Clare Anderson

Writers. There is no formula. Just write. Stop pretending it's math. Vomit words onto the page. Edit later. Quantity breeds quality... eventually. Stop waiting for the mythical perfect method. Dive in, flap your arms if you must, fail spectacularly, and refine. That's how stories get born.

I've been a book editor for 10 years. 1,000+ authors and countless manuscripts later, the biggest lessons I’ve learned might surprise you. Here are the 3 biggest takeaways from the past decade that totally changed the way I approach editing. They might help you take your story to the next level too!

7 mistakes that weaken your first page: 1. Offering no promise 2. Leaning on cliches 3. Doesn't suit the genre 4. Sloppy writing 5. Having no voice 6. Neglecting scene action 7. Unclear POV Fix these and you'll give the reader no choice but to turn to page 2 and beyond!

The best way to improve your writing is also totally free: Read. If you’re serious about writing, reading isn’t optional — it’s essential. But don't just read for fun. Learn to read like a writer by studying the mechanics under the hood. Here's how to learn about writing from everything you read:

Trimming your manuscript can feel impossible. But cutting clutter turns a bloated, disorganized draft into a tightly wound, propulsive story. If you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, here’s a guide to: ✂️ What to cut ✂️ How to cut it ✂️ Tips to make it easier

90% of writing a book is just having the courage to look at how bad your draft is and staying there at the desk trying to fix it instead of running away.

A gentle reminder that bloggers review books because we are passionate about reading. We don't get paid and do it out of genuine love. The best way to show your appreciation is to support us back. Promote our posts. Share what we do. Give back some of the love we give you.

Sorry, but I really hope people who love #thewildrobotmovie know it was inspired by my book. It's mentioned in the credits but most people don't read that stuff. If you love the movie you should check out the book! There's more to the story and it's a quick read. #thewildrobot

@tinycharlotte72 😂😂

I’ve been sitting on this news for a while. I love being an author but I feel it’s time for a change. So…I’ve decided to become a film star! It’s something I’ve wanted to do since being a little girl and I’m so excited for my new venture! I hope you all enjoy my new film 🙏

Writing isn’t easy. It’s not for everyone. Being able to plot and write an entire novel takes grit, diligence, dedication, and drive. So whether you get a big 5 publishing deal or not, or land an agent or not, you still need to be proud of what you’ve done. Keep. On. Writing.

Reminder to writers reading Bookseller articles about 'significant pre empts' and 10-way auctions at this Frankfurt Book Fair time of the year: You can achieve the same effect simply by poking a sharp pencil into your eye.

I don't know if it helps, but just to balance some of the chat around mammoth book deals - I have twice been on submission where only one publisher wanted to buy my book for a modest advance. Those two books have turned out to be two of my most successful titles. This biz is odd.

A lil reminder - behind all this there are 28 years of on/off rejection, three out of print novels, many unpublished ones, many tears, many “We just don’t know how to sell you” convos, but a chronic belief it would happen eventually. Don’t give up 🌸🔪#writingcommunity #Sweetpea

Frankfurt is a weird time for writers; it can feel like everyone is getting 6 figure deals (they’re not!). To do something for those who aren’t yet at that stage, I’m offering a free critique of your first 10k words & synopsis (fiction only) - to enter RT by midnight Sat! 📚✍️

What an amazing episode 😀😀😀😀 Joanne Harris was full of so much wisdom and really helped to pick me up from a writing slump 😍 Thank you @BrittonBookGeek

@TheBookshopMan Beautiful 😍 Love Edinburgh! xx

This is my favourite picture I took of Edinburgh.

I've wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember. My fifth novel just came out in paperback. Whether it's writing a book or another big goal, here are my tips for going after your dream (that I applied to my goal of becoming an author)...

🏅😎WELCOME HOME JAKE😎🏅 Jake Jarman returned to his club, @huntingdongymnastics last night for a celebration of his performances at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games 👏🏿 Jake was greeted by the Mayor, club members, friends and family as he returned to the gymnastics club that has raised him. #UnitedbyGymnastics

@jennieg_author 😢😢😢 so sad! Xx

@millie_abks 💪🏻👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻☺️🤩