Monday Minx – Sally

My turn (gulp). I’m very happy to be a Minx. Before I was a Minx, I was writing on my own, not telling anyone I was a writer as I churned out my first couple of novels. Four or five years ago, I decided to get serious about my writing, and at that point everything changed for me. First I acknowledged that I was a writer. Told people that I wrote, claimed it. I went on a number of writing courses, and met other like minded people and learned a lot. I write Romance and also crime, and decided to target Mills and Boon.
I’d written my first ‘M&B novel’ before I attended a full day ‘writing a Mills and Boon’ writing course given by Inkwell Writers in Dublin. It was a great day, given by Abby Green and Trish Wylie, with Jenny Hutton, Mills and Boon editor in attendance. I learnt a lot that day, and it really helped focus my writing.

A while later, Trish was writing a ‘not at nationals’ post on her blog, and contacted me, asking me to either contribute to her blog for a ‘newbie’s view’ or to start my own blog, which she’d link to. I chose the latter option, and made the jump into the blogosphere.

I met various of the minxes this way. Admired their humour and mastery with words. Found great friendship and validation of my writing journey through it. And after the last Mills and Boon competition, while nursing my rejection letter, decided to take something positive from it, and the Minxes were born.

As a writer, I’m never finished learning. There’s always something new. I’d had critique partners before, and found it so valuable to analyse someone else’s work, and so helpful when someone looked over my own that I was eager for the experience and opportunity that the Minxes provide. What I hadn’t expected is the sheer joy of being a Minx. We pick each other up when we’re down. Give each other kicks up the pants when we need it, get together on Skype to brainstorm plots and thrash out character flaws. Its great. Now, with our blog, we’re meeting other writers and editors and growing as writers. And having fun, because at the end of the day, being happy is what it’s all about!