It's my great pleasure to welcome to the Flight Deck today, Susie Kearley a fellow writer at the writing group I belong to, Chiltern Writers.
Make yourself at home, Susie and tell us a little more about yourself - and is there something that most people don’t know about you?
Make yourself at home, Susie and tell us a little more about yourself - and is there something that most people don’t know about you?
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I’m a freelance writer, working on magazines and newspapers
in UK, USA and Australia. I always longed to be a freelance writer or novelist,
but was told to follow a more traditional path when I was young and ended up in
marketing. It was the closest thing to writing, in which I could find
employment.
I’ve got a new book out, ‘Freelance Writing on Health, Food
and Gardens,’ which is a ‘how to’ book, focusing on these areas of writing. It
tells my story and is hopefully inspirational for other people wanting to break
into this line of work.
Most people don’t know that I was first published in The
Lady when I was 21 years old.
Wow! I had a short story published in The Lady, myself, a few years ago, but sadly they don't publish fiction any more.
What was your favourite part of writing this book/series?
Wow! I had a short story published in The Lady, myself, a few years ago, but sadly they don't publish fiction any more.
What was your favourite part of writing this book/series?
Strangely, one of my favourite parts of the book, is the
chapter made up of contributions from other writers. Perhaps this is because I find
it really interesting to read about what other writers are doing in this line
of work. I interviewed six other writers - two worked in health writing, two in
food writing, and two in gardening writing. I found their answers fascinating.
Originally I only did the interviews to help me reach the required word count,
but it ended up being, for me, one of the most interesting parts of the book!
So what do you do for fun when not writing?
So what do you do for fun when not writing?
I watch movies. I’m a big fan of Nightmare on Elm Street
and have recently had the urge to write a modern sequel of Freddy’s adventures!
Oh, that sounds fun! When did you start writing?
Oh, that sounds fun! When did you start writing?
I first starting writing for
publication when I was 19, and started a correspondence course. I wasn’t very
successful and gave up two years later with one published credit to my name
(and a letter, but I’m not sure if that counts!).
I took it up again seriously in
2011, when I quit marketing to follow a career as a freelance writer.
When you write fiction, what comes first: the plot or the characters?
When you write fiction, what comes first: the plot or the characters?
I don’t write much fiction, but when I do, it’s definitely
the plot first. The characters become more real as I write and edit. I’ve never
had any fiction published. Not yet anyway.
Well good luck when you do! Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it
Well good luck when you do! Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers will enjoy about it
Freelance Writing on Health, Food and Gardens was published on 28 February 2014 , by
Compass Books. In 2011 I quit a 15 year marketing career to start up as a freelance
writer in the middle of a recession. In the book, I share how, in under two
years, I went from being an aspirational rookie, to working for some of the
biggest names in publishing.
I explain how: I built up
valuable contacts from nothing; I used my nutrition qualifications and
background in natural health to spur my career forward; I generated numerous
feature ideas from single opportunities; I sold articles on health, food and
gardening topics to diverse and unexpected markets; my unrelenting perseverance
and tenacity came good in the end, despite numerous obstacles; I challenged
those who said she would never succeed and proved them wrong.
The book is inspirational. It provides valuable tips to get you started
in writing for the health, food and gardening markets, and has wider relevance
to other fields of journalism.
I've got my copy and look forward to reading it! What have you learned about writing since you were published that surprised you the most?
I've got my copy and look forward to reading it! What have you learned about writing since you were published that surprised you the most?
The biggest surprise in my
literary career to date was being offered a book deal without actually
delivering the first chapter that they'd requested. Here's how it happened...
I was bouncing ideas around with
the commissioning editor of Compass Books and she liked one idea. She asked me
to write the first chapter. I was so busy with magazine work that I didn't get
around to submitting it – to be honest, I didn’t expect to get a book deal so
it was low on the priorities list.
To my amazement, I got the offer
of a paid contract anyway, based purely on the content of my website. She could
see I had expertise and success writing about health, food and gardens. That
was in April, and it's just been published.
Oh that just goes to show how important it is to have a good website doesn't it! What’s you’re writing process? Has it changed since writing your first book?
Oh that just goes to show how important it is to have a good website doesn't it! What’s you’re writing process? Has it changed since writing your first book?
I’ve written
a whole blog on this. I think you should direct people to: http://susiekearley.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/blog-hop-my-writing-process.html
Do you listen to music when you write and if so, what kind of music – or do you find it distracts you?
Do you listen to music when you write and if so, what kind of music – or do you find it distracts you?
No. That would be
distracting.
Do you have a support system? Do you have a writing community? What valuable lessons have you learned from them?
Do you have a support system? Do you have a writing community? What valuable lessons have you learned from them?
My husband has been very supportive and I attend the local
writer’s group, but I’d say the best learning experience has been simply from
doing it – writing.
What is your personal definition of success?
What is your personal definition of success?
For me it was being able to give
up conventional work to be a professional writer.
And what is your favourite source of inspiration?
And what is your favourite source of inspiration?
Holidays are a lovely way to get
inspiration. I do find things to write about on my travels, whether its
historical locations, or story ideas.
Is there any advice, as a new writer, that you were either given, or wish you had been given?
Is there any advice, as a new writer, that you were either given, or wish you had been given?
Forget the glossy magazines and
concentrate on the niche titles.
Excellent advice. Thank you so much for taking the time to be interviewed on my blog, it's been great talking to you! I wish you every success in your future writing and look forward to seeing you again at our Writing Group.
Excellent advice. Thank you so much for taking the time to be interviewed on my blog, it's been great talking to you! I wish you every success in your future writing and look forward to seeing you again at our Writing Group.
The book:
Find Susie on social media:
