Writing rituals and traditions
By Phoebe Morgan
I usually
write best in the evenings. I like to have (depending on the mood and the sort
of day I’ve had!) either a good cup of tea or a glass of red wine, and I’ll
either seat myself at the table in our living room or (I know, it’s bad) in my
bed. I find it easier to write if I am comfortable (hence the bed) and therefore
I can’t distract myself with things like my back hurting or my chair being
uncomfy. That’s if I’m writing at home. With The Doll House, I actually did a lot of the writing in cafes –
there is a crepe place in Angel Islington, which is my favourite because it has
lovely yellow flowers on the tables, and I spent a weird amount of time in Pret
by Leicester Square as well when my offices used to be over that way.
When I’m
writing, I can’t have any music or podcasts on – I used to be the same when I
studied at school or at university. I don’t mind the sound of people talking in
a café, but I can’t have headphones playing because it just distracts me too much.
If I really need to get some serious word count going, I have to put my phone
in another room so that I don’t fiddle with it (I’m terrible for playing with
my phone). I have to train myself to leave it in the other room for an hour or
so at a time, and that’s usually when I can actually be most productive.
If I’m
writing at home, I quite like having a candle lit as it’s softer than a light
and can be quite calming. I usually have a notebook and pen to hand to in case
I need to scribble notes down for future scenes, and I can then refer to my
character notes as I go too. I do keep little lists in my iPhone as well, when
I’m out and about – most of which I look back on in utter bafflement. For example,
looking now at one from when I was editing The
Doll House, it says: court case, rich girl’s shoes, her face flushes,
repetitive is terrible when they’re in the loft, high chair, remove full stop.
Not particularly helpful to anyone other than me, and not always then. I write
little observations as well if I see something interesting in a café or
wherever – recently on holiday I liked the way a sailboat was trailing across
the sea so I made a note saying ‘boat white line.’ Not overly coherent!
I really
admire authors who get up at the crack of dawn and bash out 2000 words, but
I’ve come to accept the fact that that will probably never be me. I write as
much as I can around a full time job, and when I get into it, I love every minute
– especially if I’ve gone for the red wine rather than the tea!
About Phoebe Morgan
Phoebe Morgan is a commercial fiction editor as part of Avon at
HarperCollins publishers working on crime, thrillers, women’s fiction and saga. She started out in publishing working as a non-fiction
publishing assistant.
Find Phoebe on her website and Facebook page and follow her on Twitter - @Phoebe_A_Morgan
About The Doll House
The Doll House
By Phoebe Morgan
Published by HQ Digital (14 September 2017)
By Phoebe Morgan
Published by HQ Digital (14 September 2017)
Publisher's description
You never know who’s
watching…
Corinne’s life might look
perfect on the outside, but after three failed IVF attempts it’s her last
chance to have a baby. And when she finds a tiny part of a doll house outside
her flat, it feels as if it’s a sign.
But as more pieces begin to
turn up, Corinne realises that they are far too familiar. Someone knows about
the miniature rocking horse and the little doll with its red velvet dress.
Someone has been inside her house…
How does the stranger know so
much about her life? How long have they been watching? And what are
they waiting for…?
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