Anouska Knight got a publishing deal with Mills and Boon after winning Racy Reads, a contemporary women's fiction competition on ITV’s Lorraine. Her new novel, Since You’ve Been Gone, is out now!
1. Don’t just think it, do it. If you’re
not sure where to start, write the end scene first, or the funny bit in the
middle, or the sad bit three chapters in. It doesn’t matter, just write.
2. Go somewhere quiet, hide from the kids
and get in the zone. Passionate though you are, you will need to concentrate.
3. Use music. Set yourself up a playlist
with a mix of songs to reflect the different scenes of your story. You’ll be amazed
what music can bring out of you.
4. READ! Read everything, not just the
genre you’re writing in but the other stuff too. Funny/sad, heavy/light, gulp
it all down.
5. When you hit a block, check Tips 2 & 3 have
been applied. If Tip 3 flounders, try a glass of red. If that doesn’t work, walk away and do something completely different.
Go see your homegirls, watch a movie and come back later. And begin again at
Tip 1 :¬)