Our Stories: Becoming a Writer

Andrew and I both have years of writing experience. Each of us gets asked questions all the time about tips and tricks for writing. So, we decided that we would put together some responses to the questions we've been asked the most over the years. But, before we get into all the nitty-gritty of advice giving, we thought we'd share our stories with you all. These are the stories of how each of us became the writers we are today.

Andrew

I always wanted to write a book. The sort of boys own adventure book that I read avidly as, well as a boy strangely enough. It wasn't until I found myself at home with time on my hands that I decided that I would give it a go. After all, you can only polish the same table so many times before the novelty starts to wear a bit thin.

Assassin's Run was my first thriller novel. Never having written anything other than business plans and analytical reports, I really didn't know where to start. All I had was a two sentence premise of a story and a nervous excitement about the mountain I was about to climb.

During the next few months I set myself a target of writing one chapter per week. Despite my best attempts to plan each chapter, they never turned out how I anticipated. I very often surprised, and sometimes shocked, myself at how both the story and the characters developed. Having written half the book I still had no idea how it was going to end as I was writing almost instinctively by that stage. As I typed the final page I cried buckets. Partly for what I had put my protagonist, Michael Prentiss through, but mainly because I had come to the end of the journey. When I was asked how I was able to write a spy thriller I replied; it's like doing a really complicated jigsaw puzzle, with no picture to help you and having to make each piece first.

I only ever intended to write one book. When I'd finished Assassin's Run however I felt I knew the three main characters so well, I wanted, no, needed to know what happened to them next. So I wrote two more thrillers in the series, The Ares File and then Personal Retributions. When writing both books I again had only a two line premise and I once again set out on a journey not knowing where it would end. I've now written seven books in the series and am currently writing book 8 and it's rarely far from my thoughts.

In conclusion, the best piece of advice about writing I have ever been given was from Paul Groves, my English teacher at school. He took me to one side one day and said; “If you can tell the story you want to tell, as well as you can tell it, then you will be a writer.”

Mandy

I began writing in jr. high after taking a creative writing course. I never wrote anything more than short stories and poems, though. As I began my college courses for my English degree, the idea and dream of writing a novel began to develop more and more.

One particular professor in one of my creative writing courses had a huge impact on my writing. She fueled my talent and encouraged me to take it further. She pushed me to do better and be better. Then for one assignment in her course, I had to write a short story.

I'd had a strange dream a week or so before, and the concept of that dream had stayed with me. So, when I sat down to write the story, that dream is more or less what came out on the page. After reading my story, my professor told me that I simply had to expand on it.

So, that's what I did. The Curse: Book 1 of the Alex and Liz Novels was born. I fueled my passion for writing, and helped me to realize that I can accomplish whatever I put my mind to. It helped me see that dreams can become reality, if you are willing to pursue them.

I couldn't allow the fear of failure to keep me from my dreams. So, I published that first book, and then two more after that in that series. I am currently working on a book that is so far beyond anything I have ever written before, and I am loving how it stretches my abilities as a writer.