Carpe diem - Seize the day – how one writer is gaining their dream

Thank you so much Debi, our guest blogger for July.

Do read below about Debi's writing journey in her guest blog post below, which is packed with good advice on how to reduce your tuition costs and still get the support you need as a fledgling writer 

Carpe diem – Seize the day – Horace wrote. In fact, the full quote translates as, ”Pluck the day [for it is ripe], trusting as little as possible in tomorrow.”  For fledging writers taking their foundling first forage into the wonderful yet mystical world of writing, the path does seem fraught, with companies offering a bewildering array of workshops, advice, and equally eye-watering price-tags to match. So, if like me, you are on a limited budget, where you do you start?  

This is simply how I got started; my intention is to encourage all of you who have discovered writing is an all-consuming passion: simply something you have to do because it makes your soul sing.  Writing enables you to pour your heart, soul and imagination into the written word. For me, it is a way to communicate ideas, thoughts and insights that I would find hard to vocalise.  

It is incredibly liberating.

I rediscovered my passion for writing whilst completing the final year of my Open University languages degree – something I thought beyond my reach due to my CFS/ME. My short story Luna was published in the OU’s Anthology* in 2020.  Lockdown provided me with the headspace and opportunity – I had always wanted to write a novel.  

Seizing the moment, I enrolled on a Creative Writing course aptly entitled Starting Your Novel with the OCA Open College of the Arts, which gave me the writer’s tool-kit necessary whilst penning the first 10,000 words of my crime novel Abandoned.

I enlisted the services of Nina Milton, my OCA tutor, who offered a peer mentoring and manuscript feedback service at a very reasonable fee.  Nina has been instrumental in working with me to get me to the finish line. 

 Fast forward to Christmas 2023, and 130,000 words later – a complete first draft.  I savoured my triumph!

So, how did I get there? 

Arvon at The Hurst

A friend’s recommendation of Arvon was extremely fortuitous as a fledging writer.  The Arvon Organisation’s https://www.arvon.org/ ethos is to encourage all writers, irrespective of their age and experience of writing, especially those who have just embarked on their writing journey.  They occasionally offer fully funded places on their retreats subject to a fairly straightforward application form.  I treated  this form like a job application and was surprised –– delighted –– to secure a fully funded place  on a Tutored retreat at The Hurst in 2022.  The week was hugely beneficial, as well as providing network opportunities. Every course does have a number of subsidised places for low income and underrepresented groups (around a 33% discount). I was awarded a subsidised place on their Editing Fiction course, again, at The Hurst. It’s the most accessible by public transport for me. My experience is described on: https://www.arvon.org/my-arvon-week-debi-barry/

My tutors were Angela Clarke and Rory McClean, both published authors. And I loved meeting my fellow writers there. Sharing our hopes and fears made me realise I was not alone. And being offered the headspace to devote to writing was wonderful. 

An unforeseen bonus was the fact that Arvon also runs joint initiatives with companies in the Publishing field.  I applied for an initial manuscript assessment of the first 15,000 words of my novel through an initiative between Arvon and The Literacy Consultancy under the Arts Council-funded TLC Free Reads Report scheme:  https://www.arvon.org/writers-hub/free-reads/

The students help cook the meals

This application form was more involved butdefinitely worth the input. I secured a place! 

The feedback I received from Doug Johnstone, an established and well-respected crime writer, was both incredibly detailed and encouraging.  Addressing the constructive feedback, I now have the opportunity to implement the suggestions Doug has made to give me the best possible chance of securing an agent or publisher for my novel once submission ready. 

I am extremely pragmatic.  Securing a publisher or an agent is very difficult but one I feel I have to have a stab at.  This is my dream.  It may not be yours and rest assured, if it isn’t, that’s fine too. 

If you enjoy the company of others, do seek out your local library and see if there are any writing groups set up.  I was fortunate I saw an invite that Lynn Griffin, a published author who lives locally, who has set up writing groups at the Trowbridge Library. https://www.facebook.com/ lynngriffinauthor/  I have found a fabulous bunch of like-minded individuals.  We meet monthly and share our work.  

Thanks to Lynn Griffin for getting our writing group under way. So enriching to share our writing journeys with each other. Always come away with loads of ideas Stephen, Claire and Jonathan 

My final piece of advice is aimed at all the female writers out there (sorry chaps!)  Do consider a subscription to Mslexia, a magazine that supports female writers: https://mslexia.co.uk/ It offers a wealth of resources, writing opportunities and advice.  Although I have not yet had any short stories published, I have just secured a bursary to attend their online Novel School (8^th-12^th July 2024).  Armed with my manuscript appraisal and this exciting and challenge week at Novel School ahead of me, I’m still travelling towards that all important holy grail – a submission-ready manuscript.  

Carpe diem! 

Debi

@deborahbarry_

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