By Nicola Garrard

FIVE early steps to make your writing dreams come true!

Publishing is tough. Being lucky enough to have your book published feels like a strike of lightning. If you tell your family you want to be an author, they’ll most likely pat your head and say, “Remember when you wanted to be a pro-footballer/NASA astronaut/Peppa Pig?” But guess what? They’re wrong! Becoming a published writer is possible, even probable – if you put in the hard work.

Here are FIVE tried, tested and totally free ways to attract that lightning strike. Think of it as finding storms and running out into the thunder in a metal raincoat.

Write!

“The harder I practise, the luckier I get!” said a champion golfer when asked why he won so many competitions. Go after that luck by opening your notebook, computer or the notes app on your phone, and write. It won’t start out great, but you can’t edit a blank page and the most important thing is to have something to edit.

Leave some weeks between finishing a piece of writing and going back to edit. That way, you will spot lots of things you need to change. Everything you’ll ever read in a published book started out rubbish, I promise you. But its author went back and rewrote it, again and again. For that reason, write about things you really care about because then you will be happy to revisit your project again . . . and again . . . and again.

When you are ready, submit your work to writing competitions – there are hundreds of them and many offer free or subsidised entries. You’ll get some feedback and if you are longlisted, you’ll begin a writing CV of successes where you have a story or poem published through a competition, online or in a magazine. If you get as far as submitting your work to literary agents, they’ll be interested in seeing a track record of publication, no matter how small the competition.

Connect!

Get onto social media* and start following accounts in the publishing world – authors, literary agents, commissioning editors, librarians, publishers, bookshops, book bloggers, reviewers.

You’ll find out about new books coming out, writing competitions, mentoring schemes, book launches, author readings, workshops, library and bookshop events. Look out for summer holiday arts schemes, too. They often have TV and theatre script-writing.

Lots of bookshop and launch events are free and authors will be delighted to meet you. Sometimes,  there’s even free food and drinks! Hands down, Patrice Lawrence wins the prize for the best free grub at the launch for her YA book, NEEDLE.

When you go to an event, always take a parent, carer or friend along with you and talk to as many people as possible. Ask questions, swap social media handles and don’t be shy to ask advice from the big fish in the room. Lots of publishing opportunities come from this kind of networking, and it’s energising to spend time with people who love books.

*Remember to stay safe online, be wary of friend requests and don’t give out personal information.

Buddy-up!

All writers need trusted advisers before they share their work with the world. My first reader is my wife. She’s always honest with me if what I’ve written is utter pants.

My second readers are my beta buddies. These are writing friends who I share my work with and pay back by reading theirs. We encourage each other, give honest feedback, spot pesky typos and discuss how to make our writing better, often over biscuits and chocolate. You can use your mates, join a writing group, or start your own critique club!

My next reader – after a few more redrafts –  is my literary agent. She tells me what to do to improve the work (more redrafts!) and then – if I’m lucky – a publisher and editor will read.

If your story has characters that are outside your own background and identity, use an authenticity beta reader. For example, if you have an LGBTQ character or a character with a disability, and you do not share their experience, find a reader with lived experiences to help you make your story believable and respectful.

In my most recent YA novel, 21 MILES, I have teenage Muslim characters. I’m not Muslim so I asked readers from a Muslim background to read it carefully to check my accuracy and the authenticity of my characterisation. I make sure I listen to feedback because being kind and respectful is very important in publishing.

If you spread out your beta buddies over time, you’ll get a new perspective at every stage to help you redraft and polish your work until it shines!

Show up and be nice!

Publishing is a small world. Get involved with library projects, help other writers, review books, and offer to volunteer at your local library – for example helping with the annual Summer Reading Challenge.

The big-name literary festivals pay and provide young people with accommodation in exchange for being a ‘runner’ and looking after authors. I’ve been to the Hay Festival twice as an author and I can say these runners are the nicest, friendliest young people, and they come from all backgrounds, ethnicities and identities. And they love books! They’re already building their CVs and a reputation for being the kind of people publishers want to work with.

One last thing about being nice: NEVER write negative or salty reviews or posts on social media. The internet keeps the receipts. As my mum used to say, “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” The same applies if you don’t like a book or an author.

Read, read, read!

When you read books, you get to live many different lives. Reading one book a month from 15 to 25 years of age will give you the life experience of hundreds, even thousands, of characters.

And while you’re reading, you’re absorbing language, vocabulary, sentence types, voice and story structure. Who needs money for expensive courses when every book is a creative writing course in its own right?

Audiobooks count, too! They’re a sneaky way of cramming in more stories into your writer’s brain while doing other things – travelling to school or college, taking the bus, walking the dog, washing up. And all this is totally free from your local library!

I keep a notebook where I copy examples of brilliant sentences from the books I’m reading. And if I get stuck on a scene, I’ll look for a book where a writer has done something similar and try to analyse what they did.

Librarians are experts at signposting you to the best books in the genre you want to write. They will help you find inspiration and see what has been commercially successful. Publishing is a business as well as an art, so keep an eye on the market by reading newly published books to spot trends.

You can also sign up as a reviewer and get free proof copies of books before they are published – check out NetGalley.

So, enjoy as you read, but also keep a bit of your brain asking questions like: ‘I just laughed/cried/felt scared. How did the writer do that?’

There you go! Five tried and tested tips for speeding your way to publication or jobs in publishing. They all free and they worked for me! Good luck with your writing and let me know how you get on.

Nicola Garrard is a novelist and poet. Her YA books include 29 LOCKS and 21 MILES

Buy 21 MILES here: hoperoadpublishing.com/21-miles.

For more information, or to get in touch, visit nicola-garrard.co.uk or follow Nicola on X: @nmgarrard and on Instagram: @nicolagarrard7.

You can hear great new ideas, creative work and writing tips on Write On! Audio. Find us on all major podcast platforms, including Apple and Google Podcasts and Spotify. Type Pen to Print into your browser and look for our logo, or find us on Podcasters.Spotify.com.

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