A retrospective lesson from a decade of freelancing — I started freelance writing without a clue — isn’t that how most of us begin? We flail around writing for a pittance and try to build up a portfolio that someone will deem worthy of a few extra bucks. Then, we wait for someone to pay us more. We whisper…

Look, do you want to or not? — You don’t need new information to achieve whatever you want — you already know how to do it. So I’m not going to bring you quick fixes that you haven’t heard of, magic steps that you didn’t realise you had to take or tips that the rest of the internet…

When something becomes your identity, it might be holding you back — In the summer of 2022, I found myself increasingly dwelling on the reality of what my freelance business had become. I was working with a fantastic new client — a household name — and whilst the work was fun, I kept getting flashforwards. Y’know, the futuristic sibling of the flashback. …

Our expectations are our biggest enemy — I can’t count how many times friends and acquaintances have told me that they want to run but can’t. It’s too hard, they’re out of breath too quickly, they just can’t form the habit, can’t get out the door. I always want to shake them and yell ‘IT’S NOT YOU!’ …

Give yourself permission to be free — I don’t remember when I first heard the term ‘creative writing’ but it was a very long time ago. I was the kind of child who, like many, lost themselves in books and wrote stories that reflected the excitement I wanted in my own life. …

Let’s get back to basics — I was speaking on a networking panel last year and was introduced in an awkward way. Before the panel, I’d told the chairwoman a bit about the background of my work – I was a non-fiction author and content writer. All good, I thought. …

It’s not all rejections and J.K. Rowling comparisons — Hi there! I’m Kitiara, I’m 33 years old and am the author of six books, four of which are traditionally published already or due to be published traditionally in 2022. I expect to sign at least one more book deal this year, likely more. If I’d read that paragraph when…

The obstacles in my path were put there by me — They say that hindsight is 20:20 and I’m inclined to agree. When it comes to building a career as a writer, I had no idea how much my own attitude affected my work and progress. …

And why you can’t — Do you have a folder of novel openings? Have you got three chapters into your memoir and, somehow, five years has passed? Do you start books fully believing that you can finish them and then…well…end up abandoning them, afraid that they’re not good enough, original enough or just enough? I…