A couple of weeks ago, I was interviewed on BBC Radio Sussex by a lovely man called Joe Talbot.  Among a number of really interesting questions, he wanted to know whether or not I was ever happy to allow people to see or critique a work-in-progress.  He presumed that I would be very private, and wary of any criticism – he would be himself, he said.

My response was an emphatic denial of this!

I am blessed here in Sussex with a fantastic writing group – all fellow Creative Writing MA graduates from the University in Chichester.  We meet up roughly once every four to six weeks, and critique each other’s current work and we are very much each other’s closest supporters and fiercest critics.  We’re always honest, and don’t pull our punches, but we also know how to boost confidence too.   To my mind, working with a group like this is just wonderful – writing can feel very isolating, and if you always work completely alone, you can in fact become so close to something you are working on, that you simply can’t see it as an outsider any more.  If you’re intending your work to be for public consumption, you really need unbiased views on it at different stages in its creation to make sure that it’s working as you intend.

My lovely group – (listed alphabetically) Annie, Becky, Chloe and Mandy – are all wonderful writers in their own right, and are all intuitive ‘critique-ers’.  I’ve been running chunks of ‘The Courtesan’s Choice’ past them for some time, and it is very much the better for their input!  All four of them have yet to be published, but in my opinion this is just a matter of time, as they are all strong and original writers and are all working on very exciting projects  - so watch this space!  You heard about them here first!

I’m also lucky enough to be in touch with a few fellow debut novelists – two local and one far-flung, and I wanted to take this opportunity to blow their trumpets for them, as they so richly deserve.  One of my former MA tutors, now a friend, Jane Rusbridge’s first novel ‘The Devil’s Music’ (Bloomsbury) came out last year.  It’s a really terrific read – check it out on her website: www.janerusbridge.co.uk.  And Isabel Ashdown’s lovely novel ‘Glasshopper’ (Myriad Editions) appeared earlier this year.  Again – one of my favourite reads of the year and not just because I know her! ( http://isabelashdown.com) )  

 Very special mention needs to go to my other novelist friend Deborah Swift.  A fellow historical fiction writer – we met when we were both shortlisted for a prize a few years ago – she lives and works  in Cumbria.  .   I absolutely  loved her novel ‘The Lady’s Slipper’, (Macmillan New Writing) set in seventeenth century Westmoreland, and would recommend it highly.    (http://www.deborahswift.co.uk/)   

Right through the ages, creative people have banded together, and gained strength and support from each other – and, certainly in my experience, it’s still going on!  I feel very fortunate.