“The single most important thing you need to succeed as a writer is hope.”
There will be knocks, says novelist Christina Pishiris, so nurture that tiny kernel of hope until you hear that magical, ‘yes’.
The single most important thing you need to succeed as a writer is hope.
It goes without saying that you need decent supplies of talent, determination and hard work but without the vital ingredient of hope, you’re cookies without cream; gin without tonic; John without Paul.
And if you’re like 99% of the writers I know, you’ll need hope to sustain you through all the one-line rejections, corrupted Word docs, and writer’s blocks made of reinforced concrete.
Progress can be painfully slow. I began writing a novel in 2004. I signed my first deal in 2018. Yes, you read that right. During that time, I could have walked the equatorial circumference of the Earth 14 times. Not sure I’d have wanted to – I get out of breath nipping to the newsagent – but it’s what Google helpfully tells me.
Let me break my journey down for you. I had a polished draft within a year, then started submitting to agents. But after two dozen rejections, I realised that it just wasn’t publishable as it was.
But, I hoped I could fix it.
From the feedback I’d received, I worked out that what I’d written was chick-lit but, for some unfathomable reason, I’d made the POV character a man. Rookie mistake. For the book to work, I needed I re-write it again from a female perspective.
So I did.
It sounds simple; the way hitting a bullseye in darts looks easy, but have you seen how small that sucker is? Especially after a couple of vodkas.
It wasn’t only a case of flipping genders. I had to write the whole book from scratch. Plots lines, characters, subplots. Everything.
Maybe it was because I was trying to fit a round peg into a square hole, but this time around I just couldn’t get a draft finished. Friends told me that I should start a completely different book, but I couldn’t abandon my story. I still held out hope I could make it work.
Then, in 2012 I lucked out and got onto the Curtis Brown Creative novel-writing course. It was shot of hope straight into my veins.
After the 3-month course ended, a bunch of us formed a fortnightly writing group. I watched my friends finish their books, get agents and publishing deals, and I still couldn’t get to the end. But the group was so encouraging, and gave such uplifting feedback, that I never gave up hope. (I’m not sure they would have let me, to be honest.)
When I finally finished – by writing scenes out of order (I recommend it!), I felt my hope supplies surge. I had a surplus; a stockpile if you will.
And it was lucky I did, because the first round of agent queries was a bust. But the second round resulted in three offers of representation. A publishing deal followed obscenely fast.
So, my message is this: nurture that tiny kernel of hope, grow it into a magnificent oak to shield you from life’s knocks until you hear that magical, wonderful ‘yes’.
Or, at the risk of mixing my metaphors, (where’s an editor when you need one?) start strengthening that hope muscle. And don’t stop honing till it’s Hemsworth big.
Christina Pishiris was born in London to Greek Cypriot parents. She studied English at the University of Sussex and went on to become a journalist. When not writing, her hobbies include compiling cheesy eighties playlists, coveting the neighbour’s cat, and writing protest letters to Guerlain after they discontinued her favourite perfume. Love Songs for Sceptics is published by Simon & Schuster and is out now on ebook and audio download. The paperback will be released on 3rd September 2020.
How to become Unstoppable: Author Christina Pishiris