Monday Musings –So You Want To be a Writer!

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When I tell people I am a writer many people respond by saying “Wow, that’s amazing I’d love to do that.”

I often reply with a question, “What’s stopping you?”

Replies are usually along the lines of:

  • I wouldn’t know where to start.
  • I’m rubbish at spelling.
  • I don’t have the time.
  • I’m not good enough.
  • I’m not confident like you.
  • Nobody would want to read what I write.

Unsurprisingly as an author and writing coach, I have an answer for them all:

  • Just pick up a pen or turn your computer on!
  • Spelling isn’t writing, you can tell a good story with incorrect spellings and if you intend to publish there are lots of ways to get help with spelling.
  • Make the time!  Could you find 10 minutes each day? Could you find an hour once a week.  If you want it bad enough you will.  I wrote much of my book The Pink Widow on my phone in a car – don’t worry I wasn’t the driver!
  • Not everyone is going to win prizes for their writing, but you are good enough to write, If you want to publish there are people who will support you, but actually, many of us write for ourselves – so you are absolutely good enough.
  • I haven’t always been confident and sometimes that imposter syndrome kicks in but I have learnt to develop my confidence in my abilities – and you can too!
  • It doesn’t matter if nobody wants to read your writing, the question is do you want to write?  And if the answer is yes, just do it and worry about readers later!

I believe it’s simple, you simply write, and then you are a writer.

There are plenty of people like me who can help you on the journey to be a published author if that’s what you want, but only you can make that first step, by starting, by writing!

If you want to be a writer, write!

If you want to find out more about ways you can work with me 1:1 check out my coaching options here.

Monday Musings – The Journey to Publication

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Today is the publication day of Uncle Jasmine, but you probably know that because I’ve been wittering on about it on social media as part of my launch plan.  What I’ve not shared with you is what an emotional journey publishing a book can be as an indie author.  So, join me on a journey to publication day.  We’ll visit some familiar places, some hidden gems but also some dark caves, mountain edges and disaster zones before we end up here at Publication Paradise.

For me the first step of this journey is to the Island of Ideas, a lush and fertile place where my popcorn brain pops out hundreds of ideas, flowing thick and fast like lava from a volcano.  My task is to find the ‘chosen one’ the idea that I am going to go with, the story that is going to occupy my brain and become my next project.  Now with so many ideas you might think this is an easy task, but oh no, the many inhabitants of the Island of Ideas, are all vying for my attention screaming, ‘Pick me’, ‘I’m the best’, ‘My turn’, ‘Meeeeeee’! They clamour over each other fighting to get picked, to be the holy grail, the one that will take the full journey, alongside me, the anguished author, until we reach Publication Paradise.

When I have chosen my new bedfellow we get up-close and personal, spending every waking (and sleeping) hour together in the Writing Warehouse, my workplace until the book is written.  There are many shelves in that warehouse and together we flit about, sometimes visiting the ‘Wow this is great’ shelf, occasionally camping out in the ‘Writer’s Block’ aisle, and of course many visits to the  Passageway of Procrastination. We scribernate in the warehouse until the idea has transformed into a book and then it’s time to leave the writing warehouse to travel to Admin Adventureland.  I mutter myself ‘Never again’, whilst simultaneously screaming ‘Yay, what shall I write next?’

It’s called Admin Adventureland because admin sounds boring right?  Wrong!  Admin Adventureland is an exciting place which contains a rollercoaster of many peaks and troughs. The words are written, the story is told, now is the time for the exciting stuff, admin! Oh, sorry I may have taken a detour to Sarcasm Street there.  Editing, proofreading, cover design, formatting, ISBNs, lots of practicalities and problems to overcome! So many places to get lost along the way, The Forest of Frustration, The Tidal Pools of Technology, Marketing Mountain, The Publicity Pyramids and of course The Savannah of Self Doubt.

And then. After what feels like a lifetime of admin, it’s time.  Publication Paradise awaits. As an indie author I gather up as many friends, family, acquaintances, randomers, waifs and strays to join me in Publication Paradise where we enjoy the book, the fact it exists, the way it can be purchased. Basking in the sunshine of this paradise for as long as possible. Until.

“Ferry to the Island of Ideas…”

Oh, go on then let’s see where this journey takes me!

And if you would like to join me in Publication Paradise and buy a copy of Uncle Jasmine, here are the links…

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncle-Jasmine-Claire-Walsh/dp/1915472245

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncle-Jasmine-Claire-Walsh-ebook/dp/B0D7Q67DHR/2

https://www.waterstones.com/book/uncle-jasmine/claire-walsh/lewis-mardon/9781915472236

5 reasons I Write Books for Children about LGBTQIA+ Characters

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1- I mean the age of the kids I write my books for they’re probably not thinking about that sort of stuff, right?  I know that it will be older young people and adults who will be thinking about their gender and sexuality, but… representation in children’s books matters because when young people and adults are thinking about those issues, they might just remember that as a child they read these books and will know that they are valid, will know that they are accepted, and will know that they are loved.  That can only be a good thing in my mind.

2- Children live in all sorts of families, with all sorts of people.  If they don’t see books with all sorts of people and all sorts of families, they may feel invisible.  They may think they are the only person with a trans brother, the only person with two mummies, the only person with a daddy who sometimes wears a dress.  Feeling invisible, not feeling seen, can have negative impact on self-esteem, mental health and wellbeing.  So anything that can help with that is surely something that needs to exist, right? Representation really matters!

3- Representation works both ways!  The word homophobia annoys me, I mean it’s not a fear is it? It’s prejudice, it’s hate, it’s bigotry and it’s unacceptable.  But maybe, just maybe, if when they were younger, some of those homophobes had read books with LGBTQIA+ characters, they would have seen that there was nothing to be scared of, nothing to fear and we would now have a fairer, more respectful world with more love and less hate.  A world with more love, imagine that.

4- Because it’s personal!  I’m proud that within my family, as well as being allies, we represent many of the letters in LGBTIA+, it’s our community and we are proud. So, I write my books with my family in mind.  Books I wish those of us in the older generations had had when we were growing up, books that our younger members, and future generations will have and grow up reading.  

5- The last reason is because I can.  Sadly, many people have to hide their sexuality and identity through fear. I could share lots of negative statistics but I’m not going to, instead I’m going to accept that I am privileged and use that privilege to contribute to a world where all LGBTQ+ can be themselves and live full and fulfilled lives without fear.

So that’s why I do what I do.  You can find my books below if you know a little person who would like one.  And if not, why not buy a copy to donate to a library, foodbank or school.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncle-Jasmine-Claire-Walsh-ebook/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncle-Jasmine-Claire-Walsh/dp/1915472245/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Princess-Without-Crown-Claire-Walsh/dp/1912677903/

Monday Musings – Indie Author Week

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I am a #Writer, an Independent Author.

I’m a person who scribbles words, words that make sentences, sentences that make paragraphs, paragraphs that make articles, essays and books.

The pen and the keyboard are my chosen tools of the trade, wielded as weapons if necessary but more usually as a paintbrush, to paint the picture of my life.

8th – 15th June is Indie Author Week UK and so this week I’ve been thinking a lot about being an indie author and what it means to me.

You’ve probably heard my story before, because it’s a common one.  As a child I always wanted to be a writer when I grew up, well that or a ballerina!  Anyway, I grew up and surprise, surprise, I wasn’t either of those. Life happens, huh? But I never gave up the dream and could often be heard saying, “One day I’m gonna write a book”. Sounds familiar, right?

And then I blinked. It was 2020 and I was a 50-year-old widow living in a global pandemic.  It was my ‘put up or shut up’ moment. I knew that I should do it or give up saying that I would. So, I did it. My first book was published in 2020 and here I am, three books later spending my time as an author and writing coach, helping other people fulfil their writing dreams too.

But why did I choose to be an independent author rather than going down the traditional publishing route? For me there are two key reasons, firstly, that sense of urgency in 2020, I did not want to have to wait, I was impatient and there was a ‘now or never’ feeling driving me on. I simply did not want to have to wait and go through the process of looking for agents and a traditional publisher. Secondly, I’m a bit of a control freak, well that’s what people tell me anyway! Being an independent author allows me to go at my pace, make my own decisions (creative and otherwise), and of course keep control of my own work.

I’m a member of The Alliance of Independent Authors, whose 2024 report ‘The Big Author Data Drop’ highlights some interesting points:

  • Self-published authors earn more than traditionally published authors;
  • Younger authors are making self-publishing their first choice;
  • Self-Published books made up more than 50% of Kindle’s top 400 books in 2023.

Sometimes there can be a narrative that independent authors are just authors who failed at securing an agent and a contract. That’s now a fairly outdated view as I know many authors, like me, who have chosen this route quite deliberately and have no intention of spending time in an attempt to secure a publishing deal with one of the big publishers. In fact, I’m in a group full of like-minded individuals, The Kilted Scribblers, feel free to pop over and say hi.

I really believe that anyone can write a book, and with the right support and work it can be a brilliant book.  So if this is your 2020 moment, your ‘now or never’ and you need a helping hand, get in touch and maybe we could work together on making your dreams come true.

Whatever your dreams, keep on reading, keep on writing!

Love and writing wishes

Claire

Monday Musings – Thinking About Families

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Hi!

I’m Claire the pink adoring author who likes to smash stereotypes and write from the heart.  I’m a proper word nerd and love reading and writing in all shapes and sizes – and that’s just me, not the books!

I live in the Highlands of Scotland with Mr Chapter Two, our cats Banana and Princess, our sheep, Gertie and Norah, as well as 6 chickens affectionately known as ‘The Girls’.

Between us we have lots of kids, ranging from the youngest at 9, to the oldest at almost 34. The youngest ‘The Boy Who Brings Joy’ has just spent a week with us in Scotland and it got me thinking about the diversity of families and how that is to be celebrated.

When Mr Chapter Two and I first got together, we described our families and our life as ‘mending and blending’.  In the mixing pot were his 5 children and heartache from divorce, my 2 children, 1 grandchild and my grief from widowhood. Oh, and a foster son, as together we became accidental foster parents (that’s another blog in itself!)

So, thinking about families and my love of books, I thought I would share with you a couple of my favourites that show the diversity of families and the wonderful unique people that make up those families.

First up Where Are We Going by Vie Portland.  Vie is one of my favourite independent authors and human beings.  This book follows Emily and her mum as they take a magical journey home.  Emily is disabled and has a prosthetic leg, but the book isn’t about that.  Emily’s mum is a single parent, but the book isn’t about that either!

You can find this and other resources by Vie here.

https://www.vieness.co.uk/shop

I also love The Family Book by Todd Parr, the simplistic statements and vibrant pictures support the key message that families come in many varieties. Through the repetitive phrases ‘some families… and all families…’, the book clearly shows our differences are to be celebrated, and that whatever our differences there will be some similarities too, things like love, grief and strength happen in all families.

You can find it here on my bookshop.org account.  I love Bookshop.org as they support independent bookshops.

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/4552/9780316070409

And then of course there is Uncle Jasmine by little old me.  Due to be released during Non-Binary Awareness Week, 8-14th July, this book features a family member who is gender fluid and what a wonderful influence they are in the life of their niece.  If you want to know more and find out how the launch is going you can sign up here.

https://mailchi.mp/3ae6a4316dec/5wh3xwx5uf

I’d love to know if you have any favourite books about families. Anyway, enough from me.  Enjoy whatever you are reading or writing.

Claire

Monday Musings!

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I’m feeling very thoughtful today, so what better to do than write.  I’ve been absent recently in more ways than one.  My beautiful 100-year-old Nanny Vi died in April, and I spent almost a month away from home arranging the funeral, doing ‘sadmin’ alongside spending time grieving with family.  The only thing I wrote during that time was her eulogy and a poem. 

Our Queen

By Claire Walsh

We were five generations,

But now we are four.

100 years,

and yet we want more.

Violet Beatrice Wilson,

our queen.

1923 to 2024,

so much love in between.

She was strong, smart and brave.

She was beautiful too.

She will live on forever,

in me and in you.

When I returned to Scotland it was all about The Kilted Scribblers Indie Book Fair and wow what an event!

V.J. Cooper Writer, and I had met online, only to discover we both live in the Highlands of Scotland.  Kilted Scribblers grew from an idea we had when we first met face to face for coffee and cake, (all the best ideas start with cake!).  We wanted to share not only our love of writing and reading, but also celebrate being independent authors.

Many people think that traditional publishing is what everyone wants but actually, publishing your own books is a wonderful experience and something to be celebrated.  With that in mind we planned and hosted our first book fair for independent authors in Cromarty on Saturday 25th May. 

With stalls from 20 independent authors, covering a wide range of genres it was so wonderful to be in the company of such talented and tenacious writers.  Many stalls were beautifully decorated.  Some authors did readings and there was a workshop for wannabe writers hosted by yours truly. I met some wonderful humans, and it was just the tonic I needed to get my creative juices going again.  In one conversation we talked about blogging, and I realised I hadn’t done any blogging for the longest time… so here goes!

Anyhow, I’m looking forward to getting my head down and planning my book launch for my next book for children – Uncle Jasmine.  The launch will include a 5-day tour on the back of a motorbike so if you want to know more follow the QR code.

Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I wish you well and hope you have a great week of reading and writing!

Claire