The Importance of Editing

This may be a controversial, politically incorrect statement, but we are not all equal. On the contrary, we should celebrate our differences.
Of course I’d like to subscribe to the contemporary obsession for levelling every playing field and turning us all into socially successful, wealthy, talented, beautiful ‘individuals’ with perfect teeth and figures. But look around you. For some of us, all we need to do is look in a mirror.
I learned early in life to recognise my own strengths and weaknesses, more or less. Yes, it was disappointing. I would never be a straight A student in every subject. I wasn’t the most popular girl in the class. So winning a Novel Prize for scientific prowess, or being paid for smiling at a camera, weren’t for me. It’s just not true that anyone can achieve what they aspire to, with enough dedication and passion.
I’m not arguing against dedication or passion. Far from it. You can get a long way on self belief and enthusiasm.
But the pursuit of success isn’t always easy. We can expect to weather a few setbacks along the way. Yet primary school teachers no longer talk about ‘trial and error’. It is ‘trial and improvement’ because we cannot allow children to perceive themselves as capable of making mistakes.
As Albert Einstein said, “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” What’s so terrible about the odd blunder or two? And how are children ever going to cope as adults if we bring them up to expect they will go through life without ever ‘getting it wrong’?
The same applies to writers. If you want to produce a successful book, you should be open to criticisms and suggestions. Whether or not you agree, and decide to follow them, is your choice.
I have no particular allegiance to the traditional publishing model, although it has worked very well for me. We can all think of examples of excellent and shoddy books brought out both by traditional publishers, and self-published. But one major benefit of following the traditional route is that manuscripts are professionally edited and proof read before publication.
We don’t want to see people put off reading because they come across carelessly written books. With so many leisure activities available, this matters more than ever before.

For details of how to submit your writing for editing, email leighrusselledits@hotmail.co.uk

Your writing

For once I'm not focusing on my own writing. 
This post is about YOUR writing.

I was flattered to be invited to write the Writing Crime Fiction module for a top writing academy. Details of how to register will be posted here once we're up and running so watch this space!
I'm currently offering critiques of other writers' work. Please contact me through my website if you want to know more. It's a great opportunity to have your work read by an internationally bestselling author (me!) My time is quite limited which means I can't guarantee to read your work, so please email me for submission details before sending anything. Electronic submssions are welcome.
You can contact me on http://www.leighrussell.co.uk/contact.php

I'm done - what now?

I've delivered the MS for Dead End to my publisher and am back to polishing my next MS, which is virtually finished.
On paper (sorry!) I've achieved a heck of a lot in 2010 with Cut Short shortlisted for a major award, Road Closed well reviewed and selling as fast as Cut Short, and not one but two more books written.
So as the year draws to a close, I should be feeling pretty pleased with myself.
But (one of the most powerful words in the English language. Like an inconspicuous pivot, almost invisible, it turns everything around) I'm feeling deflated, low, dejected, fed up. (Love blogging where I can repeat, reiterate, witter on in horrendous prose, unlike my 'professional' prose or, as Katie Price allegedly calls it my "book words").
How do other writers react when they reach the end of the monumental (sometimes monstrous) creative effort that goes into writing a book?
Do you party? crawl away and hide? or indulge in rambling on a blog?
This isn't only a question for writers, of course. It applies equally at the conclusion of any task that has required effort. How do we enjoy achievement when the work is done? or do we only feel alive when we're facing challenge? What about the challenge of coping when the challenge is over? (OK, I'll stop now.)

How do you plan your writing?

I haven't posted for a while as I've been recklessly busy. One day I'm going to turn up at the wrong bookstore on the wrong day! In the ten days since my last post, I've signed a lot of books - at Waterstones in Hitchin, Waterstones in Harrow, and WH Smith's in Brent Cross. Tomorrow I'm on a panel of Crime Writers at Gayton Library in Harrow, then off to sign at Waterstones in Norwich on Saturday.
ROAD CLOSED officially launched this week.
DEAD END, which will be published in 2011, is with my small circle of readers who are beginning to feed back comments. There's still a little more work to do on the manuscript - and I really need to sit down for a couple of days and read through it closely but also fast so I have every detail in my head. I'll tackle that task after I've broken up from school next week as I want to give it its due.
I've decided on the title for my fourth book in the series - but you'll have to wait and see what that is. This week I've been working out the plot and am getting very very excited about it. I can't wait to finish the synopsis my agent wisely insists on so I can start writing it. In the meantime, I haven't even finished my plan yet - but my research is under way and my plan is moving forward.
Having completed three books, I feel like quite an old hand now! So this is how I work.
1) make a sketchy plan on A3 paper. I divide the sheet into five columns, one for each part of my book, and I list the chapters down the columns, a chapter name and very brief notes to remind me what the chapter is about.
2) write a chapter by chapter synopsis from my plan, giving details
3) write the book
That should be it, but of course there's more
4) realise something doesn't work - rethink and rewrite
5) have a brainwave - rethink and rewrite
6) notice a dreadful gap (or gaffe) in the plot and have to revise completely...
That's just the initial stages of writing a book. Then come the agent, publisher and editor... and more rethinking and rewriting...
So forgive me if I don't post for a while. You know what I'll be doing, when I'm not at school.
So far I'm at number 1) and have already radically changed the whole idea twice. Now I've come up with an idea that I'm happy with, I need to complete my A3 plan... How will Geraldine solve the mystery? Is there enough suspense in the plan? Who, exactly, is my killer - there are so many possible characters I could create to play the villain here, but who shall I choose? And what is in store for Geraldine in book 4?
I wonder how other people plan their books?