What Are You Writing?

Working on the Fiction Team, you’ll often hear us ask each other, “What are you reading now?” Or “What did you watch last night on TV?”

Concerning the latter, my answer usually involves football. Whether it’s a game involving a supergiant of the game such as Manchester United, to humbler teams such as Forfar Athletic or Forest Green Rovers, if it’s 90 minutes of football on the box, I’ll happily sit back and enjoy the game.

As the Fiction Team are a close unit, it’s only natural we inquire about our interests and hobbies. I think the other members of the team would agree that we take a genuine concern in each other, whether it’s cloudy or sunshine overhead.

The “Friend” Way

I liken this to the dealings we have with our writers. I think by investing a little time in people is not only worthwhile for a healthy working relationship, but it sets a standard, too. It’s always been the “Friend” way.

I am always happy to chat to writers about their stories – what are they working on at present, and their writing plans further down the line. Even if the writers are at a roadblock of sorts, I like to think they know they can drop me a line to discuss possible story solutions.

Writing should never be a chore. That will only lead to resentment and unproductivity. Sometimes writers need more time to come up with the perfect serial curtain. Other times, a character might not be working on the page, and the dilemma will surround that character’s involvement in the story.

Though there are endless possibilities to how a story can turn out, often the sharing of thoughts between writer and editor can make the writing journey just that bit clearer.

You can read more about the Fiction Team here.