Welcome to The Resilient Author! If you're new, please start here!
And take a look at everything I've written up to January 2025
Hello and welcome to The Resilient Author!
When I dreamed of being an author as a kid, it was purely about creation: telling stories, building worlds, pursuing new ideas, and indulging my imagination. Those joys have sustained me for my entire working life, but now, as a published author of nine novels and having worked in the publishing world for 25 years, I have a very different perspective of what’s required of an author, and of the rewards and challenges along the way. An author often works alone, but that doesn’t mean it has to be lonely. I hope The Resilient Author can be a steady source of support and community for writers, wherever you are in your career. Whether you’re securing your first deal, battling in the midlist, or rocketing up the charts, you’ll still recognise all the topics I address week to week - because we all have so much in common, and resilience is crucial to our wellbeing, wherever we’re sitting in this diverse and often daunting industry.
I write every week for all subscribers - and I also have a paid subscription for those who find value here and can afford to support my work. I’ll always keep these prices low - the monthly subscription is less than the price of a coffee a month, and the yearly subscription is even cheaper. As a thank you, I provide some additional resources and benefits each month for my paid supporters.
I’ve based The Resilient Author around four things I think we all need to thrive as creatives:
1. The right mindset
2. Practical advice and resources
3. Insight and inspiration
4. A respect for the alchemy of the creative journey
Below you’ll find a list of all my published posts, categorised to help you find those of most interest to you. Each of my novels also has its own post in the My Books section, so you can browse through my fiction too, and get a little bit of insider info about how they originated and the publishing story behind each of them. And you can find more detail about me and my goals in writing The Resilient Author on my About page.
If you’re not subscribed yet, you can click the button below and get my posts delivered straight to your inbox every week.
Happy reading and writing!
General
Welcome to The Resilient Author in 2025
Grounding ourselves, and finding strength and focus for the year to come
The Resilient Author Wrap-Up for 2024
It's been a year of making beautiful connections in ways that AI can only dream of!
Craft & Creativity
Three different, essential ways for us to value our creative work
Getting clarity around these values may help us to go further and feel less despondent during the tough times!
Notes from the editing trenches
Digging deep to help our books soar
Setting a scene versus building a world
Some thoughts for writers, and for those who love learning about the writing process
Have you heard of Mehrabian's 7-38-55 communication model?
Why this concept matters for writers and creatives
We are all storykeepers
What if we could conceptualise ourselves differently?
How to stay creative when there are SO many books!
Valuing our words in an oversaturated world
Trusting the flow of creativity
You don’t always have to know the end at the beginning
Valuing our words and creativity
A look back at six months on Substack, and my first paid subscription offer
How I chase the first seed of a story
And why I begin new books by writing as little as possible
10 Ways to Thrive as an Author/Creative in 2024
Let's make this a fantastic year!
Write with a question in mind, not an answer
Because it's the questions that offer endless possibilities
Author Mindset
Writers: don't focus only on publication without remembering this...
The essential ingredient of a long-term writing career
The burden of hard choices for creatives in late capitalism, and how we can lighten the load
Shame, blame and difficult publishing decisions
How can writers meet this moment in history and stay on track?
Some thoughts and advice from people I admire, with takeaways for writers
I hope this is valuable, timely and comforting…
A quick read on infinite resilience
Infinite resilience - a profound shift in thinking
On playing finite and infinite games
How do we define creative resilience? Part Two: Practical resilience
My top tips for taking powerful action to get us closer to our creative goals
How do we define creative resilience? Part One: Emotional resilience
Holding on when times get tough: the resilient author's perspective
The best part of book publishing is self-promotion (said no author, ever!)
Ten ways to turn a daunting prospect into an easier, enjoyable experience
How would you define a *successful* writer?
A few thoughts about the different definitions of success
Avoiding overwhelm during the research process
Some strategies for writers
Anyone else feeling a little overwhelmed right now?
*Raising hand over here* Let's discuss!
The art of seeking and receiving critique
Mantra reminder: Get comfortable with being uncomfortable! (Writing Journal #4: When She Was Gone)
The joy and power of a good mantra
Celebrating the simple statements that cut through overwhelm and ease the stress of everyday living
Understanding and overcoming writer’s block
Some insights and strategies for the affliction every writer dreads
The most successful book I never published
The book in my bottom drawer is a reminder to rethink the idea of failure
My Writing Journal
Plotting diagrams and publishing trends [paid]
Plus the words I hope will help me through the year (Writing Journal #10)
Do authors have a moral obligation to provide readers with hope?
Plus plotting problems, a poll, and this month's paid subscriber extras (Writing Journal #9)
My eyes! My eyes! The slow return to deep work and settling my mind [paid]
On dialling things down and playing the long game
Puppies, promo creep and forward planning [paid]
Plus building new resources for paid subscribers (Writing Journal #7)
The joy of the finish line! [paid]
And why I sometimes find it hard to talk about my books (Writing Journal #6)
Celebrating my first year on Substack
Everything I've learned over the last 12 months
A peek inside my writing process [paid]
I don't always have a clear writing system, but I often go back to tried and tested methods (Writing Journal #5)
Happy New Year! Now let's buckle in for the ride
My hopes for 2024, reading Atwood and Alderman, and trying to live a good life in uncertain times (Writing Journal #4)
The grand finale of a structural edit: weeding out words and edging closer to the finish line [paid]
Writing Journal: When She Was Gone #3
A (hotel) room of one's own. Validating and celebrating creative practice [paid]
Writing Journal: When She Was Gone #2
Writing Journal: When She Was Gone #1
Digging in
My Books
When She Was Gone
A powerful family. A cascade of dark secrets. One woman intent on the truth.
The Hush
Everything can change in a heartbeat.
You Don’t Know Me
He’s guarding a dark secret, but so is she.
The Deceit (Novella)
Your wife is a liar. Has your wife told you the truth yet? Do you know who Claire really is?
The Hidden Hours
Keeping her secret may save her family. But telling it may save her life.
All That is Lost Between Us
A mother’s worst fears. A daughter in distress. A family falling apart.
Shallow Breath
How far would you go to save someone you love?
Beneath the Shadows
How do you begin to move on, if the past won’t let you go?
Come Back to Me
Do you have to honour a promise you made in the past, if it means losing all you have now?
Books & Culture
Fiction is EVERYTHING! Why novels are as vital as nonfiction for our culture and growth
Entertaining, life-changing, informative, powerful, and so much more - fiction should be thought of as highly as non-fiction. Here's my pitch!
To kiss or not to kiss? The evolution of the female action heroine
How fresh choices can revitalise our creative decision-making
Should we hold an Olympics for the Arts?
For a few decades the modern Olympics included medals for the Arts. What if this had never stopped?
Book banning: where do you stand?
What's been happening this year, and where to from here (Author Notes May/Jun 2024: Part Two)
Finding ourselves in the ocean: reading Deep Water by James Bradley
Immerse yourself, because this book will change you
My Kongenheimer Week
How do you judge a story?
Can storytellers learn anything from the Princess of Wales’s Mother’s Day photo debacle?
A picture scandal is worth a thousand words
A few notes from my Twitter (X) breakup
And some broader social media takeaways
In 2024, it's vital we examine the way we think about language
Understanding the fallibility of language could be the revolutionary act we need
Why the Hunger Games series deserves its place as a cultural phenomenon
Revisiting the stories on the cinematic release of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Wifedom: Mrs Orwell’s Invisible Life by Anna Funder
On losing George Orwell, finding Eileen O’Shaughnessy, and making powerful narrative choices
Personal Essays
Writing about devastating topics feels vital when searching for some light
Difficult but essential conversations
Do you know a dangerous woman? Am I dangerous? Are you?
Some thoughts following a guest panel at the inaugural Festival of Fiction (Perth, WA)
Ignored, erased, silenced: the cost of speaking up about abuse
The many losses surrounding Alice Munro, and her daughter's ongoing fight to be heard
The minke whale that changed me
Overcoming fears and finding new perspectives
The problem with being 'nice'
And why the word itself is a fraud!
What does it mean today to be a strong woman?
A post to celebrate International Women's Day 2024
Should we give up on older men?
I’ve heard this question a lot lately, but I think it's the wrong one
Why I haven’t said anything online about the crisis in the Middle East
Questions and stories around silence, complicity, toxicity, apathy and activism
I’ve been a homeschool mum for nine years – but here are some things my kids have taught me
Half the time I’m not sure who’s really teaching who!
Precious writing time, and the guy in the coffee shop
Some thoughts on politeness, boundaries and expectation
Turtle tracking and breakthrough moments
The three factors that make or break successful communication in everything from arguments to novels
Creative Women
The tragic story behind Anne Bronte’s final resting place
Why the youngest Brontë sister ended up buried miles apart from the rest of her family
From my notebook: Hilary Mantel and Elizabeth Gilbert
Soundbite treats from the time I listened to two of the greats
My Top Ten favourite fiction reads by women in 2023
Plus some other books I enjoyed this year, and the 2024 books I'm already excited about
Wifedom: Mrs Orwell’s Invisible Life by Anna Funder
On losing George Orwell, finding Eileen O’Shaughnessy, and making powerful narrative choices
Publishing
Writers: let's talk financial strategies for 2025
Different ways for writers to consider and explore income opportunities
Breaking down a fiction bestseller list
Looking at data can give authors valuable insights into what works
The publishing rights squeeze
What it is, and why I want all writers to know about it
How soon before we can deepfake the novel?
How a deepfake story of the moon landings got me thinking…
If AI is coming for our creative livelihoods, how do we respond?
We all need a strategy when the stakes are this high
Why timing is everything in traditional publishing...
And the blurb reveal for my new book When She Was Gone
Author Notes
Author Notes #14 (November 2024)
Reading lists for MPs, the lessening impact of mainstream media, dystopia on the rise, publishing agreements with AI companies, and a children's reading crisis.
Author Notes #13 (October 2024)
Thriving romance writers; the lack of books for teen boys; Writers for the Voice one year on; celebrity children's authors; and an industry abuzz with AI conversations.
Author Notes #12 (Sept 2024)
My monthly round-up - AI reassurance, PEN's work on book bans, writing for kids, whether debut authors need a platform, and NYT bad book reviews - and introducing The Resilient Author!
Author Notes #11 (August 2024)
Best book lists, authors doing bold things, authors doing horrible things, a publisher tribute, and legislation that doesn't really help creatives (so we'll just have to help ourselves!)
Author Notes #10 (July 2024)
Writing advice; concerning stats about reading; romantasy booms while the RWA crashes; authors' political views are being discussed; and Spotify expands its premium book offerings
Author Notes #9 (May/June 2024)
Debuts failing to launch; authors funding their own publicity; diversity backlash; big book or slow burn success; and a plea to publishers to invest in their authors
Author Notes #8 (April 2024)
Publishing insights, the latest on AI, new research on crime writing, a way of supporting local bookstores, and some great author interviews
Author Notes #7 (March 2024)
Spotify are streaming audiobooks, TikTok is in trouble, entertainment is dead, hybrid publishing is growing, and social media is as confusing as ever
Author Notes #6 (February 2024)
Authors feeling the squeeze; being careful with contracts; librarians are now freedom-of-speech fighters in the US; and some different ways we can connect with readers
Author Notes #5 (January 2024)
Booksellers wanting less diversity (?!); a long look at the publishing industry; #Booktok; the Colleen Hoover backlash; and why authors need to check their contracts
10 Ways to Thrive as an Author/Creative in 2024
Let's make this a fantastic year!
Author Notes #4 (December 2024)
Tackling review bombing, AI reading audiobooks, respecting women's fiction, prioritising writing, and trying to burn The Handmaid's Tale
Author Notes #3 (November 2024)
Meeting my deadlines, self-publishing authors earning more than traditional, writing routines, author talks, and investigating language
Author Notes #2 (October 2024)
PhD celebrations, championing The Voice, AI lawsuits and debates around book blurbs
Author Notes #1 (September 2024)
AI, Writers for the Voice, inattentive television viewers, Barbie and a river of books
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