Category Archives: Dear Della

How do I become a full time writer? I want to give up my day job.

This is a question I get asked a lot.  Both through my column for Writers’ Forum and also by strangers (and friends) who know what I do. Mostly the people who ask me want to write fiction.  (it’s much easier, … Continue reading

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How to Judge a Short Story Competition

Firstly, apologies from me! I haven’t written a blog for too long. I’ve been writing a novel and it was all consuming. It’s now winging its way to publishers via my agent, who loved it. So fingers crossed. More on … Continue reading

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How Much Do Writers Earn? The fact and the fiction

Another question from my Writers’ Forum postbag. The thorny old subject of money again. £60,000.00? I wish! I don’t think I even know any writers who earn that much but I stand to be corrected 🙂 Q I went on … Continue reading

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How do I stop my romances becoming predictable?

Here’s another question from a recent postbag at Writers’ Forum. This one comes up quite a bit.  We’re talking fictional ones by the way! Q A common cause for the rejection of short stories (I know, because I’ve received many!) is … Continue reading

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Do all stories need conflict? and How do unknown writers get published?

A couple more question from my post bag at Writers’ Forum 🙂 Q: Do all stories have to feature conflict, resolution and growth, with false hopes and disappointments along the way? I appreciate that a straightforward happy little narrative would … Continue reading

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Submitting stories to magazines – should I send a cover letter?

Here is another question from my Dear Della page that I get asked regularly. Q Whenever I submit a short story to a magazine, I give basic details and contact information on the cover sheet. Is it always necessary to … Continue reading

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Three Questions I Get Asked About Short Stories

Q How do I make my stories less predictable? Particularly if I’m using a common theme, for example, romance? What can be done to stop the reader from working out that the boy and girl who meet at the beginning … Continue reading

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Tips for Writers – Novel Layout

I had a letter recently via my Dear Della page in Writers’ Forum from  a lady who was anxious about the layout of a novel when submitting to publishers. I know there’s a wealth of information out there about writing, … Continue reading

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Agny Ant Letter

I received this letter today for my Dear Della page. Deer Dela, I have wrote a book and going too sellfpublish it but my friedn Kimberley says what are them colored skwiggly lines under al the wrods and i dont … Continue reading

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