In this post, we’ll be hearing from the delightful Anne Wilkins, contest-winning writer of science fiction and horror, based out of New Zealand. Anne shares her experience with writing contests, anthologies, and persisting past letters of decline. Anne also opens up on the personal side of balancing writing with life events, family, and career decisions.
Anne, you’ve got heaps of writing achievements! Multiple contest awards, several runner-up spots and honorable mentions, and an ever-growing list of publications. How long have you been writing and what made you decide to enter competitions?
Oh wow, that’s so kind of you to say because I still very much feel like a beginner. I was that kid that loved creative writing in school, from primary right through to high school, but by the time I got to university there was no time for it. All I ended up doing at university was essays, most of them very boring (Land Law — I’m looking at you). Then fast forward to a career where I was a family lawyer, and I was kind of writing stories, but true ones, in affidavit form.
When I had children, I think I finally had the time and the head space to write creatively again. Most of my beginning stories were written for my children, stories about cats, fairies, witches. I realised how much I missed that creative side of my life — the joy you get from coming up with an idea, and transforming it into a story for someone to read.
During this time, around 2014, I wrote a children’s novel, but wasn’t really sure what to do with it. I sent it off to a competition, and was really disheartened when it didn’t get anywhere. I also wrote a few short stories, sending them off to a couple of competitions here and there, but largely getting nowhere.
I put those writing dreams on hold (again) and retrained as a primary school teacher. Then after about two years of teaching, an ad popped up in my Facebook for Deadlines for Writers. It’s a group where you’re committed to writing a story every month, with a given prompt and word count. It was free. I thought, why not, and I signed up. This forced me to write regularly, and realise that I could write, work full time and be a mum all at the same time. Previously I’d just thought, “That’s too hard,” but it wasn’t.
Gradually I think my writing skills started to improve, and I started to search out a few competitions. A win, a placing, a highly commended, or making a shortlist or longlist was all the encouragement I needed to keep going and keep trying. I think now I’m slightly addicted to competitions— I love the “deadline” factor and being given a prompt to write to, as it forces me to sit down and write.
What has been the most surprising thing about participating in writing competitions?
Well, I’m always pleasantly surprised if I place because I know I’m going up against some great stories, from great authors. The competition is fierce! If I do place, I feel that’s a pat on the back and someone’s telling me, “Good job.”
It’s a form of validation in a way; it takes a lot of guts to actually write a story and then put it out there for someone else to read, so if someone has actually liked something I’ve written then it makes me feel on top of the world. Until the next rejection…
Anne, you work as a primary school teacher while raising two teenagers. How do you find time for writing?
Good question. Have you seen the dark circles under my eyes? I basically live on coffee. In fact that’s all I am, a coffee with skin on top.
I suppose I write when I can, and when I want to. Luckily my family is very supportive. My husband is a saint, and he and my children proofread all my stories for me, so I’ve forced them to become involved. My youngest daughter Julia also writes, my oldest daughter Rebecca did for a while, and my husband likes to say he’s a published author as he had a six word story published once (yes, you read that right… six… words).
My best time to write is on the weekends, or in the school holidays. After school, I find I don’t have the right headspace. After school is a good time to submit things, not for creating things.
When writing a new draft, are you a plotter or a pantser? What does your process look like?
I’m leaning more towards being a pantser. I normally have a vague idea where I want the story to go, but sometimes it doesn’t end up where I expect it to. In an ideal world I like to sit on something for a while, letting ideas percolate like a good coffee, and during that time I need to visualise things in my head, like a movie.
The first few paragraphs are really important for me to get right, and if I don’t have them right the story can be a real slog where I’m always checking the word count.
What are your all-time favourite books? What book(s) are you reading now?
Stephen King – all his books, Raymond Feist – The Magician, Justin Cronin – The Passage, Bryce Courtenay – The Power of One, and plenty more.
The last book I read was a couple of months ago, and it was The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. I should be reading now, but it’s also school report writing time, so you know…
How did it feel when you first sent your writing to submission calls for publication? What helped propel you forward in order to persist in submitting your work?
Daunting, and it took so long to prepare and send off. Then there was the eagerly awaiting, and then the disappointment when it was a rejection, followed by the self doubt. I’m much better now— I have a couple of versions of a standard cover letter so that’s just a copy and paste job, and I try to just “get back on the horse” when the rejections come in and not take it personally.
I belong to a lovely writing discord group and we celebrate our rejections because every rejection means we’re actively trying to get our work out there, rather than having it sitting on our computers.
From time to time, it is natural for writers to experience a creative slump. What’s your go-to activity to help the words flow when a writing project seems stuck?
In the middle of this year it was very hard, as my Mum passed away in June. Words just didn’t come, but tears did. I think during those times you just have to give yourself time. Then start off slow, and build up again.
Other times what helps me are things such as walking in the sand with the tide lapping in, driving in the car, taking a long shower, walking in a forest, a slow jog, and sleeping. Sometimes we’re so busy that you need that time to reset so your ideas can really take shape.
Anne, what’s the most surprising comment or suggestion you’ve received on your own work? How did it help you grow as a writer? What advice do you have for emerging writers about receiving feedback on a piece of writing?
I once received a rejection from a magazine with comments from three different readers. Each comment was so different, from one that had liked it, to another that had suggested some smallish changes, to another that basically said it needed to be completely overhauled (written in a different perspective, and starting at a different time).
I think that was just a valid reminder that not everyone is going to like your stories all the time, and everyone has different opinions. Sometimes one person might not like your story, but that’s not to say that someone else might love it.
Submitting short stories for consideration in anthologies is a burgeoning trend. What recommendations or cautions can you share with early career writers on this subject?
The idea of holding a physical book in your hand that has your story in it is very appealing. I have some stories in paper books, and some in online anthologies, but would love to have more!
My first published story was a children’s story, called New Neighbours, which was published in an anthology called The Best of Twisty Christmas Tales. I think from my experience, there is an expectation that you’ll promote the book through your own social media channels which is fair enough. You’re often given a free copy of the book and usually a small payment, or sometimes the proceeds go to a charity.
I also have a story called “The Provider” in an anthology called Twisted Tax Tales, and this was interesting, as there were two ways to get published in that anthology. The first was where the people publishing the anthology liked your story (luckily mine was one), and the second was by popularity through Facebook voting. At the end of the day I suppose publishers want their books to sell, so if you have a strong social media following that counts in your favour, as they’re hoping your followers will buy your books.
Unfortunately it’s not always just about good writing, it’s about marketing and getting those books to sell.
And lastly, all anthologies will have a contract for you to sign — read it carefully, and make sure you’re not giving away copyright. You can also check out WriterBeware for any scams or disreputable organisations.
Do you have plans to explore other forms of writing outside short fiction?
Yes. I’d love to write some young adult books. I’d also love to get some of my middle grade novels published some day. They’re sitting on my computer taking up valuable space.
Since high school I’ve had an idea for a sci-fi novel, and I tried writing about it, but the idea was just too big for my sixteen-year old self. I’d love to revisit that idea too.
Anne, what can we expect to see from you in the near future? Any new developments?
Well, I’m not sure. I’m pretty tired. This year I’ve submitted more stories than any other year, and with the passing of my Mum in the middle of all that I’m surprised I’ve managed to keep going. I think writing is a part of me now, and when I’m not writing I feel a little lost.
I start teaching at a new school next year, and it will take me a little while to learn new ways of doing things so I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself. I’ll just keep tinkering away, writing stories essentially for me, and hoping other people will like some of them.
More from Anne Wilkins online:
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Pauline Shen 