“Don’t give up, listen to criticism, polish, hone your craft, even if you think it’s the best it can be, your writing still has room for improvement.”
I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I studied English and European Thought and Literature at university but it wasn’t until years later, when my children were adults and I was running my own business that I found the time to write creatively again. This led to my gaining a place on a Creative Writing Master’s degree at Sheffield Hallam University where the seeds of my Singapore based novel began, and ultimately landed me a two-book deal with Arrow.
Like most published authors, I started out writing poetry, short stories, even constructing the first 30,000 words of a couple of novels. It was tough, though, and I kept hitting a wall. I joined a few writing courses and even had mentoring. My writing seemed to be going really well, so I applied for the master’s degree at Sheffield Hallam – celebrations all round when I got on the course. However, not everything went as swimmingly as I thought it would, and there were times when I really struggled – I couldn’t get into my stride and I had so many false starts and felt so confused about how to write, which voice to use etc., and I really experienced lots of self-doubt.
I’m not one to give up easily, though. I belonged to a group of writers from my course who met regularly to support and to critique each other’s work. The most important thing that I learnt from the group was how crucial it is to edit and how important it is to listen to the opinions of those you value. Although this was really hard at times, I learnt a lot about the craft of writing, how to share my work with my peers and how to receive feedback. I discovered that it is only through planning, critiquing, rewriting and polishing, all fuelled by sheer determination, that anything gets written at all. I can’t tell you how many times I felt like giving up, that I thought my writing was rubbish and why was I even trying when the chances of getting published were zero? Without this support of other like-minded writers I would most certainly have given up.
However, I finished my master’s with a completed novel, and I was rather taken aback by the encouraging comments I’d received by my assessor. ‘Put it out there’ was the comment that stuck the most ‘see what happens.’ So, I did. I approached about 15 agents in total, some who were not interested at all, and a couple who were. Approaching agents is in itself another dispiriting process – how do you deal with all those rejections? Yet, my dreams did come true when my wonderful agent took me on. The message here is, don’t give up, listen to criticism, polish, hone your craft, even if you think it’s the best it can be, your writing still has room for improvement. Read as much as you can in your genre and see how others have mastered their craft. Ask as many people as possible for their opinions and don’t be hurt by what they say. Writers need readers – listen to them. If one person doesn’t agree with something you’ve written, you don’t need to change it, if three do, perhaps you should consider it. Go on courses, join writing groups for feedback, but most of all you need to write, every day if you can. It’s an uphill struggle, but you will get there even though the climb seems impossible at times. Set a goal, and write, then rewrite and polish it all again.
I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. It’s taken about 10 years from my first ideas forming to my novel being published. At times, I really didn’t think I’d make it, but by taking a step back, mulling over the advice or criticism I’d been given, taking a deep breath and diving back in again, that’s how my final best-as-it-can-be highly polished novel emerged.
Paula Greenlees is an author of historical fiction based in Warwickshire. Her debut novel, Journey to Paradise, will be published as a paperback on 30th December 2021 by Arrow, (an imprint of Penguin Random House) .Paula is well- travelled, having lived in Singapore and America. She has had a varied career including stints as a teacher, running her own businesses and finally pursuing her dream of being a full-time writer. She enjoys walking, good food, chocolate and settling down at the end of the day with a large gin and tonic, preferably with a good book and with her dog at her feet. For more information about Paula and her novels, please visit her website www.paulagreenlees.com, or connect with her over social media. Linktree Facebook Twitter Instagram
Journey To Paradise is set in 1949 in post-colonial Singapore. It follows the story of Miranda, a bereaved young mother who is hoping for a fresh start in Singapore. Set against the backdrop of political and social unrest, she feels like an outsider and becomes increasingly distant from her husband. When doctor Nick Wythenshaw encourages her to work within the local community, she finds new purpose away from her protected world that opens her eyes to a new way of life. But as riots erupt across the region and danger draws close to home, Miranda must make an impossible choice – will she sacrifice everything she holds dear to find happiness?
Journey to Paradise is available to order from Amazon, Waterstones, W H Smiths, Foyles and many other good bookstores.