Today I was thinking about how lucky I am to have friends who are also writers. Darned good ones too – far better than I am!

I love being able to send a friend a cover design and get some honest feedback – ‘Honey, not in a million years, the woman on the cover looks like a slapper.’
‘Babe that lettering has so much character it could practically walk off the page.’
‘Don’t let them murder your book like that – demand a rethink.’
Oh, yes, writerly friends can be brutal – but refreshingly so.

And they’ll also tell you the truth about your work – if you are very lucky.
‘Not your best to be honest, but put it behind you and move on. The next one sounds like a real gong winner.’
‘Amazing stuff. My favourite by far. You go for it, girl.’
Sometimes you need to hear the truth, other times you just need a writerly hug.

Writers understand, really understand what it means to write, the nail biting horror of publication day (sorry, maybe that’s just me!), the sheer drudgery of it some days, the unimaginable joy of it other days. Trying to edit while cooking fishfingers for the kids yet again, trying to glam up for photographers who are coming at 10am on a Saturday morning, the crushing review or even worse, no reviews at all. Knowing they understand and truly care, that means everything to me.

Writing is a lonely old game – tapping away at a keyboard, day after day after day. It’s nice to have someone on the other end of a phone, or email, or Facebook who can say ‘Cheer up, chuck, only another 50,000 words to go. Nearly there!’ And actually mean it.

So here’s to all my writer friends – and I do hope you all find some good writer friends of your own. And if you do, hang on to them and never let go.

Do not protect yourself by a fence, rather by your friends – old Czech proverb. Hear, hear!

Yours in writing,
SarahX

I just got my hands on the new Inkwell flyer (thank you, Vanessa) and it’s full of interesting courses and stuff for writers.
Writing for Children with me and Oisin McGann – Sat 20th March – will be fab of course
But also Getting Published with Sheila Crowley, agent at Curtis Brown, UK and Paula Campbell from Poolbeg Press. Ideal place to hand them your manuscript methinks! Or at least say hello.

They also have a critique service and a free newsletter full of juicy book trade goss.

For more see www.inkwellwriters.ie

Sarah XXX

That’s the funny thing about doing events and publicity for books – publication and all it entails: launches, radio interviews; writing columns; getting pics to go with the columns taken at odd times like 5pm (kids’ tea time in our house and always a zoo!), Sat morning just before you have to get the kids out to soccer; book events and book tours – it makes you realise how much you actually enjoy a normal writing day.

Some writers love the whole buzz of publication – but most don’t. Most – me included – would like maybe 2 or 3 days of it – just to mark the fact that a new book is actually out – and would then like to be allowed slink gracefully back behind our desks to write again.

But such is the life of a writer these days – you must do whatever you can to make your book sell so that a publisher will actually pay you to write another one. And if that includes telling journalists (who I must say are mostly lovely) what you had for breakfast, so be it.

But the most important thing is the writing – get that right first. Worry about all the rest of the hoopla later.

Here’s something I’ve learned over the last 15 years – if your book is really, really good, word of mouth is the most vital ingredient of all when it comes to book sales. You can have the best cover in the world, be on all the radio and telly shows, have bookmarks and posters coming out your ears, and if the book isn’t up to scratch no one will recommend it to their friends or family.

So heads down and write!

But I must say visiting 8 schools all over England and meeting some amazing girls and teachers was an experience I will never forget. More about that next week . . .

Have a fab weekend.

And remember – heads down, the writing’s the thing!

Sarah XXX

The Loving Kind, Emma the Penguin and Amy Green, Teen Agony Queen: Summer Secrets are all safely launched and on the shelves!

Marita Conlon-Kenna gave a lovely speech and I was touched to see so many friends and family members at the do in Hughes and Hughes on Wed night.
Plus fellow writers Martina Devlin, Clare Dowling, Don Conroy and many others.
Thanks so much to everyone for coming!

I’m off to the UK for a week of Amy Green events – talk soon!

SarahX