Words of Advice from a Novice

by Samantha Malkin

Since embarking on my first novel in Feb 2001, I am in the closing stages of typing it up. They say there is a book inside everyone and speaking from personal experience I have had a thoroughly enjoyable time and have got so much pleasure from creating the settings and the characters - giving them each their own personality and mannerisms. In my mind they all have faces with individual characteristics and I find I am absorbed into the world of my book.

To be able to create a believable world for the reader, you need to know your characters inside out. Regardless of the main plot to the story I think that readers need to know the small intricate details of a character and get into their minds - what they like to eat, if they are of a jealous nature etc. I decided to kill off one of my characters half way through the book, and I was devastated and spent 2 days grieving for the loss of my imaginary friend.

I work full-time, have two young daughters and a husband who can’t cook and is allergic to housework so I have to snatch an hour whenever I can and have been burning the midnight oil for many a month.

I consider the book an inspiration, I don’t know where it came from but it has been so easy to write and am never bored with re-reading it. Whilst I’ve been proof reading I still think, “Did I really write that”.

The book is of a humorous style, which I find comes quite natural to write. No matter how many times I read it through it still makes me laugh.

I am getting quite a following now of eager readers who keep requesting more bits of the book to read.

I feel very protective towards my work and am quite loathed in a sense to send it out for fear of rejection but I have received positive feedback so far from colleagues and am confident that with perseverance I will be able to get it published.

The only advice I could give anyone who is in the process of writing is if you’re not enjoying it, or it becomes a chore - then don’t do it.

My book my not see the light of day on the shelves of Waterstones or W.H. Smiths but then again I could be the next Helen Fielding - who knows? It’s been a learning experience but above all else I have enjoyed writing it, have thoroughly enjoyed reading it and it is giving immense pleasure and raising quite a few smiles from my friends and work colleagues at the university where I work. Although still in its infancy the book has got a wide ranging audience from the office junior to professors.

If there are any published authors who would be kind enough to take the time to have a read through I would be eternally grateful.

Published authors wishing to contact Samantha can email her at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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