Featured Author - Sam Hayes

[~Andrea~]

Are there any writers here in the forum - either for pleasure or publication?

Yes, quite a few actually and of both types. I'm the former at the moment, hoping one day to be the latter

[SamHayes]

Hi Icecream,

 

Ooh, glad to hear you're stuck into Blood Ties Do let me know what you think when you've finished.

 

Yes, I constantly consider what folk will think of my work once it's out there and published - although worry? Well, yes, I suppose it is a kind of worry. Concern that it will be well received, that I will satisfy my readers and deliver what they expect. For the first book, the expectation was built up by advertising, PR, reviews, word of mouth, and the covers etc. You are what you are. But subsequent books, I think there's a certain expectation to be the same yet different, innovative but keep within the bounds of the genre. It's what readers expect and letting them down isn't a good thing. It's quite hard to do this. As a writer, you don't want to become 'same-ish' but equally, alienating readers with a wildly different story to what they expect is a bit suicidal. If I were to put out a science fiction story, I think those who'd read Blood Ties or Unspoken would be a bit miffed.

 

Anyway, I've managed to steer wildly away from what you asked. Short answer is yes, I worry. And that's because I care. I really want my work to be read, enjoyed, and talked about. The subject matter stirs opinion, and that's fine. It's also fine if some people don't like what I write. Just as long as most people do

 

And your last question - what would I say to someone who's not confident in their writing, despite others saying how good they are? I would say, assuming this person actually wanted to write, stop being hard on yourself, keep writing, keep listening to what people say about it. Also ask for constructive criticism. No writer is perfect. It's all very well having friends/family tell you that you're a great writer. Ask them if that character grated with them, or if that scene was too long, or what about the dialogue - is it natural, stilted, too little of it etc. For every 'wow, that's brilliant', try to get them to offer something to improve upon. And don't take offence! Listening to readers is the only way to learn and improve.

 

So again, to sum up, I would say: Definitely have confidence in your ability, because it will shine through in your writing. And enjoy!

 

Sam xx

[SamHayes]

Yay, good for you, Andrea. Hanging out with other readers and writers - online or in real life - is a big part of writing, I think. It's so important to discuss your work or what you're reading. It's all about opinion, isn't it? Without it, we can't improve. I think for me, in the early days, half the battle was growing my skin about six inches deep and taking the criticism.

 

I used to belong to a local writers' club, which was just fantastic. Some members were published and some wrote for themselves. Sadly, having three kids and a husband who travels no end kind of made it hard to go regularly. But I still meet up with some of the members from time to time. Being such a lonely business or activity, it's crucial to keep in touch with like-minded people from time to time.

 

What do you write, Andrea? Fiction, poetry, short stories?

 

Take care,

Sam xx

[supergran71]

Hi Supergran,

 

That's a good question. The answer is no, no one else in my family writes. Not that I'm aware of anyway - maybe for pleasure and they're keeping it quiet! Although I do come from a rather creative family on my mum's side. Both my grandparents are/were pianists and composers. Their son, my uncle, plays violin and used to play in the CBSO. And my mum is a brilliant artist. I grew up in a very creative environment and was always encouraged to read and write lots. I have three children and they all lean strongly towards the creative arts - music/performing/writing (my youngest likes writing at school). I'm sure it runs in families, although have no idea if it's nature or nurture. Probably a combination of both. I'm not very practical-minded and actually have to ask my kids to turn on a TV in our house for me. There are always so many remotes...so many buttons...technical things just don't come naturally to me. Anyway, I've gone off topic a bit!

 

Do you write at all? Do you have experience of creativity running through your family?

 

Thanks for your question,

Sam xx

 

Thanks for that reply Sam. In answer to your questions, I used to sing and dance and appeared publicly in pantomime when I was 12. I gave it up at 16 - a long time ago. Creativity in my family, I would say yes, my daughter is good at drawing and painting, knitting and sewing and both my grandchildren play the piano, clarinet and saxophone. I have often wanted to try my hand at writing and get ideas popping into my head regularly, but just dont know how to start. I keep a diary trhough:lol:

All the best.

[SamHayes]

Starting any piece of writing is hard whether it's a novel, a poem, short story etc. I think you have to be very clear about your intention for the piece before you can actually make a start. Notes and random jottings are a good way to inspire a kind of order to your writing. Perhaps keep track of all your ideas, Supergran, in your diary. After a while, you'll perhaps begin to see a pattern of what subjects you are leaning towards. Not only is there the big decision about what kind of writing you want to undertake (ie fiction, non-fic, poems, shorts etc) but then there's the whole genre issue - romance, crime, horror etc. I do believe that writing is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the easier it becomes to 'work out'. Keeping a diary regularly is a great way of getting into the habit. Keep at it and good luck!

[SamHayes]

In case it's of interest to any writers on the forum, I'm blogging an A-Z of my experiences in the business. 'A is for Agents' is first up - my personal story. I'll be working my way through the alphabet with a relevant and interesting (I hope!) anecdotes and advice over the coming weeks. If anyone wants to ask any further questions here on the forum about submissions and agents/publishers then do fire away.

 

Sam

[~Andrea~]

What do you write, Andrea? Fiction, poetry, short stories?

 

Hi Sam

I've written quite a lot of short stories and I'm currently working on my first novel, which I'm probably not aiming to have published but rather writing for the learning experience (which it certainly is lol). I'm not sure what kind of genre I would like to specialize in really so I'm trying a few things first to see which suits me best.

[SamHayes]

Hi Sam

I've written quite a lot of short stories and I'm currently working on my first novel, which I'm probably not aiming to have published but rather writing for the learning experience (which it certainly is lol). I'm not sure what kind of genre I would like to specialize in really so I'm trying a few things first to see which suits me best.

 

Sounds like you're being extremely wise, Andrea. Short stories are a great way to learn, and a real craft in their own right. I very much admire your approach to writing. It's an excellent idea to write your first novel without the pressure of feeling you have to get it published. You can concentrate on the process rather than worrying about who's looking for that kind of submission etc. And it doesn't always follow that what you enjoy reading is what you will ultimately find yourself writing. You'll see yourself develop as a writer and will instinctively know when the time's right to get your work 'out there'.

 

Sam

[~Andrea~]

Thanks Sam It's annoying though because I have ideas for books in about 4 different genres. I think I'll have to reign myself in somewhere.

[Icecream]

I know that feeling F&C. I have recently started putting my own ideas together, a task that would have been impossible for me a few years ago, but have ideas for different genre's within the same piece of writing.

 

I just wanted to say that I have finished Blood Ties. It has given me some late nights (only because I can't read a lot in the day at the moment). I couldn't put it down. I did have a question but it would spoil the book.

[SamHayes]

I just sent you a PM, Icecream, in response to yours. Thanks for not posting that here! It's hard regards spoilers. I've done some talks at libraries etc and have had to stop mid-sentence because I'm about to give the game away. It's especially hard when you have some people who've read the book and some who haven't - which is most likely to be the case. I'd like to go into greater depth for the sake of those that have, but can hardly tell the others to step outside! Maybe I should issue ear plugs.

 

And glad to see you're a writer too, Icecream. I think it's perfectly fine to experiment with different genres when you're starting out. How else will you discover your 'voice' and what you love writing most? I most certainly did just that when I got serious about writing. It might have seemed frustrating at the time - not knowing exactly where I was going - but looking back, it was all part of the learning experience. I do believe that, to a certain extent, writing can be taught. But ultimately, the best writing comes from feeling your own way. And if that involves mixing genres, then so be it!

 

Sam xx

[scottishbookworm]

Hello sam!

 

I entered the book club's competition for a copy of your book!

 

from

 

alison

 

 

[madcow]

Just picked up Unspoken from the library, can't wait to get stuck in

[SamHayes]

Good luck, Alison! And hope you enjoy Unspoken, Jules!

[Icecream]

Hey Sam, thanks for answering my question. I look forward to picking up Unspoken soon if I can. It looks rather interesting.

[Inver]

How do you choose your titles for your books and characters names?

[SamHayes]

How do you choose your titles for your books and characters names?

 

Hi Inver,

 

Good question indeed! I am just going through the process of choosing a title for my novel after UNSPOKEN. And it's really hard! I started off writing with what I believed was an excellent title. In my mind, it really captured the essence of the story, was rather tantalising (I thought!) as well as being a bit clever. But...my editor didn't like it. I suppose with hindsight, I should have seen this coming as it kind of had a hint of the supernatural about it, which would have perhaps been misleading to readers, even with a thriller-style cover.

 

Anyway, we're getting closer now. I've had several brainstorming sessions with my agent, as well as spending rather a long time compiling lists of suitable keywords that might provide inspiration. I'll single out the most important themes and plot issues and try to capture it in one or two words, even if they're not title material. Then I'll dive into google and see what comes up. Sites with huge lists of idioms are useful, as often titles can be part of a well known saying.

 

My agent submitted a long list of suggestins to my editor, and thankfully one caught her eye. She'll put it to the sales and marketing folk too, as it's very important that they feel comfortable and 'behind' the titles as it's what they've got to sell. So it's not enitrely up to me - unless I come up with a corking title straight away. That's not happened yet! BLOOD TIES started out life as 'Nine Tenths' - I felt it captured the possession theme. No one else did...and no one 'got' the 'possession is nine tenths of the law' bit!

 

Regards naming characters, that's quite fun. Sometimes they just 'come' to me, as in 'you're definitely a so-and-so' because of they way you look/act/dress etc. But everyone has their preconceptions about names. David, for me, might represent a great guy, whereas for someone else, he might have been the school bully. But whatever names I choose, I'd like to think that their characters outweigh any preconceptions. I use online baby naming sites quite a lot, but have to be careful I don't give a forty year old a name that's been 'invented' recently. I also tend not to name characters after my friends - if I can possibly help it. People often ask me if I include characters I know - and the general answer is no. (Perhaps snippets of characters slip in here and there!) I like to occasionally use more unusual names, but balance that up with a the majority being fairly well-known names. In UNSPOKEN, Murray's name came to me immediately for some reason and I think it really suits him. And Mary was always Mary, right from the start. I also have to be careful that names don't sound too alike, and was a bit worried that Murray and Mary did. But each having their own separate viewpoints and being different sexes, I decided I wouldn't need to change them.

 

Phew..! Sorry for going on a bit. Hope this answers everything

 

Sam xx

[Inver]

Thanks....another one....

 

What about your location, would you consider basing your story abroad and using the same characters?

[SamHayes]

Hi Diane,

 

Do you mean regards Blood Ties? If so, then I've always thought of it as very much a British-set story. And would the characters be the same, exactly, if they lived abroad, I wonder? Had Robert been a laid-back Aussie type, then perhaps he wouldn't have been so paranoid in the first place. And maybe, in another country, Ruth would have had a different survival story to tell. Interesting question, but in answer, I guesss I can only see the books I've written as working in their chosen locations.

 

Unspoken is set in rural Cambridgeshire, as well as in Cambridge, and the location is very integral to the story. In essence, yes, I could have set both these novels in Africa or the USA or Russia. But given the different cultures, the characters would most likely react differently, and the outcome would therefore not be exactly the same. The more I think about this, the more interesting it is. I have thought about bringing in other countries, and I'd love to explore Australia in a novel. I lived there for a while and my hubby is from Brisbane. It's a harsh yet vibrant country - so diverse - so I'm sure it will crop up sooner or later. But essentially I am a British writer, exploring issues and nightmares that happen to us here, in our country - the UK (gosh - now all the forum members outside of the UK are going to shout out!!)

 

Hope this helps! Do say if I've not answered exactly what you meant :-)

 

Sam xx

[Inver]

Yeh that is kind of what I meant. Was just wondering if you had a preference for where you based your story or if open to new locations. You obviously want each book to be with different characaters. Not the same but a different storyline like, detective type things. Just wondered if you have ever considering just have a few characters but appear in different stories.! Hope I am making myself clear!

[SamHayes]

Ah sorry, Diane. I misunderstood. Yes, I really wanted to bring Louisa, the private investigator, from Blood Ties into Unspoken. I'd got it all planned out. She was going to be a friend of the main character, Julia, and come to stay in the nick of time - just as Julia's life crumbles and things go horribly wrong. I loved writing Louisa's character in BT, had thought up a whole back story about her rather turbulent love life, how she was destined to always be single, how she moved countries (she married a Dutch man in BT but they were 'having trouble'). The plan was for her to feature as the catalyst for solving crimes/mysteries etc in future novels. BUT... my editor didn't like this idea. She wanted me to write stand-alone novels for various reasons, which, after getting used to the idea of saying good-bye to Louisa, I was happy with. I trust my ed completely. She is SO switched on about the business and hasn't steered me wrong so far. Maybe one day, I'll bring back Louisa - at least have her leaping about waving in the background!

 

As for involving one or two regular police characters, which is another option, I think that would take me too close to the 'police procedural' type novel. My novels are psycho/emotional thrillers, very much linked to real lives that readers can relate to..families, kids, relationships, work etc. That doesn't mean that the police don't feature in my books - far from it. In Unspoken, Julia's brother-in-law, Ed, is a detective and involved in the brutal attack on one of Julia's students. But by adding recurring detectives, I think it would detract from the essence of my writing.

 

Hope this is closer to what you were asking!

 

Sam xx

[Inver]

Thanks Sam Hope you have enjoyed your time on here. Have you browsed elsewhere on the forum at all?

[madcow]

Just popped in to say I'm loving Unspoken

[SamHayes]

Thanks Sam Hope you have enjoyed your time on here. Have you browsed elsewhere on the forum at all?

Yes, thanks, Diane. It's been great talking to people on the forum. I'll quite miss checking in to see if anyone's asked anything when Sept's over! I'll definitely keep popping back to see what's what though. And I have taken a look around other sections of the forum. Lots more to look through. It's a really useful resource as well as a friendly place to hang out.

 

Sam xx

[SamHayes]

Just popped in to say I'm loving Unspoken

 

Ooh, thanks, Jules! If you get a chance, do let me know what you think when you're finished. Feedback is so very welcome!

 

Sam xx