My 1st New Year Visualisation comes true - a 2 book deal with Harper Impulse!

The first of my 5 New Year Visualisations has come true! No, not the seven figure bit, just the publishing deal. No, not just the publishing deal. That sounds like I'm not jumping up and down letting off party poppers. I'm not, but that's only because I can't multi-task. Have you ever tried letting off party poppers and typing at the same time? 

If you read my February post, Lessons from the Writing Journey, then you'll know that after three months and 75,000 words written, my agent had told me she didn't like the book I'd been working on. Demoralising is an understatement. I felt like I was back to square one. My romantic comedy Spray Painted Bananas hadn't been bought and now I didn't even have a new book to work on. 

I needed a new idea which wouldn't come while I was stressing about needing a new idea. So I spent a week reading books and clearing up. Writers complain about housework getting in the way of writing, but my best work can happen while I'm scrubbing. The physical activity relaxes my mind and solutions to plot problems rise up and surprise me. 

I was washing dishes when a new idea came. It was for a new romantic comedy called #PleaseRetweet. I wrote the synopsis in two hours and without thinking too much, sent it straight off to the agent. Well I didn't see the point in mulling over it. Either I was on the right track or I wasn't. 

"Yes!" my agent replied. "We really like this! This is what you should be writing!" 

I decided to spend the rest of February making notes about the characters and plot. I needed a bit of a break before I wrote Chapter One again. 

It was while I was making notes, a few days after I'd sent the synopsis off, that I got a call from my agent.

"Hello," she said. "I've got some good news." 

"No..." I said. I'd given up hope of my beloved Spray Painted Bananas being picked up. There'd been so many positive comments but nothing worth celebrating. "Really?" 

"I've had an offer..." It turned out that Harper Collin's digital first imprint Harper Impulse not only wanted Spray Painted Bananas, they'd also read the synopsis for my new idea and wanted that too! 

I'd be lying if I said I cracked open a bottle of fizz there and then. It really didn't sink in for a couple of days after. My husband didn't know what was wrong with me. Nor did I. I rang my Mum to find out. 

"Mum, why am I not happier?" 

And then the tears came bubbling up. It had been a rollercoaster ride. A week before I'd felt like giving up writing and now it looked like my dream was coming true. I was shocked, and so relieved.  After the tears, came the happiness. 

THANK YOU readers, for all your support over the years. You don't know how often I've daydreamed about writing the acknowledgment page... although if I put the name down of everyone who has ever encouraged me over the years that page would be longer than the novel!

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I don't want to make a fuss but... it's Benet!

 My Grandfather, Rosendo Benet, and 'Elizabeth Bennett'

The chair of a panel once introduced me as Emily Benetton. I didn't want to come across as difficult so I let it pass. Benetton isn't too far off my real name anyway; just a case of you say po-tay-to, I say po-tah-to. Being referred to as Joan however, by a fellow panelist, was more like you say po-tay-to, I say detached bungalow in Aberystwyth. But I didn't correct them either. 

The experience got me thinking about whether I should start setting the record straight about how my name is actually pronounced. Most people assume it is like Bennett, as in Elizabeth Bennett of Pride and Prejudice, which sounds like BEN-IT. Other people think it's French and opt for calling me BEN-EY. The thing is, it is neither Bennett or Beney. Neither English nor French. My surname is Catalan, passed on to me by the great Antonio Benet Pujol aka my Dad, passed on to him by the great Rosendo Benet Boixedras (pictured above). 

How do you pronounce it? Well, imagine you're half way saying But... then decide to say Net. Now put the emphasis on Net. Buh-NET. Oh dear, I don't think that's very clear. I'll have to make a recording and then you'll think I'm really self-obsessed. 

You see, that's why I never bother correcting people when they pronounce my name wrong. Does it matter? Well, it is my name and I have had it for 30 years. I just think if I don't started correcting people now, it'll be too late. But you know, if it's too much trouble, I suppose Joan Benetton will do.

NB. My Mum has just informed me she used to explain it like this: 'it's like cigar, cigarette... bun, bunette!'

Tips & Games for Reading Helpers

Last year I became a reading helper for Beanstalk, a charity which works at improving literacy in primary schools. The seed was sown three years previous when I read about the Evening Standard's literacy campaign. 

At the time I felt the required minimum of three hours a week sounded too much. In my post Emily and the Beanstalk I share my reasons for finally going ahead with volunteering.

I read with three children aged 9 and 10 years old. At first I felt I needed to prepare before every session, but now I'm much more confident and trust our box of materials to find stimulating reading and plenty to talk about.

Over the course of my first couple of terms, I've discovered a few things that work with the children I'm helping. I thought I'd share them:

A Game for the Distracted Reader

One of the children I read with was always distracted and none of the books held her interest. To be honest, I didn't blame her. So many of the books were dull and some quite depressing. Suspecting that she was quite clever, and only fidgeting because she wasn't being motivated enough, I devised a game that, to my surprise and delight, she instantly loved.

What you need: Scrabble letters, dice (optional), timer (optional)

I wrote a list of 12 challenges e.g. Find a synonym of angry, Name an Animal beginning with D, Give me an adjective to describe a bedroom, An adverb to describe how Mr Johnson ran... 

Then she would roll the dice, I would read out the challenge and she had to come up with a word and spell it out in scrabble letters. She loved trying to think of the word which would use the most letters. When the pieces had run out and she was left with lots of random words, she then had to make up a silly story using those words as she returned the letters to the scrabble bag.

A Book for the Upset Reader

I rotate the reading sessions and do my best to avoid taking the children out of sports or dance, or anything they might love. Unfortunately one day I didn't have much choice. The child was quite upset and I felt awful. Luckily I'd picked up a joke book from the last Beanstalk Book Swap and so I started reading that to her. 

Soon enough she took the book from me and started reading them out herself. She even started telling me jokes from memory. It was a relief to see her smile. 

It's a mistake to think reading only counts when there's a 'proper book' involved. Whether it's Top Trump cards, the back of a cereal box or The Hobbit it all counts as reading.

A Play for the Reluctant Reader

If a child's not very interested in reading books then I've found plays are the way forward. You can download them at twopageplays.com. 

At first the child looked unimpressed when I brought out A Gift from Winklesea. She chose the parts she would read and we began. When I put on an exaggerated voice, she followed suit and we really got into the story. We read for fifteen solid minutes without taking a break and I was so chuffed when she said, 'that was fun!' The good thing about reading plays together is the child has to keep focused so they don't miss their part. We shouldn't be afraid to be a bit silly sometimes!

Popular Books

I was quite shocked at how many miserable books there were for 9-10 year olds in my box of books. I expect they are written so that kids learn about the 'real' world. Well, when I read novels, I want to be transported into a different world, to imagine, to savour, to laugh... Here are just some that have done that for the kids I've been reading with. 

                       

To find out more about Beanstalk, visit their website. 

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Lessons from the Writing Journey: Chill Out

After three months working on a novel, with 75,000 words already written, the agent phones up to say she doesn't like it. 

I'm on reception, temping at an osteopathic clinic. It seems inappropriate to sob in front of the waiting patients so I schedule a breakdown for any time after 5.30pm. As breakdowns go it's a quiet one. Just a couple of beers and a bath filled with my own tears.             

On the scale of things, three months isn't all that long to spend on a novel. That I contemplated giving up writing altogether probably sounds like an overreaction. But of course I wasn't focusing on the last three month, was I? I was looking back at 19 years of wanting to make it as a novelist. I was thinking of the three other novels stored on my computer which had never seen the light of day. The mind is very good at turning a slight obstacle into a mountain of epic proportions.

            

Despite my inner turmoil, I couldn't help thinking that I'd invested too much effort and energy to just give it up. I was also worried that if I did I'd always feel like I'd failed. What I needed to do was dig into my reserve of stamina and charge ahead. If other writers had managed to get published and make half a living out of doing what they loved then so could I.

           

By the following day I'd given up the idea of giving up and was focused on trying to come up with a new idea. But I was so anxious about not having an idea that I couldn't possibly think of one. I felt sick to my stomach. Having stamina is a fat lot of good if you've got no decent ideas.

            

When I met the assistant agent for a coffee and a debrief, I had nothing concrete to tell her. 

           

"Apart from writing, how have you been?" she said brightly.

            

That drew a blank. Apart from writing... what had I done?

           

It was a bit of a wake up call. What was I supposed to write about if all I did was write? I had to enjoy myself a bit more. I had to go out and see things.

            

As soon as I relaxed, two things happened.

            

First, I got a new idea.

            

Second, I got sick.

         

Our bodies are very clever, aren't they? I think mine just wanted to make sure I stayed away from the computer so the idea could germinate a little longer. I'm excited about it now, but to save me some grief I'm going to wait until I hear my agent's thoughts. 

In the mean time, I won't be stressing. As soon as the next triangle of sunshine falls across the living room carpet, I'm going to stretch out across it and pretend I'm on holiday. 

           

                       

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Blogging and Social Networking Workshop - 8th March

My next Blogging and Social Networking Workshop is now only a month away!

When: Saturday 8th March
Time: 10.30am - 3.00pm
How much:£45.00
Where: London, SE1

It's an intensive workshop packed with tips on how to set up your blog,  develop its identity, promote it using social networks, gain a readership, keep it interesting and also, importantly, what to avoid. 

Here are some Twitter Testimonials about my last workshop:

Thanks to talented and engaging @EmilyBenet for a brilliant #BlogWorkshop today and great to meet everyone. @JohnHandscombe @storyslamlive
— Pippa Gough (@PippaGough) October 19, 2013

If you want to learn about blogging, book on @EmilyBenet's course. I went yesterday - learned loads & laughed loads. Now I'm ready to blog!!
— John Handscombe (@JohnHandscombe) October 20, 2013

Thnks @EmilyBenet for a great workshop today on 'Blogging and Social Media'. Years of hard-earned knowledge packed into 1 session. Perfect!
— Tamim Sadikali (@TamimSadikali) October 19, 2013

 

BLOG SPOTLIGHT: The Reluctant Perfectionist

Helen Barbour came to a workshop in November 2012 and began her blog The Reluctant Perfectionist soon after. 

Peter Gettins Photography

What's your blog about? The Reluctant Perfectionist is a blog about my experiences of having obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). 

How long have you been blogging? Since 8 April 2013 – so far I’ve managed weekly posts, on a Monday, and hope to continue with that regularity. 

What made you start? Originally this was a means to an end, in that I wanted to raise my profile as a writer: obsessive-compulsive disorder is a theme in my – as yet – unpublished novel. However, I quickly began to enjoy blogging in its right and the positive feedback from readers has encouraged me immensely. 

What have been the benefits of blogging for you? I love playing with words (aka writing!) and blogging is a way to hone those skills. I’ve also found the experience extremely rewarding, as many readers have contacted me to say they have found my posts interesting and/or helpful – from strangers as far afield as India and the States, to an old schoolfriend, whose grown-up son has been diagnosed with OCD. 

What has been your most popular post to date? My post, Natural Born Worrier, about anxiety, which I think is something most people can relate to – though perhaps not in such an extreme form as I experience it (OCD is an anxiety disorder). 

Have you got a blog highlight? I was recently approached by a magazine based in Mumbai, India, who were looking for someone to write an article about OCD for them and had come across me via my blog. I was thrilled to be asked and am expecting the article to be published in March.

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This workshop will pose the questions you should ask before you begin your blog and offer all the information you need to get started.  If you've been meaning to start a blog for a long time, why put it off any longer? Come along for a friendly, fun and informative workshop!

Book your place via Paypal (£45.00) or for more information check out my Blog Workshop Page.

 

Calls to Action - Get Your Blog to Work!

Blog posts can take ages to write which makes it a little demoralising when they don't get any response. 

But have you ever read back one of those posts which has failed to elicit a single comment, and considered what comment you might have left?

When I look at my past Shop Girl Diaries posts, it's obvious why I wasn't inundated with comments. I was sharing amusing anecdotes about my Mum's shop. I wasn't writing anything topical or controversial. Neither was I posing any questions or inviting readers to share their thoughts.

It might be your type of blog isn't going to get lots of comments, but there are other calls to action which could be worth incorporating in your posts. 

Common Calls to Action:

Comment on this: If getting comments is your priority then you need to choose a subject that people will have an opinion on or an emotional reaction to. It might just be 'I know exactly what you mean!' - sharing experiences which readers can relate to can lead to great interaction. Ask questions in your blogs to invite comments.  

Further reading: Blog posts can take a long time to write and are often only aired once. To give them extra life, leave a link to a past post your readers might be interested in at the end of your new posts. Make your links neat by just displaying the title of the posts, rather than the whole http:// link.

Follow me on: You may want to build up your following on other social networks like Twitter or Facebook. Make it easy by adding a badge connecting them to that social network. Add an incentive by telling them what they can expect from following you on a different network (e.g. regular updates, more information, special offers, pictures etc)

 

Subscribe to Mailing List: It's easy to set up a mailing list with Mailchimp, and if Facebook and Twitter ever crash, you'll be relieved you did! Mailchimp will generate a code for you to add at the end of your blog (in the html section) which will display a subscription bar for readers to enter their email. Of course, once you've built up a mailing list, you will need to write a newsletter!

Buy this: If you have a product or offer a service related to your post, then why not add the information at the end? If your readers reach the end of the post, they might just be interested in additional information.

Too many calls to action can be off putting so best to choose just one you think most relevant!

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My next Blogging and Social Networking Workshop is on: 

Saturday 8th March 

10.30am-3.00pm 

London 

£45.00 

More information on my Workshop Page. 

The Lovely Rejection Letter

You never hear people say, "I got fired, but it was a really enjoyable firing," or, "I didn't get the job, but they let me down so beautifully," or "he punched me in the face but it was alright because it was a rather nice punch." 

In the writing world however, there is such a thing as the 'lovely rejection letter'. Out of the rejection letter options they really are the bee's knees. If you've never got one before, you've missed out. They really are a giggle. 

Dear Writer (insert name) 
I really enjoyed your book. 

 Oh my god... 

I loved your voice... 

I can't believe I finally found it! 

The characters are so well drawn. 

 Show not tell, they said, show not tell! 

The story really grabbed me. 

Oh my god! My smile is so big it's actually hurting! 

I think it will do really well. 

This is it! I can't believe it! I'm going to get published! All those early mornings, all those late nights, all those sacrifices I made have finally paid off!  

However... 

Wait. What? 

We feel the book isn't for us. 

But... but you just wrote you liked everything about it.... I don't understand. 

Don't worry, once you've stopped bawling your eyes out, I'm sure you'll find the classic lovely rejection letter rather entertaining. 

Or maybe you won't. Everyone deals with rejection letters differently. Some writers like to keep them so that one day, when they sign their million pound book deal they can look back and laugh. 

As for me I haven't decided whether they are worth keeping or not. I don't think standard rejections letters are. You know the ones where they write your name in biro to make it look more personal. I once burnt one of those in the sink. What can I say? It was at least two years ago. I was young! 

What about you? Do you keep them or do you fold them into paper aeroplanes and launch them out of your window?

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