Dublin: Marian Keyes on Writing

 

Marian Keyes writes incredible novels often set in Dublin, Ireland  and  The Brightest Star in the Sky: A Novel
was no exception. She describes this novel:

Like all my books The Brightest Star in the Sky is a comedy about something very serious, but it’s got a lovely uplifting feel to it. I suppose I acknowledge that we are all imperfect human beings, and that we’re pretty much trying our best—but that it’s possible to co-exist with our broken bits and to co-exist joyously with our broken bits. I hope you enjoy it.”

During the Writer Q&A, she was asked “Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?” I thought her answer might help you decide to join in our INDEPENDENCE TRAVEL WRITING CONTEST which begins May 11 and ends July 4, 2013. FREE Entry, $1000usd in CASH PRIZES!

WRITING TIPS FROM MARIAN KEYES:

Keep backups! Also: firstly stop talking about it and start writing it word by word. Formally set aside time to write—respect your book enough not to try to fit it in in bitty gaps, around the rest of your life. Better still, try to write at the same time every day; this seems to trigger the subconscious into readiness.

Don’t be surprised if your first efforts are shockingly bad—indeed, expect to marvel at the gap between what you want to say in your head and how it appears on the page. But persevere: changes are I will improve

Beware of setting yourself up as the “new” Maeve Binchy or the “new” someone else; it’s always cringingly obvious. Instead, write in your own unique voice and be proud of it.

Write what you know—and if you don’t know it, be prepared to research it.

Finally—enjoy it! If you enjoy writing it, chances are that people will enjoy reading it.

Lisa Ellen Niver

Lisa Niver is an award-winning travel expert who has explored 102 countries on six continents. This University of Pennsylvania graduate sailed across the seas for seven years with Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Renaissance Cruises and spent three years backpacking across Asia. Discover her articles in publications from AARP: The Magazine and AAA Explorer to WIRED and Wharton Magazine, as well as her site WeSaidGoTravel. On her award nominated global podcast, Make Your Own Map, Niver has interviewed Deepak Chopra, Olympic medalists, and numerous bestselling authors, and as a journalist has been invited to both the Oscars and the United Nations. For her print and digital stories as well as her television segments, she has been awarded three Southern California Journalism Awards and two National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards and been a finalist twenty-two times. Named a #3 travel influencer for 2023, Niver talks travel on broadcast television at KTLA TV Los Angeles, her YouTube channel with over 2 million views, and in her memoir, Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.

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