These Are The Things That Make Us Anxious: Matt Haig and Writers' Neuroses

by Jo Wyton

For the past couple of months, Matt Haig has been blogging for The Book Trust. He's an honest guy, and a great writer, and many of his posts have struck a chord with me both as a writer and a reader.

A couple of weeks ago, he posted about the many (many many many) neuroses he has as a writer. I know A LOT of writers, and I can say that between us, we cover these particular neuroses. Several times over. I don't know many writers who aren't neurotic - but then, I don't know many people full stop who aren't neurotic in some way, and when you're doing something creative, and putting this huge chunk of your soul on show for people to judge, neuroses are pretty much inevitable.

Matt's neuroses are the inner buggings of a published author - these are the things we all have to look forward to. (Lucky us, eh?) For now though, whilst we're lingering on the slushpile, there are even more. Because, yes, we worry about what will happen once IT happens and we find our book on a bookshelf. But that's not enough to worry about, so we also develop a special set of neuroses to take us through the queries and rejections and dreams and knock-backs.

These are the Things That Make Us Anxious:

Writing as an enterprise is fraught with hazard

By Candy Gourlay

Alvin Pang at Daunt Books Event

It is still National Poetry Month in America and Canada (the UK celebrates in October) - and I thought you peeps would enjoy the wonderful Alvin Pang poem The Business of Writing which begins with the totally true line 'Writing as an enterprise is fraught with hazard'.

I met Alvin when I recently attended a presentation highlighting Singaporean books at Daunt Books in Chelsea to hang out with SCBWI Singapore friends. I came away with a very plain blue book published by the Croatian publisher Nakladnik, a translation of Singaporean poet Alvin Pang's Other Things and Other Poems (Druge stvari i ostale pjesme). The Business of Writing appeared in the collection.

Picture Books On My Mind

By Candy Gourlay

I made a video about my wonderful day reading
picture books at Foyles

If you follow my author blog, you will know I've had picture books on my mind.

This is because I'm kind of in a mini gap while waiting for the proofs of my next book SHINE which is out in September ... which means I'm trying to write picture books.

Nineteen novels later, Anne Tyler is zen about starting another one ...

By Candy Gourlay

I can't decide which is more stomach curdling, waiting for a book to come out or starting a new one.

I've just handed in copy edits of my forthcoming novel Shine, which according to Amazon is going to be out on the 5th of September.


The listing's been up for three years, and every time I didn't hand the manuscript in when I said I would, Amazon simply moved the publication date along a few more months.

Wrestling the Plot Snake: A weekend with Imogen Cooper of Chicken House

By Emma Greenwood
Guest Blogger

It’s over.

The Plot Snake has won.

I’m sitting exhausted at my desk. I’ve got my head on my arms and I can’t make sense of the words anymore.

I’ve got to that place where every word looks ridiculous and I’ve forgotten the beginning of a sentence before I’ve read the end.

Fractured is here! Book Two Trials, Tribulations, and Celebrations

by Teri Terry

Today is the official UK publication date for Fractured, book 2 of the Slated trilogy! And I'm celebrating in true writer style: I've bought a new desk chair. In fact, I'm writing this as I wait for it to be delivered. And reflecting on what got me into the chair (assuming it ever arrives)...

Actually 'into the chair' kind of fits the journey.