Ben Westerham's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing"
Writing Without a Plan (or Losing the Plot)
It might seem mad to hear me say it, but I invariably write any new book without the ‘benefit’ of a plan in the shape of a fully formed plot. Is this because I’m too lazy to write one or haven’t a clue what I’m up to when I write, or is there really another way of doing things? In this article, I take a look at how you can happily write without a plan and explain why I’m one of those who chooses to make it up as I go along.
Almost all guides to writing go big on the need to draw up a decent story outline before you get on with writing your book and your first thought might well be to think that is eminently sensible; after all, how else can you set off on your way to writing a book when you don’t know where you are going?
However, it didn’t take me long to realise this approach doesn’t suit me. There are times when I quickly come up with the core elements of a story, such as I did with The Strawberry Girl, where the idea was quite simply to see how my private investigator, David Good, would respond to the emotional challenge of dealing with a woman who has managed to get herself married not once but twice.
On other occasions, I don’t even start out with as much as that. Both Good Investigations and the forthcoming Too Good started life as just a couple of sentences that popped in to my head. That was it. No idea at all as to what was going to follow next, let alone what the end point would look like. I just wrote down those first sentences and took things from there.
One of my favourite authors is Stephen King and in his excellent book, On Writing, he devotes several pages to this very subject. The following extract catches the core of what he says:
“I distrust plot for two reasons: first, because our lives are largely plotless, even when you add in all our reasonable precautions and careful planning; and second, because I believe plotting and the spontaneity of real creation aren't compatible.”
Part of this is key to my own approach and that is allowing my characters to lead me through the story. It is essential they do so, after all, they are the story. I feel I shouldn’t be second guessing how an individual will react in any given situation by setting out a pre-determined plot, because to do so will mean it is no longer their story, it has become mine; this would be mad because the story is not about me.
So, I let the characters decide what is going to happen. I absolutely love this aspect of writing, since you don’t know what is going to happen next, what twists and turns will be introduced along the way. And doesn’t that kind of thing just make the whole writing experience so much more exciting?
So, perhaps writing a book without the ‘benefit’ of a plot isn’t so mad after all and, I hope I’ve shown you, it can even be a distinct advantage.
For the full version of this post please see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers....
Get your free copy of the Ben Westerham starter library here http://www.benwesterham.com/subscribe....
Crime fiction with attitude and humour from 1980s London.
Almost all guides to writing go big on the need to draw up a decent story outline before you get on with writing your book and your first thought might well be to think that is eminently sensible; after all, how else can you set off on your way to writing a book when you don’t know where you are going?
However, it didn’t take me long to realise this approach doesn’t suit me. There are times when I quickly come up with the core elements of a story, such as I did with The Strawberry Girl, where the idea was quite simply to see how my private investigator, David Good, would respond to the emotional challenge of dealing with a woman who has managed to get herself married not once but twice.
On other occasions, I don’t even start out with as much as that. Both Good Investigations and the forthcoming Too Good started life as just a couple of sentences that popped in to my head. That was it. No idea at all as to what was going to follow next, let alone what the end point would look like. I just wrote down those first sentences and took things from there.
One of my favourite authors is Stephen King and in his excellent book, On Writing, he devotes several pages to this very subject. The following extract catches the core of what he says:
“I distrust plot for two reasons: first, because our lives are largely plotless, even when you add in all our reasonable precautions and careful planning; and second, because I believe plotting and the spontaneity of real creation aren't compatible.”
Part of this is key to my own approach and that is allowing my characters to lead me through the story. It is essential they do so, after all, they are the story. I feel I shouldn’t be second guessing how an individual will react in any given situation by setting out a pre-determined plot, because to do so will mean it is no longer their story, it has become mine; this would be mad because the story is not about me.
So, I let the characters decide what is going to happen. I absolutely love this aspect of writing, since you don’t know what is going to happen next, what twists and turns will be introduced along the way. And doesn’t that kind of thing just make the whole writing experience so much more exciting?
So, perhaps writing a book without the ‘benefit’ of a plot isn’t so mad after all and, I hope I’ve shown you, it can even be a distinct advantage.
For the full version of this post please see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers....
Get your free copy of the Ben Westerham starter library here http://www.benwesterham.com/subscribe....
Crime fiction with attitude and humour from 1980s London.
The Anti-Hero
There is a type of character in literature who manages to successfully fulfil what can seem at first sight a contradictory role, one which both readers and writers seem to turn to with great relish. The character of whom I speak is the anti-hero.
In this article, I’ll explore what it is about the anti-hero that appeals so strongly to both writer and reader alike, whilst also looking at the approach I take to my own example of the type, David Good, the protagonist in my private investigator series.
All definitions of the anti-hero boil down to describing a protagonist who possesses some major flaw in their make-up, such as being dishonest or violent, and who usually does good things because it is in their own self-interest rather than out of some sense of what is right and wrong.
There are, of course, plenty of well written examples to explore if you want to see just how appealing a character the anti-hero can be. I particularly like those created by Patricia Highsmith, whose Tom Ripley is a fabulous example of the type. Highsmith possessed an enviable ability to develop characters who continually blur the boundary between good and evil and do so in such a way that you can’t stop yourself from being drawn to them.
And it is this blurring of boundaries that begins to steer us towards what it is about such characters that appeals to writers and readers in equal measure. Straightforward heroes are not by definition without lasting appeal, but they can sometimes seem predictable and, frankly, even a little boring.
With the anti-hero, on the other hand, the writer has at their disposal the opportunity to develop a far more complex, less predictable and therefore more deeply engaging individual. What's more, there are times, such as in Highsmith’s books, we find ourselves actually liking such a character, even in the full knowledge that he or she does some bad, even downright unpleasant things. This can, in turn, engender a feeling of discomfort, even guilt, which draws us in even closer.
This blurring of good and bad within a character is something I look to explore with David Good in ‘Good Investigations’ and other books. I have focused on bringing this conflicting aspect of his make-up to the fore through his relationships with women. We find a man who casually, and only rarely with any sense of remorse, takes the various women in his life for granted. In fact, he frequently comes across as a sexiest git. Despite his lack of consideration, there is still an erratic flow of women who find him attractive, often to his own not inconsiderable surprise.
Whilst Good is an impressive operator when it comes to identifying what makes other people tick, he is pretty inept at understanding himself and, for one thing, fails to recognise what it is in his character that appeals to some women. Which brings us back to where we started, namely just how strong can be the appeal when we find someone with a conflicting set of characteristics.
Why not let us know who your own favourite anti-hero is and what it is about them that appeals so strongly.
For the full version of this post please see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers....
Get your free copy of the Ben Westerham starter library here http://www.benwesterham.com/subscribe....
Crime fiction with attitude and humour from 1980s London.
In this article, I’ll explore what it is about the anti-hero that appeals so strongly to both writer and reader alike, whilst also looking at the approach I take to my own example of the type, David Good, the protagonist in my private investigator series.
All definitions of the anti-hero boil down to describing a protagonist who possesses some major flaw in their make-up, such as being dishonest or violent, and who usually does good things because it is in their own self-interest rather than out of some sense of what is right and wrong.
There are, of course, plenty of well written examples to explore if you want to see just how appealing a character the anti-hero can be. I particularly like those created by Patricia Highsmith, whose Tom Ripley is a fabulous example of the type. Highsmith possessed an enviable ability to develop characters who continually blur the boundary between good and evil and do so in such a way that you can’t stop yourself from being drawn to them.
And it is this blurring of boundaries that begins to steer us towards what it is about such characters that appeals to writers and readers in equal measure. Straightforward heroes are not by definition without lasting appeal, but they can sometimes seem predictable and, frankly, even a little boring.
With the anti-hero, on the other hand, the writer has at their disposal the opportunity to develop a far more complex, less predictable and therefore more deeply engaging individual. What's more, there are times, such as in Highsmith’s books, we find ourselves actually liking such a character, even in the full knowledge that he or she does some bad, even downright unpleasant things. This can, in turn, engender a feeling of discomfort, even guilt, which draws us in even closer.
This blurring of good and bad within a character is something I look to explore with David Good in ‘Good Investigations’ and other books. I have focused on bringing this conflicting aspect of his make-up to the fore through his relationships with women. We find a man who casually, and only rarely with any sense of remorse, takes the various women in his life for granted. In fact, he frequently comes across as a sexiest git. Despite his lack of consideration, there is still an erratic flow of women who find him attractive, often to his own not inconsiderable surprise.
Whilst Good is an impressive operator when it comes to identifying what makes other people tick, he is pretty inept at understanding himself and, for one thing, fails to recognise what it is in his character that appeals to some women. Which brings us back to where we started, namely just how strong can be the appeal when we find someone with a conflicting set of characteristics.
Why not let us know who your own favourite anti-hero is and what it is about them that appeals so strongly.
For the full version of this post please see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers....
Get your free copy of the Ben Westerham starter library here http://www.benwesterham.com/subscribe....
Crime fiction with attitude and humour from 1980s London.
A Man of Many Hats
When I first started writing stories it seemed all there was to do was, well, to write stories. But time and experience has shown that is not quite true and that I do, in fact, have to be a man who wears many hats. Let me explain why.
Writing stories is a creative activity. You are constantly dreaming up characters, plots, dialogue and anything else that’s needed to go into a story. Sometimes it is pure inspiration, something that appears out of the ether, others it may be that you riff off something you’ve seen or heard, felt, smelt or tasted. But wherever the inspiration comes from you are engaged in creating something new.
And I’ll be honest here, this creative part of putting together a new story is, by a country mile, my favourite bit of the whole process. For me it’s what it’s all about.
However, if I was to package and release a new story as soon as this stage is completed then I would be doing a disservice to both myself and my readers. Frequently, much of what appears is peppered with spelling and grammar mistakes, and often it is far from being a consistent and high quality product. And then there’s the inconsistencies in plot and character than insist on creeping in.
It’s at this stage that I have to change hats for the first time. Off goes the writer’s hat and on goes that of the editor because this is where I have to start re-writing in order to remove the mistakes and inconsistencies and more generally bump up the quality.
The important thing to understand here is that this really is a different activity and, as such, it uses a different part of the brain. There’s more logic to what you’re doing here. It’s no longer an entirely creative process.
But it doesn’t stop there, because once I think I’m done with my re-writes and before the work is shipped off to my editor, I like to read it through wearing a third hat, that of the reader. Now this can be tricky because it requires you to take an entirely different perspective, but it helps in producing something that is as appealing to readers as you can make it.
So, there we have it. Being a writer is a multi-faceted activity and that’s why I like to view myself as being someone who wears not just the one hat but many. I am a man of many hats.
‘The Banbury Cross Murder Mysteries, classic murder-mysteries with a splash of humour and a little romance.’
https://benwesterham.com/books/
Writing stories is a creative activity. You are constantly dreaming up characters, plots, dialogue and anything else that’s needed to go into a story. Sometimes it is pure inspiration, something that appears out of the ether, others it may be that you riff off something you’ve seen or heard, felt, smelt or tasted. But wherever the inspiration comes from you are engaged in creating something new.
And I’ll be honest here, this creative part of putting together a new story is, by a country mile, my favourite bit of the whole process. For me it’s what it’s all about.
However, if I was to package and release a new story as soon as this stage is completed then I would be doing a disservice to both myself and my readers. Frequently, much of what appears is peppered with spelling and grammar mistakes, and often it is far from being a consistent and high quality product. And then there’s the inconsistencies in plot and character than insist on creeping in.
It’s at this stage that I have to change hats for the first time. Off goes the writer’s hat and on goes that of the editor because this is where I have to start re-writing in order to remove the mistakes and inconsistencies and more generally bump up the quality.
The important thing to understand here is that this really is a different activity and, as such, it uses a different part of the brain. There’s more logic to what you’re doing here. It’s no longer an entirely creative process.
But it doesn’t stop there, because once I think I’m done with my re-writes and before the work is shipped off to my editor, I like to read it through wearing a third hat, that of the reader. Now this can be tricky because it requires you to take an entirely different perspective, but it helps in producing something that is as appealing to readers as you can make it.
So, there we have it. Being a writer is a multi-faceted activity and that’s why I like to view myself as being someone who wears not just the one hat but many. I am a man of many hats.
‘The Banbury Cross Murder Mysteries, classic murder-mysteries with a splash of humour and a little romance.’
https://benwesterham.com/books/
The Disruptive Creator
From time to time I like to take one of those personality type tests. It can be amusing as well as informative to see the results. I did one of these a while back and had forgotten about it until I stumbled upon the results recently, part of which concerned the creator in me.
The test was run by 16Personalities and, although in some respects very much like the other similar tests I have completed, it varied in one important respect, which was the emphasis it placed on identifying me as being a creative person. Phew! Can you imagine it, if me, a writer, hadn’t come out as being the creative type?
So, I was happy enough, thus far. But there was an opportunity to dig deeper into the results, so out came my spade. What the detail showed were some of the traits they believe apply to me. I think they’re pretty accurate and what follows is part of what they said. Bear in mind that at the top level I was identified as being an Advocate.
* * * * *
“People tend to talk about how creative others are (i.e., quantity), rather than how they’re creative (i.e., style). In truth, the amount may not be the thing that most distinguishes creativity.
Creativity researcher Michael Kirten established a model that places creativity on a continuum, with “adapters” at one end, and “innovators” at the other. Adapters improve on existing things, while innovators are more disruptive and change things more profoundly. Anyone expressing creativity falls on this continuum.
By this reckoning, Advocates are firmly ensconced in the “innovator” column – closer to being revolutionary than adaptive. Like all things, there can be some positive and negative features with both approaches. Let’s explore some that you may want to consider.
Challenges
The following list provides some “tells” that show Advocates are more likely to be innovators than adaptive creators. While the research below may appeal to the innovative Advocates, there’s always a downside when an approach is unbalanced:
• Advocates are one of the least likely types to consider themselves more practical than creative.
• Advocates tend to strongly prefer creative/artistic jobs. While this may not directly speak to accomplished creativity, their aspirations consistently aim at creating original material.
• If asked to choose between the two, Advocates are very unlikely to pick editing over writing. Editing is, by definition, an adaptive exercise – refining work that has already been created.”
* * * * *
I think I exercise both my left and my right brain a lot, but it’s true enough that what I really like to be doing is creating and I don’t mind challenging the status quo when I’m doing this. I might miss out on some fun otherwise! Which left me feeling both pleased and fascinated by these results. In some respects they give me a little more self-confidence to go about my creative life.
But what about you, have you ever do one of these sorts of tests? If so, what did you think of the results?
If you’d like to give the 16Personalities test a go yourself then head over to their website at https://www.16personalities.com/
The test was run by 16Personalities and, although in some respects very much like the other similar tests I have completed, it varied in one important respect, which was the emphasis it placed on identifying me as being a creative person. Phew! Can you imagine it, if me, a writer, hadn’t come out as being the creative type?
So, I was happy enough, thus far. But there was an opportunity to dig deeper into the results, so out came my spade. What the detail showed were some of the traits they believe apply to me. I think they’re pretty accurate and what follows is part of what they said. Bear in mind that at the top level I was identified as being an Advocate.
* * * * *
“People tend to talk about how creative others are (i.e., quantity), rather than how they’re creative (i.e., style). In truth, the amount may not be the thing that most distinguishes creativity.
Creativity researcher Michael Kirten established a model that places creativity on a continuum, with “adapters” at one end, and “innovators” at the other. Adapters improve on existing things, while innovators are more disruptive and change things more profoundly. Anyone expressing creativity falls on this continuum.
By this reckoning, Advocates are firmly ensconced in the “innovator” column – closer to being revolutionary than adaptive. Like all things, there can be some positive and negative features with both approaches. Let’s explore some that you may want to consider.
Challenges
The following list provides some “tells” that show Advocates are more likely to be innovators than adaptive creators. While the research below may appeal to the innovative Advocates, there’s always a downside when an approach is unbalanced:
• Advocates are one of the least likely types to consider themselves more practical than creative.
• Advocates tend to strongly prefer creative/artistic jobs. While this may not directly speak to accomplished creativity, their aspirations consistently aim at creating original material.
• If asked to choose between the two, Advocates are very unlikely to pick editing over writing. Editing is, by definition, an adaptive exercise – refining work that has already been created.”
* * * * *
I think I exercise both my left and my right brain a lot, but it’s true enough that what I really like to be doing is creating and I don’t mind challenging the status quo when I’m doing this. I might miss out on some fun otherwise! Which left me feeling both pleased and fascinated by these results. In some respects they give me a little more self-confidence to go about my creative life.
But what about you, have you ever do one of these sorts of tests? If so, what did you think of the results?
If you’d like to give the 16Personalities test a go yourself then head over to their website at https://www.16personalities.com/
Re-writes, Heaven or Hell?
Re-writes and edits are an essential part of putting together a new story, but we authors don’t all do things the same when it comes to this part of the process. In fact, compared to some, I might seem a little slip-shod in my approach. But I do things the way I do because that’s what works best for me.
Some do dozens of re-writes, even before handing their work over to their editor.
Some don’t do any re-writes, or so they claim. (Must admit, I find that hard to believe without also accepting there will be a corresponding short-fall in the quality of their finished product).
Most, it seems, are somewhere in between these two extremes, doing what they feel is necessary in order to get a quality product without spending their entire lives writing just the one book.
*
I am predominantly an intuitive writer, by which I mean I make things up as I go along. On many occasions I’ve set off to write an entire novel after just a single line or two has popped into my head, just like that, from out of the ether. However, these days I do often sketch out a very rough outline for a story in order to help reduce the chances of making a major mistake, like Sue murdered Henry in the library, when Henry was actually three thousand miles away and Sue never went anywhere near the library. But after that I make things up as I go along.
This does have implications for my approach to re-writes since I absolutely must read through the first completed draft carefully to find out where things don’t hang together. Inconsistent eye colours, addresses, or names etc. All these need spotting and correcting.
The first re-write also sharpens up the writing more generally. In fact, it’s surprising how much better it makes it. Normally, while I’m doing the first draft I’m very happy with it; what could possibly need improving?
Sometimes I then leave a story on the shelf for a while. I’ve learned over the years that parking a story, then going off and doing something else means that when you next pick up that story it is almost new to you. You approach it with completely new eyes and see things in need of improvement that you simply didn’t notice before.
*
Then the editor gets her hands on it. Uh oh! Her favourite activity is to go chop, chop, chop! It’s scary stuff and not for the faint-hearted. We don’t always agree, me and the editor, and I will over-rule her sometimes, taking full responsibility for any resulting mess-ups, of course.
How much needs reviewing and amending depends. A stand-alone or the first book in a new series will invariably require more than will do a later book in an established series because the latter has many elements that are already well established.
All-in-all it’s a pretty lengthy process, despite the fact I am not keen on doing a lot of re-writes, and, although it’s worth the effort, there’s no denying it can be a bit of a slog at times, especially as I’m always keen to get on with the next new story. All the same, this process of re-writes and edits does produce a better book and I know that if I tried to cut corners here I’d only end up regretting it later.
So, spare a thought for your favourite authors when they’re deep in the weeds of re-writing their own latest book. They might appreciate some friendly encouragement.
All the best,
Ben
The Banbury Cross Murder Mysteries, classic murder-mysteries with a splash of humour and a little romance https://benwesterham.com/books/
Some do dozens of re-writes, even before handing their work over to their editor.
Some don’t do any re-writes, or so they claim. (Must admit, I find that hard to believe without also accepting there will be a corresponding short-fall in the quality of their finished product).
Most, it seems, are somewhere in between these two extremes, doing what they feel is necessary in order to get a quality product without spending their entire lives writing just the one book.
*
I am predominantly an intuitive writer, by which I mean I make things up as I go along. On many occasions I’ve set off to write an entire novel after just a single line or two has popped into my head, just like that, from out of the ether. However, these days I do often sketch out a very rough outline for a story in order to help reduce the chances of making a major mistake, like Sue murdered Henry in the library, when Henry was actually three thousand miles away and Sue never went anywhere near the library. But after that I make things up as I go along.
This does have implications for my approach to re-writes since I absolutely must read through the first completed draft carefully to find out where things don’t hang together. Inconsistent eye colours, addresses, or names etc. All these need spotting and correcting.
The first re-write also sharpens up the writing more generally. In fact, it’s surprising how much better it makes it. Normally, while I’m doing the first draft I’m very happy with it; what could possibly need improving?
Sometimes I then leave a story on the shelf for a while. I’ve learned over the years that parking a story, then going off and doing something else means that when you next pick up that story it is almost new to you. You approach it with completely new eyes and see things in need of improvement that you simply didn’t notice before.
*
Then the editor gets her hands on it. Uh oh! Her favourite activity is to go chop, chop, chop! It’s scary stuff and not for the faint-hearted. We don’t always agree, me and the editor, and I will over-rule her sometimes, taking full responsibility for any resulting mess-ups, of course.
How much needs reviewing and amending depends. A stand-alone or the first book in a new series will invariably require more than will do a later book in an established series because the latter has many elements that are already well established.
All-in-all it’s a pretty lengthy process, despite the fact I am not keen on doing a lot of re-writes, and, although it’s worth the effort, there’s no denying it can be a bit of a slog at times, especially as I’m always keen to get on with the next new story. All the same, this process of re-writes and edits does produce a better book and I know that if I tried to cut corners here I’d only end up regretting it later.
So, spare a thought for your favourite authors when they’re deep in the weeds of re-writing their own latest book. They might appreciate some friendly encouragement.
All the best,
Ben
The Banbury Cross Murder Mysteries, classic murder-mysteries with a splash of humour and a little romance https://benwesterham.com/books/
That Thing Called Marketing
When you first set out to write your own stories all the focus is on doing precisely that, writing, and quite frankly that’s what I am sure all us authors would like to be spending all our time doing. However, there comes a point, usually when you have something finished and want to find readers for it, when you realise there’s something else you are required to do. That something is marketing and I have been forced recently to accept that my efforts in this department have been woefully inadequate.
It turns out that marketing is something of a dark art and, after several unimpressive attempts to get to grips with it over the years, I recently made the decision that I can no longer do nothing more than pay lip service to it. Instead, I need to take it seriously and give it the time and attention it needs because that’s the only way I am ever going to achieve the kind of sales success I would like.
It has not escaped my attention how often successful indie authors turn out to have some sort of marketing experience from a former life. That experience has clearly been put to good use. There is, I realised, a lesson to be learned there.
I have not been a complete disaster in this area. I can grow my newsletter list and I can run ads that at least wash their face, if not actually go so far as to make a profit. I can also write a respectable book blurb and write blog posts that people actually read.
But I have always done at least some of these things on nothing more than a sporadic basis and their effectiveness has never been consistent. Mind you, I suppose it’s also true to say that nor have they been consistently ineffective.
I think the biggest issue of all, however, has been that I have never properly attempted to join all the individual pieces together into a cohesive strategy. It has meant that, without an overall plan, even when I have had little wins there has been nothing in place to follow up on this and what might have turned into a winning campaign has, instead, petered out. I’ve not really been giving myself a chance.
Well, I’ve finally decided I really do need to make changes here. In recent weeks I have dropped pretty much everything else, except for the writing, and focused almost exclusively on putting in place a proper marketing strategy. This has meant ratcheting up my pace of learning, reviewing what has and has not worked with my past efforts and making some difficult decisions about what I will be dropping longer term so that I can maintain this necessary focus.
I had, in fact, been pulling together some ideas for a few months now and these have given me a solid start in working out what I want to focus on in future and what looks to me like a proper strategy and building blocks to deliver on this has begun to emerge.
I am, however, under no illusions that this will be both a process of trial and error; I will need to learn from my efforts and apply those lessons. I also know I won’t learn everything I need to in the space of a few months and that I am going to have to continue improving my marketing skills from here on in.
Marketing wasn’t part of the job spec when I set out on this wonderful adventure, but it has certainly become part of it as time as progressed and, if I want to up those sales numbers, I know I am going to have to give it the time and attention it needs. Who knows, perhaps I might even come to enjoy it!
All the best,
Ben
Find somewhere quiet and cozy to curl up and enjoy this tempting murder-mystery set in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside of 1960s England.
https://benwesterham.com/books/book-d...
It turns out that marketing is something of a dark art and, after several unimpressive attempts to get to grips with it over the years, I recently made the decision that I can no longer do nothing more than pay lip service to it. Instead, I need to take it seriously and give it the time and attention it needs because that’s the only way I am ever going to achieve the kind of sales success I would like.
It has not escaped my attention how often successful indie authors turn out to have some sort of marketing experience from a former life. That experience has clearly been put to good use. There is, I realised, a lesson to be learned there.
I have not been a complete disaster in this area. I can grow my newsletter list and I can run ads that at least wash their face, if not actually go so far as to make a profit. I can also write a respectable book blurb and write blog posts that people actually read.
But I have always done at least some of these things on nothing more than a sporadic basis and their effectiveness has never been consistent. Mind you, I suppose it’s also true to say that nor have they been consistently ineffective.
I think the biggest issue of all, however, has been that I have never properly attempted to join all the individual pieces together into a cohesive strategy. It has meant that, without an overall plan, even when I have had little wins there has been nothing in place to follow up on this and what might have turned into a winning campaign has, instead, petered out. I’ve not really been giving myself a chance.
Well, I’ve finally decided I really do need to make changes here. In recent weeks I have dropped pretty much everything else, except for the writing, and focused almost exclusively on putting in place a proper marketing strategy. This has meant ratcheting up my pace of learning, reviewing what has and has not worked with my past efforts and making some difficult decisions about what I will be dropping longer term so that I can maintain this necessary focus.
I had, in fact, been pulling together some ideas for a few months now and these have given me a solid start in working out what I want to focus on in future and what looks to me like a proper strategy and building blocks to deliver on this has begun to emerge.
I am, however, under no illusions that this will be both a process of trial and error; I will need to learn from my efforts and apply those lessons. I also know I won’t learn everything I need to in the space of a few months and that I am going to have to continue improving my marketing skills from here on in.
Marketing wasn’t part of the job spec when I set out on this wonderful adventure, but it has certainly become part of it as time as progressed and, if I want to up those sales numbers, I know I am going to have to give it the time and attention it needs. Who knows, perhaps I might even come to enjoy it!
All the best,
Ben
Find somewhere quiet and cozy to curl up and enjoy this tempting murder-mystery set in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside of 1960s England.
https://benwesterham.com/books/book-d...
The Lure of an Irresistible New Character
I am writing the third book in my Alexander Templeman series of old fashioned espionage thrillers and something happened this week which, when it occurs, always leaves me with a bit of conundrum. You see, I’ve created a supporting character who I like so much I don’t want to let him go. What am I to do?
I’ve mentioned many times before that I’m an intuitive writer, in other words I make my stories up as I go along. That’s a bit simplistic, but you get the idea. This means I also tend to make up the majority of the characters for a new story as I go along. After all, how could I know who I’m going to bump into if I haven’t drafted the story beforehand?
This can occasionally be a bit of a nuisance when I’m in full flow and suddenly come to a grinding halt because I need to start working on fleshing out a new character. But it is what it is.
Anyway, I’d reached the point in my new story where Templeman and his partner for this adventure go to meet a contact of fascinating but dubious character. I knew right away what sort of person I wanted this individual to be. I could see them and hear them as they quickly began to take shape in my head, which is always a sign that you are on to a good thing.
Sure enough, I quickly had my two protagonists in a fabulous setting with this new character who, with barely any effort from me, began to take centre stage, keen to enjoy his moment in the limelight to the absolute maximum. It was and continues to be a wonderful experience writing this part of the story and I’m confident that, if I am enjoying writing it, then readers will enjoy reading it.
However, I’m loving this character so much that I’m already trying to come up with excuses as to why I will need to bring him back into the story later on, preferably more than once. That really wasn’t the intention at the outset and now I’m torn. I never do like making compromises with the story for reasons like this but, on the other hand, I’m totally confident that readers are going to love this new character. What’s more, I like him so much that I also want to bring him back for my enjoyment, if I’m being honest.
So, what to do? I’ve not yet quite finished the scene where we meet this new character, so I still have some time to enjoy his company a little longer yet, but then what? Right now I have no answers, but what I can say is that the lure that runs before me, the temptation to bring him back for a second helping, is exerting a strong pull.
Perhaps all I need to do is leave things be for a bit and allow my subconscious to work on it while I get on with the next few chapters. That approach is often effective in sorting out a challenge with my writing. I suspect, though, that if I don’t get the answer I’m hoping for then I might just resort to some conscious creativity. Hey, who knows, maybe I could even bring this character back with a story all of his own. Now there’s an idea.
All the best,
Ben
The House of Spies, a high stakes game of espionage in the best traditions of The Thirty-Nine Steps. https://benwesterham.com/books/book-d...
I’ve mentioned many times before that I’m an intuitive writer, in other words I make my stories up as I go along. That’s a bit simplistic, but you get the idea. This means I also tend to make up the majority of the characters for a new story as I go along. After all, how could I know who I’m going to bump into if I haven’t drafted the story beforehand?
This can occasionally be a bit of a nuisance when I’m in full flow and suddenly come to a grinding halt because I need to start working on fleshing out a new character. But it is what it is.
Anyway, I’d reached the point in my new story where Templeman and his partner for this adventure go to meet a contact of fascinating but dubious character. I knew right away what sort of person I wanted this individual to be. I could see them and hear them as they quickly began to take shape in my head, which is always a sign that you are on to a good thing.
Sure enough, I quickly had my two protagonists in a fabulous setting with this new character who, with barely any effort from me, began to take centre stage, keen to enjoy his moment in the limelight to the absolute maximum. It was and continues to be a wonderful experience writing this part of the story and I’m confident that, if I am enjoying writing it, then readers will enjoy reading it.
However, I’m loving this character so much that I’m already trying to come up with excuses as to why I will need to bring him back into the story later on, preferably more than once. That really wasn’t the intention at the outset and now I’m torn. I never do like making compromises with the story for reasons like this but, on the other hand, I’m totally confident that readers are going to love this new character. What’s more, I like him so much that I also want to bring him back for my enjoyment, if I’m being honest.
So, what to do? I’ve not yet quite finished the scene where we meet this new character, so I still have some time to enjoy his company a little longer yet, but then what? Right now I have no answers, but what I can say is that the lure that runs before me, the temptation to bring him back for a second helping, is exerting a strong pull.
Perhaps all I need to do is leave things be for a bit and allow my subconscious to work on it while I get on with the next few chapters. That approach is often effective in sorting out a challenge with my writing. I suspect, though, that if I don’t get the answer I’m hoping for then I might just resort to some conscious creativity. Hey, who knows, maybe I could even bring this character back with a story all of his own. Now there’s an idea.
All the best,
Ben
The House of Spies, a high stakes game of espionage in the best traditions of The Thirty-Nine Steps. https://benwesterham.com/books/book-d...
What Comes Next?
I am about two-thirds of the way through writing a new book in an existing series and I know already this will be the last book I write in that series. I’ve loved writing these particular stories, but I feel I’ve now done all I want to do with these. Of course, that means there will be space for something new, but what is that to be?
One thing I never have any shortage of is ideas for a new story. They fall upon me from out of the sky, whatever the weather, and I usually hurriedly jot down some notes and file these away for future reference. The difficult part, you therefore won’t be surprised to hear, is deciding which one of these gets my attention when the time comes to start on something new.
The same thing goes for a new series. There are many ideas tucked away, some of which I have already played around with to a lesser or greater degree. So, the question is, how do I go about deciding what comes next whenever the opportunity to start something new arises?
A new series is a big commitment. The idea is there will be multiple books written and, if that doesn’t turn out to be the case, then it will be because the first book has fallen flat on its face. Naturally enough I want to get it right from the start.
Of course, I want to write something that people will enjoy reading. I mean, who sets out to spend money on a book they think they won’t enjoy?
There is also usually a degree of expectation from people who have already savoured some of an author’s work. If they are used to you writing witty cosy mysteries then one day you show up with a blood-thirsty, shape-shifting, zombie end-of-the-world tome chances are they won’t be any too impressed.
Just as importantly, I want to write something that I enjoy writing. It’s not meant to be an exercise in self-torture and, what’s more, if I don’t enjoy writing it then it’s more than likely going to show through when people read it.
With a series I also need a core group of characters that I am confident I will enjoy spending time with, because that could end up being a great deal of time indeed. I don’t actually have to like them all, but I do need to enjoy their company. An evil villain can be just an entertaining as an impressive hero.
It helps too if I feel sure from the outset that there will be scope for me to develop these core characters over the course of a series. That certainly helps an author to maintain their own interest as a series progresses and I think this applies to readers too.
So, you can see, there’s a lot of factors to take into account. But I’d be lying if I said that I go about making these decisions in a ruthlessly cold, calculating manner. Remember, I am an intuitive author who makes up his stories as he writes them. It ought to come as no surprise, therefore, to hear me say that such decisions are made as much with my sub-conscious brain as the conscious part. It needs to feel right, is another way of putting it.
I do have a favourite candidate for my next series. It concerns a cast and a setting that came to me only very recently and which really got me excited as I started scribbling down notes. It is tempting to say the job is done, the decision made, and to plunge straight in the deep end when the time comes. But I am going to let things percolate away in the background. Allow my subconscious to do its thing. Then, when I do finally make a decision I will have some confidence it is the right one.
As this is my first post of 2025 I will end by wishing you a wonderful year ahead. My all your reads be fabulous ones.
All the best,
Ben
One thing I never have any shortage of is ideas for a new story. They fall upon me from out of the sky, whatever the weather, and I usually hurriedly jot down some notes and file these away for future reference. The difficult part, you therefore won’t be surprised to hear, is deciding which one of these gets my attention when the time comes to start on something new.
The same thing goes for a new series. There are many ideas tucked away, some of which I have already played around with to a lesser or greater degree. So, the question is, how do I go about deciding what comes next whenever the opportunity to start something new arises?
A new series is a big commitment. The idea is there will be multiple books written and, if that doesn’t turn out to be the case, then it will be because the first book has fallen flat on its face. Naturally enough I want to get it right from the start.
Of course, I want to write something that people will enjoy reading. I mean, who sets out to spend money on a book they think they won’t enjoy?
There is also usually a degree of expectation from people who have already savoured some of an author’s work. If they are used to you writing witty cosy mysteries then one day you show up with a blood-thirsty, shape-shifting, zombie end-of-the-world tome chances are they won’t be any too impressed.
Just as importantly, I want to write something that I enjoy writing. It’s not meant to be an exercise in self-torture and, what’s more, if I don’t enjoy writing it then it’s more than likely going to show through when people read it.
With a series I also need a core group of characters that I am confident I will enjoy spending time with, because that could end up being a great deal of time indeed. I don’t actually have to like them all, but I do need to enjoy their company. An evil villain can be just an entertaining as an impressive hero.
It helps too if I feel sure from the outset that there will be scope for me to develop these core characters over the course of a series. That certainly helps an author to maintain their own interest as a series progresses and I think this applies to readers too.
So, you can see, there’s a lot of factors to take into account. But I’d be lying if I said that I go about making these decisions in a ruthlessly cold, calculating manner. Remember, I am an intuitive author who makes up his stories as he writes them. It ought to come as no surprise, therefore, to hear me say that such decisions are made as much with my sub-conscious brain as the conscious part. It needs to feel right, is another way of putting it.
I do have a favourite candidate for my next series. It concerns a cast and a setting that came to me only very recently and which really got me excited as I started scribbling down notes. It is tempting to say the job is done, the decision made, and to plunge straight in the deep end when the time comes. But I am going to let things percolate away in the background. Allow my subconscious to do its thing. Then, when I do finally make a decision I will have some confidence it is the right one.
As this is my first post of 2025 I will end by wishing you a wonderful year ahead. My all your reads be fabulous ones.
All the best,
Ben
Need a Pick Me Up?
Many months ago now I realised I needed to get out and about more. Sitting at my desk all day, every day wasn’t really good for me. It’s turned out to have been a good move but it seems the pool of things to do is actually wider and deeper than I realised. So, if you happen to feel you might need a pick me up, then read on.
I’ve loved being a full-time author. I get to write for hours every day, five days a week, which is not only fun but has also allowed me to progress many more story ideas than was ever the case before. After a bit of a tussle I’ve also come to enjoy much of the time I spend on marketing and other non-writing activities. If only I’d made the jump sooner!
However, after a few months I came to realise that I was enjoying things so much that I was only ever leaving the house on a regular basis when I go for a short pre-work walk in the morning. That, of course, really wasn’t a good thing. Too much time by far sitting at a desk and too little time getting exercise, fresh air and re-charging those batteries by doing something different.
My response was to delegate Wednesday afternoons to non-authorly things. I started calling this part of the week my Wednesday Afternoon Wanderings and I have made a point of visiting somewhere different each and every Wednesday afternoon.
I’ve visited towns, such as Leamington and Rugby, gardens and woodlands, such as Batsford Arboretum, museums, such as the British Motor Museum, and gone for long walks across the nearby countryside. It’s been wonderful and I can’t recommend this sort of thing enough. I feel refreshed, inspired, delighted and properly exercised.
But I recently bumped into an article that discusses the findings from a Cambridge University study that identified a link between cultural outings and feeling happy or even fending off depression. It seems that going to see a film or a show, or paying a visit to a museum regularly is beneficial for your mental health.
Now, I’m not so sure about those that involve sitting down, since part of the reason for my Wednesday Afternoon Wanderings is to get some exercise, but it was certainly good to see that what I have found in practice is also reflected in academic studies. What’s more, it seems the range of activities that can be beneficial is wider than I had originally thought.
So, what are you waiting for? Put down that post-lunch coffee, put on your coat and shoes and get yourself out there to whatever cultural delights you can find, safe in the knowledge that it will likely do your mental health some good, as well as be fun.
I know I am now going to be looking at a wider range of adventures for my Wednesday Afternoon Wanderings.
All the best,
Ben
I’ve loved being a full-time author. I get to write for hours every day, five days a week, which is not only fun but has also allowed me to progress many more story ideas than was ever the case before. After a bit of a tussle I’ve also come to enjoy much of the time I spend on marketing and other non-writing activities. If only I’d made the jump sooner!
However, after a few months I came to realise that I was enjoying things so much that I was only ever leaving the house on a regular basis when I go for a short pre-work walk in the morning. That, of course, really wasn’t a good thing. Too much time by far sitting at a desk and too little time getting exercise, fresh air and re-charging those batteries by doing something different.
My response was to delegate Wednesday afternoons to non-authorly things. I started calling this part of the week my Wednesday Afternoon Wanderings and I have made a point of visiting somewhere different each and every Wednesday afternoon.
I’ve visited towns, such as Leamington and Rugby, gardens and woodlands, such as Batsford Arboretum, museums, such as the British Motor Museum, and gone for long walks across the nearby countryside. It’s been wonderful and I can’t recommend this sort of thing enough. I feel refreshed, inspired, delighted and properly exercised.
But I recently bumped into an article that discusses the findings from a Cambridge University study that identified a link between cultural outings and feeling happy or even fending off depression. It seems that going to see a film or a show, or paying a visit to a museum regularly is beneficial for your mental health.
Now, I’m not so sure about those that involve sitting down, since part of the reason for my Wednesday Afternoon Wanderings is to get some exercise, but it was certainly good to see that what I have found in practice is also reflected in academic studies. What’s more, it seems the range of activities that can be beneficial is wider than I had originally thought.
So, what are you waiting for? Put down that post-lunch coffee, put on your coat and shoes and get yourself out there to whatever cultural delights you can find, safe in the knowledge that it will likely do your mental health some good, as well as be fun.
I know I am now going to be looking at a wider range of adventures for my Wednesday Afternoon Wanderings.
All the best,
Ben
Avoiding Overload
There are so many things involved in being an indie author that, at times, it can feel close to overwhelming. So, how do I go about avoiding overload and burn out?
When I sat down to start writing my first novel all those years ago, I didn’t envisage just how many other activities I would end up finding myself involved with in order to get a story from a blank page to a book on a virtual or physical shelf.
There’s the writing itself. First draft, second draft, editing, re-writing. Then there’s the production, formatting the content, sourcing a cover, uploading the files, checking it’s all working properly. I run a newsletter that readers can sign up for, write my blog posts and run several social media accounts. Oh, and then there’s the marketing and what a lot of time that demands.
There’s also keeping up with the news from the world of books and, especially these days, relevant developments in the tech field. Blockchain and AI anyone?
I’m also keen to keep working on my craft and other skills, so I try to always be doing some relevant reading, video watching or, sometimes, completing a course.
And if all of that wasn’t already enough I also like to hang out from time-to-time with other authors, either in person at conferences or online.
I actually enjoy a lot of the non-writing activities but, strewth, they can be a time stealer. In fact, it is all too easy to find yourself feeling run-down and overwhelmed. You really do have to remember to take care of yourself.
So, how do I attempt to do just that, avoid getting overwhelmed and run-down?
Trial and error have shown me the way and I now have a three step approach to help keep me sane.
First of all prioritise and be ruthless about it. Most things can, in fact, wait for another day and remember this helps you to put the really important stuff first.
Secondly, once you know your priorities then plan. Starting the day without a clear idea where you’re heading is a sure fire way to stress and frustration. I run a quarterly and weekly planner and I also review outcomes at the start of each week to help me plan better.
Finally, whilst prioritising and planning are all well and good you also need to retain a degree of flexibility. Stuff happens that often has not a jot of regard for your plans and over which you have little control. Don’t stress about it. Instead, smile, re-plan, and move serenely on.
I won’t pretend that, even with such an approach, it isn’t sometimes tough, especially when there’s a lot going on at once, such as when I’m launching a new book. But, if you at least try to approach things in the right way and remember that you’re here to enjoy it, then you give yourself a chance. If I do feel things are, despite my best efforts, getting on top of me then I have been known to push aside the keyboard, vacate the premises and go for a long, long walk. That one works just about every time.
All the best,
Ben
If you’re a fan of dark, disturbing stories, then take a wander into the darker recesses of the human mind https://benwesterham.com/shorts-in-th...
When I sat down to start writing my first novel all those years ago, I didn’t envisage just how many other activities I would end up finding myself involved with in order to get a story from a blank page to a book on a virtual or physical shelf.
There’s the writing itself. First draft, second draft, editing, re-writing. Then there’s the production, formatting the content, sourcing a cover, uploading the files, checking it’s all working properly. I run a newsletter that readers can sign up for, write my blog posts and run several social media accounts. Oh, and then there’s the marketing and what a lot of time that demands.
There’s also keeping up with the news from the world of books and, especially these days, relevant developments in the tech field. Blockchain and AI anyone?
I’m also keen to keep working on my craft and other skills, so I try to always be doing some relevant reading, video watching or, sometimes, completing a course.
And if all of that wasn’t already enough I also like to hang out from time-to-time with other authors, either in person at conferences or online.
I actually enjoy a lot of the non-writing activities but, strewth, they can be a time stealer. In fact, it is all too easy to find yourself feeling run-down and overwhelmed. You really do have to remember to take care of yourself.
So, how do I attempt to do just that, avoid getting overwhelmed and run-down?
Trial and error have shown me the way and I now have a three step approach to help keep me sane.
First of all prioritise and be ruthless about it. Most things can, in fact, wait for another day and remember this helps you to put the really important stuff first.
Secondly, once you know your priorities then plan. Starting the day without a clear idea where you’re heading is a sure fire way to stress and frustration. I run a quarterly and weekly planner and I also review outcomes at the start of each week to help me plan better.
Finally, whilst prioritising and planning are all well and good you also need to retain a degree of flexibility. Stuff happens that often has not a jot of regard for your plans and over which you have little control. Don’t stress about it. Instead, smile, re-plan, and move serenely on.
I won’t pretend that, even with such an approach, it isn’t sometimes tough, especially when there’s a lot going on at once, such as when I’m launching a new book. But, if you at least try to approach things in the right way and remember that you’re here to enjoy it, then you give yourself a chance. If I do feel things are, despite my best efforts, getting on top of me then I have been known to push aside the keyboard, vacate the premises and go for a long, long walk. That one works just about every time.
All the best,
Ben
If you’re a fan of dark, disturbing stories, then take a wander into the darker recesses of the human mind https://benwesterham.com/shorts-in-th...
