Amrita C

Overstimulated, underfed, overexcited, undermoisturized, overconfident, underdressed and cold in the middle of an English winter weekend. More queries to send, second now in progress. Let's go!

#5amwritersclub #amwriting #amquerying #writingcommunity #writesky #fictionwriting

Rushing through breakfast, chores, and lunch, and shushing my husband away so I can get back to obsessing over each word that goes into my new blog post. All for my 14 subscribers.

#amwriting #writingcommunity #5amwritersclub #amquerying #fictionwriting

A guide on how to work with beta readers to improve your work and writing skills - https://open.substack.com/pub/ammanc/p/how-i-work-with-beta-readers

No means an expert, but after putting my work out there for years, the one thing that has drastically improved my skills (and tempered my ego) is working with beta readers. Here's a quick how.

open.substack.com/pub/ammanc/p...

#amwriting #betareaders #writingcommunity #5amwritersclub #amquerying

Just want to check something very quickly. Who is your LEAST favourite character in your current WIP and why? Also mention which genre your WIP belongs to.

#5amwritersclub #amwriting #writesky #writingcommunity #amquerying

Thank you so much!

When you take pride in staying updated on all GenZ slang and then start the day with Wordle and you make the mistake of revealing that your nieces and nephews and they happily remind you how uncool you are.

What are we up to today #5amwritersclub?

#writingcommunity #amwriting #amquerying #writesky

Thank you so much!

Thanks Ange! Scared af, but one step at a time, I guess.

a cartoon dog is sitting at a table with a cup of coffee in front of a fire with the words this is fine . ALT: a cartoon dog is sitting at a table with a cup of coffee in front of a fire with the words this is fine .

Hello #5amwritersclub! Went underground and completely off social media to finish the novel and I'm thrilled (and terrified) to announce that I'm ready to start querying. No, I'm not. Wait, yes, I am. Losing my mind, clearly. It is GOOD to be back!

#amquerying #amwriting #writesky #writingcommunity

Ha! Good joke though, my peers will be hearing about it.

Start querying. That's all I can think of right now.

Omfg, fellow maths nerd 😂
I wish I could give this one more than 1 like!

#5amwritersclub but it's the buffer period between Xmas and new year, and you're floating in a colloidal state wondering if the email you sent is of any use or if your edits are making the novel better at all or if you should stuff yourself with leftover pie.

#amwriting #writingcommunity #writesky

Fun fact: When you tell people you've written a novel, they ask what it's about. When you say "decades-spanning impossible love against the Kargil War," they nod politely and change the subject to house prices.

I've learned to lead with house prices.

#amwriting #writigcommunity #writesky #fiction

Good choice!

#5amwritersclub but you will find me in my joggers, wrapped up in a warm blanket, aimlessly moving my mouse around because I am convinced today is Friday instead of Thursday. Rewrites will start this weekend. The horror.

#writesky #writingcommunity #amwriting #amediting #fiction

My first beta reader has now read through the full manuscript. They sent me a summary of their thoughts last night. Excerpt below is one of his earlier paragraphs.

Bawling my eyes out because I don't know how else to react.

#5amwritersclub #writesky #writingcommunity #amwriting #fiction #amediting

Movie you've watched more than six time with a gif. Hard mode: no Stars (either War or Trek), LOTR, or Marvel.

WAY more than just 6 times.....🛩️

"I have fifteen years of writing corporate emails without the use of a single exclamation mark."

Would this be a good bio to to include at the end of a query letter?

#5amwritersclub #writesky #amediting #amwriting #writingcommunity #writerslife #fiction

Do you ever get tired of your manuscript? Bored? Or scared? Or drained of ideas and enthusiasm? Annoyed at the characters? Do you get confused or find yourself at wit's end trying to make it a good book?

#5amwritersclub #writingcommunity #writesky #amwriting #amediting #fiction #fictionlovers

a black and white photo of a person 's hands folded in prayer ALT: a black and white photo of a person 's hands folded in prayer

#5amwritersclub but I woke up at 6 and rushed to work. The last of all the beta reader feedback I'm waiting for is due today. Ants in my pants.

#amwriting #amediting #writesky #writingcommunity

Went down the rabbit hole of stalking authors, clicking on their websites and links, reading their short stories, watching their interviews, and imagining what it'd be like to invite them for a dinner party where they rave about my lamb pulao and tiramisu...

#writingcommunity #amwriting #writesky

#5amwritersclub but I'm just sitting here in awkwardness after I wiped the dust off a query letter I wrote a year ago in a frenzy, when the novel only had two chapters, realizing how cringe it is.

#amwriting #writesky #writingcommunity #writerslife #amediting

a young boy is sitting on a couch with his eyes closed and his hands on his head . ALT: a young boy is sitting on a couch with his eyes closed and his hands on his head .

Working on the last chapter, and these are some of the thoughts I've had so far:
- Hmm, this person should not be the FMC.
- I need to burn this manuscript.
- Nobody is going to read, let alone relate to this garbage.
- Oooh, em dashes 😍

#writingcommunity #amwriting #writesky #writerslife #fiction

I swear if you finish your chores early in the morning then you can have crispy chicken fingers and cocoa for breakfast (for BREAKFAST!!) while you sit and ponder if killing off a main character is worth it.

#amwriting #amediting #writesky #writingcommunity #writerslife #5amwritersclub

Both! Depends on how I'm pacing the story. And you? What helps you decide the opening and ending of chapters?

Not yet, since I've just received feedback from the first set of betas and I plan on another round of editing . But once I'm done, I will be looking for more betas and would be great to get in touch with you then. Do you read literary fiction crossing over to contemporary and the sort?

A photo of Piccadilly Circus in London, United Kingdom

Going into the weekend with a sprained ankle, a front door to paint with a second coat, a conservatory to wallpaper, a blogpost to write on my darling London, and more beta reader feedback on the novel to wade through.

#writesky #5amwritersclub #writingcommunity #amwriting #amediting #fictionlovers

I've always hated writing fight scenes just because I loathe paying attention to the various movements. And tbh, I'm not very good at it. But good luck to you with both!

That is indeed the tricky part of a "cozy" story. All the best for it!