It's been nearly a year since my last blog, which goes against all marketing 'rules' which insist on consistency. But like any true rebel, I believe all rules are meant to be broken, if there is a good enough reason. Last year and the start of 2024 have been very busy for me, meaning I had to take a break from something. That something was marketing.   

But it came at a price. 

2023 was a tough year, I’m not going to lie. At the start of the year I had to finish off the draft for Tourism to send to the publisher. Then Brian and I signed two contracts with White Owl for the London guides – with deadlines six months apart.

To research these guide books required multiple trips into London to visit locations and to photograph them for the book or take note if they had disappeared or were unrecognisable. In one day we could cover between 20 and 30 sites, and we would walk miles. Each book covers hundreds of these sites.

Additionally for the book on crime movies, we had to watch more than 100 movies and TV shows to locate where scenes were filmed and check if they were changed with CGI, still existed, or had been redeveloped. A 90-minute film could take three to four hours to watch and work through.

Then once the research was done, both books had to be written, edited and proofread before sending to the publishers.

After a couple of month’s respite the publishers got back in touch. Each of the three books had been edited and typeset in-house, so required queries to be answered and a further proofread. Then they were all returned to me another two times or so before final sign off.

I also had to create three indices. If you’ve never created an index you have no idea of the tedious level of hell this is. Each item in the index needs to have the correct page numbers written alongside it (within the right context of course) and can take hours to produce. I had three of them to do. (I do offer this as a service to save you from the pain).

Needless to say before the three books were all finally signed off, and Okayed for print I was pretty frazzled. I had been doing it all alongside running my business and full-time paid employment.

Even writing with a partner doesn’t reduce the workload. It just means Brian was also researching, proofreading, fact checking and photo editing to make sure he was happy with the final books – although he dodged the index creation. I think he was conveniently busy that week. 

I’m not writing a book in 2024. Instead I am just enjoying life, looking forward to all the publications and concentrating on helping other writers get their first book written.

I’m sure I will be writing another book in 2025 – the ideas are already forming but I need a break from the madness.

I should say this isn’t a normal year, and it is not the normal experience of a first-time writer. Being a writer can be frenetic, but it can also be a joy and at the end of it, I can walk into a Waterstones, Foyles or independent bookshop and see my books on the shelves. That is something you can’t put a value on.

If you have an idea for a non-fiction book, but don’t really know how to get started then drop me an email and we can have a chat. I understand how life can get in the way of writing, but I also know the value of a book well written. 

Maybe start with one book at a time though!