Writing novels can feel overwhelming, and can involve months (or years) of shaping and editing a piece of work, never knowing if it will ever be published. Sue balances this with small projects, particularly those which are outside her comfort zone. Recently this has involved a flash fiction collaboration through ENSFR (the European Network for Short Fiction) and a ten minute comedy for Castle Park Theatre, which will be performed on a park bench at the end of July.
It can be difficult to juggle work, caring responsibilities, book promotions and to also find time to write. Sue’s advice is to create deadlines for yourself: enter competitions, attend workshops and events, join a writing group. Even if you don’t have the energy to create something yourself, being around others with the same goal is motivating. You’ll find that when you are in the right space to write, ideas which have been formed by listening to other writers, giving feedback and doing short exercises, will spill out onto the page.
Some useful links to pages that provide deadlines for short pieces of creative work:
Sue Dawes 