Subscriber spotlight
Share your writing success stories. If you subscribe to Writing Magazine and would like to feature here, email Tina Jackson, tjackson@warnersgroup.co.uk
Mammoth success
‘When I was a kid, I was always writing stories and putting on shows – and wanted nothing more than to be an author when I grew up,’ writes subscriber Hollie Hughes.
‘But things didn’t work out quite the way I planned, and I ended up building a career in youth work and teaching instead. It wasn’t until I was made redundant from a lecturing job in 2012 (at the age of 37), that I finally took up writing again as an adult. I approached writing with an open mind and, to begin with, just enjoyed experimenting with different forms. I was lucky enough to get shortlisted in a few competitions (even eventually winning one in 2014, with my audio drama A Leap of Faith), and this really helped to boost my confidence and keep me writing. It wasn’t enough to be sure I could make a living from it, but it was enough to tell me I wasn’t completely crazy trying. During this time, I took part in every writer development opportunity that came my way, and was also busily pursuing my childhood dream of writing picture books.
‘I decided I would need an agent if I was going to break through into this very challenging market – and was lucky enough to sign with Jodie Hodges at United Agents. Not only has Jodie been amazing in terms of helping me to further develop and improve my work – but she also got me my very first publishing contract, within just a few weeks of signing me.
‘It’s been a long journey to publication since those first few heady weeks of signing contracts back in 2014 (picture books take a long time to make when you’re not on The Apprentice!) but I am delighted to say that my first book – The Famishing Vanishing Mahoosive Mammoth (illustrated by Leigh Hodgkinson) – was finally published by Bloomsbury on 14 July. This was followed by Ninja Nan (illustrated by Natalie Smillie, and published by Scholastic) on 1 September 2016. I then have a further three books in the pipeline with Bloomsbury after that, hopefully publishing one a year between 2017-2019.
‘So many good things have happened for me since I embarked on this journey four years ago, that I almost can’t quite believe it myself sometimes.’
Website: www.holliehughes.com
On the fast track
‘I was beside myself with excitement when I found out that my debut novel, Saving Sophie, was going to be published by Avon, HarperCollins,’ writes subscriber Sam Carrington.
‘It was the outcome I’d dreamed of and it all happened quite fast!
‘After trying my hand at short stories and gaining publication in a few women’s magazines, I decided to write a novel. Having worked in the prison service, and with an interest in psychology, writing within the crime genre seemed the obvious choice. So, in January 2014 I began! The novel was completed and sent off to a handful of agents in November that year. While I was nervously awaiting feedback, I began writing another novel – a psychological thriller, again with a crime element. In January 2015 I entered the opening chapters of this new novel in to the Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award, and was thrilled to be longlisted.