1. Always write what you love not what you think will sell. I think this is a trap we sometimes fall into, but if your heart is not in it others will be able to tell.
2. Listen to what people say to you. Here’s the thing, people are always willing to talk, and talk, and some have valuable insights into writing, take those precious gems and store them away and then discard the rest of the crap.
3. Join a writing group, they’re invaluable. Being a writer is a solitary occupation therefore when you get the opportunity to spend time with others that have more enthusiasm than grey matter, like yourself, take it.
4. Enter competitions; feedback is important so you know if you’re on track. Yes some of the feedback is harsh, I can still remember my first lot, I was told that my plot had more holes than Swiss Cheese and perhaps I should stick to something that may actually earn me some money, but eventually after a few more competitions I began to see a trend and it showed me where I was going wrong, and helped me to strengthen my writing.
5. Read authors who write in your genre. Know who is successful and why.
6. This is a slow process for most of us, so be patient! There are the lucky few who are overnight successes but for most of us getting published takes time and persistence.
7. Your voice is your own; don’t let others try to change it.
8. If this is to be your business then approach it that way.
9. You’re not alone; help is at hand if you need it. You know that moment when you go still and your hands start sweating because your screen has gone blank and you’ve just written 20,000 words? Well I do, and luckily there are people out there willing to help idiots like me who forget to back up their work.
10. Write, write, write and keep writing. Practice is how your voice will grow and your writing will evolve.
About The Reluctant Countess:
Regal, poised, and elegant, Sophie, Countess of Monmouth, is everything that a highborn lady should be. But Sophie is hiding a past that is far from royal. When Patrick, Earl of Coulter, realizes that her story doesn't add up, he resolves to find out the truth of what Sophie and her sister-in-law are concealing. Although Sophie has every reason to avoid him, the handsome and charismatic Patrick awakens something wicked deep within her soul . . . a powerful need that Sophie must stifle in order to protect her place in society.
Despite Sophie’s humble background, the raven-haired beauty has won Patrick’s heart. But what Sophie needs now is an ally. Viscount Myles Dumbly, the disgruntled former heir of Monmouth, is determined to expose Sophie as a fraud to recapture his lost inheritance. Soon Patrick is drawn into a fight for both their lives. Somehow he must find a way not only to rescue Sophie from poverty once and for all, but to keep her in his arms forever.
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About Wendy Vella:
Wendy Vella is a lover of all things romantic. She started reading her first Georgette Heyer book at a young age and instantly fell in love with the Regency era. Writing is something she has always found time for; she penned her first novel at eighteen though she says it will never make an appearance further than the closet in which it currently resides.
After having her two children Wendy then joined RWNZ and started honing her chosen craft by entering competitions with some success and attending conferences. Her Clendon and Readers Choice award-winning historical romance The Reluctant Countess will debut in Jan 2013 with Random House in their Loveswept line.
She has an addiction to reading and loves a wide range of genres while her first love will always be historical. She relishes novels steeped in Romance and excitement with feisty heroines and delicious heroes, especially when they are set amongst the treacherous waters of London society.
Wendy is a sucker for a happy ending having secured her own. She has been married to her own dark brooding hero for 28 years and shares her home with two wonderful children, two dogs and anyone else who happens to be visiting at the time. Born and raised in a rural area in the North Island of New Zealand, Wendy loves the beaches and lush green rolling hills of her homeland and is proud to call herself a very patriotic Kiwi!
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