All this year, I am keeping a video diary about writing and publishing my sixth novel and following the success of my fifth book, Take A Look At Me Now. This week, I reveal the latest #getinvolved winner and talk about plotting Book 6…
I was asked this week about how I plot my books by Catriona Merryweather from Fabulous Book Fiend. It’s a very interesting question, not least because for book six I’m trying something new. I’ll reveal all in the vlog…
Also, did your suggestion for the name of a kooky Brooklyn craft store make it into Book 6? Keep watching to find out!
Remember that I love answering your questions, so what would you like me to answer for next week’s vlog? Post a comment below or email me at mirandawurdy@gmail.com
Enjoy!
p.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled, ‘Spider Hand!’
All this year, I am keeping a video diary about writing and publishing my fifth novel, Take A Look At Me Now. This week I share some AMAZING news about the book – and reveal the first winner of my #getinvolved competitions for Book 6…
It’s been a complete rollercoaster of a year but the last couple of weeks have been phenomenally exciting. This week, I received some completely wonderful news: Take A Look At Me Now has made it to NUMBER FOUR in The Sunday Times Bestsellers! It’s my highest ever placing and I’m completely over the moon! (You’ll see how happy I am on the vlog…)
Also this week, I’ll announce the winner of my first #getinvolved competition for Book 6, which I’m writing right now. Did your suggestion win? Watch the vlog to find out! And to complete the goodies in this week’s vlog, I’m answering two questions sent in by lovely Kev from I Heart… Chick Lit. If you would like me to answer your question in next week’s vlog, leave a comment below or email it to: mirandawurdy@gmail.com.
Enjoy!
p.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze frame is entitled ‘Say awwww’…
All this year I will be documenting the writing, editing and publishing of my fifth novel, giving you a unique, behind-the-scenes look at my life as a writer. This week, I’m answering your questions on everything from whether to have an agent or not, my new book cover and how long it takes to write a book…
I asked for your questions and you responded with lots of great ones -so here they are! Ever wondered how many copies of a paperback book are printed in an edition? Or how many hours each writing session should be? Or how to take a basic plot outline and make it into a story structure that works? I answer all of these this week!
I’m always looking for your questions for my vlogs and asking one couldn’t be easier: just leave me a comment on this post, or email me at: mirandawurdy@gmail.com
Enjoy!
P.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled: ‘Catching some well-earned zzzzzzzzs’
All this year I will be documenting the writing, editing and publishing of my fifth novel, giving you a unique, behind-the-scenes look at my life as a writer. This week, I bring you the first of my vlogs from my research trip to San Francisco and reveal the winning KOOKY COFFEE SHOP NAME suggestion for this week’s #getinvolved challenge!
Bob and I have just returned from San Francisco – what an amazing place! I absolutely fell in love with the city and am having withdrawal symptoms already…
While I was there, I filmed lots of footage to help me recreate the sights, sounds and experiences we had for when I’m writing Book 5. You can also read the blog diary I kept (see earlier posts on this site). I’ll be sharing several videos with you over the next couple of weeks – hope you enjoy them!
Also in this week’s vlog I’ll reveal the kooky coffee shop name suggestion that is going into the book – keep watching to find out who will get a mention in my acknowledgements.
I’d love to know what you think – also let me know your questions about writing, publishing or anything else that you’d like me to answer next week. Leave me a comment below or email me at mirandawurdy@gmail.com
Enjoy!
p.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled, ‘Check out the shades, y’all…’
All this year I will be documenting the writing, editing and publishing of my fifth novel, giving you a unique, behind-the-scenes look at my life as a writer. This week, I announce the third of your suggestions for Book 5! Which CUPCAKE FLAVOUR will Nell be making in the book and who will be get a thank you in my acknowledgements? I’m getting ready for San Francisco and also give my top tips for beating the dreaded writer’s block…
Your suggestions for a CUPCAKE FLAVOUR for Nell to bake have flooded in this week and I’ve been like a kid in a cake shop choosing the winner – thanks! Find out in the vlog who will see their suggestion written into the story and their name in the thank-yous!
I’m getting ready for my exciting research trip to San Francisco – and I’m so excited! In my vlog I’ll tell you the innovative way I’ll be using the trip to create Nell’s discovery of the City of Lights. I also give my tips for overcoming writer’s block, including a visit to the pub…
So here’s the vlog – hope you enjoy it!
p.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled, ‘Ooh for the wiiiiings…’!
All this year I will be documenting the writing, editing and publishing of my fifth novel, giving you a unique, behind-the-scenes look at my life as a writer. This week, I announce the third of your suggestions for Book 5! Which piece of VINTAGE CLOTHING will Nell be buying from a store in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district and who will be mentioned in my acknowledgements for suggesting it? Plus, I give my top tips for aspiring authors and tell you where I’m off to very soon…
Well, it’s been a bit of crazy week writing-wise, but Book 5 is coming together well. I’ve been writing more about Annie’s neighbourhood diner, where quite a few scenes will be set and some fab supporting cast characters have appeared, each with their own stories. Like Marty and Frankie who dole out their wisdom over enormous pancake stacks, and a pair of star-crossed lovers who don’t even realise their stars are anywhere near each other! There’s also a a bit of a mystery that intrigues Nell – but when she solves it she’s in for So much more than she bargains for…
In this week’s vlog I’m also talking about my advice for aspiring authors, sharing how I came to be a published author and my top tips for getting the most out of your writing. I’ll even give you a bit of sneaky info on my Writing Inspiration Course that I’ll be launching in May this year!
So, ready to discover if your piece of vintage clothing has made it into the book? OK lovelies, sit back, relax and enjoy!
p.s. This week’s You-Tube nominated freeze-frame is entitled, ‘Half-asleep’…
All this year I will be documenting the writing, editing and publishing of my fifth novel, giving you a unique, behind-the-scenes look at my life as a writer. This week, the second of your suggestions is announced for Book who has suggested the RANDOM QUIRKY OBJECT that will be appearing in Book 5 (along with their name in the acknowledgements)? And what’s so special about the diner I’ve just written…?
Thank you so much to everybody who suggested random objects for Book 5. They were so good, I chose TWO! Both objects will appear in Nell’s cousin Lizzie’s apartment in San Francisco. To recap on the story so far, when Nell Sullivan discovers she’s been made redundant (and the news delivered by her on-off boyfriend Aidan, who she thought she was getting back together with), she refuses to be brought down by the blow. Instead, she blows her redundancy cheque on a two-month adventure to the City of Lights – San Francisco, where her cousin Lizzie lives. Nell, who has always been one to play life safe and never take risks, begins to discover what incredible things can happen when you throw caution to the wind and see where life takes you…
Just before you watch the vlog to find out which two people will be featuring in Book 5, I’d just like to mention this daft thing I’m doing for this year’s Comic Relief Red Nose Day…
YES! YOU can be mentioned in an exclusive short story I’m writing for Red Nose Day 2013! Simply SPONSOR ME HERE – any amount – and I’ll mention you! It is slightly crazy because I’m going to work in everybody who sponsors me into the short story. At the moment, I’m thinking it will be a little bit like Love, Actually, where I’ll dream up several stories that work together. Please consider sponsoring me – you’ll be helping Comic Relief do their amazing work with people in the UK and Africa who desperately need our help. Thank you!
And so, without further ado, here’s this week’s vlog… Good luck, everyone!
p.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled, ‘Neeeeeeya…’
All this year I will be documenting the writing, editing and publishing of my fifth novel, giving you a unique, behind-the-scenes look at my life as a writer. This week, I’m well into writing the new first draft of Book 5 and have started to ask for your help…
Last time I told you I was going to invite you to get involved with the new Book 5 – and this week I asked my first question:
What is the name of the San Francisco cabbie in the story?
I had fifty awesome suggestions on Twitter – so thank you so much if you sent one! I announce the winner in this week’s vlog below, so fingers crossed and enjoy! There will be more chances to get involved – watch out for the #getinvolved hashtag on my twitter profile and special requests on my facebook page. And if I use your suggestion, you will get a thank you in the acknowledgements of Book 5!
Enjoy!
p.s. This week’s YouTube-nominated freeze-frame is entitled, ‘La-Laaaaaaaah!’
p.p.s. I also mention some fantastic writing retreats – find out about BookCamp here
I am so excited to reveal to you the winners of my Future Stars competition!
It’s been amazing – over 200 entries, tons of awesome talent and one very tough decision for me. In the end, I’ve chosen seven Future Stars because the entries were so good and I just couldn’t choose between the last three. So two of my Magnificent Seven have been offered scholarships and five regular places. I’m not sure if they’ll be as excited to have to put up with me for a year as I am to work with them!
There were also a group of entrants who were so good that I wished I could take them all on. As a way of inspiring them, I will be contacting them in the next few days to offer something I hope will inspire them and encourage them to pursue their writing dream. Read on after the vlog below to see who those people are…
So, without further ado, here are my magnificent seven!
Congratulations to Dominique Hall, Emma Warburton, Ritzi Cortez, Neal Doran, Emily Glenister, Millie McGarrick and Kate Rhead, who I will be mentoring for the next twelve months!
The lovely writers I will be contacting this week are: Mel Jordan
Gail Parnell
Anna Baker-Barnes
Catherine Meadows
Sherri Nicholds
Kate Farr
Sophie Waterfield
Alan Geoffrey Smith
Katharine D’Souza
Stephen Blower
Hillary Stevens
DJ Paterson
Julia Perry
Sarah Hughes
Helen McAnerney
Zaphinia Woods
Rachael Leo
Lisa Bambrick
Vanessa Savage
Jacqueline Sheppard
Nicole Trilivas
Laura E. James
Bethany Wheeler
Natalie Martin
Kate Scholefield
Jules Griffin
Romilly Hope
Catherine Miller
Massive congratulations to everyone and I’ll be in touch soon!
Are you a writer? How would you like the chance to be personally mentored by me for a whole year?
I am thrilled to launch my search for five talented writers who will embark on a year of challenge, scary adventure, huge opportunities and lots of fun!
FUTURE STARS is a one year mentoring programme where my chosen writers will have me on hand as their personal cheerleader, mentor, challenger and (hopefully) inspiration coach. I will work with each writer on their personal writing goals, offer help and advice with their work in progress, provide help with editing, give advice on promotion and social media, and will introduce them to people within the publishing industry to experience first-hand what agents and publishers are looking for. Each writer will receive a 30min phone call from me each month and there will be an exclusive networking group for all five writers and me to chat to and support one another throughout the year. There will also be opportunities to meet up!
What I’m looking for
I’m looking for writers of any genre who are committed to investing a year in their writing. Not only will talent count but also a demonstrable desire to make this year the year when things happen. Because of this, four of the chosen writers will be asked to pay a course fee of £80 (because this is an investment in your future career) – and I will choose one writer to receive a scholarship place for free. I’m asking all entrants to submit a chapter of their work, plus complete a personal statement outlining their goals for their writing. It all sounds very serious, but this way people who are really determined to be writers will stand out. I can’t promise you a publishing deal (I wish I could!) but I can promise you will learn about yourself as a writer, hone your craft and put yourself in the best possible place to pursue your dream.
So, are you up for a year of awesome writing adventure?
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