Tools For Success

Writing requires discipline, commitment, energy, and above all, self-belief. So how do you manage to keep all those elements positive, which in turn will keep you moving forward with your writing?

Connect

Keep connected with other authors, who are, after all, like-minded people who understand! It could be a simple as a chat on social media or as in-depth as brainstorming plot ideas. Just connecting with other authors will fuel your positivity and belief in yourself as a writer. As well as your enthusiasm. The act of writing entails hours sat alone, in front of your screen or notebook, and being alone when you hit a sticky patch in your writing can be soul-destroying.

Go Out

This might seem strange but get away from your screen or notebook. Take time to allow thoughts and ideas to percolate. After all, you don’t have to be putting words on a page to be writing. Thinking time is as important as writing time. If I get stuck, I find a good walk with the dog can unblock things. When that happens, dictate into your phone so you can retrieve that breakthrough when you get back to your desk.

Create Goals

Set achievable goals that fit in with your everyday life and commitments. If you can only manage one afternoon a week to work on your novel because of your work and family commitments that is perfectly fine. As is daily writing. Whatever you set as your goal make sure it is achievable otherwise you are setting yourself up for failure and misery. It’s so much more satisfying to surpass a goal!

I set myself a weekly goal and then break it down into smaller daily ones. Sometimes I don’t meet the daily one, but an achievable weekly goal helps to lessen the impact on my confidence of a day when the words didn’t come or couldn’t be written because daily life got in the way. And that means I usually hit my weekly goal.

Get Help

Work with a professional to get the most out of you, the writer. Don’t wait until you get that agent or publishing deal. You and your writing deserve the best right now.

During lockdown, I worked with Joanne Grant Editorial Coach, who has a fantastic new Facebook group Motivation for Writers! to join as well as a weekly newsletter to subscribe to. 

Over the last few years, life has hurled quite a few curve balls my way, and my confidence and belief in myself as a writer was at an all-time low. Working with Joanne got me back on track and was the best investment in myself as a writer I have ever made and I’m writing in a more productive and positive way than I have done for some time.

Read and Watch

Image - Pezibear Pixabay

Reading is as important as writing. If you aren’t comfortable with reading the genre you are currently working on, then try something new. It’s a great way of discovering authors new to you as well as sparking your imagination.

I also find movies or a binge-watch of a series a great go-to when I need to stir up my creative juices too.

 

Happy Writing

Rachael

xx

Beyond the Happy Ever After

 

Today my husband and I are celebrating twenty-seven years of marriage. As confetti was thrown at me after our wedding in the local chapel, it was definitely my happy ever after moment.

But the story continues...

Which got me thinking, how would life be for the characters of my stories twenty-seven years on?

So, I delved back into one of my favourite books to write, Di Marcello’s Secret Son.

Italian tycoon Antonio Di Marcello relishes a challenge – but running into Sadie Parker while working undercover as a mechanic rocks him to the core. Four years after their fevered fling stripped away his iron guard, he’s confronted with the shocking consequences…

Sadie has given up hope in her desperate attempts to contact Antonio. Now she has to face the day she’d both dreaded and longed for! And Antonio’s claim over her and her son is hard to resist – especially as he’ll use a sensual onslaught to get what he wants!

Twenty-seven years later…

‘You look as beautiful as your mother did on our wedding day.’ Antonio held his emotions in check as he danced with his daughter, now married to Dante Carvella. She might be twenty-six, but to him, Mia was still his baby girl.

She laughed, her eyes sparkling with happiness. At least her road to true love hadn’t been blighted by all he and Sadie had gone through. It still broke his heart to think of missing those first four years of Leo’s life – and that time with the Sadie.

‘And if Dante and I are as happy and in love as you and Mamma, then that will be a dream come true.’ Mia said, blushing prettily. ‘You two are my inspiration.’

Antonio glanced around the magnificence of the ballroom as he danced, searching for the woman who’d captured his heart from the very first moment he’d set eyes on her. It was an honour to be dancing with his daughter in all her bridal finery, but it was Sadie he wanted in his arms.

‘Mind if I cut in.’ Leo’s deep voice halted their practiced steps. ‘I want a dance with my little sister on her wedding day.’

Antonio stepped back and allowed his son to whisk Mia away. If someone had told him the day he’d gone undercover as part of Sebastien’s challenge that it would change his life forever – and in the most unexpected way – he’d never have believed them. But Sebastien was a wise man. He’d known exactly what he’d been doing the night he’d laid down the gauntlet to Stavros, Alejandro, and himself to go two weeks without their wealth and family names to support them.

For Antonio, accepting that challenge had been a turning point.

It had changed him forever. Brought Sadie back into his life as well as love and happiness.

‘Penny for your thoughts,’ Sadie’s soft voice broke through the memories.

‘I was just remembering those two weeks when I worked at Centro Auto Barzetti. Who’d have thought being a mechanic would change my life forever.’

Sadie blushed, looking as gorgeous as she’d done that weekend they’d first met. The weekend that had resulted in their son, Leo. Antonio pushed back the anger that his mother’s pride and need to keep up appearances within Milan’s society had prevented him from ever being told about his son. Dio, he’d found out by chance. Because of the challenge.

‘But you don’t regret it, do you.’ Sadie’s voice was a purr as she moved into his embrace, that sexy and very suggestive look twinkling in her eyes.

‘Never.’ He brushed his lips lightly over hers. ‘Twenty-seven years of marriage and two children later, there is only one thing I’d change. That it was four years longer.’

‘Don’t go there Antonio,’ Sadie said as they began to dance. ‘We agreed never to look back. Especially as we are still enjoying our happy ever after.’

‘Always the wise one,’ he teased her with a smile. ‘What would I do without you.’

‘Probably still be doing wild and reckless things with Alejandro and Stavros.’ Sadie laughed as he guided them towards the open doors and onto the terrace. ‘What are you doing?’

He moved them into the shadows of the evening and drew her tight against him. ‘What I’ve done for the last twenty-seven years.’

‘Oh?’ The husky question stirred up his senses.

‘Doing wild and reckless things with the woman I love.’

She wrapped her arms around his neck, lifting herself onto her tiptoes and reaching up to whisper against his lips. ‘Then I don’t want it ever to stop.'

Antonio brushed a stray lock of hair from Sadie's face, love overflowing inside him. 'I'm never going to stop enjoying our happy ever after. Ti amo, mia bella. Ti amo.'

Di Marcello's Secret Son, the first in the Secret Billionaires trilogy with Dani Collins and Jennifer Hayward, is available on Amazon right now for 99p. Get your copy here!

Her Exotic Prince

About thirteen years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Liz Fielding when she attended an afternoon at my local writing group to talk about writing romance. I’d known since I was nine years old, that I wanted to write and the discovery of Mills and Boon in my local library when I was a teenager made sure that whatever I wrote would be romance. So, I hung on every word Liz said, desperate to find the key to writing a romance novel.

Inspired and determined to write more than yet another false beginning, I set myself a deadline a year ahead and started to write. That book has not been published, nor will it ever be! But it does form part of the long road and the many words written, as for many years, I chased the dream of becoming published.

So, seeing my name on the cover of a book, with Liz Fielding is a bit special. This three in one book, Her Exotic Prince, also featuring a great read by Tessa Radley, will be available on 6^th February and you can order your copy here. It features one of my favourite books to write, The Sheikh’s Last Mistress.

If you are wanting to write romance, then Liz’s Little Book of Romance is full of great advice and my copy is always on my desk!

Happy reading and writing!

Rachael

Xx