Celebrating the writing highs

I’m on the longlist for the Yorkshire Emerging Writers programme

Being a writer is a rollercoaster of wonderful highs and crippling lows. One minute, the words are flowing and everything is going well, the next, the doubts and fears creep in and I wonder why I’m bothering.

No matter what comes my way, my strategy is to hold on tight and to keep going, pushing through the lows and celebrating the highs.

This week, I’m excited to say that the highs just kept on coming. And I wanted to pop into your inbox to share my exciting news with you.

I’ve made the longlist for the Yorkshire Emerging Writers programme, which has been announced today!

The mentoring programme has been created by Bradford Literature Festival, in partnership with Simon & Schuster UK, and offers aspiring authors who are writing in the adult fiction space the opportunity to be mentored by the editorial team at Simon & Schuster.

It’s wonderful to have my writing recognised, and particularly in my home county.

As you know, I write a lot of nonfiction, sharing my slice of life stories and essays on here. But, behind the scenes, I also write fiction. I’m working on a novel and that’s what has been longlisted.

It’s given my confidence a boost and made me believe that my story might have potential.

Obviously, I can’t help thinking about the next stage in the process and whether or not I will make the shortlist, but for now I want to celebrate the success.

I didn’t expect more good news, but a few days later, I received an email from the organisers of another writing award, the Bridport Memoir Prize. The email was really positive, telling me that although I didn’t make the longlist, my work made it through to the second round, to the top six percent of the competition, and that I should be proud of myself.

It was an almost made it but didn’t email but I was delighted to be in the running. Rather than putting my manuscript in a drawer never to see daylight again, I’m sending it out to agents and feel more determined than ever to get it out into the world.

So, it’s been a good week.

Cake was called for!

As luck would have it, we’d already ordered cupcakes, because it’s three years this week since I published Cake, Anyone?, my collection of nonfiction stories about lockdown life. And I wanted to celebrate that too.

Since I was a child, I’ve dreamed of becoming an author. I’d taken steps towards achieving my goal, but at the start of the pandemic, it hadn’t happened and seemed a long way from ever happening.

The pandemic was such a difficult time with unbearable loss and sadness. It was a reminder that life really is short, and I felt compelled to make my writing dreams happen.

I put my collection of stories together and published them on 28 November 2020. It was another week before I plucked up the courage to tell everyone, but when I did, the support from my family and friends was overwhelming.

Thank you to everyone who has cheered me on. I really appreciate your support and kindness through the ups and downs.

The Yorkshire Emerging Writers programme is an amazing opportunity. And I am keeping my fingers crossed I make it on to the shortlist.

In the meantime, I am so happy to be on the longlist.

Cake, anyone?