This book was on my to buy list and then I won a signed copy in a completion on Twitter. There is something special about a physical signed book and I will treasure it forever.
The Beginning
Amelia is a quadruplet and a hereditary witch. In their garage, their dad teachers her and her brothers the history of their kind and how to control their powers. Each of them will master an element.
Amelia is crushing on Aiden, her brother’s best friend. During some sibling fallout over dog walking duties, Aiden offers to accompany her as he has to walk his dog.
The Middle
It doesn’t take Amelia and Aiden long to figure out their chemistry. With the blessing of her brothers, Aiden asks her out…
But, just as things are going well, the family receive a guest demanding the family honour an ancient promise. Edward believes that their families are to be joined in marriage and he strongly believes he is supposed to fulfil that promise by wedding Amelia.
The family then try to figure out away out of the promise, however, Edward is extremely persistent. His sister Emily is the complete opposite and when she starts Amelia’s school they quickly become friends.
Meanwhile, a rival Wiccan family plot to steal Amelia’s and her brother’s magic. They believe it was originally theirs and want it back. The rival witches are stalking Amelia and attack her whilst walking the dogs with Aiden. Amelia has to use her powers to fight them off.
Amelia has to lie to Aiden about what happened as he can’t know about magic unless they all agree to tell him. Aiden knows Amelia is not being honest with him. He learns about the Edward situation and gets jealous. They break up. Aiden then hooks up with the rival witch (he has no idea about witches). Amelia finds out and it breaks her heart.
Now Amelia is single, Edward gets more pushy. In the end, things get violent and her brothers have to throw him out their home. One of the brothers realises that the prophecy says nothing about who should marry who and maybe one of them could marry Emily to join the families.
Aiden realises what an idiot he is and begs her brothers to let him make up with Amelia. At first they won’t let him anywhere near her but seeing her so upset, they give in. Amelia and Aiden make up and the siblings reveal their magical secret.
The End
Aiden is captured by the rival witches and taken to a cave. The siblings work together on a plan but Amelia can’t wait and sneaks off alone to rescue Aiden. Amelia discovers it is a trap to force her to surrender her powers in return of Aiden’s release. Amelia is about to give up her magic for love when her brothers arrive. Together the siblings use their magic together to fight the rival witches and free Aiden.
Afterwards, Aiden realises how much Amelia loves him to surrender her magic. They have a happy ending.
Final Thoughts
This novel was a sweet romance, it has a very innocent feel of first love. The world building of magic is very subtle and natural. Nicola has woven the magic into the story and made it a natural part of their life. It makes it easy to embrace and follow.
Whilst reading this I picked up on a few Riverdale vibes. If you like Riverdale look out for those Easter Eggs. It was fun to spot them.
This novel is written in third person which isn’t my preference but I think it is useful as a writer to read different styles as you can learn a lot from other authors and how they deliver their stories.
I am curious to discover what’s next in the series and heard that book 2, Sam’s Story, was released at the end of February.
Recently, on Instagram we have been discussion how to create a catchy novel title. It appears to be a very personal decision. Some people can’t name their novel until they have finished whereas I can’t start my novel until I have a name for it. Although, as you will see,my ‘working’ titles are not set in stone.
Here is a collection of some of the covers I have created for my debut novel over the years (there are more). I am now going with Ocean Heart.
Originally my book was called Drift. You will also notice one called Wipeout. At one point my novel was two books but during a brutal edit, I cut loads and they became one.
In 2019, I tore my novel apart (again), deleted loads and added new content. It changed so much since the first draft, I renamed it Jewel of the sea.
My novel is now set for a new venture as I enter the world of Self Publishing. Now, I am paying for editors and working with other professionals to take my novel to print. As a result I have renamed my novel again. The new title is Ocean Heart.
I have no idea what the new cover will look like. Once I finish my current edit and know the final word count, I will instruct a professional cover designer. But for now… edits.
I can’t remember when I downloaded this book. It was just there on my Kindle, unread. It was like finding a hidden treasure. It became the perfect companion to read during the late night feeds with Aria.
The Beginning
The novel quickly sets up the scene of the three main crowds. It is told told from two points of view, Hannah’s and Cody’s.
Hannah attends a private school. She is only able to go due to a scholarship she achieved thanks to her high grades. She works hard to keep her place and never breaks the rules.
Then there is the ‘it’ crowd made up of the rich kids of the most influential families. Cody was once part of this crowd but following the scandal where his pregnant high school sweet heart died in a drink driving accident, he is now an out cast.
Hannah realises she is going to finish school without ever doing anything wild or having a boyfriend. She sets her sights on Harrison, the high school king and famous for his exclusive parties. To get invited you need to be given a key.
The Middle
Considering that Cody knows the ‘it’ crowd but is no longer part of it, she singles him out to ask for his help. Cody tries to talk her out of her plan. He warns her the clique are not nice people but when Hannah resolves to blackmail him, he decides she might fit right in.
Hannah thinks Cody is a safe perfect practice boyfriend because there is no way she would fall for him. Cody teaches her the rules of the elite and helps her practice her kissing. Cody is rich and even pays for her to have a full makeover and wardrobe upgrade.
Cody pretends to be her boyfriend. To keep up the pretence they have to spend a lot of time together. They have their first kiss and more. Cody continues to help Hannah to get noticed by the ‘it’ crowd and it works.
Now Hannah is being invited to hang out with the girls eager to gossip about Cody. They want her to see the monster he is as they blame him for the death of their friend. Being in the spotlight attracts the attention of Harrison and it looks like Hannah is going to get her wish.
The End
Hannah discovers that money, popularity and wealth isn’t as glamorous as she anticipated. She discovers some ugly truths but is it too late to make things right?
Final Thoughts
I absolutely loved this book. I wanted Aria to wake up in the night for her milk so I could read some more. It was fast paced. I loved the world building. The twisted ‘it’ crowd reminded me of Cruel Intentions. I love the misunderstandings and conflict between the two and the relationship was believable.
Both characters were well developed and I really liked both of them – which is a tricky thing to do in dual points. I would definitely be interested in reading more by Christina Benjamin,
This post will share my ambition to traditionally publish and why that dream has changed to wanting to be an indie author.
The Traditional Author Dream
For years my dream was to be a published author. From the moment I realised someone wrote the story I was reading, I wanted to be that someone.
Back then, the only way to publish was to look inside a similar book for the contact details of the publisher and send your manuscript to them with a covering letter in the post.
Since then, things have changed. Many publishers won’t accept unsolicited manuscripts so you first need to get a Literary Agent. Most places won’t accept manuscripts by post so you now must send the document by email or using a form on their website. Their websites inform you of everything they want and don’t want. Most places now want:
A polished manuscript
A personalised covering letter (body of email) saying why you choose them
A synopsis (that fits on one page)
Comparative novels
A pitch
A marketing plan
And social media links.
Sounds like a lot! And often you need a good pitch to even get invited to send all that to them in the first place.
That’s not to add that rejection is high.
The Different Publishing Paths
As a result, it is no surprise that people have come up with solutions to this madness. One alternative method is to self publish and another is vanity publishing.
Here is a little info graphic on the basic differences between the different paths for novel publishing (from my interpretation):
Vanity Publishing is not for me. I don’t have the upfront costs and I want more control.
Traditional Publishing is no longer for me. I have a lot of admiration for people that are fortunate enough to get their Literary Agent and publisher. It instantly gives their novel validation that it is good enough to print. And, you know that it will have been processed by a number of industry professionals before going to print. But, I’m bored of querying.
Ready to publish
I have waited long enough and now I realise I don’t need someone else to say yes when I can give myself permission to publish today.
Con Artists
In recent years, the only requests I have had have been from ‘publishers’ I don’t trust. They requested my novel after a pitch event or via Instagram. Their websites were newly created and had no details about authors or books they have worked on/with or even who the agents or editors at the company are. I passed.
Costs
It has taken me years to find the money to pay for an editor myself. I need to pay as you go. I also like the idea that the sales will go to me.
Autonomy
After all the time I have put into it, I want my novel to be the way I want it. I want a say over the formatting and the cover. I want control.
Readership
I don’t want this to be my only novel. It is important that my novel is a quality product. I want to be confident and proud of my book. I want readers to enjoy it and want more. Once I publish, I don’t want to stop.
Self publishing is scary. But, I’m ready. And, I hope you will enjoy following me in my journey to publication.
I can’t believe it has been 10 years since I first wrote my novel. I’ve written countless other novels but this one I felt had potential. This one, I decided to take seriously.
2009 and 2010
It was Christmas 2009 and I was off work for the holidays when the idea for a novel, about a redhead teen with no idea she is a mermaid discovers she has powers, hit me. I wanted it to be like a modern Little Mermaid.
Once I sat at my PC and started to write I was unable to stop. Without an outline, it was like I was possessed, I struggled to sleep, to eat… I felt anxious if I wasn’t writing Drift.
My fiancé got worried. He saw the sudden change in me and urged me to take a break, to visit family.
But, I couldn’t not write. So I lied to appease him. Pretended to go out, then sneaked back once he had gone to see his own family. It was like having a secret wiring affair. But after an intense week, the first 60k words were written.
I share my novel with anyone willing to read it. My novel was on WeBook where I developed a supportive group of fans. They were a huge confidence boost and we had our own little group to chat about my stories!
It is laughable now but I edited my novel in 2010 and started querying. Surprisingly, I did get some requests. It is surprisingly because now I look back at that early version and see how it wasn’t finished. At the time, I thought it was ready.
My fan had some valuable feedback for me, “You can’t end the story like that!” At first, I saw that as excitement for the next book in the series and began writing Wipeout, but slowly it dawned on me that they were right.
Promise and Deliver
I learnt an important lesson. Readers will develop certain expectations of your story and you must deliver on those.
Version 1 ended with Jace winking at Fern and there being the ‘suggestion’ they were about to get together. But, fans had read for 60k words. They wanted to see Fern achieve her happily ever after and a ‘wink’ was not the grande finale they had invested their time for.
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Early 2011, I was distracted by wedding preparations as my June wedding date got nearer. Then, I desperately wanted a baby. We were also trying to move house and the recession meant the value of my home was dropping every month, loosing the equity needed to move.
But 2013, we sold our house, bought a lovely family home and I had my son. With everything falling into place I would like to say I returned to my novel… but my baby boy was the biggest distraction of all.
Stupidly I thought being off work with a baby would free me up to write more but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Noah was not a chilled out baby. I spent his first year keeping up with his hunger, entertaining him and sleeping whenever I could.
Have realistic expectations
Sadly WeBook was no longer the thriving community it once was. All my fans had moved on, possibly grown up, and I had lost them through inactivity. I had to find a new source of feedback. I joined Movella, Figment and Wattpad.
Wattpad became my new favourite. I began editing Drift and Wipeout and shared other novels and created some poetry collections.
For Drift, I changed the ending so Lily (formerly Fern) is asked out by Jace (formerly Sam). I removed the parts by Denny (Jace’s mum) – she gave an outsider perspective of Lily’s unusual upbringing.
Th sequel Wipeout was also told from Lily’s viewpoint and had a few part’s told by Kiara – she was able to show what was going on with Murray. The sequel wasn’t coming to me as easy as Drift had and I was falling in love with Kiara…
2017 and 2018
2017 started with my employer going into administration. I had worked for the company for over 10 years. It scared me, not knowing where my next pay cheque would come from. With bills to pay, I had to find work fast and job hunting became my new priority.
Once I found a job, I felt a little disappointed in myself. I felt I had wasted an opportunity to spend time with my son as I now worked more hours. I realised how I wasn’t prioritising my dream. My profession is a job, not my passion.
Make it a priority
Whilst job hunting, I thought HR and PR work looked appealing but didn’t have the knowledge employers wanted. So in September 2017, I told my employer I was interested in doing the CIPD HR qualification and to my surprise they were willing to support me. I learnt, if you don’t ask the answer will never be yes.
In November 2017, I found out I was pregnant. I was over the moon and in a much better place.
Passing my course, doing well in my job and having a baby were all super important. But, I no longer wanted to treat writing as a hobby. I knew how busy my life would be once Aria was here so I became determined to edit and query before her arrival. My goal was to be signed by an agent by August 2018 (Aria’s due date).
I learnt knew ways to query. I developed my pitch and took part in Twitter events, I found out about Agent 1-2-1s and worked on improving my synopsis. Despite getting requests, I never got offered representation.
In 2018, I edited Drift by removing the parts told by Gwyn (Lily’s mum) – she did some foretelling using her crystal ball. I also decided to scrap Wipeout. I took parts from the sequel and put it into Drift, Glide or cut it out completely.
2019
My goal was to finish editing Drift and Glide. I began by restructure my novel using Save The Cat Writes a Novel. It started off a a way to check my plot and pacing but it soon became apparent that I needed to pull the whole novel a part. It was very intimidating but by the end I had a better novel and a brand new ending. Now there was the highs and lows, romance and I had delivered on the promise of an epic battle. This novel was so different from my original idea of a modern Little Mermaid and I needed a new title, Jewel of the Sea. I also renamed Glide as Diamond in the Sky.
I tried new ways of querying my novel. I pitched on Twitter and in person and got requests but sadly never heard more. Although, I still love the idea of traditional publishing, I have spent the year learning about indie publishing.
I discovered the writing community on Instagram and joined groups like Hustling Writers, Fellow Creative Minds and World Indie Warriors. I also connected with talented authors like Pagan Malcolm and Bethany Atazadeh who share their journey and advice.
Connecting with indie authors gave me insight into their world and processes. No longer did their world scare me, but intrigued me. With their support and encouragement I decided not to spend another decade waiting for someone else to give me permission to publish.
Say yes to yourself!
The problem with querying is you are waiting for someone else to say you can publish. They can say no for countless reasons and rarely have time to explain why. The truth is you don’t need their validation because you can give it to yourself.
You no longer have to traditionally publish. If you are willing to work hard, you can choose your own team and publish yourself. With so many crooks masquerading in the traditional publishing world, it is a mine field to navigate now (I’m sure I had requests from at least three dodgy publishers, I didn’t submit to in 2019 alone).
After ten years writing and querying Jewel of the Sea (formerly Drift), I have decided to Self Publish.
2020
This year is the start of a new era. This year, I am going to publish. It won’t be easy and I have lots still to learn but I’m ready.
Jewel of the Sea is due back this month from a developmental editor. This is my the first step in my big publishing plan.
Celebrate your milestones
To celebrate this new venture, I feel Jewel of the Sea, aka Drift, needs a new name.
I have set myself some strict deadline to keep myself on track but I I won’t rush to publish. I have waited so long for this, I want to be certain my novel is a quality product when I put it out there. I want my readers to love it.
I will blog about my publishing journey, so if you are interested in the process, stay tuned. I would love to hear your thoughts on the new title Ocean Heart.
Do you write Book Reviews? If so, good for you. Reviews not only help readers make more informed choices on their next read but it also support authors.
I don’t get much time to read. I’m constantly surrounded by distractions. But, I wanted that to change. So last year, I set my target low at 6 books.
There were times I feared 6 books was ambitious and it highlighted how little time I get. As I actively tried to combat it, I found more time to read. By the end of 2019 I had exceeded my goal.
I took my son to the library to exchange his books (or renewal and get more books). Whilst he was struggling with the dilemma of choosing his new books and returning books he loves, my husband pointed this book out to me. I have always wanted to write a novel about faeries so this was to be a fun read and research into how someone else has done it.
The MC is a boy called Ethan Chase. I don’t read many books with a male protagonist so this was a refreshing change and it was done well. Skip to my final thoughts it you don’t want any spoilers.
Beginning
Ethan is aware fae exist and has a troubled past with them. In the opening chapters he shares how they are dangerous and the result of their interference in his life has lead to him being expelled from schools and blamed for a fire he didn’t cause.
Ethan is starting another new school. On his first day, he stands up for a boy being bullied, Todd. Nobody else can see that Todd has long furry ears but it is because he is a half-fae. Ethan doesn’t want to be friends with Todd as he distances himself from all fae. He also doesn’t like Todd’s wee fairy companion.
Ethan also attracts the attention of Mackenzie, who wants to interview him for the school paper. He tries to push Mackenzie away as anybody that gets close to him always gets hurt but she is persistent.
Middle
A deadly new type of fairy are consuming fae and half-fae. Todd asks for Ethan’s help. At first Ethan doesn’t want to get involved but he takes pity and agrees. Unfortunately, Todd is taken and now the creatures are coming after Ethan. Ethan is at a martial arts tournament where Mackenzie is trying to get his story but during the tournament the deadly fae come for him. Nobody else can see them. Ethan runs. Mackenzie follows.
Ethan needs to keep Mackenzie safe. He makes a choice to use a special object his sister gave him to transport into the fae world. They are greeted by a cat, Grimalkin, who knows the way to the Iron Kingdom where his sister, Meghan, is queen. The journey is dangerous but when they arrive his sister wants to keep him safe. They are sent to a room to ‘rest’ but feels more like prison. When Ethan and Mackenzie get the opportunity to escape with the help of Keirran.
On their mission to rescue Todd, there are a lot of truths uncovered which I won’t go into. Their are fights. There were some very interesting characters along the way. I liked Kierran’s love interest and the exiled queen and the cheeky little gremlin.
They travel to the earth and are attacked again. They manage to escape to the in-between and learn how serious the problem is. They visit Hyde Park to follow a lead but things get worse for the gang when the nephew is taken prisoner.
Something I really enjoyed was the slow burning romance between the Ethan and Mackenzie. There is plenty of conflict between them and good reasons why they hold back. I couldn’t wait for them to get together.
The Ending
The build up to a battle where Ethan has to save his friends (and nephew) was worth it. There were also some reveals that I hadn’t seen coming and I liked that the supporting characters were well developed too.
Finally Thoughts…
There were a few times Ethan annoyed me. He blames himself for Todd being kidnapped but I didn’t really see why it was his fault, after all, Todd was a fairy and hung around with the fae. Ethan made it clear that doing that meant trouble was inevitable. I got that he felt responsible for what happened to Mackenzie but she wouldn’t leave him alone. She did bring it on herself too.
What I loved was how all the characters were well developed. You could easily tell who was speaking and they all had rich backstories. There were plenty of magical creatures and I loved the world building especially the ‘in-between’ world.
I hadn’t realised the book was part of a series (it’s book 5 in the Iron Fey series). I was really pleased when I discovered that as I wanted to read more. I wonder if some of the things that didn’t click with me is because I need to read the other books. For example, I want to know more about Meghan and why she is the Iron Queen and why Ethan holds so much resentment for the Iron Fey.
I’m a natural redhead. It’s the first thing people notice about me. I married my first love in Mauritius, we have a son, a daughter and two cats. I’ve just returned to work from maternity leave but I still find time to write and drink copious amounts of tea.
I have wanted to be an author since before I can remember and been chasing the dream ever since. My favourite genre is YA Contemporary Fantasy/Paranormal Romance. I love making my characters everyday problems a little more complicated with a touch of magic and fantasy. I’ve also written a picture book and my short romance story was published in an anthology.
This year I have discovered the #writingcommunity on Instagram and loving it! I blog about my writing journey and share tips along the way to help my fellow writers. I also post book reviews.
My novel is Jewel of the Sea
#YA #PR #ContemporaryFantasy
TEEN WOLF but mermaids in the UK.
Love struck, misfit, redhead discovers she’s a mermaid. With her emotions connected to her dormant weather manipulation powers, falling in love is deadly dangerous!
Jewel of the Sea was inspired by Rachel Vincent’s werecat shifters series. I found myself creating my own world of shifters but aimed at a younger audience and put my own spin on things.
It would appeal to fans of The Immortal Instruments, Vampire Academy and Wolves of Mercy Falls.
A mermaid reading Jewel of Sea and loving it!
Jewel of the Sea is based in my hometown, Felixstowe, which has enabled me to recreate the coastal town in a vivid and realistic light. My husband was my first love and best friend, so a lot of the romance in this story was inspired by my personal life. Jewel of the Sea addresses many issues teenagers experience at school but the fantasy elements enable them to escape into a magical world.
The following list is a sample of what to look forward to in Jewel of the Sea:
I’ve lost count of the amount of edits and years spent working on Jewel of the Sea. I’m constantly seeking feedback from others but what I need is a professional pair of eyes. If I had the money, I would hire an editor! I truly believe they are worth their weigh of gold and imagine you can learn a lot from them about your writing. Please tell me how I can make my novel better?
Stefan talking about my manuscript.
This year, I realised I’ve been neglecting my query/pitch. I feel so stupid for not twigging sooner how important it is. I have been working hard on fixing it but have no idea what else I need to do. Please help me make my first impression irresistible?
Make them go, ‘Gimme, Gimme Gimme!”
I am sure there is so much more I need to know that I haven’t thought of because I don’t even have an inkling. What am I missing?
I typed in ‘Lost Kitten’ and got another Salvatore #feelinglucky
And, I hope this doesn’t sound sappy but after all our hard work together I would love to become lifelong friends.
If you are a fan of YA Literature then you need to check out this book festival. It runs annually in London during the last weekend of July and the book deals are so good you’ll travel home like a pack donkey.
The book deals!
It’s easy to get carried away so here are some tips to help you curb your inner book dragon:
Here is what I bought:
The deal was three for £10 and a free Epic Reads tote. Because I chose a two hardbacks it bumped up to £12 which is still incredible value and I got the last tote!
The book nerd in me is looking forward to my showing off my new bag at my next library visit. I’m going to look epic!
These books from Bloomsbury were three for £10. They’ve been on my wish list for ages as I’ve seen people recommend them on IG. I’ve been warned they are steamy!
It was a total accident that all the books are by authors named Sarah. Did you notice? Do you like any books by a Sarah?
Author Panels
There is something amazing about meeting the mind behind a novel. Lots of the stalls are hosted by authors themselves and are happy to sign a copy of their book if you own a copy. In addition, the festival has panels and talks where the authors talk about their novels.
In addition, there are scheduled events where groups of authors chat to a live audience. Their is often someone asking questions and the talk is on a set subject.
Workshops by Industry experts
Experts from the industry deliver workshops during the festival. These are often run by authors, Literary Agents, Editors or publishers but the list is endless.
I attended a workshop in the Agent Arena by Zoe Plant talking about editing. Editing is one of the aspects that I find incredibly difficult with writing a novel as it is a massive task and I am not confident in my abilities. She had great advice on what to expect but not only was the talk really informative, it was also an opportunity to get to know Zoe too. I had not seen her before and she is truly lovely.
I also attended the Author & Agent talk between Literary Agent Chloe Seager and her non-fiction author Laura Coryton. Laura is a campaigner against Tampon Tax. I had heard about this before and think I signed the petition ages ago. It turns out that Chloe also signed the petition and decided that this would be a great subject for a non-fiction book to empower young adults. Chloe approached Laura to propose the idea and Speak Up! was born. It was fascinating to see how the non-fiction industry works in comparison to fiction novels. It was also extremely valuable to hear about Chloe as an agent as she has been a favourite of mine for a long time now.
Pitch to agents
If you are an author with a completed novel, looking for representation, then this is an awesome event to attend. Here, you get an opportunity to spend five minutes with a potential Literary Agent to sell them your novel. It’s an opportunity to be seen above the slush pile.
It’s not guaranteed that they will be interested. I pitched two years ago and wasn’t confident in myself. We ended up chatting about identifying my books place in the market but I did gain a little bit of experience in pitching, mainly what not to do.
This time, I felt more prepared (although still incredibly nervous) and I pitched to two agents who both asked me to send it to them. I also had a writer friend encouraging me to do it which really helped.
Fellow readers and writers
That leads me on to my next point. The festival is full of fellow readers as you would expect but a lot of readers are also writers. This year, I got to meet one of my online writer friends at YALC. She was so lovely we spent the day together.
Win competitions
The festival is full of competitions eager to get you to sign up and raise awareness. @hellomeitsyou tweeted to say I was their Sunday winner. I had already left so sent them my address so I can receive my prize. When I receive it, I’ll post a pic to IG.
In the same way a song can make you think of a person, place or time, it can also inspire writers to develop chapters. Music can bring chapters, characters and moments to life. It is a great aid whilst developing your story.
The connection writers develop for their creations is personal, like a parent to their child. This is why sometimes criticism (no matter how constructive) can hurt. But, this post isn’t about that. This post is about the connection writers make with music.
Writing a novel is a long process. You develop a relationship with the characters, their environment and experience their highs and lows. I struggle with writing horror because I frighten myself. Then I can’t sleep!
Inspiration
In the same way a song can make you think of a person, place or time, it can also inspire writers to develop them. Music can destroy writers block and bring to life chapters, characters, places and moments.
Currently, the song that is really inspiring me to write a horror – if I can get over my fear of my own mind – is Ruelle’s “Monsters”.
I haven’t given up on this idea. Originally the idea was for the MC to be haunted by a demon (a mix of the urban legend of Slender Man, the manga character Orichimaru from Naruto and the Goblin King from Labyrinth). Although I am still struggling to get the outline right, I am now swaying towards this novel being part of my shifter series.
My story’s playlist
As I edited Drift, now Jewel of the Sea, for the umpteenth time, I created a playlist for the chapters. This playlist was added to Wattpad using YouTube links as I worked on improving the story. Some songs have been there since the start whereas others got added as the story developed.
Taylor Swift – Everything Has Changed ft. Ed Sheeran
Leona Lewis – Run
Mazzy Star – Fade Into You
Lykke Li – Little Bi
Hunter Hayes – Invisible
Christina Aguilera – Beautiful
Evanescence – Bring Me To Life
Birdy – Wings
Coldplay – Yellow
All Saints – Pure Shores
Angel Olsen – Windows
Wilco – Kamera
Seafret – Skimming Stones
Lauren Aquilina – Ocean <related chapter now cut>
Dorothy – Gun In My Hand
Katy Perry – Rise
Ellie Goulding – Starry Eyed
Ed Sheeran – Give Me Love
John Legend – All Of Me
Safety Suit – Anywhere But Here
Demi Lovato – Stone Cold
The Paper Kites – Bloom
The Ligthouse and the Whalers – I want to Feel Alive
Amer Run – I Found
Evanescence – Bring me to life
Ed Sheeran – Thinking Our Loud
Sometimes I hear songs and they inspire me to write (see 7, 8, 14 and 15). They draw up pictures and feelings in my mind and drive my imagination wild.
Editing
Other songs, I hear after I’ve written the story, usually whilst editing. They remind me of the vision I had and help me focus on what I need the chapter to deliver (see 12, 13, 20, 22 and 24).
I’m not a fan of editing. I spend way too much time being critical of my writing and ripping it apart. I don’t enjoy the process and if I could afford to pay someone to do it for me, I would! Having a playlist does make it a little more enjoyable and you can create one of all your favourite songs to keep you motivated.
Theme
When I first started writing Drift, “Starry Eyed” by Ellie Goulding was playing on the radio and resonated with the way the story felt to me.
Once I finished editing Drift, I found that the song that resonated with the overall feeling of the story had changed. The song is now “I Want To Feel Alive” by The Lighthouse and the Whaler.
Perhaps it’s a result of how the story has evolved or how my music tastes have changed over the years. The bottom line is, music fuels my imagination. It certainly makes editing more enjoyable.
Please share your playlists with me
If you have a writing playlist, please share it with me. I would love to listen to and to know why those songs made your playlist.
