writing

  • Author interviews

    Christina Gustavson has a sixth sense

    The Swedish crime novelist shares how her career in forensic psychiatry shapes her writing.

    Christina Gustavson

    If anyone knows how to get inside the mind of a killer, it’s Christina Gustavson.

    The Swedish writer is well into her second act as a novelist after a successful career as a forensic psychiatrist and medical doctor.

    Christina puts these skills to good use in her crime novels, two of which are now available in English via Amazon: Murderous Lies and Sixth Scent. Set in the idyllic Swedish countryside, they simmer with tension, complex characters and twisty, ripped-from-the-headlines plots.

    I loved working with Christina on the copyedit for the English versions of these books, and I asked her to share more about her process here.

    Christina, tell us a little about yourself. Where are you based and what kind of novels do you write?

    I live in the southern part of Sweden and I mainly write crime novels, but I have written some non-fiction books on mental health and some other more feel-good novels as well. I have a PhD in forensic psychiatry, and I’m also a medical doctor and a specialist in general psychiatry, general medicine and forensic psychiatry.

    How did you get started in writing?

    I have been writing since I was very young. In the beginning I wrote a diary, articles for newspapers, lectures during my work etc, and gradually the idea of writing a book came to my mind. I actually started writing non-fiction books; the first of these, about recognising the symptoms of depression in family, friends and colleagues, sold out within a week, and this naturally spurred me to continue writing and explore other genres as well.

    What drew you to the crime/thriller genre?

    Probably three things: the profession of my grandfather, being a local judge; my own profession as a medical doctor and forensic psychiatrist; and the fact that I like solving problems. I prefer to read crime novels, so when starting writing it was natural to write crime novels.

    How do you draw on your background as a forensic psychologist in your fiction? For instance, does it help you understand your characters’ motives? Do you have insight into police methods?

    Both. It definitely helps me understand the motives and what goes on in the characters’ heads, but I have insight into police methods as well.

    Where do your ideas for your novels come from?

    It might be a picture, a headline in a newspaper or just a few words I overheard accidentally somewhere that thrilled my imagination. I am very careful never to use my previous patients and their crime stories in my books, because of privacy laws, but also because it’s more fun to invent my own stories and be creative.

    If over a hundred other authors have written about crimes in our capital, why should I? I prefer to find my own ways and unique settings.

    I love being able to visit the Swedish countryside through your novels. What makes it a great place to set a crime?

    A crime can take place anywhere, but I have chosen to write about the Swedish countryside and places I know well, since it helps me to build more authentic stories. Besides, if over a hundred other authors have written about crimes in our capital, why should I? I don’t like to follow the mainstream. I prefer to find my own ways and unique settings.

    Can you share a little bit about your writing process? Do you have a writing routine?

    Yes, I have a routine. I get up at 6.30 am every day, seven days a week, and sit down in front of my laptop and try to keep up “office hours”. But writing is also a thinking process – the words do not automatically pour out from my pen like water from the tap, thus I think a lot while driving around in the countryside, and I have a special recliner chair where I can sit and permit myself to do nothing at all but think.

    I get many ideas that I like to explore. This means I’ve started writing several books. I write one chapter here and there when I feel like it, or get some idea, but when I have written approximately 25 percent of a book, I think it might be worthwhile completing it, and I decide to go for it. Then I work only on that manuscript until the whole book is ready.

    When writing a non-fiction book, I am definitely a plotter, but when writing crime fiction I start from an idea and then I like to see where the story goes. I have discovered that sometimes my characters start to live their own lives and don’t always do what I had had in mind when starting the writing process. This makes the writing very thrilling for me.

    I’ve really enjoyed working on the English versions of your books. Can you share some of the biggest differences you’ve found in writing for English readers as opposed to Swedish?

    There are linguistic differences – for example, in English you would say, He opened his mouth, while in Swedish, people would think, What! He can hardly open anyone else’s mouth, so in Swedish it will be He opened the mouth.
    But the main trap is what is understood “between the lines”. This differs a lot, as well as various expressions and idiomatic sentences that can’t be understood if translated word by word.

    I have discovered that sometimes my characters start to live their own lives and don’t always do what I had in mind when starting the writing process. This makes the writing very thrilling for me.

    How do you find the editing process in general? Do you enjoy it?

    I enjoy it very much, though it is a tough job. Sometimes I have to “kill my darlings”, sometimes I find eye openers or realise that what I have written can be misunderstood or not understood at all. To work with an editor is a fantastic process, giving a feeling of completion, a feeling that now this book can’t be better, and I am ever so grateful for having your help in improving and refining my English manuscripts. [Editor’s note: Thank you!]

    What do you think makes a great crime novel? What advice would you give other authors who want to write crime?

    Everyone’s taste is different, but I like realistic stories; it must work. My advice:

    It will be more fun for the reader if you place your plot in a place no one else has written about before. Make it your own spot on earth.

    Use a scenario (place, profession, music etc) that you know very well and can give exact descriptions about.

    The police work must be accurate when writing crime.

    Don’t just tell about things happening as seen in a distance or told afterwards, but let the reader, through your words, be right there where it happens, and see, hear, smell, taste and experience.

    Be careful about your research and spend time finding your facts.

    Avoid giving psychiatric diagnoses. My guess is that at least 95 percent of the world’s population has none, so try to stay within the “normal” variables – but if you do use a diagnosis, make sure your character fulfils 100 percent of the criteria throughout the whole book.

    Don’t forget to portray instead of giving plain descriptions.

    If you’re interested in crime fiction, you have probably seen a number of American films or TV series. Court procedure and police work is not like that everywhere. Do find out the exact procedures in your own country or the country where you placed your plot.

    What’s next for you – when will Sixth Scent be released and do you have another book in the works?

    Sixth Scent is out now. Since I know by experience that I get a kind of “post-partum depression” when I have published a new book, I’ve already started a new project.

    What’s the best way for English readers to keep up with your work?

    You can visit my website http://www.gustavson.se or follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/christina.gustavson.58 or Instagram: @christinagustavson.forfattare

    Christina has written a staggering 17 crime novels, published in Swedish. Two have been translated into English and are available on Amazon: Murderous Lies and Sixth Scent.

  • Author interviews

    Samantha L. Valentine is writing it like it is

    The Meet Me in Berlin author on why realism is essential for a great romance.

    It’s the most romantic premise: two lovers from opposite sides of the globe vow to meet in the same place at the same time every year if they should ever lose one another. It’s also pretty unrealistic, which is why Sam Valentine says she made sure the rest of her new novel, Meet Me in Berlin, was unflinchingly true to life. In this contemporary romance, Casey, a British art curator, and Holly, an Australian photographer, grapple with grief, infidelity and heartbreak on their way to their HEA.

    That’s not to say Meet Me in Berlin is a heavy read – it’s balanced with plenty of laughter and spice too, which made working on the copy-edit earlier this year a real joy for me. 

    This is Sam’s second novel – her first, Normal Functioning Adult, has just been re-released under her own publishing company – and her work has also been featured in the Romance Writers Australia Sweet Treats anthology. As Meet Me in Berlin hits shelves, I asked Sam to share her thoughts about writing realistic characters in romance, the diversity missing from Australian fiction, and why she recently made the switch from hybrid to indie publishing.

    This is a long read but a really juicy one as we explore some topical issues – grab a cuppa, settle in and enjoy! 

    Sam, it was so lovely to to work with you on Meet Me in Berlin. Can you share the story behind this book? What inspired it?

    It was mid-March 2022 when I first had the idea for this book, which came overnight! I wasn’t sure what was happening with Normal Functioning Adult (my first novel), and I was a bit down about receiving yet another rejection. A writer I was friendly with at the time had just started indie publishing short romances and suggested putting NFA to the side and trying something else – maybe writing a romance to indie publish. Immediately, I grabbed a notebook and googled Shakespeare plays for plot inspiration. Somehow The Comedy of Errors gave me the idea (I think it was the accidental meeting after a lifetime apart bit) of two people meeting, losing touch and looking for one another years later in a foreign city. I think the wedding shambles from Much Ado About Nothing gave me the idea of someone running from a wedding. The following day in my lunchbreak at work, I combined those ideas, scribbled out a basic plot and started writing that night. Ten days later, I had a very rough 38,000-word draft and it grew from there, taking a good year or so to complete.

    Other than getting the initial idea from a couple of Shakespeare plays, the events of the novel really weren’t inspired by anyone or anything – it’s all fiction – but the idea of ‘if we lose each other then we’ll return to this spot, on this day, at this time every year until we find each other’ was so unrealistic to me (yes, my own idea was unrealistic to me), I was inspired to make the rest of the novel as true to life as I could to make that concept believable. 

    Both your lead characters work in the art world and there are a couple of paintings that become meaningful for Holly and Casey. What role does art play in your life?

    Art and photography (how they feature in the novel) don’t play much of a role in my life at all. My wife is quite a good artist (drawing and painting), and we’ll go to exhibitions now and then, but I really don’t know a lot about paintings or the art scene, and I know even less about photography. 

    I stumbled upon Italia und Germania and Sappho and Erinna (the paintings referenced in the novel) when I was looking for art that suited the plot and characters, and I thought both worked well with the storyline, so I found ways to work them in. I also discovered a UK art podcast called The Week in Art, which I listened to every week while I was writing the novel, and I found a good photography podcast too. I still listen to the art podcast each week – it’s my comfort listen when I’m grocery shopping. I also love that my cover designer (who reads every novel she designs a cover for) modelled the illustration of Holly and Casey on the Sappho and Erinna painting and a scene in the book where they take a photo of themselves in a similar embrace.

    What did you find most fun or interesting about writing Meet Me in Berlin?

    It was a fun novel to write! Revisiting London and Berlin (virtually) was great, particularly London as I lived there for eight years and have such fond memories of that time. I even snuck in a street reference where I lived for a few years (Cruden Street in Angel). It was also fun to write a character like Casey who is very different from me – a mixed-race woman from East London. I did quite a bit of research to write Casey, which was interesting and insightful, particularly a book I read called Biracial Britain by Remi Adekoya. I liked writing British characters in general, too, as I did my linguistics degree in London and studied British English and English dialects, and my wife is British (not from London) so she likes that the novel features British characters. Making a silly concept like ‘if we lose each other, then we’ll come back to this spot, on this day, at this time, until we find each other’ realistic was also fun (and a bit challenging).

    I loved the way both characters deal with quite difficult circumstances and you don’t shy away from depicting morally grey actions, which we don’t always see in romance. I think it’s a great way to illustrate the growth of your characters. What made you want to lean into a realistic take rather than an idealised one?

    I’m not sure it was a case of wanting to – it’s just my style as a storyteller. I generally always write stories with a realistic take, but they’ll also have sprinklings of idealism, or at least convenient plot events to give a story a happier spin. Maybe that comes from growing up on fairytales, which are fantastic for conflict, flawed and morally grey characters, villains, dark themes, but also happy endings, satisfying character growth and positive coincidences. I’m a fairly down-to-earth, authentic and practical person and this probably comes through in my writing. That doesn’t mean I am my characters, of course, far from it, and I intentionally work hard to make my characters very different to me (my stories would be very boring if they were based on my life and I only wrote what I knew). So flawed characters who make questionable decisions (not necessarily always morally grey) will likely feature in all of my longer stories (maybe even my short stories, too — my RWA Sweet Treats anthology story certainly isn’t idealised and it will hopefully stand out for that reason). 

    Obviously there’s nothing wrong with idealised romances if that’s what people enjoy reading or authors like to write, but to me, fiction is an art form and art reflects society. Do we live in an idealised society? No. Is love and romance always idealistic, perfect and puritan? No. At its core, romance is about relationships, so it makes sense that it would contain realistic elements involving human actions and emotions. Humans are messy and flawed, their actions often a result of deep-seated wounds or their life experiences. Love and relationships can be complex and complicated. So why not show all of this in fiction as a depiction of contemporary life? That said, at the same time, novels are also great for escapism and relaxation and getting lost in other worlds, and this is where adding those idealistic elements, like happy endings or coincidences that wouldn’t actually happen in real life can help.  

    Love and relationships can be complex and complicated. So why not show all of this in fiction as a depiction of contemporary life?

    It’s interesting to me that there’s often this expectation in contemporary fiction, mainly women’s fiction and romance, that novels mirror modern society in terms of what characters do, say and think, but when a book has flawed, morally grey characters and actions that would actually happen in the real world, it’s often not well received. That seems very contradictory to me. I’ve even had a beta reader of another story tell me my character couldn’t think something because they were judging another character! To have a character only act and even think in a certain way is preposterous. 

    So far, I’ve received some really great reviews and feedback for Meet Me in Berlin, which is wonderful, and quite a few readers have commented how much they like the flawed characters. So I think generally readers do like reading about conflict and complicated actions. However, I’ve also received some not-so-great reviews, which is fine, that doesn’t bother me so much, and readers can dislike books and review however they want. But the content of some of these reviews has surprised me, which ties into the idealised view of romance books and morally grey characters. 

    In the case of Berlin, this relates to infidelity. Firstly, novels aren’t manuals for life. It’s not a novelist’s job to set the world to rights with their stories. Stories need conflict and how the plot unfolded around this topic in Berlin created the perfect conflict, both external and internal. Secondly, the way it pans out is very realistic. So many people become unhappy in relationships, even when they’re about to get married, but don’t know how to leave and end up doing something stupid as a way to get out of the relationship. People also fall for other people when they’re in relationships – it happens! Is it a hurtful, shitty thing to do? Of course it is, but I wasn’t going to turn my fictional story into a non-fiction moral compass on fidelity – who am I to tell people how to manage their relationships? I’m an author making up stories – the characters aren’t me and their story isn’t mine. I’ll also say that I’m purely talking about character flaws and morally grey actions here; I don’t think filling a book with hateful content or behaviours towards certain groups for no reason under the guise of fiction is okay.

    You’ve also said you want the world to read more diverse Australian stories. Why is that important and what do you think is missing from Australian literature?

    I don’t believe Australian fiction is nearly as diverse as people like to think it is, and I’m not sure it’s improving much either. I’ll focus on the Australian lesbian/sapphic space because that’s my area. I could count on one hand (maybe two) the traditionally published adult lesbian/sapphic novels that have been produced in this country in the past few years. There has been a small increase in lesbian/sapphic romances (of varying subgenres) overseas, and there are some Australian own voices authors with international publishers, mostly romance authors as well. But sapphic women are more than coming-out stories (which is often a YA story) and romance! 

    I see Australian agents and publishers seeking ‘diversity’, yet their actions don’t appear to support a lot of diverse fiction, because in reality, it’s about business and markets. 

    I also don’t like this notion that queer stories have to be happy ones (like YA and idealised romance). Queer women do all the things heterosexual women do – they work, get divorced, have families, grieve, have addictions, lose people, take drugs, have mental health issues, struggle with life, have affairs, get into debt and so forth, so where are these stories with lesbian characters? They’re certainly not being published by Australian publishers and I doubt it’s because they’re not being written. 

    Both Normal Functioning Adult and Meet Me in Berlin were taken seriously by big five publishers, but NFA was turned down because they didn’t know how to market it (it’s just women’s fiction but features gay women – it couldn’t be marketed alongside other women’s fiction?) and Berlin was turned down despite the publisher loving the book because apparently the market is saturated with rom-com type novels (although it’s hardly saturated with Australian sapphic rom-coms) and retailers only want the big-name authors at the moment, i.e., authors big on BookTok. So Australian publishers and agents can scream diversity all they want but at the end of the day it doesn’t trump markets, and until it does, we won’t see an increase in Australian traditionally published diverse fiction. 

    Sapphic women are more than coming-out stories and romance! 

    This is why indie publishing is popular for lesbian and sapphic fiction, because it really is the only option for so many of us. I also see a lot of people saying ‘it’s better than it was’ or ‘there’s loads of LGBTQ books now’ because queer YA is becoming more popular globally, which is great, but YA is just one genre and it’s very different to adult lesbian fiction, so it’s frustrating when people lump the entire community into one basket. Also, so many people get their books from walking into bookshops, Big W or the library. They won’t find indie published or small press digital-only books in there, so they’ll continue to never know such stories exist.

    I also see a lot of binaries in fiction – books are gay or straight, black or white, male or female, there’s very little middle ground. Something that hasn’t yet been picked up in Meet Me in Berlin by any reader and that was intentional on my part, is the blurred binary theme running through the novel – Casey is biracial, Holly is bisexual, and Dante (the wedding planner) is non-binary. Something small, but it was me saying not all fiction has to fit into a binary. 

    Let’s talk about the publication journey. Your first novel, Normal Functioning Adult, was with hybrid publisher Shawline, but you’ve since switched to indie publishing. Was working with a hybrid publisher a good training-wheels step?

    Yes, I think so. At the time of deciding to go down this path, thinking about indie publishing and doing all the things I knew I’d have to do to get a book out there was too much for me to get my head around. I knew the costs involved in getting an editor, cover designer etc., and the time it would take me to indie publish, so I went with a hybrid because the outlay was about the same. While it didn’t end up being the right path for me, it gave me the opportunity to get my novel out into the world, build an author platform, learn more about publishing contracts and processes, meet some new authors, and I made a great friend (another Shawline author) that I am so grateful is in my life now. 

    Also, the timing of everything worked out well because I was able to align the republication of Normal Functioning Adult with the release of Meet Me in Berlin meaning I could use the same cover designer, which has been great for branding, and I created a business name to publish under so I was able to coordinate this across the two novels and get the same designer to create publishing logos for me, which appear on the spine and in the front of the both books. 

    So I feel like the way it all worked out was all meant to be!

    What are the upsides to indie publishing?

    Being able to source my own cover designer, editors, proofreaders, and set my own release dates has been great. I’ve also really liked being able to do my own typesetting and being able to update my manuscript so easily if there’s an error or issue. Higher royalties are also an advantage.

    What do you find challenging? Do you have any advice you can share with other authors?

    Indie publishing has been challenging because there is so much to do, and just getting my head around all the things has blown my mind a bit! Although getting two full length novels ready to indie publish at the same time was a bit full on – I don’t recommend doing that. Dealing with Ingram Spark, Amazon etc has been tricky. My advice for those who’d like to indie publish is to set yourself a release date that gives you plenty of time to do everything you need to do. Then start looking into indie publishing, the different options and platforms, make yourself a plan and away you go. Think about editors and cover designers ahead of time because the good ones are often booked up months in advance. If you have a Mac, invest in Vellum (typesetting software) because it will save you a stack of money in typesetting fees (I bought it at a reduced price on Cyber Monday). There’s also quite a few good indie publishing Facebook groups and look at other indie authors to see what they’re doing.

    What’s your experience of the editing process like, having been through it a few times now for your books?

    So far I’ve had good experiences with editors, so I’ve been lucky, and I enjoy sending my stories out for editing feedback. I’m okay at editing my own stories, too, since I did editing in my Master’s, and I also did the Cut, Shape and Polish course through Australian Writers Centre, which I found really helpful for reviewing my own novels. But there’s always a layer of subjectivity when self-editing so I like to send my work out to someone else to edit.

    My advice for those who’d like to indie publish is to set yourself a release date that gives you plenty of time to do everything you need to do.

    Can you share any insights or aha moments that came to you during the editing process?

    For the developmental edit I had for Meet Me in Berlin, it was interesting to have another person’s view of the characters and plot because often editors will see what the authors can’t. Sophia, my developmental editor, gave some great recommendations to shape the novel, and I changed quite a few scenes from that edit. It was also interesting to have a different perspective on the characters. The description that is in the blurb about Casey, that she ‘works hard, plays hard and loves hard’ comes straight from Sophia. Although I’d spent a year writing Casey before sending the novel out for edit, I had never thought of her in those terms, but it was the perfect description for that character. 

    Your copy-edit was also an eye-opener because I had no idea how much I used certain words and action beats, and there were so many sentences that I wasn’t happy with, but I’d read the novel that many times it got to the point where I just couldn’t think of alternative phrases or words, so the copy-edit really helped with that. And picking up my Terry’s Chocolate Orange error was brilliant! [Note: A helpful thing that editors can offer is fact-checking! In this instance I double-checked a reference to this chocolate’s packaging and corrected the colour of the wrapper for Sam.]

    What stage of editing do you find most helpful?

    I find them all really helpful. A structural edit is great, but it often results in a stack of rewriting and reworking characters and plot! Copy-edits are great because you feel like you’re closer to finalising and it helps clean up all those clunky sentences and repetitions. Proofing is also good because by that stage you’ve read your own novel that many times that you think there couldn’t possibly be any mistakes, but there always is and I’m always interested to see what my own eyes missed.

    I know you work full-time, so fitting writing in must be tricky! How do you stay on track with your writing goals?

    I certainly had to give things up in order to write, like TV. Other than the news and a few shows here and there, I barely watch TV anymore and that gives me a lot of more time to do writerly things. To fit it all in around my day job, I mostly write/do author stuff in my lunch breaks (it’s amazing how much you can get done in a 45-minute lunch break if you focus), evenings, weekends and holidays. I don’t much else in my spare time – I hang out with my wife and dogs and see family and friends, but otherwise I’m usually doing author stuff of some description. 

    After a big push to release two books this year, what’s next for you?

    I have a few stories sitting there I’m planning to get back to. I’m starting with a short story I wrote last year that I’d like to extend into a longer short story and publish as a digital-only release, possibly for Sapphic September. It’s a light-hearted, fun, contemporary romance (at this stage anyway, that could change!). I’d say it’s a fish-out-of-water trope.

    Finally, Sam, what would you like your books to be known for?

    I like the idea of my books being known for something that’s just a little bit different, like romance that has a bit of edge and grit, or engaging women’s fiction that features diverse characters. Regardless of the genre, I definitely would like my books to be known for being authentic stories with real-life themes and storylines that feature flawed, realistic characters. 

    Find Sam’s books and sign up for her monthly newsletter via her website. You can follow Sam on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Goodreads and Amazon.

  • How-to

    Who’s talking? Finding the right point-of-view character for your scene

    If you’re not sure which character should have the mic at pivotal moments in your multi-POV novel, try asking yourself this question…

    Hands up if you’re writing a dual or multi-POV novel? It’s a really popular format for commercial fiction, and it offers loads of benefits for authors: you can give the reader deeper insight into your characters and give yourself greater scope to reveal plot points. But one stumbling block you might come across along the way is working out which character should be telling the story in critical scenes.

    It can be a tricky decision to make, especially when you have two (or more) protagonists whose growth and journey is equally important to the overall narrative arc and the themes you’re expressing. That means it’s likely that the major events of your novel will be important for all characters! So, who should get to tell the story in those moments?

    All of them! I hear you cry. While that might work for you creatively, it’s not always a great outcome for the reader – seeing the same moment from multiple perspectives can be a little tedious. Instead, if you do want to have more than one character’s experience of a particular plot point on the page, it’s a good idea to show the big moment from one perspective and then let another character pick up just after the incident occurs, to keep the story moving forward.

    So, how do you find the most powerful POV?

    Here’s what I recommend: Choose the character who has the most at stake.

    Ask yourself, who has the most to lose (or gain) from this pivotal plot point? It’s their reactions and emotions as they face this hurdle that will give you the most to play with – and that will resonate most strongly with your reader.

    Look closer

    Maybe you didn’t think too hard about which character told which part of the story when writing your first draft. You got into a rhythm and switched POV at each chapter, or got comfy staying in one voice for a few chapters at a time. That’s fine – it’s great to just get the words on the page. When you’re doing your first edits, however, keep POV in the back of your mind as you assess your story’s pace and dramatic impact.

    If you feel that the critical points of your novel are falling flat and failing to hit the emotional stride you were aiming for, check the POV. Is the character with the most to lose telling the story in that scene? Or is it another who has less at stake, and is acting more as an observer? Try rewriting the scene through another character’s eyes to see if that helps raise the drama and tension.

    Equal opportunity

    Maybe the scene has equally high stakes for all of your POV characters – for instance, if you’re writing a dual-POV romance, both protagonists might be equally affected by a conflict that arises in their blossoming relationship; in a mystery novel, more than one character could easily be impacted by an important clue coming to light. In that case, think about who these characters are and how they respond to significant events. Would they appear calm in the face of crisis but fall apart internally? Do they wear their emotions on their sleeve? Are they trying so hard to keep everything together that they’re at the point of breaking? Of these, which character would give you the most to play with, emotionally speaking? Which character’s reaction style best reflects the themes of your novel? And how would their reactions – both internal and external – appear on the page?

    There’s no right or wrong answer here but considering these factors as you refine and polish your story can help you play around with the dramatic tension in your work – and lead to a more impactful experience for your reader.

    If you’d like support wrangling your multi-POV novel, I can help! Get in touch to chat about structural editing or manuscript assessments.

  • Author interviews

    “I want my characters to be relatable and authentic” – Stephanie Hazeltine on writing domestic thrillers 

    Stephanie Hazeltine wearing a pink top and smiling in front of her computer monitor

    As a primary school teacher, Stephanie Hazeltine always thought she’d write children’s books one day – but when she started writing, it was the heart-racing thriller genre that got her hooked. She’s just released her second domestic thriller novel, You Weren’t Watching, which is book two in her Suburban Secrets series.

    I was delighted to work with Stephanie on a line and copy-edit for You Weren’t Watching earlier this year, so I know just how much readers are going to love this book! It’s a pacy read that centres around the nightmare of a child’s disappearance, but also touches on postnatal anxiety and depression, the challenges of motherhood and co-parenting, and the knotty complexities of female friendships.

    Here, Stephanie shares how she got into writing, dealing with confronting themes in fiction, and how she navigates the self-publishing journey.

    Tell us a little bit about yourself and your new novel, You Weren’t Watching.

    I live in Melbourne with my husband, two kids and two cavoodles. I’m a primary school teacher who loves reading, running and Caramilk chocolate. I got into writing during lockdown and haven’t looked back – I’m constantly plotting stories and trying to find the time to write them all.

    You Weren’t Watching is an interconnected standalone novel in the Suburban Secrets series. It centres around a group of women and their children in the quiet suburb of Rosewood. When one of the children is kidnapped, the women must come together. But with every passing moment, more horrifying secrets are uncovered and it’s a race against time to save more than just one Rosewood resident.

    You Weren’t Watching throws you into every parent’s worst nightmare and makes you question who you can really trust.

    What made you want to be an author? 

    I actually wanted to be a children’s author originally because I loved reading to my students and sharing different books with them. Then a friend encouraged me to do a creative writing course and that sparked the desire to write novels. 

    How did you get started? 

    I started with a writing course that I completed during lockdown with a newborn baby. It started as a distraction from newborn monotony and lockdown boredom, but I fell in love with creating and it’s taken off from there. 

    “I want my characters to be relatable and authentic so I try to inject a bit of myself into (some of) them. The status quo before things get thrilling is what my life often looks like.”

    What draws you to writing domestic thrillers centring on women’s lives? 

    I want my characters to be relatable and authentic so I try to inject a bit of myself into (some of) them. The status quo before things get thrilling is what my life often looks like. It’s centred around my children, my family, my friendships. I love to read thrillers, so turning that everyday life into something devastating or scandalous is fun. 

    There’s some confronting themes and storylines in your work – does this involve lots of research to ensure you’re getting the details right?

    I have some lovely friends and family who work in emergency services, law enforcement and legal proceedings and they keep me on track so that my details are pretty accurate. 

    The mental health theme, particularly perinatal mental health, is something I’m really passionate about. I suffered postnatal depression and anxiety when my first child was born and it took me some time to realise that it’s totally fine and very common, and I wanted to highlight this in my books so that women who read them realise that too. I’ve had a lot of mothers reach out and thank me for discussing perinatal mental health. It’s also been a really therapeutic way of sharing some of the feelings I’ve experienced through my characters. 

    How do you protect your own mental health while exploring such dark content? 

    It probably seems odd but writing itself is one of the ways I protect my mental health. It’s a creative and emotional outlet for me, even when the content is dark.

    Have you learnt anything that you weren’t expecting about dealing with sensitive material in fiction?

    Not from my books yet, but from working with other authors and speaking with readers, it can certainly be a real minefield. Almost anything can warrant a trigger warning and we don’t know what our readers have experienced. I try to be as transparent as possible and list the trigger warnings at the front of my books. 

    You’re an indie author – why did you decide to go down the self-publishing path? 

    The first answer that comes to mind is the fear of rejection. But in addition to this, I really like having control over what and when I create and release my work. I set my own deadlines and keep them realistic around being a mum and a part-time teacher.

    What are the challenges involved in self-publishing? And do you have any advice for others who might be considering the indie route? 
    The hardest part, for me, has been marketing and getting eyes on my book. I feel I spend almost an equal number of hours writing as I do marketing and admin tasks, and that makes me sad because I love writing. As I become more experienced, I’m sure this will change but for now it’s a juggle. 

    My advice for others would be to establish some friendships/relationships with other indie authors because their knowledge is golden. I could not have navigated editing, formatting, uploading to different distributers, marketing etc without the people I met along the way who had already self-published. 

    “My advice for others would be to establish some friendships/relationships with other indie authors because their knowledge is golden.”

    How essential is working with an editor (or several editors!) as part of this process? 

    Crucial! For both of my books I have had an editor do a structural report very early on in the project and then a line edit at the end. As a self-published author, it’s all on me. There’s no publishing company to fall back on. So when my book goes out, I want it to be perfect because it represents my name only. Having an editor gets me as close to perfect as I can hope.

    Who else is essential on your publishing team? 

    A cover designer, beta readers (I’ve got three plus a proofreader) and ARC readers who I have reached out to over social media. I’m also part of two writing groups and we talk all week sharing motivation and ideas – and a really good barista. 

    What’s next for you – when can we expect the next instalment in your series? 

    The next instalment in the Suburban Secrets series won’t be until next year but I’m hoping to release a completely separate thriller later this year. Stay tuned.

    Where’s the best place for people to buy your books?  

    Paperback copies are available on Amazon. Otherwise you can get the ebook on Kindle, Apple, Kobo or Nook. 

    Find out more about Stephanie on her website and stay up to date on her books over on Instagram @stephaniehazeltinewrites

  • Editing, Writing

    4 signs you’re ready for a line and copyedit

    A simple explainer to help you work out if a line and copyedit is what your novel needs now.

    So, you’ve written a novel. Now what? 

    You might be thinking about starting the editing process, and perhaps you’re keen to work with a professional editor. That’s an excellent decision (wink!) but before you go ahead and book in your manuscript, it’s important to check if you’re ready for that kind of editing. 

    What is a line and copyedit? 

    When people think of editing, the line and copyedit is probably closest to what they imagine.

    A line and copyedit service involves a professional editor going through your work one sentence at a time. They’ll focus on grammar, punctuation and spelling, yes, but they’ll also finetune your sentences for flow, make adjustments to heighten tension or suggest changes to enhance character. They’ll ensure your book adheres to a consistent style and they’ll track details such as characters’ appearance or movements so that your scenes make sense. No coffee cups that magically morph into glasses of water; no Matthews turning into Michaels halfway through.

    It’s labour-intensive, detailed work that can take your book from good to great. But if you’re just getting started on redrafting and editing your novel, I’ll be honest: it’s unlikely you’re ready for this service. Going too early on a line and copyedit is like plastering over cracks in your home instead of spending the time getting the foundations right.

    Here are four signs that I look for that tell me you’re ready for this detailed form of editing.

    1 Your manuscript is structurally sound

    If you’ve already taken steps to ensure your manuscript is structurally sound – whether that’s working with an editor on a full structural edit or manuscript assessment, engaging professional beta readers or participating in an editing course like this one – that’s a great sign. 

    After taking in this feedback, you will have done significant work on your novel to make sure that the character arcs are strong and complete, the pace, POV and story structure are working for you and there are no glaring plot holes. You should be feeling confident about your overall narrative.

    A line and copyeditor will address small plot holes such as timeline hiccups or minor instances of head hopping, but they’re not able to resolve your big-picture issues at this stage. That’s because those overarching elements like plot, theme, character journeys, setting and POV can affect so many different threads of your book and issues with these will likely require significant rewriting. 

    2 You’re ready to embrace feedback

    In a line and copyedit, your editor will suggest changes to sharpen and elevate your writing. It’s not just about spotting typos! 

    Are you open to this kind of feedback? As an editor I take great care to ensure my feedback is sensitive and considerate, but if you’re not expecting this level of engagement with your work, it might come as a shock. Perhaps you’re too close to it – consider putting your manuscript aside for a while so you can get some distance and come back to it with a fresh perspective.

    One way you might be able to check if you’re ready to embrace this kind of feedback is to book in for a sample edit with your chosen editor. This will show you the kinds of issues your editor is likely to pick up and their style in relaying it to you, so you know what to expect. You might even find yourself looking forward to the process!

    3 You’ve done as much as you can 

    Think of this one as cleaning up for the cleaner. You can save yourself some coin if you do your own polishing on your manuscript before you send it out for a line and copyedit. 

    This means spending time on self-editing – reading over dialogue and sharpening up those action beats and speech tags, looking out for filter words or common phrases you use over and over, cutting back long descriptive passages that don’t move the story forward, and as obvious as it may sound, doing a basic spellcheck! Try doing two to three passes over your manuscript, focusing on tightening it up.

    Ideally, you’ll also format your file with double line spacing, indented paragraphs and page breaks for new chapters. 

    4 You’re going around in circles

    Constantly googling grammar questions and wondering why the answers are clear as mud?

    If you feel like you’re going around in circles and not getting anywhere, or making minor changes just for the sake of it, that’s a key sign you’re ready to hand your book baby over to a professional. You don’t have to do this writing thing on your own!

    A line and copyedit can be your saving grace, offering clear, sensible changes and suggestions that will elevate your story. Even better, while your manuscript is out for editing, you open up mental space for your next great book idea. 

    It sounds like a lot of work…

    I hear you – why put in all this effort when it’s going to be edited anyway? Well, the more work you do beforehand, the better shape it will be in for your editor, which equals a less expensive quote! 

    It also means that when your edited manuscript returns to you, it won’t be so littered with red mark-up that you immediately freak out. Instead, you’ll be able to concentrate on those helpful suggestions that enhance your writing and make it shine, rather than getting bogged down in the small stuff. 

    Plus, the more you polish, the more you’ll learn about writing craft, making you a better, more confident writer.

    Reckon you tick these boxes? Check out my line and copyediting services or contact me for a sample edit.

  • Editing, Writing

    5 gifts to give your WIP this festive season

     

    Slow down, chill out and experiment with your writing practice.

    Happy Holidays! It’s that magical time of year where we get to sit down, relax, stuff ourselves with treats and – if you’re a fiction writer – spend some quality time with your manuscript. 

    While showing up and writing is always a good idea, you might be in the mood to experiment. If you want to tap into that spirit of creativity that seems to hover nearby when you feel relaxed and happy, here are five ways to play with your words these holidays. 

    1 Interview your characters

    I love this writing practice for its ability to bring out greater depth in your cast of characters – and as a result, strengthen your novel. 

    It’s particularly useful if any of your characters are feeling one-dimensional on the page. 

    They may play an important role in the story arc, throwing up obstacles for your main character or helping them unravel a mystery, but who they are and why they act the way they do isn’t clear. 

    Or perhaps it’s your main character. You know they have a strong surface desire – they might want to fall in love or be married by 30 – but you haven’t fully explored the deeper desire underpinning that goal. The result is that readers might not connect with your character enough to go on that journey with them. 

    Interviewing your characters allows you to access hidden feelings, strengths, flaws, traits and more. 

    How to do it? Find a space where you can work uninterrupted for a while – around an hour. Then, start by throwing some basic questions at your character to get them talking. Where are they from? Where did they grow up? How many siblings? What colour is their eyes? How do they dress? 

    Then start throwing in some curlier questions. They might be directly related to your plot or characters (eg why do you dislike so-and-so, why did you make that decision?), or they might be more personal: What’s your earliest memory? What’s your greatest fear? What past hurt can you not forgive?

    You might be surprised what comes out and how it can take your novel to another level. 

    2 Read a (craft) book 

    Sometimes, you just need a break from writing. 

    If you’re lacking inspiration or wondering how to unravel a sticky spot or want to level up your writing skills, why not devote this holiday period to some writing theory instead of practice. 

    There are loads of great books on the craft of writing to explore. Some of my favourites are: 

    Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

    Perfect if you need a gigantic shot of inspiration. Gilbert makes any creative task feel achievable in this guide.

    Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss

    Truss’s guide to punctuation is funny, interesting and informative. The trifecta!

    The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

    Use this fantastic handbook to liven up your characters’ emotional responses in dialogue and action beats. Perfect if you find a character routinely groaning, blushing or biting their lip.

    Searching for the Secret River by Kate Grenville

    Grenville generously shares the story behind her beautiful novel The Secret River, from the family history that inspired the tale to the twists and turns it took in editing. 

    3 Go on a creativity date

    This tip is based on the artist date exercise in Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, which is a 12-week program designed to get creative juices flowing. 

    I love the idea of taking yourself on a date to inspire creativity, and the holiday period is the perfect time to do it. You could visit an art gallery, have lunch solo, go to the cinema or walk in nature – it’s about finding an experience that will spark your curiosity. 

    To make it even more closely related to your WIP, imagine the experience through one of your character’s eyes. What would they order at the café? What kind of movie would they choose? What would be their favourite artwork at the gallery and why? How would they feel walking in the bush on their own?

    The idea is to be playful to unlock your creativity and bring unexpected ideas to the surface. 

    4 Try a different point of view

    Do you always write in the same close third-person point of view? Maybe you love the intimacy of first-person stories.

    There’s no right or wrong, but if you’re feeling stuck with your story you might want to flip the POV to see if that helps to address a stagnant pace or brighten up a sluggish mid-section. 

    You don’t have to commit right now – this is about experimenting. Try rewriting a scene or a chapter in a different POV, whether it’s going from third to first person or swapping from one character’s perspective to another’s.

    It’ll feel unfamiliar at first, maybe even a bit ick. Push through and notice what comes out in your story as a result – perhaps more insight into a character, perhaps a lighter, brighter voice. It could unlock a whole new perspective on your novel and your writing style. 

    5 Create a style sheet

    Think of this as life admin for your WIP. 

    A style sheet is a document that keeps track of the world inside your novel, from the nuts and bolts of specific spelling decisions to the traits of characters who inhabit your story. 

    It’s a great consistency tool, because it allows you to quickly check those finicky details, like if you use OK rather than okay, if your character’s eyes are blue or green, and if you use italics or quote marks for thoughts. 

    You can create your own style sheet easily in Word, listing your world-building decisions under categories such as ‘settings’ and ‘characters’ and spelling and punctuation choices under alphabetical subheadings (for example, an entry such as quotation marks: single, double within would fall under Q).

    This is especially important if you’re working on a series, as it helps you maintain consistency across books, and it’s great for speculative fiction, which often has a long list of world-building rules to keep up with.

    If you team up with an editor on a copy and line edit, they will create a style sheet for your work (I provide authors with a comprehensive style sheet when I return their copyedited manuscripts). And if you’ve already created your own, you can pass it on to the editor or proofreader for their reference as they work on your novel – they’ll love you for it! 

    I hope these ideas help you get your creativity firing these holidays! Let me know in the comments which of these writing practice gifts have been most useful for your WIP.