Tag: writing

person holding a book
Blog, Writing

Adventures in Self-Publishing

christinahollis

Rather than let my backlist gather dust, I’m going to republish selected pieces of my writing. Join me at the start of my adventures in self-publishing…

A Coral Reef of Creativity

During my career as a writer, I have written a ton of stuff. Articles, short stories, and novels are sitting around in my office and on my computer gathering dust (both real and virtual). After years of living alongside this coral reef of creativity, at last I’m going to put it to good use. It’s either that, or one day I shall disappear under a landslide of Lever Arch files.

crop woman writing down notes in diary
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

My First Adventure in Self-Publishing

A few years ago, I put out a story, My Dream Guy, on Amazon. You can read that for free here, and find more of my published books here and here. I did that after discovering how easy it was to do that using the writing tool Scrivener. Around that time, I joined the Alliance of Independent Authors after attending a presentation at an RNA conference. I was inspired…but never quite brave enough to load up more of my work and press ‘publish’. Every time my Alli subscription fell due I would think, “This year I’m definitely going to do it!” Then life got in the way, the days turned into weeks, and then months. You know how it is.

The Adventures Start Here…

And then this year the planets aligned—or rather, an attack of guilt about how much I spend on various subscriptions sent me out to local meetings of both the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Society of Authors in the same week. My regular New Year’s Resolution to self-publish was already months old, and I had done nothing about it. Then Historical novelist Joanna Maitland inspired members of the RNA with her experiences of self-publishing her extensive backlist. My flagging spirits revived. Three days later, I went to a meeting of the Society of Authors’ Monmouthshire group. I was still feeling enthusiastic after listening to Joanna when members of the SoA got to work on me. Instead of the leisurely lunch I had expected, I spent the whole time making notes (when I wasn’t eating). By the time I got home, my mind was buzzing with ideas and suggestions. Then my research started. It’s been going on ever since.

person holding a book

…the Self Publishing Is Coming Soon!

Right now, I’m investigating the keyword creator Publisher Rocket and the manuscript formatting package Vellum. I have given this blog a makeover, and I’m busily updating the manuscript of His Majesty’s Secret Passion. This will be the first book from my backlist that I produce. It will have a new name, Royal Passion, and a brilliant new cover is being produced as I write. Subscribers to my monthly newsletter will hear about my adventures in self publishing as they happen, and they will be the first to see the cover of Royal Passion when it is ready. Join them by entering your email address here!

close up of human hand
Blog, Writing

Become A Better Writer By…

christinahollis


Becoming a better writer starts with confidence. The first step in reaching any goal is telling yourself you can do it. It doesn’t matter if your goal is writing a novel, creating a collection of poems, or keeping a journal.

…Believing In Yourself

Becoming a Better Writer: get a business card. Photo by Hans via Pixabay

If you want to be a writer, give yourself that job title from Day One. Then work at it with all your might. Whether or not you are published, as soon as you put words down on the page, you become an author. Celebrate that fact! Create your own business card and keep it in your phone case. Seeing it every time you use your phone will remind you of your ultimate goal. Your first business card can be as simple as a hand-written, cut-down postcard. Include your writing name, email address, and that vital word ‘author’. As soon as you can afford it, order a small supply of business cards from somewhere like Vistaprint or Canva. Then when the time comes you’ll have something to hand out to your readers, and book stores.


Writers are supposed to avoid using clichés, but practice really does make perfect. Here comes another favourite saying—I wish I had a pound for every time someone has said to me; ‘I’d love to be a writer, but I don’t have the time,’ or, ‘I’d love to be a writer, but I don’t have the inspiration.’ If you care about your ideas and you are willing to work at them, the words will come. The more time you invest in writing, the better you will become.

Become A Better Writer By—Writing!

Entering competitions teaches you to write to a deadline. Some offer a paid-for critique service, which is helpful. Attending conferences and workshops will give you ideas and advice, but in the end how much your writing improves is up to you. If you wait until you are in the mood to write, you might as well give up now. You have to put in the work, whether or not you, or the words are in the mood to play along. As long ago as 1911, Mary Heaton Vorse came out with the perfect advice to writers everywhere; ‘The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.’

yellow black pencil sharpened above the white paper in macro photography Becoming a better writer by writing
Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com


Writing goals keep you on track and give you something to aim for. The SMART system is really useful for writers. The individual letters of the word stand for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time sensitive. Saying; ‘I want to write a book’ is woolly. There’s neither detail nor urgency about it.

I will have written a book at least 70,000 words long by 31st December this year is specific. It’s measurable, because at the end of the year you will either have reached your goal, or you won’t.

Writing a book of that length in a year is both achievable, and realistic. All you have to do is write 109 words every day for 365 days. Want an idea of what that daily total looks like? There are more words than that in the first nine sentences of this blog.

Set a Goal

Becoming a better writer takes self-belief, practice, and a definite goal. If you sit down, concentrate, and write a few lines every day, it will soon become a habit—like cleaning your teeth or brushing your hair.

Why don’t you share your writing goals for 2023?

You can find out more about me here, and see some of my books here.

merry christmas sign
Blog, Writing

December Notes and Writing Prompts

christinahollis

Lots of us are busy with parties and Christmas preparations this month. I started early! However busy you are, take some time out to and relax. When the weather is cold and clear we can get some wonderful sunrises and sunsets this month. Here are some December notes and writing prompts, to give your creativity a nudge.

December Writing Prompts: photo of a winter sunset with birch trees and snow.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

December Notes

December 1st is the official start of winter. At this time of year insects are in short supply. Wildlife has already eaten most of Autumn’s berries and seeds, so birds and animals are getting hungry. Even if you don’t have a garden, you can feed them. There are windowsill feeders to bring life and movement right up close. That can provide inspiration for non-fiction work, or simply a break from work. I waste lots of writing time watching the finches, nuthatches and woodpeckers squabbling!

December Writing Prompts: Use the contrast of light and dark to spark creativity. Two pillar candles
Photo by Matej Novosad on Pexels.com

December in the Dark

One of my favourite December memories is trudging home from school one dark winter afternoon, weighed down with a ton of homework. With a hundred yards to go I looked up—and saw the coloured lights of the Christmas tree in our front window, shining through the darkness. They were only the old-fashioned, static Woolworths fairy lights, but that didn’t matter. Seeing them gave me a real boost. It’s important to include contrast in your writing. The difference between reality and promise, or darkness and light, add depth to your work.

close up of christmas decoration hanging on tree
Photo by Gary Spears on Pexels.com

Sensory Treats at Christmas

December brings lots of sensory treats. There’s Jack Frost nipping at your nose, and the fragrance of crushed pine needles, or marzipan, and all kinds of exotic citrus fruits. I love the sensation of sliding into a brand new bubble bath on Christmas morning. It’s a shame those bubbles are always cold, no matter how warm the water!

Writing Prompts

Editors schedule magazine features and stories about Christmas months in advance. The The People’s Friend , for example, looks for Christmas pieces in early summer. You can get some inspiration ahead of Christmas 2023 deadlines by studying what is on offer right now. Background reading of this month’s Christmas fiction and non-fiction will give you an idea of what is wanted. Make lots of notes. Then you can spend the next few months working them up for submission.

Now It’s Your Turn!

Create your own December Notes and Writing Prompts to inspire you this month. If you have a busy Christmas, the time between the big day and New Year celebrations can be a bit of a let-down. Writing gives you focus. If you are on your own this Christmas, writing can help to ease loneliness. Either way, you can use the dark days of December to squirrel away inspiration for your new writing year.

December Writing Prompt: close up of mistletoe
Photo by Dids on Pexels.com

Ideas to get you started

  • What if the family member who always did the cooking went on strike, and refused to cook Christmas dinner?
  • Power cuts are predicted. How would your characters cope, faced with cold baked beans and bread toasted over a candle?
  • Mincemeat originally contained real meat. What’s the worst traditional dish you can think of—and how could you persuade your fictional characters to try it?
  • Kisses under the mistletoe—a huge mistake, or the start of a beautiful friendship?
  • Christmas 1914 saw a football match between British and German forces during the First World War. How would you mend a rift between opposing sides? This is the idea behind my latest story Goodwill to All, by the way!
Blog, Writing

Writing for Pleasure, Profit, and Posterity

christinahollis

Part Two: Finding Your Writing Community

Writers are always being asked the question where do you get your ideas? The simple answer to that is anywhere and everywhere, but that’s not much to go on when you’re starting out as a writer.

Later in Writing for Pleasure, Profit, and Posterity I’ll be looking at capturing inspiration and the best way to organise your notes, but today I want to focus on the importance of finding your writing community. That’s your support group of cheerleaders, mentors, and others you’ll need in your quest to become a writer. They’ll help you formulate your ideas, brainstorm your projects, and provide you with inspiration.

Don’t worry if you don’t know any writers yet. I didn’t know anybody when I started out, but once I made the commitment to become a full-time writer, I was soon getting advice from all quarters. The writing community is supportive of newbies, and is keen to pass on the tips and wrinkles they’ve learned over the years.

You need people who will support you, but won’t be shy about offering constructive criticism when needed. While it’s lovely to have the backing of your immediate family (my career as a successful writer relies on tons of support from my husband and our children, for which I’m very grateful) don’t be tempted to show them your first efforts. If your family is like my tribe, they won’t want to hurt your feelings. Should your relations be less than supportive of your dreams, you might not like what they have to say.

The obvious first place to start is with a writing professional, such as the tutor of a good local (or online) creative writing course. You should expect to pay for their advice by enrolling, which is how I found my first writing mentor, the award-winning poet Paul Groves. Paul was running classes in creative writing at a local college. We became friends after I joined the course, and he has been giving me advice and support ever since.

In a future edition of Writing for Pleasure, Profit, and Posterity I’ll be covering courses in detail and how to choose a good one, so make sure you subscribe by putting your email address in the box below. Don’t worry, I won’t ever pass on your details, or send out spam.

Courses and workshops are vital to help you improve your writing, and they are a great source of inspiration. Students can bounce ideas off each other, and a good tutor will provide details of opportunities for writers such as competitions. Most writing competitions specify a theme. Like mortal danger, the idea of finishing a piece before the closing date is a great cure for writers’ block!

If you are serious about becoming a professional author, the Society of Authors offers loads of benefits such as workshops, training, and a contract vetting service. They also have an extensive branch network with lots of social events in non-Covid times, and plenty of online meet-ups during lockdowns.

If you already know what you want to write, it’s worth joining a specialist association. I belong to the Romantic Novelists’ Association. The RNA and its members have helped me every step of the way. I was a published author before I discovered them, and wish I’d known about their New Writers’ Scheme when I was first starting out. It gives unpublished writers the chance to have their work critiqued by professionals (including me), and each year the RNA presents the Joan Hessayon Award to the best debut novel. In 2020, this was won by Melissa Oliver’s historical novel, The Rebel Heiress and the Knight.

As well as writing “Struggle and Suffrage in Bristol”, I took some of the photos which illustrate the book. This is the oldest pub in the city, which predates the more famous “Llandoger Trow” by nearly sixty years.

It was through my links with the Romantic Novelists’ Association that I came to write my first non-fiction book, Struggle and Suffrage in Bristol. You can find out more about Struggle and Suffrage in Bristol here. Pen and Sword Books were planning a series about women’s lives during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in major towns and cities around the United Kingdom. They had authors for all of the intended books except for Plymouth, Bristol, and Bath. The news was posted on the RNA site, and as I was born only a few miles from Bristol, I submitted a proposal for the book and won the contract.

Writing Struggle and Suffrage in Bristol introduced me to the delights of researching in an archive. I had never done anything like that before, but the staff at the Bristol Archives and the Bristol and Avon Family History Society were all so helpful, I really felt part of their community while I was working there.

There’ll be more about research for writers, and how to write proposals in future editions of Writing for Pleasure, Profit, and Posterity, so subscribe to my blog by using the form below to make sure you don’t miss anything!

Blog, Writing

Writing…and Publicity

christinahollis

The rain has been lashing down outside for a couple of days, and it’s cold and miserable. Whatever happened to “Flaming June”? On days like today I’m glad I’ve got a nice indoor occupation, with no heavy lifting. It’s a world away from toiling outdoors in all weathers.

The biggest problem with writing as work is the constant urge to move on to the next project. I keep a notebook to write down all the new ideas that pop into my mind while I’m busy with a project. That way I’m never short of inspiration. When one book is finished, I flick through my notes. That gives me plenty to think about. When one particular image or scene germinates well, that’s when I start writing again.

That’s the future mapped out. What about the past? I’ve got a sizeable backlist of historical and romantic fiction. As my university course means I’m having to concentrate on writing non-fiction at the moment, my backlist is a valuable resource.

Find out more at http://mybook.to/HisMajestysSecret

The weather was too bad to work on my vegetable plot yesterday, so I was cooped up indoors. It was a day exactly like that when I started writing His Majesty’s Secret Passion. I needed to escape the miserable British winter. A luxurious spa in Greece felt like the perfect getaway. His Majesty’s Secret Passion was a lot of fun to write, and readers enjoy its take on the Cinderella-type story of an overworked woman passed over for promotion desperate to make a fresh start. I liked the idea of inventing a Prince Charming who wanted a real job as a doctor, rather than living an idle life of luxury as a king.

His Majesty’s Secret Passion went on to become the first book in my Princes of Kharova trilogy. All three books are full of secret desires, men who want change and women who know their own minds. I used yesterday’s down-time to create a book trailer on Animoto. I’ve only used it once before, to make a trailer for Struggle and Suffrage In Bristol (you can watch that here).

Talk about going from one extreme to the other! What do you think? Have you got any advice about using Animoto?