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Writing My First Novel
It all started in November 2014 when I randomly noticed a poster in my local library window about a creative writing workshop. I tried to get a place but they were fully booked. Oh well, I thought. A couple of days later I received an email asking if I wanted to attend a monthly Writers Workshop run by local author Ian Ayris. I leapt at the chance and found out about the Pen to Print Book Challenge. All I had to do was submit a first chapter by the end of January 2015. Easy I thought. The competition received over 60 entries and announced 8 finalists. I was chuffed to discover I made it as a finalist – Martina Cole shook my hand and told me I had a great premise. Then I found out I had to write the rest of the book and submit it by the end of August. Clearly I hadn’t read the small print!
Pen to Print Finalist September 2015
Having made it as a finalist in the Pen to Print book competition I was given a mentor to help me through the book writing process. I was extremely fortunate to get Ian Ayris who was incredibly patient and encouraging as well as devoting a huge chunk of his own time to editing my book. Which I wrote about one or two chapters in front of the editing process. Nothing like giving yourself four months to write 60,000 words plus. It was at times both rewarding and challenging but I made it to the submission date and with pride had my novel, The Gaia Effect. I was both surprised and delighted to place second in the competition.
