Ben Westerham's Blog
April 17, 2025
Is Using Dialects in my Writing a Bad Thing?
Just recently I had reason to re-visit a question that has bumped around in my head on previous occasions, namely is it a good or bad thing to make use of local dialects in my writing.
I was reading a very tatty copy of Thomas Hardy’s Under the Greenwood Tree*. Hardy is one of my favourite authors, but it can be a tough gig reading one of his books as they do tend to have some pretty unhappy endings. Fortunately, Under the Greenwood Tree does not fall into that category.
Very early on in the story, Hardy begins to deploy a heavy sprinkling of local Dorset dialect. Given the book was written in the middle of the nineteenth-century, the passing of time has only served to make reading it all the more of a challenge.
At first I found this a bit of a nuisance as I was forced to linger on words in order to work out what was being said, which was easier in some cases than others. But, as the book progressed, I found this got easier as my brain tuned into the dialect and, in the end, I didn’t really mind it at all.
I haven’t made widespread use of local dialects in my own writing, with the exception of my David Good books. These are set in south London during the 1980s and I felt I needed to make some use of the local lingo if I was to give them the right vibe. Even then I heavily scaled things back, since if I had gone all in the books would have been largely incomprehensible to many readers. For a while I kept a close eye on reader reviews to see if people were finding the south London dialect a problem. I did get one or two complaints but, somewhat to my surprise, most people not familiar with the lingo found it easy enough to work out and said it gave the books some added interest. All-in-all then things didn’t work out too badly.
However, I’ve still tended to shy away from this sort of thing for fear it will put readers off. But am I right about that? Should I give myself a bit more freedom here? It’s a tough call and for now I’m playing it safe.
But what do you think, does the use of local dialect put you off reading a book or does it add some welcome extra colour? I’d love to hear what you think and if you have some examples you’d like to share then so much the better.
All the best,
Ben
* This particular edition of the book had an extensive set of notes, including definitions of some, quite frankly, incomprehensible words that I suspect were not generally in use even during Hardy’s time. Some of these were hilariously funny and I thought I’d share one here. How about Borus-snorus, which means outspoken. I really must find an excuse to use that in one of my own stories!
If you’re a fan of crime, mystery or thriller stories then check out these great reads https://benwesterham.com/books/
I was reading a very tatty copy of Thomas Hardy’s Under the Greenwood Tree*. Hardy is one of my favourite authors, but it can be a tough gig reading one of his books as they do tend to have some pretty unhappy endings. Fortunately, Under the Greenwood Tree does not fall into that category.
Very early on in the story, Hardy begins to deploy a heavy sprinkling of local Dorset dialect. Given the book was written in the middle of the nineteenth-century, the passing of time has only served to make reading it all the more of a challenge.
At first I found this a bit of a nuisance as I was forced to linger on words in order to work out what was being said, which was easier in some cases than others. But, as the book progressed, I found this got easier as my brain tuned into the dialect and, in the end, I didn’t really mind it at all.
I haven’t made widespread use of local dialects in my own writing, with the exception of my David Good books. These are set in south London during the 1980s and I felt I needed to make some use of the local lingo if I was to give them the right vibe. Even then I heavily scaled things back, since if I had gone all in the books would have been largely incomprehensible to many readers. For a while I kept a close eye on reader reviews to see if people were finding the south London dialect a problem. I did get one or two complaints but, somewhat to my surprise, most people not familiar with the lingo found it easy enough to work out and said it gave the books some added interest. All-in-all then things didn’t work out too badly.
However, I’ve still tended to shy away from this sort of thing for fear it will put readers off. But am I right about that? Should I give myself a bit more freedom here? It’s a tough call and for now I’m playing it safe.
But what do you think, does the use of local dialect put you off reading a book or does it add some welcome extra colour? I’d love to hear what you think and if you have some examples you’d like to share then so much the better.
All the best,
Ben
* This particular edition of the book had an extensive set of notes, including definitions of some, quite frankly, incomprehensible words that I suspect were not generally in use even during Hardy’s time. Some of these were hilariously funny and I thought I’d share one here. How about Borus-snorus, which means outspoken. I really must find an excuse to use that in one of my own stories!
If you’re a fan of crime, mystery or thriller stories then check out these great reads https://benwesterham.com/books/
February 21, 2025
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...
February 13, 2025
Readers, We’re all Weirdos Really
I like cold pizza. I know people, strange, weird people who may have come here from outer space, who don’t like cold pizza. On the other hand, I don’t like cold Chinese food, but I know people who do and they really must be from planet Zoiks! because that’s just too much. Way too much.
Once upon a time my wife didn’t know what a saveloy* is, though she does now. And, yes, she is one hundred percent weird; she must be to have married me.
Some people like eating garlic. Yuck! And others swear blind that courgettes actually taste yummy. Surely, they’re from the distant galaxy NoTasteBuds?
There are people who are happily tucked up in bed by nine every evening, insisting they can’t keep their eyes open another minute. Then there are people like me who wonder why anyone feels the need to go to bed before two in the morning.
I hear persistent rumours that there are people who like going to musicals, whereas I once largely slept through a screening of Evita.
Apparently, there are also readers who don’t like my favourite books, despite it being an irrefutable matter of fact, in my own head, that I have the best taste when it comes to reading.
In a similar vein, I have actually met people, real flesh and blood human beings, who insist that some books I hate with a passion are, in fact, the greatest read ever. Now that is weird to the extent that I must conclude they are winding me up.
Weird, isn’t it, how all these situations can arise?
Well, no, of course it isn’t anything of the sort. The truth is that we, as readers, just as we do with anything else in our lives, have our own preferences. Our own likes and dislikes. Our own passions. Our own lines not to be crossed.
After all, readers, we’re all just weirdos really and thank heavens for that, because wouldn’t life be boring otherwise?
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...
Once upon a time my wife didn’t know what a saveloy* is, though she does now. And, yes, she is one hundred percent weird; she must be to have married me.
Some people like eating garlic. Yuck! And others swear blind that courgettes actually taste yummy. Surely, they’re from the distant galaxy NoTasteBuds?
There are people who are happily tucked up in bed by nine every evening, insisting they can’t keep their eyes open another minute. Then there are people like me who wonder why anyone feels the need to go to bed before two in the morning.
I hear persistent rumours that there are people who like going to musicals, whereas I once largely slept through a screening of Evita.
Apparently, there are also readers who don’t like my favourite books, despite it being an irrefutable matter of fact, in my own head, that I have the best taste when it comes to reading.
In a similar vein, I have actually met people, real flesh and blood human beings, who insist that some books I hate with a passion are, in fact, the greatest read ever. Now that is weird to the extent that I must conclude they are winding me up.
Weird, isn’t it, how all these situations can arise?
Well, no, of course it isn’t anything of the sort. The truth is that we, as readers, just as we do with anything else in our lives, have our own preferences. Our own likes and dislikes. Our own passions. Our own lines not to be crossed.
After all, readers, we’re all just weirdos really and thank heavens for that, because wouldn’t life be boring otherwise?
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...
February 6, 2025
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
January 16, 2025
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
December 13, 2024
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...
December 5, 2024
Christmas Crimes
Seeing how we are fast approaching the festive period I thought I’d do some digging to see how many crime and mystery novels I could find that are set during the Christmas period. Turns out there are quite a few. In fact, there are loads.
How about The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie or The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson? I have put together a long list on a Books2Read page. Just click on this link https://books2read.com/rl/zMwADk to see it. You might even find something in there that would make the ideal gift for someone in your life.
But did I miss any of your favourites? If I did then do let me know. I think this list could be something useful to keep going for Christmases to come.
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. The Hide and Seek Murders.
https://benwesterham.com/books/book-d...
How about The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie or The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson? I have put together a long list on a Books2Read page. Just click on this link https://books2read.com/rl/zMwADk to see it. You might even find something in there that would make the ideal gift for someone in your life.
But did I miss any of your favourites? If I did then do let me know. I think this list could be something useful to keep going for Christmases to come.
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. The Hide and Seek Murders.
https://benwesterham.com/books/book-d...
November 27, 2024
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...
October 31, 2024
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/
October 17, 2024
A Favourite Place to Read
I have, for some time now, had a well established writing routine, which sees me show up at the same place and time each day. But I recently shifted some furniture around in our living room and soon realised I had disturbed my reading habits by moving an armchair that I usually read in at lunchtime, which had me wondering, do we all have our favourite places to read?
Where my writing is concerned, I rock up every morning around ten o’clock at the smaller of the two desks we have in the study. Yeah, I know, lucky me, eh? Not only have we got a study but I actually have a separate desk for writing. Anyway, I wake up the laptop then get to it. Normally I spend around two and a half hours writing each morning, but it can stretch to three some days.
Having a routine like that is great because it’s the only way you get anything done. I also happen to like the place where I write because I’m next to a window and have a wonderful view of the village church and some neighbouring gardens. That’s ideal for those times when you need to give your eyes a bit of a rest.
The afternoons I spend on marketing and all manner of other activities that an indie author like me has to deal with if we want to get our books into the hands of readers. That sees me move on to the other, larger, desk in the study.
However, in between time I make and eat lunch, then decide how to spend the rest of my break. I might go for a walk, watch something on the TV (usually gardening related), have a chat with one of the neighbours or, very often, read a book.
I almost always have two books on the go at any time, one fiction and one non-fiction, and I definitely have my favourite places for reading each of those. Fiction I read almost exclusively in bed, since I find it’s great at helping to clear the mind of all the clutter that has accumulated there during the day and, so, makes it easier to get to sleep.
Non-fiction is a little different. I will read this pretty much whenever the fancy takes me and time allows, though never at bedtime, since that would get my brain more active not less. Whilst I will also happily read my non-fiction anywhere I almost always read it in one particular chair in the living room. It’s comfortable, the light is good because it’s next to a window and it’s a little out of the way, so I’m less likely to be disturbed.
I hadn’t really noticed before that I tend to read my non-fiction in the same place and it took moving that armchair to bring that to my attention. I do, it turns out, have favourite places for all my reading.
So, there we have it, it seems I’m even more of a creature of habit than I realised. Not only do I have a regular place for writing, I also have my favourite places for reading and even go so far as to have one for fiction and another for non-fiction.
But what about you, do you have a favourite place for reading? Do share and all the more so if it is somewhere unusual or just plain odd. I’m most curious.
All the best,
Ben
I not only write crime, mystery and thriller books, I also read hordes of them. Here are some of my most cherished favourites https://books2read.com/rl/z5wYj7.
Where my writing is concerned, I rock up every morning around ten o’clock at the smaller of the two desks we have in the study. Yeah, I know, lucky me, eh? Not only have we got a study but I actually have a separate desk for writing. Anyway, I wake up the laptop then get to it. Normally I spend around two and a half hours writing each morning, but it can stretch to three some days.
Having a routine like that is great because it’s the only way you get anything done. I also happen to like the place where I write because I’m next to a window and have a wonderful view of the village church and some neighbouring gardens. That’s ideal for those times when you need to give your eyes a bit of a rest.
The afternoons I spend on marketing and all manner of other activities that an indie author like me has to deal with if we want to get our books into the hands of readers. That sees me move on to the other, larger, desk in the study.
However, in between time I make and eat lunch, then decide how to spend the rest of my break. I might go for a walk, watch something on the TV (usually gardening related), have a chat with one of the neighbours or, very often, read a book.
I almost always have two books on the go at any time, one fiction and one non-fiction, and I definitely have my favourite places for reading each of those. Fiction I read almost exclusively in bed, since I find it’s great at helping to clear the mind of all the clutter that has accumulated there during the day and, so, makes it easier to get to sleep.
Non-fiction is a little different. I will read this pretty much whenever the fancy takes me and time allows, though never at bedtime, since that would get my brain more active not less. Whilst I will also happily read my non-fiction anywhere I almost always read it in one particular chair in the living room. It’s comfortable, the light is good because it’s next to a window and it’s a little out of the way, so I’m less likely to be disturbed.
I hadn’t really noticed before that I tend to read my non-fiction in the same place and it took moving that armchair to bring that to my attention. I do, it turns out, have favourite places for all my reading.
So, there we have it, it seems I’m even more of a creature of habit than I realised. Not only do I have a regular place for writing, I also have my favourite places for reading and even go so far as to have one for fiction and another for non-fiction.
But what about you, do you have a favourite place for reading? Do share and all the more so if it is somewhere unusual or just plain odd. I’m most curious.
All the best,
Ben
I not only write crime, mystery and thriller books, I also read hordes of them. Here are some of my most cherished favourites https://books2read.com/rl/z5wYj7.
