What happens on a discovery call?

A discovery call is a thirty minute chat about what you need help with. It’s very informal, and is like having coffee with a friend.

What will we discuss on a coaching call?

We will talk about anything you like to do with your writing. I use my experience as a creative writing tutor to both offer possible solutions to issues, as well as coaching you to understand why you are experiencing the issue and how we can move forward. I also set tasks outside of our time together so that you can work toward your goals. All our conversations are confidential.

Can we meet in person?

During Covid I am happy to work with your time zone and meet you on Zoom.

Tag: writing life

Craft Publishing

The Draw of Fantastical Fiction

Post author By Rachel Grosvenor
Post date July 10, 2024
No Comments on The Draw of Fantastical Fiction

According to sales statistics, fantasy book sales grew by over 45% in 2021 compared to 2020, and I’m not a bit surprised to hear it. As a reader, I’ve always drifted toward the fantasy section in a bookshop, and as a writer, it was the promise of adventure that sparked my writing career.

I began writing as a child after reading (you guessed it) The Lord of the Rings. As an elder millennial (I know, but I didn’t give myself that title), I was at that age when the movies started coming out just as I was allowed to go to the cinema to watch them with friends, alone. I had already read the books, and to see the characters come to life before me was thrilling. With Justified playing on my CD player, I would roll up my sleeves, stare for a while at my poster of Legolas, and begin writing fanfiction.

The internet was different back then. I would post on a site where other Tolkien lovers would write their own fiction. Our characters would interact in Middle Earth, and I created a complex backstory for my elven warrior and her horse, Tengwar. By day, I was a mild-mannered Brummy student, but by night, my bow was my greatest weapon.

I have always remembered the magic I felt at the keyboard of my family’s old-fashioned, loudly whirring computer. I would rush home excited to write, delighted to see updates from others, and I have striven to keep the same feeling.

This is what fantasy offers me as a writer – excitement. Anything can happen, the world can be moulded into the magical. The mountains near my home become promises, begging to be traversed on a life-changing mission. The alleyways in my town hold secrets, bricks that, when pushed, reveal hidden houses and private rooms where witches dwell.

As a reader, my favourite fantastical place to visit is Ankh-Morpork, the city of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. I had a similar cityscape in mind when writing my debut novel, The Finery (Fly on the Wall Press). Corruption and intrigue abound, but there is beauty there too. My main character, Professor Cripcot, is facing a very real situation – eviction. It isn’t that she overcomes this with magic, assisted by the aid of swords or bows and arrows, but rather that she is supported by those around her. The fantastical elements lie within the norms of everyday life – the care wolves given to older people, the tarot cards that truly reveal the future, and the underground network that survives for generations without sunlight. My writing has gone full circle in this way; I no longer pull fantasy into my real life but rather write my real life into fantasy. Perhaps that’s why fantasy book sales have shot up recently, the stress of the pandemic driving a desire to escape into a fantastical world.

As I write with my own wolf (really, more of a standard poodle) beside me, I do two things my education in writing taught me: I write what I know, and I add a dash of magic. After all, it’s that magic that leads me to both the keyboard and the fantasy bookshelf, every time.

Want to read some fantasy? Check out this post:

Fifteen Fantasy Books to Read When You Need a Break From Fiction

Tags am writing, fantasy writing, the finery, write now, writing, writing fantasy, writing life

Coaching Craft Productivity

It’s Time to Spring Clean Your Writing

Post author By Rachel Grosvenor
Post date April 29, 2024
No Comments on It’s Time to Spring Clean Your Writing

Let’s spring clean your writing!

It’s spring cleaning season – so let’s take action and start with your writing (the housework can wait).

We’ll begin with the decluttering.

Remove unnecessary adjectives and adverbs.

A good trick is to search for words ending in ‘-ly’, ‘-ive’, ‘-ous’, or ‘-al’. Obviously not all adjectives and adverbs end in these, but it’s a great way to find them!

Remove filler words and clichés.

Read your work aloud (or have your computer do it for you!). It will help you notice when your pace slows, when filler words appear, and when a predictable phrase or cliché rolls around. You can also ask for someone else to read your work.

Cut down on repetition.

We all have words that we overuse! To help with this, create a word bank. Your word bank will be words or phrases you lean on. In the meantime, check for these common ones: Nodding, smiling, breathing, quietly.

Reduce sentences that aren’t adding to the overall story.

First, check your dialogue for conversation that isn’t driving your narrative forward. Then, check for tangents. Have you gotten caught up in exploring a subplot or description?

Now, let’s freshen up your descriptions!

Use the senses.

Your character is walking through the town in which they live. What does the air smell like? How does it feel on their skin? What can they taste? Create an immersive experience for your reader by engaging their senses, and pull them right into the world you have created.

Get specific.

Avoid generalisations and use comparisons to help a reader understand what you are describing. Your character might be tall, for example, but it’s more powerful to say that they tower over the door of their enemy.

Use setting to reflect emotion.

Tolkien was a master at this – reflecting the emotion of a scene in the setting and atmosphere around the characters. Have a go – if your character is feeling despondent, how might this change how they view the world? Perhaps the once pink sky has now turned grey, the leaves on the trees turning to ash.

Feeling good? It’s time to trim your plot now.

Revisit your timeline.

Are there any inconsistencies? Unnecessary time jumps? Check that you are telling your story in a way that will make sense for the reader. If you spot an inconsistency – don’t panic. You may need to adjust your timeline. For this – write out each chapter in one sentence, and then consider what can stay, what needs moving, whether you want to change what a chapter is about, or even if you want to condense any.

Remove filler scenes.

Are there any scenes that don’t advance your plot or character’s development? Sometimes in drafting, we can indulge in writing that isn’t actually moving the journey on. Review your plot and ask yourself with each chapter – what did this do to move my story forward?

Identify subplots.

Subplots are like chair legs – they need to hold up the main plot! If they don’t, they are their own story. So consider, what are your subplots, and are they all relevant and working for your main plot?

Great work so far. Let’s move on to polishing your dialogue.

Make your character’s voice unique to them.

Consider that even people from the same place don’t speak in the same way. How is your character unique, and how will this change how they talk? As people develop, speech also changes. How will you show your character’s development through their dialogue?

Show, don’t tell.

Use dialogue to reveal emotions – show proof that they are feeling a certain way, instead of telling the reader. For example, show us that your character is angry instead of telling us that they are speaking ‘angrily’. (Need more info on this? See this post here!)

Use contractions.

People rarely say ‘I will not’ instead of ‘I won’t’. Use contractions to make your dialogue more natural and to mirror how people speak in real life.

Remove filler.

Though in reality, we say words such as ‘like’ or ‘um’ when we speak, too much of this in fiction can be jarring for the reader and slows down the pace of a story. Look out for these words in your narrative and remove any that repeat too often.

Phew. Apart from clearing your desk, there is only one task left! Let’s talk about refreshing your perspective as a writer.

Take a step back.

Taking a break can make all the difference. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, confused, or like you don’t know how to make your writing the best it can be, take a break. Take some time to review what’s worked for you too – we can’t move forward successfully unless we review what has and has not worked in the past.

Remember that there is always more to learn.

An education can help you reframe perspective. Engage in new writing groups, opportunities, or courses. Chat to other writers, or subscribe to a writing industry magazine. Engage with your writing community.

Revisit your old work.

How far have you come since you began your writing journey? Reflect on what you have done, where you have grown, and how your skills have improved. Make a note of them, and reward yourself. Being a writer isn’t easy, but you’re doing it!

Set new writing goals.

Try and remove the pressure of the overall ‘I want to write a novel’ goal. It’s too big to work towards, but if you break it down into manageable chunks, you’ll find yourself achieving it more easily. Need more help with this one? Grab The Ultimate Writer’s Planning Workbook! It’ll take you through the entire process.

There you have it writer, you have completed your spring cleaning task! Now it’s time to make a cup of tea and enjoy the warm weather.

Tags 2024 writing, author, declutter, editing, editing your writing, how to edit, how to edit your writing, spring clean, spring clean your writing, writing a novel, writing life

Coaching Craft

10 Ways to Grow as a Writer

Post author By Rachel Grosvenor
Post date May 12, 2022
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Are you looking for a way to grow as a writer but struggling to work out how to do it? Don’t worry; I’ve got you. Growing as a writer means expanding your knowledge of the craft, your ability to find the time to write, and your access to writing. It means getting better at what you do – writing stories. So, let’s begin with ten ways to grow as a writer.

1) Expand your vocabulary.

Great idea. But, aside from eating a dictionary, how can you go about this? Here are a few ways. Develop a reading habit. Reading helps you understand so much about writing, and it is such a vital part of being a writer that it should not be discounted. It grows your vocabulary, yes, and it also helps you understand plot, tropes, characterisation…the list is endless. Another great and fun way to expand your vocabulary is to play word games. I’m talking about Wordle, Scrabble, and more. Games are for adults, too!

2) Use writing prompts.

Every other week I share a new writing prompt with my subscribers. Why? Because they are an excellent lesson in writing. They can inspire poetry, short stories, a paragraph that sparks an entire novel you never knew you had in you. Writing with writing prompts is the practice of growing as a writer and making progress in the craft you love.

3) Share your writing.

Yes, I said it. Sharing your writing will help you grow as a writer. For some, the thought of this is scary. I get it; I’ve been there. When I was in the first year of my undergraduate degree in Creative Writing, I used to sit at my table, dreading the moment I would be called on to read my writing to the class. But, here’s the thing…after a while, it didn’t bother me so much. Why? Two reasons. The first is that practising anything makes it much easier. The second is that my peers were trained to give feedback. That second one is vital. If you are nervous about sharing your work, share it with the right person. Share with another writer, a friend you trust, an editor or a writing coach. Practice sharing because peer review is one of the most valuable tools we have at our disposal as writers.

4) Keep a writing journal.

What’s a writing journal, and why keep one? A writing journal is like your regular journal or diary, only this one focuses on your writing, including anything you want to talk about, how it’s going, what you are struggling with, and what you have written that day. So why would keeping one help you grow as a writer? Because it enables you to explore your process, what is working for you, and what isn’t. This kind of investigation helps you learn exactly who you are as a writer and pinpoint areas of growth.

5) Hire a writing coach or editor.

As a writing coach and editor, I can tell you that I have watched all of my clients grow through our work together. It is an incredible thing to witness, and I love helping writers discover what works for them, clear the path forward, and ultimately achieve their dreams of writing their novels. I am trained to ask the right questions to help you find a way forward, and growing as a writer is a worthy investment indeed. I hire a coach too, and it’s the best thing I ever decided to do. Here’s a little on my own experience: The Top 5 Things I Learned from Working with a Coach

6) Join a writing group.

Writing groups are amazing because they provide us with support and craft knowledge and offer us accountability. You can look online or in your local area and see what’s offered.

7) Take part in a writing retreat.

Writing retreats are incredible. They are spaces for you to create, write, and learn. They are your community, and they leave you feeling rested, inspired, and truly like the writer you are. Looking for a writing retreat to join? Recently I co-ran a writing retreat called The Writing Week Retreat, and it was a runaway success, with writers writing more in one week than usual, and community-led learning. Want to know more and receive updates about the next one? Get in touch here.

8) Write outside your comfort zone.

When was the last time you pushed yourself outside of your comfort zone when writing? Not sure? Here’s a task to do that right now!

Take the opening paragraph of your novel or latest work. Re-write it, using none of the same words as your original work.

What does this task do? It forces you to think differently, search for new words, and grow as a writer. Give it a go today, and see which piece of writing you prefer.

9) Subscribe to a writing magazine and participate in competitions.

There are some fantastic writing magazines available, and they are full of competitions and fun things to be a part of. How does this help you grow? Aside from the craft information shared within these magazines, using writing competitions gives you new ideas, new prompts and instils a routine into your writing life.

10) Revise old writing.

Want to know how much you have grown as a writer? Read and revise your old work. Highlight what you like, and re-write what you don’t. Pay attention to what has changed, how your eye has developed, and be proud of your growth. Need an editor to help? Feel free to get in touch today and book a free 30-minute Discovery Call with me.

Ready to talk about coaching?

As a Certified Professional Coach, trained by an ICF company and with an ILM Level 2, you can trust that my coaching skills are tried and tested. As a writer with a PhD, MA and BA in Creative Writing, and over six years of lecturing in adult education and at universities, I’m a professional writer specialising in helping others find their way forward.

Any to add? Let me know! Want to read something similar?

Check these out:

3 Things I Did to Level Up My Writing Game
10 Ways to Limit Writing Overwhelm

Tags creative writer, creative writing, Grow as a writer, how to grow as a writer, writing, writing life

Coaching

10 Coaching Questions to Help You with Your Writing Life

Post author By Rachel Grosvenor
Post date January 27, 2022
No Comments on 10 Coaching Questions to Help You with Your Writing Life

Are you ready to move forward in your writing life? Coaching can get you where you want to go! One of my favourite things to do every week is pull a card from my’ coaching cards for every day’ pack. These open questions allow me to consider all sorts of things, from how to continue with a successful part of my writing life to how to achieve my goals.

Here are ten questions that can help you do the same. My recommendation would be to take some time with these questions and really consider them, journalling on the answers.

What habits support your writing?

What gives you pleasure in your writing life?

What drains your energy and enthusiasm for writing?

What steps can you take to overcome those drains?

Practice describing your book to someone else. What would you say?

What advice would you give to yourself as a writer?

What does ‘happy’ mean to you in your writing life?

What are your top 5 writing experiences in life so far?

What could you change to make your writing situation more positive?

What has inspired you this year, this month, and this week?

If you want to chat about anything you have found out through answering these questions, get in touch. I would love to help you create a writing life and novel that you are proud of.

Want to read something similar? Check out the coaching page of my blog right here!