2024: a retrospective
Looking back in order to look forwards – a 2024 round-up
Looking back at 2024
As I start thinking about what I want to write about in 2025, I thought I’d take a look at what you liked reading the most in 2024. The most popular of my posts last year represent a mixture of the two sides of me: historical fiction author and copy/line editor.
Amongst the posts about research into the Second World War and chat about historical fiction in general were those about words to avoid when writing and those we love to hate.
And here they are…
Back in February, I talked about this superb tip from copy editor extraordinaire Benjamin Dreyer about avoiding these dreaded words – you know, the ones that slip from our spoken language into what we type.
At the end of May, I shared the launch of TimeHoppers, the historical fiction community that I’ve created with fellow hist fic author Rachel.
In the summer, I asked you about what you consider the most annoying word that others use – take a look to see the poll results.
And in the autumn, I shared one of my favourite aspects of writing historical fiction: all the little gems that pop up during the research process. And this is my personal favourite of the newsletters that I wrote in 2024.
What would you like to read most from me in 2025? Drop a comment in reply to this newsletter to let me know!
What I’ve been up to recently
Again, I’ve been looking back, but this time at my year as a whole, thinking about the ups and downs. And I came to the conclusion there were more ups, which is a pretty good way to end one year and start the next.
Unfortunately, one of the lows was the reverse of one of the highs: an agent requested the full manuscript of The Third Letter (yay!) but then sent a very kind rejection (a boo!) a couple of weeks later. It was of the “I liked it but I didn’t love it enough” variety, which feels very much the equivalent of the “it’s not you, it’s me” break-up. And it’s left me wondering what I can do about that.
One key decision was to keep on with writing the next novel.
Christmas and New Year put paid to any writing, although I did manage to write a new opening scene for the second novel before all the celebrations kicked off.
It’s something that draws more on how my main character, Vee, is developing as I write more of the story, and I hope gives a stronger picture right up front of who she is, what she wants, and why she won’t get it – or at least not in the way she thinks she should.
It’s with my critique group now to read and comment on over the next couple of weeks, so I’m sitting here with fingers crossed, hoping that it lands right.
On the bedside table
The Berlin Letters – Katherine Reay: A dual-timeline hist fic novel set in 1960s East Berlin and 1990s Washington DC, following the story of one family separated when the Berlin Wall went up.
My Favourite Mistake – Marian Keyes: I love a good Marian Keyes novel. The laughter and tears, the love and the heartbreak. I can never say no. And even more so as she signed this one for me at a book event here in Stockholm. And she was just as charming and witty and wonderful as you might imagine.
Normal Women: Nine Hundred Years of Making History – Philippa Gregory: This fascinating collection of stories and tales of women of the past shows that we’re not so very different from people of centuries past. And surprisingly, that some time periods weren’t as oppressive for women as we might believe. (Although they are, of course, outnumbered by the many that were.)
You can check out what is on my TBR or pick up copies of my recent reads at Bookshop UK (affiliate link) if any have piqued your interest.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this, why not tap the heart up there at the top or down at the end of this email ❤️
Until the next time,
If you like this newsletter, you can buy me a virtual coffee - coffee always keeps me going ☕
I'm so happy to have discovered your writing this year! Looking forward to more of your words in 2025. (And happy new year!)