male psyche—such fun!

Credibility

Second on my list of hero essentials is credibility. Alexander Pope said: “to err is human [… to forgive is divine”] and so, to be properly relatable a hero needs to have some flaws. But, in a heart-warming romance, the hero’s flaws should never undermine his likeability. He can’t do anything that will alienate the reader and so often, the hero’s perceived “flaws” are actually a reflection of his internal struggle or conflict. In the movie, Love Actually, Andrew Lincoln keeps his best friend’s new bride, Keira Knightly at arms’ length, not because he doesn’t like her, but because he’s in love with her. “It’s a self-preservation thing,” he tells her when she finally cottons on … and then there’s the totally heart-melting scene where he stands silently on the doorstep with his cue cards, “without hope or agenda” declaring his undying love for her as his ghetto blaster plays Silent Night. He only gets a kiss, but his status as a romantic hero is affirmed in those few moments.

Nobility

Nobility is another important hero-attribute, but I’m not talking about high-birth. For me, a true hero has to have a noble nature. He’s spontaneously selfless, sacrificing his own dreams and desires for those he loves, or perhaps he’s been robbed of the chance to “do the right thing” and is consequently burdened with guilt. He may not find his noble decisions and choices easy to live with—he’s only human after all—but in spite of any misgivings, he remains steadfast, loyal and true … the proverbial knight in shining armour. (Fact check: are there actually any proverbs about knights in shining armour?) In my forthcoming release, Unlocking the Tycoon’s Heart, my hero Theo is supremely steadfast … and believe me, it makes him a heavyweight in the hero stakes.

Vulnerability

For me, the other “must have” for any self-respecting romantic hero is vulnerability. Why? Because it’s the chink in his armour (sticking with the shining knight theme) through which the heroine will slip. The hero’s vulnerability is the base camp of his emotional journey, the route to his salvation and his happy ever after. In Italian Summer with the Single Dad, when the hero takes the heroine to the Ravello bar where he plays classical guitar one evening a week, he’s trusting her with a private side of himself, giving her a glimpse of his shelved ambitions. Unsurprisingly, this moment is pivotal to the way things unfold …

F***ability

You will notice that so far, I haven’t mentioned appearance and that’s because the hero’s gorgeousness or f***-ability (sorry, Mum!) is a given, and will almost certainly be the first thing the heroine notices about him. But for the story to truly resonate, the hero must engage all of his heroic “abilities” to procure his own and his heroine’s happy ever after, and to leave the reader sighing blissfully when the curtain falls.

Huge thanks to Ella for this wonderful post.

I need to go lie down in a darkened room and listen to soothing whale music…

#BookLaunch #BookReview Marriage Unarranged @RituBhathal #Romance #ChickpeaCurryLit

I am ridiculously PROUD to be part of the team for the LAUNCH OF THIS WONDERFUL AUTHOR’s DEBUT ROMANCE NOVEL – Marriage Unarranged.

Oh my goodness what an honour!

I was one of the beta readers for this FAB book and this is such a gorgeous debut.

So proud of you, Ritu!

Congrats from all of us at BlondeWriteMore

5 Things Your Female Character Needs To Have – Guest Post by Author @zoe_writes #Romcom #MondayBlogs

If you write romcoms or are mulling over a romcom story idea this post is for you.

I am thrilled to have Zoe May on my blog. She’s a romcom queen to me and I can’t believe she’s written me a wonderful guest post.

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Photo taken from https://www.zoemayauthor.co.uk

Zoe May is the author of four romantic comedy novels, published by HQ Digital, HarperCollins.

Her debut, Perfect Match, about online dating, was an iBooks bestseller.

Zoe is currently working on her fifth novel, Flying Solo, which she is self-publishing this summer.

So I am going to hand over to Zoe May *squeal*

Hi, here are five things I believe your female character needs to have.

Flaws

I’ve read a few rom coms recently where the main character is practically Mother Theresa and it really annoys me! I strongly believe that characters don’t need to be perfect in order to appeal to readers. Some of my favourite rom com heroines, like Becky Bloomwood from Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series, are flawed. Becky is completely materialistic, a little shallow, a bit self-involved and pretty misguided, but that’s what makes her interesting and relatable.

None of us are perfect and when I read about an overly nice character in a rom com, it feels like a likeability box ticking exercise by the author. The heroine ends up seeming fake and the execution feels forced. I like writing characters with flaws because I’m flawed and so is everyone. Flawed characters feel more real and as a result, they’re more engaging to write about. Giving your character flaws also gives them an opportunity for growth throughout the book. My debut, Perfect Match, is about a woman who has a very superficial attitude to dating, looking for a rich, handsome, successful man, and the story is about how she changes and grows and realises what’s really important in a partner. Her growth drives the story forward.

Friends

Your heroine has to be relatable and fairly likeable (in spite of her flaws), and relatable and likeable people tend to have friends. Including scenes featuring your main character’s friends will show us more about her as a person and will move the story forward as her friends may encourage her to make certain decisions. For example, in my current novel, Flying Solo, my heroine’s best friend supports her decision to embark on a trip to India to win her boyfriend back after he dumps her to jet off on a self-discovery mission.

Your character’s interactions with her friends can provide good opportunities for humour too. I love writing funny dialogue between best mates.

Not too much baggage

While I think main characters should have flaws, I think there are limits to how much baggage heroines should have. Rom coms offer readers escapism. The world is a messed-up place and when we pick up a book with a bright happy cover and a chirpy blurb, we don’t want to be reading about dark themes like death, abuse, rape, violence, war, terrorism or whatever else. We want to be cheered up, not depressed! I steer clear of anything too dark. My heroines tend to have had pretty decent lives. It may not be totally realistic as terrible things do happen to lovely people in real life, but I think it’s best to keep that kind of thing off the page when it comes to rom com.

A good heart

I’ve mentioned that I think main characters need to have flaws in order to feel human and relatable, but that being said, in the genre of rom com, your main character definitely needs to have a good heart. She may be misguided at times, she may make mistakes and screw things up, but ultimately, she must be a decent person. Rom coms are meant to be uplifting and stories about bitchy girls tend not to be. If you want to write about an antagonist, write a thriller!

Humour

Your main character has to be funny. Her thought processes, the situations she gets herself into, her dialogue with people – she needs to be entertaining. She is the epicentre of the story so if she is not amusing, the whole book will suffer. We read rom coms partly for the “com” element after all, so she has to be humorous!

Check out Zoe’s latest book, Flying Solo, here.

 

5 Things Your Female Character Needs To Have – Guest Post by Romantic Comedy Author @zoe_writes #Romcom #Writers

If you write romcoms or are mulling over a romcom story idea this post is for you.

I am thrilled to have Zoe May on my blog. She’s a romcom queen to me and I can’t believe she’s written me a wonderful guest post.

[image error]

Photo taken from https://www.zoemayauthor.co.uk

Zoe May is the author of four romantic comedy novels, published by HQ Digital, HarperCollins.

Her debut, Perfect Match, about online dating, was an iBooks bestseller.

Zoe is currently working on her fifth novel, Flying Solo, which she is self-publishing this summer.

So I am going to hand over to Zoe May *squeal*

Hi, here are five things I believe your female character needs to have.

Flaws

I’ve read a few rom coms recently where the main character is practically Mother Theresa and it really annoys me! I strongly believe that characters don’t need to be perfect in order to appeal to readers. Some of my favourite rom com heroines, like Becky Bloomwood from Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series, are flawed. Becky is completely materialistic, a little shallow, a bit self-involved and pretty misguided, but that’s what makes her interesting and relatable.

None of us are perfect and when I read about an overly nice character in a rom com, it feels like a likeability box ticking exercise by the author. The heroine ends up seeming fake and the execution feels forced. I like writing characters with flaws because I’m flawed and so is everyone. Flawed characters feel more real and as a result, they’re more engaging to write about. Giving your character flaws also gives them an opportunity for growth throughout the book. My debut, Perfect Match, is about a woman who has a very superficial attitude to dating, looking for a rich, handsome, successful man, and the story is about how she changes and grows and realises what’s really important in a partner. Her growth drives the story forward.

Friends

Your heroine has to be relatable and fairly likeable (in spite of her flaws), and relatable and likeable people tend to have friends. Including scenes featuring your main character’s friends will show us more about her as a person and will move the story forward as her friends may encourage her to make certain decisions. For example, in my current novel, Flying Solo, my heroine’s best friend supports her decision to embark on a trip to India to win her boyfriend back after he dumps her to jet off on a self-discovery mission.

Your character’s interactions with her friends can provide good opportunities for humour too. I love writing funny dialogue between best mates.

Not too much baggage

While I think main characters should have flaws, I think there are limits to how much baggage heroines should have. Rom coms offer readers escapism. The world is a messed-up place and when we pick up a book with a bright happy cover and a chirpy blurb, we don’t want to be reading about dark themes like death, abuse, rape, violence, war, terrorism or whatever else. We want to be cheered up, not depressed! I steer clear of anything too dark. My heroines tend to have had pretty decent lives. It may not be totally realistic as terrible things do happen to lovely people in real life, but I think it’s best to keep that kind of thing off the page when it comes to rom com.

A good heart

I’ve mentioned that I think main characters need to have flaws in order to feel human and relatable, but that being said, in the genre of rom com, your main character definitely needs to have a good heart. She may be misguided at times, she may make mistakes and screw things up, but ultimately, she must be a decent person. Rom coms are meant to be uplifting and stories about bitchy girls tend not to be. If you want to write about an antagonist, write a thriller!

Humour

Your main character has to be funny. Her thought processes, the situations she gets herself into, her dialogue with people – she needs to be entertaining. She is the epicentre of the story so if she is not amusing, the whole book will suffer. We read rom coms partly for the “com” element after all, so she has to be humorous!

Check out Zoe’s latest book, Flying Solo, here.

 

Author Interview – Ritu Bhathal @RituBhathal #Books #RomanceReaders #Bookish

Ritu Bhathal’s debut romance novel, Marriage Unarranged, is being launched on 9 February. I am struggling to contain my book excitement as my blog is taking part in the go-live celebrations on Sunday and I was one of the lucky few to beta read this book.

As I think this clever lady is going to be very successful with her books, she’s already created her own genre – Chickpea Curry Lit – Chick Lit With An Indian Twist, I thought it would be nice to interview her over a chai latte.

Also when she’s famous I can say she came on my blog and get some kudos for interviewing a future star *sigh*

So, we’ve both got our chai lattes in fancy cups and Ritu’s made us some home cooked nibbles (she makes amazing cakes!) which I am struggling to stop devouring. We are ready for a natter. Let’s begin.

Ritu, welcome to BlondeWriteMore! Tell us about yourself

Well, as you know, my name is Ritu, and at this moment in time, I am days away from being a published author!

But that’s not the whole of me. I’m a British Indian woman, born in the mid-seventies to Kenyan born Indian parents who moved to Birmingham, in the early seventies. I grew up with a true smorgasbord of cultures around me, having a massive extended family already living here, and enjoying the colourful Indian traditions and culture, interspersed with trips to Kenya, and absorbing the culture there. Of course, being born here, I was also immersed in British life too. A true East/West mix, that’s me!

As a child I was sent to an all girl’s private school from the age of three all the way to the completion of my A-levels, at 17. Having such inspirational people around me, teaching me, made me want to be a teacher, which I did in fact end up becoming.

My mother is an avid reader, so I was always, and still am, found with my nose buried in a book. I do love a good book.

I studied, met my now-Hubby Dearest in my last year of university, and we planned our wedding, but not before I had a taste of a few other jobs, pre-teaching. I worked as an assistant manager in a designer clothing boutique in Kingston-Upon-Thames – an experience that, had it been available in those times, would have made for a fantastic reality show! Seriously, the customers! The stories!

Then I ended up in the bank for around 4 years. Marriage meant I relocated to Kent, and I had nine years in a marketing company, before finding my way back to the job I had actually trained to do, teaching.

In between all this, I dabbled in writing, and started a blog which pushed me to write more.

So, right now, you find me as a wife, mother to a teen and a tween, a feline fur baby, Sonu Singh and two feathered ones, Heer and Ranjha, a teacher, blogger, and writer!

Plenty of fodder for the imagination there!

 

Where did the idea for the book come from?

When I started writing this story, it was the year 2001. The working title was Wedded Stress. I was in the midst of planning my wedding and the urge to write was strong. I was entering into a perfect marriage, but what would happen if someone was all set up for the same, and things go belly up? That was the catalyst, but there was no planning at that stage. I started writing, and just wanted to see what happened. I wasn’t even sure if it would be a book length story, or just something short. (At over 86,000 words, I’m sure you will agree that it is most definitely not short!)

But life happened, and marriage, followed by trying for a family, having kids and raising them, meant that my idea languished on a floppy disk for a long while. I remember finding it, one day a couple of years after starting. I loaded it up, and thought, ‘I can do something with this.’ Hubby Dearest was most supportive, and he even bought me my first laptop so I could carry on making my dream come true. Then, it got shelved, again and when I started my blog, that was when the true writing started. When feedback from the first couple of chapters came in, I was encouraged to start writing properly, but time was a huge issue. I ended up using the month of August in 2017, to really write properly, and even used a plan. By this time, I had realised that pantsing a whole story might not be wise. It wasn’t complete, yet, but it was a real story with a beginning, a middle and I knew what the end would be.

And it got rechristened to Marriage Unarranged.

After a few months, I managed to finish it, and here we are now, in the year 2020, and I have a completed, and published book!

 

How long have you been writing?

I have always loved to write, from a young age. I was always telling stories, and when people stopped listening, I started writing them down, instead. At that time, I had no aspirations of becoming an author, but I loved the reading and writing process. I won a couple of school writing competitions and that boosted my confidence.

My real writing, I would say started around five years ago, when I became serious about something that started as a flippant comment about having a book with my name on it. I managed that, with my poetry anthology, Poetic RITUals, but it was this story that really wanted to be told that pushed me to learn more about the writing and publishing process, and finally got me to where I am today.

 

Can we expect more books from you?

I hope so, yes!

During the writing of Marriage Unarranged, many characters popped into the story, and began to want to tell their story. I had to control myself a little, but the feedback I received from beta readers hinted at the fact that they would love to read more about certain people they had met in the book.

And so, another two fiction books in the same genre, (coined Chickpea Curry Lit – Chick Lit With An Indian Twist) have been planned, focussing on other people from Marriage Unarranged. Now I just need to make the time to write them!

I have also got ideas and words for three possible children’s picture books. All I need to do is finish the rhymes for the last one, and then I need to look for an illustrator. That’s something I need to research.

Sigh. The life of an author is not just creation, but perpetual education…

Thank you, again, Lucy! I do hope your readers choose to enjoy learning about Aashi and her journey.

Marriage Unarranged.

Here’s the blurb:

Aashi’s life was all set.

Or so she thought.

Like in the Bollywood films, Ravi would woo her, charm her family and they’d get married and live happily ever after.

But then Aashi found the empty condom box…

Putting her ex-fiancé and her innocence behind her, Aashi embarks upon an enlightening journey, to another country, where vibrant memories are created, and unforgettable friendships forged.

Old images erased, new beginnings to explore.

And how can she forget the handsome stranger she meets? A stranger who’s hiding something.

If you want to check this book out here’s the info you need:

Amazon – please click here.
Ritu’s website & blog – please click here.
Here’s info on the blog tour

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In other news, on BlondeWriteMore on Thursday I have such a treat for all writers of romance. One of my FAVOURITE authors – ZOE MAY has written me a gorgeous guest post titled – 5 Things Your Female Character Needs To Have. 

I am honoured to have all these wonderful people like Ritu and Zoe wanting to come on my blog x

When Struggling With Your Writing Always Think – Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

Being a writer isn’t easy. Sometimes those good writing days can feel like a distant memory or even a rarity.

I have found that when I am struggling with my writing looking at the creative process through a different lens helps.

For noting, I’ve also found chocolate, gin & tonics and interpretative dances in my kitchen (when no one is looking) also help, but they are all for another blog post.

Here’s a different way of looking at the writing process. This has kept me going and has made me scurry back to my writing desk on several occasions.

Think Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

I believe writing can be likened to the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

Caterpillar Stage:

The caterpillar performs the same daily tasks; eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down a leaf.

You, the writer, are the caterpillar. As well as eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down your leaf, you also write, read and tweet. 

Chrysalis Stage:

Something inside the caterpillar tells it to enter a private and transformational stage of its life. This involves locking itself away in a protective shell known as the chrysalis. Within the chrysalis the caterpillar goes through great change and personal growth. It also dissolves into a gooey mess and then rebuilds itself.

Something inside of you, normally a new idea for a story, instructs you to enter a private and transformational stage of your life. This involves locking yourself away in your own chrysalis; limiting social media, setting yourself daily word count targets and thinking about what possessed you to work on such a ridiculous idea for a story. Like the caterpillar you also go through great change. I believe working on every draft of a novel changes you in some way and there’s so much personal growth happening as you are overcoming countless struggles. At the same time you are also dissolving into a gooey / emotional mess over your characters, the plot and the story in your head not resembling what’s coming out onto the page.

Butterfly Stage:

There is a period of intense struggle as the creature inside the chrysalis struggles to break free. The caterpillar has been transformed into something truly wonderful – a butterfly.

There is a period of intense struggle for you too; self-doubt, worrying what the world will think of your idea and sleepless nights just thinking about pressing send on the email containing the draft of your story. Finally you also break free and stagger out of your private place. Something wonderful has happened to you too. You have undergone your own transformation; you’ve got the first draft of a novel in your hand. You have created a new world, brought characters to life and encouraged them to step off the page. You have also changed as a writer and learnt something new about yourself.

Writing is a process and I’m afraid, like the caterpillar, we have to go through all the stages.

Wherever you are at with your writing see it as a stage. It won’t last forever and one day you will become the butterfly!

Have a good day shuffling up and down your leaf!

When Struggling With Your Writing Always Think – Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

Being a writer isn’t easy. Sometimes those good writing days can feel like a distant memory or even a rarity.

I have found that when I am struggling with my writing looking at the creative process through a different lens helps.

For noting, I’ve also found chocolate, gin & tonics and interpretative dances in my kitchen (when no one is looking) also help, but they are all for another blog post.

Here’s a different way of looking at the writing process. This has kept me going and has made me scurry back to my writing desk on several occasions.

Think Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

I believe writing can be likened to the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

Caterpillar Stage:

The caterpillar performs the same daily tasks; eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down a leaf.

You, the writer, are the caterpillar. As well as eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down your leaf, you also write, read and tweet. 

Chrysalis Stage:

Something inside the caterpillar tells it to enter a private and transformational stage of its life. This involves locking itself away in a protective shell known as the chrysalis. Within the chrysalis the caterpillar goes through great change and personal growth. It also dissolves into a gooey mess and then rebuilds itself.

Something inside of you, normally a new idea for a story, instructs you to enter a private and transformational stage of your life. This involves locking yourself away in your own chrysalis; limiting social media, setting yourself daily word count targets and thinking about what possessed you to work on such a ridiculous idea for a story. Like the caterpillar you also go through great change. I believe working on every draft of a novel changes you in some way and there’s so much personal growth happening as you are overcoming countless struggles. At the same time you are also dissolving into a gooey / emotional mess over your characters, the plot and the story in your head not resembling what’s coming out onto the page.

Butterfly Stage:

There is a period of intense struggle as the creature inside the chrysalis struggles to break free. The caterpillar has been transformed into something truly wonderful – a butterfly.

There is a period of intense struggle for you too; self-doubt, worrying what the world will think of your idea and sleepless nights just thinking about pressing send on the email containing the draft of your story. Finally you also break free and stagger out of your private place. Something wonderful has happened to you too. You have undergone your own transformation; you’ve got the first draft of a novel in your hand. You have created a new world, brought characters to life and encouraged them to step off the page. You have also changed as a writer and learnt something new about yourself.

Writing is a process and I’m afraid, like the caterpillar, we have to go through all the stages.

Wherever you are at with your writing see it as a stage. It won’t last forever and one day you will become the butterfly!

Have a good day shuffling up and down your leaf!

When Struggling With Your Writing Always Think – Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

Being a writer isn’t easy. Sometimes those good writing days can feel like a distant memory or even a rarity.

I have found that when I am struggling with my writing looking at the creative process through a different lens helps.

For noting, I’ve also found chocolate, gin & tonics and interpretative dances in my kitchen (when no one is looking) also help, but they are all for another blog post.

Here’s a different way of looking at the writing process. This has kept me going and has made me scurry back to my writing desk on several occasions.

Think Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

I believe writing can be likened to the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

Caterpillar Stage:

The caterpillar performs the same daily tasks; eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down a leaf.

You, the writer, are the caterpillar. As well as eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down your leaf, you also write, read and tweet. 

Chrysalis Stage:

Something inside the caterpillar tells it to enter a private and transformational stage of its life. This involves locking itself away in a protective shell known as the chrysalis. Within the chrysalis the caterpillar goes through great change and personal growth. It also dissolves into a gooey mess and then rebuilds itself.

Something inside of you, normally a new idea for a story, instructs you to enter a private and transformational stage of your life. This involves locking yourself away in your own chrysalis; limiting social media, setting yourself daily word count targets and thinking about what possessed you to work on such a ridiculous idea for a story. Like the caterpillar you also go through great change. I believe working on every draft of a novel changes you in some way and there’s so much personal growth happening as you are overcoming countless struggles. At the same time you are also dissolving into a gooey / emotional mess over your characters, the plot and the story in your head not resembling what’s coming out onto the page.

Butterfly Stage:

There is a period of intense struggle as the creature inside the chrysalis struggles to break free. The caterpillar has been transformed into something truly wonderful – a butterfly.

There is a period of intense struggle for you too; self-doubt, worrying what the world will think of your idea and sleepless nights just thinking about pressing send on the email containing the draft of your story. Finally you also break free and stagger out of your private place. Something wonderful has happened to you too. You have undergone your own transformation; you’ve got the first draft of a novel in your hand. You have created a new world, brought characters to life and encouraged them to step off the page. You have also changed as a writer and learnt something new about yourself.

Writing is a process and I’m afraid, like the caterpillar, we have to go through all the stages.

Wherever you are at with your writing see it as a stage. It won’t last forever and one day you will become the butterfly!

Have a good day shuffling up and down your leaf!

When Struggling With Your Writing Always Think – Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

Being a writer isn’t easy. Sometimes those good writing days can feel like a distant memory or even a rarity.

I have found that when I am struggling with my writing looking at the creative process through a different lens helps.

For noting, I’ve also found chocolate, gin & tonics and interpretative dances in my kitchen (when no one is looking) also help, but they are all for another blog post.

Here’s a different way of looking at the writing process. This has kept me going and has made me scurry back to my writing desk on several occasions.

Think Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

I believe writing can be likened to the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

Caterpillar Stage:

The caterpillar performs the same daily tasks; eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down a leaf.

You, the writer, are the caterpillar. As well as eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down your leaf, you also write, read and tweet. 

Chrysalis Stage:

Something inside the caterpillar tells it to enter a private and transformational stage of its life. This involves locking itself away in a protective shell known as the chrysalis. Within the chrysalis the caterpillar goes through great change and personal growth. It also dissolves into a gooey mess and then rebuilds itself.

Something inside of you, normally a new idea for a story, instructs you to enter a private and transformational stage of your life. This involves locking yourself away in your own chrysalis; limiting social media, setting yourself daily word count targets and thinking about what possessed you to work on such a ridiculous idea for a story. Like the caterpillar you also go through great change. I believe working on every draft of a novel changes you in some way and there’s so much personal growth happening as you are overcoming countless struggles. At the same time you are also dissolving into a gooey / emotional mess over your characters, the plot and the story in your head not resembling what’s coming out onto the page.

Butterfly Stage:

There is a period of intense struggle as the creature inside the chrysalis struggles to break free. The caterpillar has been transformed into something truly wonderful – a butterfly.

There is a period of intense struggle for you too; self-doubt, worrying what the world will think of your idea and sleepless nights just thinking about pressing send on the email containing the draft of your story. Finally you also break free and stagger out of your private place. Something wonderful has happened to you too. You have undergone your own transformation; you’ve got the first draft of a novel in your hand. You have created a new world, brought characters to life and encouraged them to step off the page. You have also changed as a writer and learnt something new about yourself.

Writing is a process and I’m afraid, like the caterpillar, we have to go through all the stages.

Wherever you are at with your writing see it as a stage. It won’t last forever and one day you will become the butterfly!

Have a good day shuffling up and down your leaf!

When Struggling With Your Writing Always Think – Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

Being a writer isn’t easy. Sometimes those good writing days can feel like a distant memory or even a rarity.

I have found that when I am struggling with my writing looking at the creative process through a different lens helps.

For noting, I’ve also found chocolate, gin & tonics and interpretative dances in my kitchen (when no one is looking) also help, but they are all for another blog post.

Here’s a different way of looking at the writing process. This has kept me going and has made me scurry back to my writing desk on several occasions.

Think Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

I believe writing can be likened to the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

Caterpillar Stage:

The caterpillar performs the same daily tasks; eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down a leaf.

You, the writer, are the caterpillar. As well as eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down your leaf, you also write, read and tweet. 

Chrysalis Stage:

Something inside the caterpillar tells it to enter a private and transformational stage of its life. This involves locking itself away in a protective shell known as the chrysalis. Within the chrysalis the caterpillar goes through great change and personal growth. It also dissolves into a gooey mess and then rebuilds itself.

Something inside of you, normally a new idea for a story, instructs you to enter a private and transformational stage of your life. This involves locking yourself away in your own chrysalis; limiting social media, setting yourself daily word count targets and thinking about what possessed you to work on such a ridiculous idea for a story. Like the caterpillar you also go through great change. I believe working on every draft of a novel changes you in some way and there’s so much personal growth happening as you are overcoming countless struggles. At the same time you are also dissolving into a gooey / emotional mess over your characters, the plot and the story in your head not resembling what’s coming out onto the page.

Butterfly Stage:

There is a period of intense struggle as the creature inside the chrysalis struggles to break free. The caterpillar has been transformed into something truly wonderful – a butterfly.

There is a period of intense struggle for you too; self-doubt, worrying what the world will think of your idea and sleepless nights just thinking about pressing send on the email containing the draft of your story. Finally you also break free and stagger out of your private place. Something wonderful has happened to you too. You have undergone your own transformation; you’ve got the first draft of a novel in your hand. You have created a new world, brought characters to life and encouraged them to step off the page. You have also changed as a writer and learnt something new about yourself.

Writing is a process and I’m afraid, like the caterpillar, we have to go through all the stages.

Wherever you are at with your writing see it as a stage. It won’t last forever and one day you will become the butterfly!

Have a good day shuffling up and down your leaf!