For the third in my series on authors talking about how they get their ideas I've chosen the current doyenne of teen books, Stephanie Meyer. The story of how she got the idea for Twilight in a dream is well known but what I found interesting are the steps she took next. It's an object lesson for writers in how nothing happens unless you not only commit words to paper but take the necessary action to make that book happen.

Alongside my series of posts on how authors get ideas I've decided to write up my own, slightly anarchic take on writing for children. This series of tips and thoughts on the subject will be entirely random. It's intended for both wannabe and more established authors and I hope that it will spark both ideas and debate. I don't pretend to be any kind of guru on the subject but what I do know may just give you the kick you need on a bad day. With that in mind, let's begin with attitude. It takes a lot of it to make it as a writer but what really separates the published from the slush pile is the ability to adopt someone else's - in this case, a child's. And I don't mean stroppy adolescent stomping (although that has a place when used judiciously). I'm referring to that sense of possibility that all children are born with and some sadly lose too early. To write successfully for children, you need to look at the world with those same fresh eyes. Note I haven't used the word 'wonder' - that's because it's ...

An (American) friend shared a link to a New York magazine article on which literary scene is more stuck up - the British or the American. In reality, the article was referring to London and New York, both of which consider themselves the default setting for their respective litcentric selves. There are a couple of choice remarks here, one New York editor (Jonathan Burnham) claiming that London is 'more openly alcoholic.' Granted, many of us enjoy a drink now and then but the majority of British writers I know only wish they could glug quantities of wine over long, louche lunches. In fact, the power breakfast/tea has replaced the literary lunch in London in these cash-strapped publishing times. US uber agent Nicole Aragi disparages England's culture as 'trashy.' So that's one in the eye for the wealth of fine writers who have emerged from the land of Shakespeare, few of whom probably subscribe to The Sun or the Daily Sport or whichever red-top Ms Aragi has evidently been reading. Such sweeping statements are always dangerous and never more so where writers are involved. The pen is indeed mightier than the sword and I would urge writers everywhere ...

For the second in my series on great authors talking about how they get ideas, here is Margaret Atwood on fabulously witty form discussing Oryx and Crake:

One of the most frequent questions I get asked as an author is where I get my ideas from. It got me thinking - not only about where I get my own ideas but how other writers dredge them up from the murky soup of the subconscious. I thought I'd do a series of posts on the subject, starting with the maestro himself, Stephen King, talking about how he got the idea for Duma Key:

It goes without saying that the government ruling on the Gurkhas' rights (or not) to live in the UK is a shameful slap in the face to men who served the country with the utmost valour.  My dad served with the Gurkhas.  Gurkha soldiers helped teach me to ride as a child, one of them even running alongside me during the Hong Kong Pony Club sack race as, aged 8, I struggled with my hot-blooded Nepalese mount.  These men are not only brave they are immensely warm, kind and generous.  If only the British government could return the compliment. I'll leave it to David Enright, a Londonderry solicitor who won a legal battle for two Gurhkas decorated with the Victoria Cross, to express the indignation I and many others feel over this disgraceful decision:  

I spent Monday afternoon at the London Book Fair and, whatever else anyone tells you, it was buzzing. OK, so the buzz was mostly concentrated around the bigger name publishers with queues in particular at the HarperCollins, Orion and Penguin stands.  Wiley was also very popular and Macmillan packed out with sales and rights people clustered head to head around tiny tables.  If anything, it was the foreign language publishers who were quiet - I overheard one man aghast at the fact that the books on the Russian stand were, amazingly, mostly in Russian.   The International Rights Centre was similarly besieged with a constant flow up the escalators to its hallowed halls.  One agent I spoke to, however, preferred to walk through the fair, meeting up with colleagues old and new on the way.  This tactic  had already yielded her an impromptu meeting which would almost certainly lead to four or five good deals.  There was a preponderence of books about Robert Pattinson, the Twilight hunk, although my own publishers, Piccadilly Press, had beaten everyone to the punch and got their book out months ago.   There was no dearth of drink either - I left at 4.30pm and the wine glasses were already ...

I've been guesting on the Litopia After Dark writers' podcast again, this time expanding on my theories about technology spoiling traditional plot devices (see A Cell Phone Ate My Plot).  My theories were borne out when my Skype connection kept dropping - I missed whole chunks of the erudite thoughts of my fellow panellists.   Imagine if that happened in a thriller and our hero/ine  missed some vital information that would have saved the world.  Then again, do you really think governments, the security services and supervillains would use Skype??   My Piccadilly stablemate Cathy Hopkins was another guest and startled us all with the revelation that she used to be a rock chick.   She did, however, strike a chord close to my own heart when she talked about the potential horrors of school author visits.   As everyone knows, adolescence can be a tricky time.  It's ten times more tricky for an author when faced with rows and rows of them, all giving you that 15 year-old, dead-eyed 'Am I bovvered?' stare.  Frankly, I think we should get danger money although I hasten to add that I quite like a bit of attitude and every single pupil I have met has been lovely.  ...

In these crunchy times a freebie is always welcome, particularly if you are a writer or even an ex-banker contemplating a career change.   For you, my lovely readers, I have ferreted out a pretty cool deal.   The Telegraph is running a promotion where you can download three online copies of the mags of your choice.  They range from Cosmo to Men's Health to Country Living with all flavours in between. All you need to do is go to magsondemand and choose 3 mags, selecting 'single issues.'  When you go through checkout use the code "3FREEMAG."  The confirmation page provides a download link to the software you need to install to read your free mags.  You can copy them to another computer or print them out but please think of the environment and only print those articles you really want.  Happy reading and don't say I don't love you!

Throughout the farrago of the Phil Spector court case the one who interested me most was the victim, Lana Clarkson.  Her Wikipedia entry makes for depressing reading.  Look between the lines of what is obviously a bio designed to counteract the smears resulting from the case and you will find an all-too familiar story of a beautiful woman spat out by the Hollywood machine.    Sadly, it's a story that will resonate with wannabe actresses (and often writers) who have also tried to storm the citadel.  Lana Clarkson never made it beyond B-movie status and she died while trying to make ends meet in what the Wiki entry euphemistically describes as a 'side job.'   Dig further though and it becomes apparent Lana was gutsy. She developed, wrote and produced her own showreel in an attempt to revive a career cut short by the fact that (shock horror) she was over thirty.  More than 250 people, mostly friends and family, attended her funeral. She was well-loved.  She tried hard.  And she died at the hands of a man who had a history of violence and was clearly deranged.   I have no doubt that Hollywood will once again embrace Lana Clarkson when they make the movie ...