Don't miss these upcoming events!
Plus things I learnt as a writing competition judge
Hello there!
Big news! I just hit ‘send’ on my latest draft of The Lifeline, pinging it off to my editor for their feedback. Writing this book has been a real process. I’ve rewritten it from scratch at least twice. But hopefully, these are the last big changes done with only tweaks to follow. Now that it’s finished (for now!) I feel relieved but pretty exhausted too - I think I might need to have a very long nap…
I have quite a lot of exciting events coming up over the next couple of months so I thought it was worth sending a little reminder of where I’ll be when, as I’d love to meet some of you in person if you can make it. Coming to an event is your chance to learn more about my writing process and get signed copies of my books. I find them such fun to do - it’s such a joy to meet like-minded bookish folks.
So, here’s where you can catch me over the next couple of months…
13th September, Goring Library, tickets available from the library
19th September, Hunting Raven Books, Frome - in conversation with authors Frances Liardet and Winnie M Li, speaking about our writing lives. How we got published and how we juggle creative lives with motherhood and all the other things we have going on! And do check out the other events in Hunting Raven’s Accidental Book Festival - there are some great things happening!
24th September, Appledore Book Festival - I’m very excited to return to lovely Appledore in Devon where I recently went on holiday, for this book brunch with fellow authors Veronica Henry, Georgina Moore and Deborah Moggach.
I am also doing a very special series of events in conversation with my mum, fellow author Sally Page whose debut The Keeper of Stories came out next year. Her second book, The Book of Beginnings, is out in September.
27th September, Waterstones Bath
2nd October, Waterstones Swindon
3rd October, Waterstones Dorchester
4th October, Waterstones Taunton
Things I learnt as a writing competition judge
Recently I had the honour of presenting the prizes to winners of my town’s short story competition, after having been invited to be this year’s guest judge. Â
My journey to becoming an author started with writing competitions. As a child, I entered as many as I could. Mostly, I didn’t get anywhere. But the few times I did, it gave me the biggest confidence boost. Competitions also gave me focus. It felt like I was writing with a purpose, even if in the end the most important thing I got out of it was the enjoyment of writing something new.
As the judge of my town’s short story competition, I was sent a shortlist of around ten entries and then had the very tough job of picking three winners and some highly commended entries. The thing that struck me most of all was the quality of the writing. Every single one of the entrants could clearly write, really well. So how was I going to choose a winner?
One thing I quickly accepted was that my decision would be subjective.
It’s a part of the book industry that can be hard to accept when you’re an aspiring writer, but the fact is, we all have different reading tastes.
Things that we really connect with, things that we don’t love so much. It’s the same for every single reader and that includes agents, editors and competition judges.
When I wrote my first book The Lido, I sent it out to loads of agents. Loads said no. In the end, I got one yes and that’s all I needed. The person who said yes (thank you, Robert!) managed to get me a publishing deal that enabled me to quit my job in marketing and the book went on to be a bestseller. My book wasn’t for those other agents but it was for him and, it turns out, more than a few readers too. As well as the inevitable one-star reviews too. It’s all subjective.
Just because you get a ‘no’ today doesn’t mean it’s a ‘no’ forever. Just that in this moment, for this person, maybe it’s not the right fit.
Given that the quality of writing in the short story competition was so good, in the end what clinched it was the storytelling. Because I think that’s the most important part of any story, be it a few pages long or a whole novel. Beautiful writing is wonderful to read but in my opinion the thing that makes a really compelling story or novel is great writing paired with a brilliant story.
What makes a great story is hard to pinpoint but for me it’s about a journey. I want to feel like I’ve been taken on a ride with plenty of ups and downs. To see characters ending the story in a different place to where things started. I want to feel like my heart has been given a workout with a range of emotions rather than feeling like the tone of the story has been only one shade. Use all the colours at your disposal!
I’ve always believed that writing is in huge part about perseverance. But being a competition judge made me see things from the other side and realise quite how true that is. The stories I chose were the stories that connected with me that day. But my message to all aspiring authors would be to keep writing and keep putting their work out there. Because tomorrow, your work might land with someone else. And it might just be the perfect fit.
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Congratulations Libby, I can’t wait to read The Lifeline.
Where did your strength of perseverance come from to keep approaching agents and not let the rejection get to you?
Wish I lived close enough to come to one of the book events x