A Problem Shared: Volume One: Ten Writing Dilemmas

A Problem Shared

Volume 1

Ten Writing Dilemmas

posed by Writing Magazine readers

Answered by Jane Wenham-Jones

Compiled and edited by Morgen Bailey

Copyright © 2016 Jane Wenham-Jones.

Copyrighted as per the UK Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988.

All rights reserved.

Cover design and published by Morgen Bailey.

No part of this book can be reproduced in any form or by written, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information retrieval system without permission in writing by the author or authors involved, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. (And we’d love you to review this collection!)

Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of information contained herein.

Smashwords Edition 2017

Jane Wenham-Jones has been Writing Magazine’s agony aunt since 2005. This is how she describes her role…

"My monthly column in Writing Magazine, ‘Talk It Over’, is a discussion of some sort of writing dilemma – from what to do if your work keeps getting rejected, for example (have a stiff drink and send it out again), to whether it’s a good idea to give up the day job to do it full-time (probably not!), and why you can never get past the 10,000-word mark when you try to write a novel (you’re being a wimp – don’t give up so easily).

Doing it is particularly special to me as I can remember reading Writing Magazine and sister publication, Writers News (they are now combined into one volume) when I first started out, and gazing enviously at all those tales of book deals etc. Writing Magazine is a very useful source of information if you’re any sort of writer or would like to be – there’s lots of info on markets, competitions, who’s looking for what and so on as well as interviews, how-to articles – and Me! :)"

This e-book features a hand-picked selection of ten of those Talk it Over columns intended to help or inspire you, whether you are a new writer seeking guidance or you are further along the path to publication and need reassurance that you are doing the right thing.

Read the questions posed by Writing Magazine readers and Jane’s replies, with additional updates to reflect the changes to the writing industry and book world that have taken place since these columns first appeared. Where other authors’ books have been mentioned, it is likely they have published other work since, so rather than list them all, we have provided you with their latest titles (at the time) and / or their publisher name, so you can check them out yourself, if you wish.

Enjoy!

Contents

1. I can’t get it down on paper.

2. I’m retirement age – can I still get started?

3. I soon dislike my own ideas!

4. How do I choose a name for my heroine?

5. Do I always have to show not tell?

6. How do I make