Morgen
Bailey is a multi-genre author, freelance editor (for
publishers and indie authors), writing
tutor, Writers’
Forum magazine ‘Competitive Edge’ columnist, blogger, speaker, and Northants Authors co-founder.
The former Chair of
three writing groups, she has judged the H.E. Bates, RONE, BeaconLit, BBC Radio
2 and Althorp Literary Festival short story competitions. She also runs her own
free monthly 100-word competition.
Author name: Hello. I’m Morgen Bailey.
Morgen with an E. Not to be confused with the handful of MorgAn Baileys (mostly American), including a rocket scientist, basketball player, Green politician, and transsexual porn star. I get some interesting Google Alerts!
Are you a traditionally published/indie/hybrid author?
I’m both. I self-published seven books between 2011 and early 2018, and my eighth, The Serial Dater’s Shopping List, was traditionally published, the first of a two-book deal, by Bombshell Books (part of Bloodhound Books) in July 2018. (Hello Betsy, Fred, team, and fellow Bombshells!)
Self-publishing means the author has total control but not the support of a publisher or agent. I’ve been very lucky with Bombshell in that I got to choose the (fabulous) cover, and had a blog tour and review promotions upon release. These days it’s generally up to the author anyway to do most of the marketing and I’m hiring two marketeers to help with this.
I will probably still self-publish, especially my short stories (my first love). Many authors would love to have an agent to automatically get their books in bookshops… as if that route is a ‘given’!
Most bookshops won’t take self-published books and being published by Bombshell has meant my Waterstones has ordered it – the book is set in various locations around Northampton. It’s tough whichever way you go but it’s fabulous having the choice! I’ve learned that it’s all about marketing and the worst thing an author can do is say, “Please buy my book”. This is why interviews like this are so important. Readers get to know the author then hopefully be interested enough to explore further.
What was the last book you released?
The Serial Dater’s ShoppingList aka ‘31 men in 31 days – what could possibly go wrong?’
Isobel MacFarlane is a recently-turned-forty journalist who usually writes a technology column for a newspaper based in Northampton, England, but her somewhat-intimidating boss, William, has set her the task of meeting thirty-one men, via a local internet dating site, all within a month.
I’ve always been an avid reader and blame
Stephen King for me wearing glasses; reading his books under the duvet with a
torch as a teen because I was so hooked.
I loved English at school then moved
to Northamptonshire (indirectly through work) in 1999 and did various evening
classes to meet people – because the company I was due to move with went to
Surrey instead and I couldn’t afford to move there – the last of which was
creative writing in 2005 and was immediately hooked.
I’ve been to countless
literary festivals, on one-day and weekend courses, and am now mostly teaching
at them rather than as an attendee.
What is the most challenging thing about writing for you?
Finding enough time. I try to do 1,000
words a day but it’s not always possible so I have a binge write on a Sunday
when I endeavour not to do any ‘work work’.
I’m very fortunate that I live
alone (other than my dog and two Monday to Friday lodgers) so no family
distractions. I’ve also recently quit a writing group, two committees, and my
teaching job (my evening classes had come full circle), and spaced out my
freelance editing work (my ‘day job’) to free up more time.
And what is the best thing about writing?
Not knowing what’s going to come out.
I interviewed around 700 authors on my blog and probably 95% are pantsers – as am I – where we get an idea and ‘fly by the seat of our pants’.
I love the characters I create, and for most authors (and readers, agents, publishers) the characters are far more important than an interesting plot or stunning location.
I interviewed around 700 authors on my blog and probably 95% are pantsers – as am I – where we get an idea and ‘fly by the seat of our pants’.
I love the characters I create, and for most authors (and readers, agents, publishers) the characters are far more important than an interesting plot or stunning location.
Where is your favourite writing spot?
At my (organised chaos) desk on my laptop.
I do write longhand but only when out with my dog. (Yes, I can walk and write
at the same time and am very fortunate that I have a dog who prefers being off
the lead than on.)
I’m a much faster typist as I was a secretary for over
twenty years. I wrote the 115,640-word first draft of The Serial Dater’s Shopping List in twenty-eight days! I then
edited it several times over several years but it was having an array of weird
and wonderful men that gave me the start I needed to create Izzy and send her
on her way.
What do you do during times of self-doubt or (goodness forbid) if “writer’s block” strikes?
Some say that writers’ block doesn’t exist
but I disagree. Every author must get to a point in their story where they
don’t know what happens next so they have to move to something different or go
to a later point then return to fill in the gaps. That’s usually all it takes
but it happens. I do very little planning but create one-line chapter summaries
and timelines for each main character as the novel develops, which helps
enormously.
What is the most frivolous thing you’ve purchased with your royalties?
To answer your question, so far it’s
practical stuff, mostly stationery or writing-related courses etc. but I’d love
to buy a campervan when I really make it (as Chris Ewan did) or even another
house (on the Sussex coast) as my friend and editing client AA Dhand did
(albeit in Bradford) with his Harry Virdee series advance!
What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?
Put your bum in the chair and write.
As
Nora Roberts / JD Robb is quoted as saying, “You can’t edit a blank page” and
it’s so true. My favourite statistic I share with my students is that 300 words
a day is over 100,000 words a year… and I tell them that after we’ve been
writing for twenty minutes, most student having written at least 300 words so
they can see how easy that is.
There’s also the classic ‘show not tell’
and I recommend looking at a passage that seems flat, getting two different
highlighter pens and marking (a) the narrator (i.e. he was cold, she was angry)
in one colour; (b) the character doing (he blew on his hands and rubbed them
together, she scraped back her chair and screamed “Get out!” etc.) in the
other, ensuring that you have more of the latter than former. Likewise with
dialogue: remove all the description and ‘tag’s (the ‘he said’ ‘she replied’
etc.) so you’re left with what’s said. Read it aloud, ideally with a friend so
you’re different characters, and see if it makes sense ‘bare’.
Do you prefer tea/coffee/hot chocolate?
Mmm… definitely not coffee. I’d like to
like coffee as there are so many options and it’s easier when out and about,
and I try it every now and then, but like red wine, urgh no. I used to be a
Tetley tea girl but then I found chai tea and that’s my favourite. Fruit teas
are very refreshing. I do love hot chocolate when I’m cold and recently
discovered chai hot chocolate, the best of both worlds.
Is there anything you’d like to add…?
I think I’ve probably waffled on enough…
I’m very good at that and write waffle but score it out so I can decide when I
edit whether it should stay or not. Just to say a big “thank you” for
supporting us fellow authors. Like reviews of our books, it means a lot!
*You can follow Morgen (with an e) on:
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