As a writer, it’s regular sessions that keep you going and help hone your skills. Don’t put off writing because you think you don’t have time. Even half an hour a couple of times a week is better than doing nothing for months because you don’t have several free days to dedicate to writing.

Some writers actually find they’re more productive if they only have a limited amount of time. Rather than getting distracted by everything else that needs doing, they shut the world out and focus on their work, writing in short, intense bursts.

Are you making excuses?
Sometimes, ‘I don’t have time’ is an excuse not to write. If you don’t try, then you can’t fail. It’s far easier to tell yourself you don’t have time than to take up the challenge. Most of us have been there at one time or another. That’s where setting yourself a goal can be helpful – whether it’s to write a story for a competition, to have something to read out at your writing group or to finish your novel.

How to make time for your writing
1. Work out when your best time for writing is. Are you a lark or an owl? Most of us have a preference, so work out what yours is then plan around that.
2. Set aside a time to write and stick to it. Some people find that putting a time down in their diary – like you would with a meeting or doctor’s appointment helps them. Make sure family members know that you’re working, and ask them not to disturb you (unless there’s an emergency).
3. Make more time. Try getting up a bit earlier and writing first thing in the morning, go to the park in your lunch break with your notebook and see what inspires you, or skip the Sunday papers and write instead.
4. Negotiate with your family – if they leave you in peace to write for a while, plan something fun with them later on.
5. Get rid of distractions. If you’ve only got a small slot of time, make sure you use it to write. Don’t be tempted to check your email or surf the net. If it helps, find somewhere else to write, like the local library, a quiet cafe, or a shed at the bottom of the garden.
6. Write even when you don’t feel like it. If you’ve set aside time but don’t feel particularly inspired, start anyway – you might be surprised what happens once you get going
7. Get motivated – setting yourself a specific goal could be all you need. Write it on a post-it note and stick it above your desk or wherever you usually work to remind you.

To ELIZABETH HAYNES, whose debut psychological thriller, ‘Into the Darkest Corner’, published by Myriad Editions, won the first round of the Amazon Rising Stars awards for 2011. Her book now goes on to the shortlist for the overall Rising Stars award, to be decided later in the year. This award is based solely on customer reviews, and with an average of 5 stars ‘Into the Darkest Corner’ saw off strong competition such as Snowdrops by A D Miller (Atlantic Books), My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira (Fig Tree) and thriller The Terror of Living by Urban Waite (Simon & Schuster).
If you’re a thriller fan and haven’t read ‘Into the Darkest Corner’, you must. It’s an object lesson in how to build up suspense. The reader knows what’s coming, and yet can’t put the book down. But be warned: don’t read it at night when you’re on your own! It’s a tour de force: writing as sharp as razor-wire which draws the reader inexorably onward to the shocking climax, and also gets inside the head of an OCD victim with absolute conviction. How I’m going to wait for Elizabeth’s next book I don’t know.

We stayed on campus, very comfortable rooms with en suite shower and loo –– even a hairdryer –– and it was a short walk from our accommodation to the Exhibition Centre where most of the action was, though we had to dodge ducks and Canada geese who thought nothing of sleeping in the middle of the path and weren’t going to move for anyone. Once past the geese, there were workshops, discussion panels with agents, publishers, book doctors, and valuable ten-minute one-to-one discussions about one’s work, not to mention Blackwell’s table crammed with books that I for one couldn’t walk past without buying something.

As to what agents and publishers are looking for, they are, as ever, looking for a story with an interesting concept, strong plot, excellent characterisation, fresh individual voice. For children, there’s still a demand for Young Adult and teen fiction; more stories in the 8-12 range are needed, but be sure you break this age range down: there’s a big gap between 8-year-olds and 12-year-olds. Vampires are passé; adventures set in space may be the next big thing; boys won’t read stories with female protagonists; historicals are sought-after.

I won’t be thanking the Canada geese who drowned out some of the speakers and woke us up in the morning. I would, though, like to say huge thanks to the Writers’ Workshop who organised it so well, also the publishers who donated all the books in our goodie bags, and all the speakers, especially Nicola Morgan, Julia Churchill, and Vicky Blunden and Elizabeth Haynes who were lovely and inspiring. And Mari, Delyth, Miranda –– it was great to meet you, and Miranda, if you read this, do let me know if your book gets taken on! Good luck to you all, and I hope we meet again –– maybe next year?

Do your research. Look at publishers’ websites. They are full of information about their book lists and often have reviews of their latest publications. What aspects of the story appealed to the reviewers? Build on these in your own work. In The Children’s Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook you’ll find literary agents who represent children’s authors.

Be aware that writing a children’s story isn’t easier than writing for adults; in fact it can be harder, because you have to be more careful about your vocabulary and writing style, and you have to tell your story in fewer words. If you’re writing for young children, use words they’ll understand, in short sentences with plenty of rhythm and repetition.

You’ve got a plot in your head: think about it carefully before you start writing. Is there a beginning, middle and end? Are your characters strong and believable? Is there plenty of conflict and tension to keep the reader turning the pages? Children love to be scared. Is there any humour in the story? Are all the loose ends tied up satisfactorily by the last page?

Do start with a strong sentence that grabs the reader’s attention and makes them want to know what happens next. The first paragraphs of your book should be just as page-turning as the exciting bits further on. Do know your characters really well. Try writing brief biographies of them so that you know why they behave as they do and how they’re likely to react in a difficult or dangerous situation. What’s your main character most afraid of? Make sure he/she has to face that fear somewhere in the story!

Don’t put in long chunks of description. Children get bored and will skip it. Try to find interesting and original ways to describe things. Do have plenty of dialogue.

When you’ve come to the end of your story, put it away for six weeks or so. Don’t look at it. Try not to think about it. Then come back and take a fresh look to see if anything needs changing. At this point you could send it to a literary consultant. Their report will point out your strong points and weaknesses, suggest ways of improvement, and advise you on the marketability of your manuscript.

Be professional. You expect your agent and publisher to be professional, after all. When you submit a manuscript to them you’re offering a product for sale. So present it as perfectly as possible. Check the submission guidelines on the agent’s website and do exactly what they ask for.

But she’s also a brilliant editor who questions characters, sub-plots and even the words used to make sure that all of them are absolutely necessary or the best choice for the piece. Diane also understands what hell it can be to be a writer, and what it takes to get a book finished which is something most publishers don’t seem to appreciate.

Visit Derek Hines’ website