Photo by Jason Kinrade Photography – https://jasonkinrade.com
“I’d assumed debut meant the first book they’d written not the first book they’d managed to get published.“
Bestselling author Rona Halsall on the importance of not giving up.
When I first started writing I was completely naïve to the ways of the publishing world. I thought you wrote a book, did a bit of editing and then it was finished. In this frame of mind, I completed my first book, gave it to a couple of friends for feedback, tidied my manuscript up and thought that was that.
It was a romance, with a bit of mystery as I thought this would be the easiest genre to start with. (Turns out you have to have a few romantic bones in your body to write a romance…)
The next stage was to see if I could get an agent.
I attended my first Manx Litfest, where agents were taking pitches and signed up, full of hope. Was I going to be one of the lucky ones? On the day, the feedback was mixed. The agent liked my writing but didn’t feel the story was commercial enough.
I went home and over the next year, I did a complete re-write, spurred on by the fact that my writing had passed the test, it was my story that needed tweaking. As I went through it, I marvelled at how I’d thought this book was actually ready to be published. Now it was going to be so much better.
Full of hope, I pitched to a different agent at the next year’s Manx Litfest. I got the same response – I like your writing but not the story.
I was so disheartened. I’d put so much effort into re-writing that story and it still wasn’t good enough. In fact, I probably wasn’t good enough.
I put the manuscript in a drawer and didn’t write another thing for a year, telling myself it had been fun, but a waste of time pursuing it any further.
It was a talk at the next Manx Litfest event that I attended which inspired me to have another go. I was completely unaware that most debut authors have written quite a few books before they get published. I’d assumed debut, meant the first book they’d written, not the first book they’d managed to get published. I spoke to quite a few people at the event who encouraged me to keep trying, so I decided I’d have another go.
I was living in North Wales at the time and on the ferry home, I had an idea for a new book. The first scene just grew in my mind and was so clear, I couldn’t wait to get started on it.
That book, after much editing and re-writing over the next couple of years, was snapped up by an agent, submitted to Bookouture and became Keep You Safe, my debut.
I think the moral of my story is don’t pin your hopes on your first idea or your first book. Once I started writing, I found I was full of story ideas and if one doesn’t work, then another will!
Rona is the author of Best Selling psychological thrillers published by Bookouture. Her challenge in writing is to find domestic storylines with twists that her readers will never guess.
She was born in Nottingham, grew up near Blackpool and went to college in Leeds. She then moved to Snowdonia, North Wales where she brought up her family while working as a business mentor. She now lives on the Isle of Man with her husband, two dogs and two guinea pigs.
She is an outdoorsy person and loves stomping up a mountain, walking the coastal paths and exploring the wonderful glens and beaches on the Island while she’s plotting her next book. She has three children and two step-children who are all grown up and leading varied and interesting lives, which provides plenty of ideas for new stories.
To find out more about Rona and her novels, visit her website: ronahalsall.com
About THE EX BOYFRIEND
He promised to love her until her dying day…
When Becca’s first love shows up on her social media feed, she can’t help but smile fondly. Once upon a time, Connor was the love of her life, and though it was over ten years ago, he’s always held a place in her heart.
Then he sends her a message. He sounds happy – still kind and funny, still living across the world in Australia. But he wants to know everything about her life now. How can Becca tell him the truth? About her workaholic husband, her stressful job, and the challenges of caring for her elderly father and her longed-for, adorable but exhausting three-year-old daughter Mia?
Becca hesitates, knowing she shouldn’t even reply. But Connor lives on the other side of the world. Just how dangerous can becoming friends again be?
It feels harmless. Until Mia gets sick – in a way that no one can explain. And it starts to become clear – someone will do absolutely anything to make sure Becca never escapes her past…
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How to bounce back from being told your book idea isn’t good enough.