Please ask your questions here:

Thu, 2010-04-08 16:04

#2

celticman

How do you become a writer?

Wed, 2010-04-14 20:54

#3

maudsy

deleted

Thu, 2010-04-08 18:00

#4

Tornado

Does being a writer become you? No, sorry...what I meant to ask was: Where, in the becoming a known writer process, should finding a manager be placed? Or, should that even be part of the equation?

Fri, 2010-04-09 12:11

#5

niki72

How much do you tend to plot your idea before you start writing? And how much of your writing stems from personal experience? Or do you invent everything from scratch?

Fri, 2010-04-09 12:39

#6

Christine

When did you start writing. Not just in your head but on paper? What did you do with early work?

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:02

#7

Ewan

How much help has ABC tales been to you, honestly? Would you have written anyway? Are you a member at other sites?

Author Page at the 'Zon

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:09

#8

o-bear

How much revision work do you do with your prose? Do you spend hours cutting, pasting and polishing? Does you best work tend to come out all shining all a once, or do you find it more of a slow painstaking process?

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:09

#9

tcook

Sorry to be a bit late - my computer chose the right moment to blow up! How important do you think reading is to your writing - and who do you read?

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:14

#10

tcook

That's great to hear - and a spur to one and all to give good feedback I think!

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:16

#11

Ewan

What a great story! I think people sometimes forget how good ABC can be, as long as people are prepared to take an interest in others' work.

Author Page at the 'Zon

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:19

#12

tcook

I have a very clear memory of it coming through chapter by chapter and really looking forward to seeing it on the 'spike'. This is a book that I can really recommend to you all - the central character is truly excellent. He is so believable that you just don't see the twist coming - and the twist is the biggest I've ever read in any book, ever. It turns the whole thing on its head. That is very brave - and at first I felt cheated by it - but the more I've thought about it, and the story has stayed in my head, the more I've enjoyed it.

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:23

#13

tcook

More questions? I have some but don't want to hog the forum!

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:28

#14

tcook

The central character in your new book is an alcoholic mess - yet, like many alcoholics, he retains a warmth and charm that endears him to women. Having met you, once, I didn't get the impression that he was you! Have you know someone like this well or is he an amalgamation of a number of people you have known over the years?

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:31

#15

misha

When you say you had an agent and a publisher, did you go through the conventional route and find the agent first? If you did, have you any tips, any encouragement for someone who's still putting her work out there. Misha.

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:33

#16

Ewan

He doesn't know me, but it sounds familiar.

Author Page at the 'Zon

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:36

#17

o-bear

Thanks for your insightful answers. One more Q: Did you give up all other occupations to write and finish your novel? How did u find / make the time to do it properly?

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:40

#18

niki72

Yes I'm interested in that too. Can you truly squeeze in a full time job and writing at the same time? And how do you deal with rejection? I've found it particularly hard not to give up at times.

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:40

#19

tcook

Well - you got it right. My father was an alcoholic and I think that you capture the self-delusion and desperation of the disease absolutely spot-on.

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:47

#20

tcook

Do you write every day? How long do you write for in each session?

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:49

#21

misha

Thanks, it puts it all in perspective. As you say some of it is luck and some sheer hard grind and never giving up. Actually I can't give up, every time I try to stop writing I find another story coming on. I was also encouraged to hear that it was one of the smaller publishing houses that took you on as I think that, and the internet in all its forms and guises, is probably the way to go.

Fri, 2010-04-09 13:58

#22

tcook

A massive thankyou to Richard for his time and his brilliant answers to our many questions. I am very interested to know if this is an exercise that we would like to repeat - so please let me know on this forum. I'll leave this up for a few weeks so that people can read all of the above conversations and gain what they can from it.

Fri, 2010-04-09 14:00

#23

niki72

Found it really useful and interesting. Thanks Richard and thanks Tony for organising!

Fri, 2010-04-09 14:00

#24

o-bear

Very well done then... that doesn't sound like nearly enough time. Where there's a will there are ways I guess.

Fri, 2010-04-09 14:01

#25

Ewan

Yes, thanks very much. I'd like to see more of these, please.

Author Page at the 'Zon

Fri, 2010-04-09 14:04

#26

o-bear

Heartily agree, thanks.

Fri, 2010-04-09 14:08

#27

tcook

If you want to buy Richard's book then go to: http://www.flambardpress.co.uk/ You can also read an excellent interview with him here: http://www.yvettehawkins.com/?p=415 Thankyou all for your participation. Tony

Fri, 2010-04-09 15:44

#28

misha

Tony, this has been great. It would be really good to do it again. Doing it in this way gives the interview such a personal feel which was both inspiring and encouraging. Many thanks to Richard for his replies. More please, Misha.

Fri, 2010-04-09 16:49

#29

Insertponceyfre...

I totally forgot this was happening! I've just read it all and it's much better than I though it would be. Both questions and answers were brilliant. Yes please do more of them

Fri, 2010-04-09 18:48

#30

Netty Allen

I agree this was really great, I was working so couldn't participate at the time, but his comments were really insightful.

Sun, 2010-04-11 12:23

#31

celticman

I've just read through the comments and it was illuminating. Thanks.

Mon, 2010-04-12 16:42

#32

Kahdai

I missed this, though I found it interesting to read afterwards & would definatly like to join in one if you do more.

"I will make sense with a few reads \^^/ "

Tue, 2010-04-13 00:38

#33

WillSimpson

Well, i'll be, he must work hard, writing in his free time on the train to work and still getting his stuff published, very helpful little post, I always imagined published writers sat in a country cottage with a type writer and a wonderful landscape garden, pondering slowly over the next twist in the chapter, not rushing about trying to deal with commuting to a meeting whilst picking out flaws in the latest character. Give me a clockwork orange anyday.

Until we feel our thoughts our thinking remains unfelt

Tue, 2010-04-13 07:56

#34

Dynamaso