Sheelagh Aston
Writer, Vicar, Mother.
Sheelagh is a writer and vicar who lives in the North West of England. She seeks to bring stories of ordinary people dealing with contemporary issues of life and faith to the widest audience. Scroll below this article for learn more about her writing.
Are you a tortoise or a hare?
Do you write in sprints of intense quick burst or do you write in a consistent daily manner? The question popped into my mind after reading an article which explored the pros and cons of publishing books in rapid or slow succession. You can read it here.
Applying my two writing methods was prompted by the article's focus on publishing and building a readership.
I write the 1st draft of a story quickly like a hare, but edit slowly like a tortoise.
The world fades away as I tap-tap during the draft with the aim of getting it down–even when I have already written a plot outline of the story to iron out all the plot niggles and inconsistencies or over complicated plot points (a common fault of mine). The reverse is true once I get to the beta read stage. An 80K MS will usually take between 2-4 weeks to edit/revise. To get an MS up to what I consider ‘query ready’ it can take 12-18 months considering there will be at least half a dozen revisions and between these I will literally put it in box file for 6-8 weeks before going back to it. The current MS out for querying has taken 2 years. (Oh, and let’s not forget the day job and family. I do most of my writing in free evenings and/or my day off)
During the rest periods, I work on something else. Edit another MS or start something new, write a devotional or short story. I now have a collection of MSs at varying stages of development thanks to this approach. The trans-atlantic family sage the Sphinx Trilogy is complete while the Amish based coming-of-age series Blossom Hill (WTs) is half-way there and a contribution to an Advent Devotional will be published in the autumn. If nothing else, if the MS I am querying i.
Both approaches have advantages in publishing and book creation, so I will continue to scribble like a hare and edit like a tortoise for now.
Sheelagh's Books
5.0 out of 5 stars a page-turner!
This book was great. It was different, mysterious and cunning; it showed the ups and downs of fame. The divas, the wannabes, the co-star crushes, the screaming fans, the fights and homework. Towards the end it became a real page-turner, finding out about the saboteur.
A must-read for those who love a good mystery. I think I'm going to read it again!
5.0 out of 5 stars a page-turner!
This book was great. It was different, mysterious and cunning; it showed the ups and downs of fame. The divas, the wannabes, the co-star crushes, the screaming fans, the fights and homework. Towards the end it became a real page-turner, finding out about the saboteur.
A must-read for those who love a good mystery. I think I'm going to read it again!
What to read a extract from Natural Talent? Click here for the first scene.
Ever wondered why someone starts to write? Read my short story 'The Write Life' to find out how I returned to writing after several years, in The Association of Christian Writers UK's 'Write Well.'
The book provides a history of ACW, advice on writing and reflections from 20 members on their writing including mine.
To order a copy go to ACW's Site
