Whens the next "Ask Agent" event?

A tad confused! I thought agents were supposed to be mean. However: I've been getting some kind, positive, even encouraging rejection letters. Maybe getting rejected isn't as hurtful as I imagined. Upwards and onwards.

The hardest part of being a writer, isn't knowing when something you've written is wrong, poor or just plain stupid, it's knowing how to put it right.

Is this irony?

Writer advice. Help is always appreciated, but is never given until asked for. Unfortunately, asking is always the hardest part. Do yourself a favour. If you need help, ask for it, seek out those who will know the answers, and ask. What’s the worst that can happen?

A tip for those that use digital editors like Grammarly, Hemingway or Pro Writing Aid I find that pasting back into Scrivener removes any italic formatting for internal dialogue etc So, highlight you italic text before you paste it in, then it's easier to find later and re-format

I feel that letting someone read my novel before it's finished, is like saying: 'I'm making a chair! What do you think of it so far?' Then pointing to a tree.

My tip for frustrated writers:

A great end to a fabulous holiday. I didn’t write or edit while I was away, so I’m excited to get back to it. Don’t stress about having some time out, it can give you a fresh perspective.

If you're anguishing over a sentence, not sure how to make it right, ask yourself if you really need it, if not; delete it.

Starting this today, very excited, yay. Jack Reacher Books

Sorry for my absence lately, I've been writing like crazy, having issues with illustrators, and working with my fabulous new editor EttyPayne 🇪🇺💙 The future is looking bright. 😃

The stress of writing your first novel is nothing compared to the minefield of approaching agents. Elevator pitches and synopsis are confidence killers to the uninitiated. 😳😳

A question for any agents out there: Having recently submitted my novel to a few agents, is it ok to get a few copies printed just for myself and close family to be able to read a physical copy? Or, are agents not so keen on that? Thanks

When submitting to an agent, is it necessary to give them the pen name you use in your twitter account ?

After a disappointing year trying to find an illustrator I can afford, and that actually has the time to respond. I’ve made a new year’s resolution to learn to draw. Im fully aware that this is only step 1, I’ll worry about the finer details of illustration later. Wish me luck.

It looks like in order to illustrate my own books; I have to learn to draw. From scratch! This is the end of week 2, and I'm pleased with the progress so far.