Words of wisdom to start a new chapter
SARAH PLATeR begged her parents to enrol her on an online writing course when she was just 15 years old.
But the excitement began to wear off when TV provided a tempting diversion to assignments set by the Writers Bureau.
The teenager realised that writing was hard graft and put her ambitions on hold for 13 years.
However, after splitting up with a boyfriend in 2012, Sarah resumed her studies with the Writers Bureau, which is part of a group of home-study colleges.
Sarah, now 33, from Bicester, Oxfordshire, says: ‘Although my interest was primarily in the fiction modules, the course structure dictated that I start with the non-fiction side.
‘I consoled myself that I would just race through these quickly, so I could get to the good stuff.
‘Nevertheless, I completed those first assignments to a good standard, and my tutor suggested some edits and encouraged me to pitch my work to publications.’
Within months, she was rewarded with a small feature in That’s Life, a regular column in the publication Fe First, and an article in Digital Photography enthusiast.
Sarah has gone on to write two photography books, co-authored by professional photographers and published by Ammonite Press. Her most recent book, Go To Sleep, was published in May, thanks to hundreds of orders from backers on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter.
It was inspired by her battle against anxiety-induced insomnia — providing practical tips for fellow insomniacs — and has been featured on BBC Radio and the Mail Online.
This year, Sarah, who runs the business Mr and Ms Creative with her husband, Jon Wellstead, was also named the Writers Bureau Writer of the Year 2017.
She says: ‘Writing can be a lonely occupation, polka- dotted with self-doubt. This title reminds me I’m doing OK and that I should keep going, even when the words and sentences are fighting back and I have to grapple each one on to the page.’
She advises aspiring writers to read and write a lot and have realistic expectations. ‘If your beliefs about being a writer are anywhere near as romantic and unrealistic as mine were at 15, then listen up: the truth is that writing is hard work.
‘You have to sit at your desk and not allow yourself to get up again until you’ve delivered whatever you’ve committed to for that day: 500 words, 1,000 words, a pitch — whatever. You’ll fidget, want to do chores instead, be tempted to look at social media. But be strict.
‘Don’t move until it’s done. You’ll feel so proud afterwards, and each time it will seem like it’s getting a little easier. Self-discipline is a muscle: the more you use it, the stronger it becomes.’ FOR details, visit writersbureau.com