Every week a best-selling writer of crime/psychological thrillers shares their secrets and top tips. This week it’s Nikki Smith.
[I] found it much harder to write [my second book] than my first book in many ways – the time pressure of knowing I had to meet a deadline made the process much more intense.
Tell us about yourself…
I’m Nikki Smith. I studied English Literature at Birmingham University, before pursuing a career in finance. A few years ago, I was contacted via Facebook by someone I was at school with (who I hadn’t seen for over 20 years) to ask if I’d ever done anything with my writing as she still remembered stories I’d read out in class at school. It was a ‘now or never’ moment and I applied for a Curtis Brown Creative course where I started writing my debut novel, All In Her Head, which will be published by Orion on 2 April this year. I live near Guildford with my husband, two daughters, and a Burmese cat called Saffi who thinks she’s a dog. I love red wine and dark chocolate and am passionate about travelling.
How long does your first draft take you?
If I’ve done a proper plan (!) then I can write a (very) rough first draft in 3 months. I try and write 1500 words a day, 5 days a week, but that isn’t always possible. And if I haven’t planned properly, then it can take a lot longer.
Where do you most like to do your writing?
I write at my kitchen table. I have a lovely view of my garden through my patio doors, and love watching how the light changes at different times of the day. It’s also warm, and most importantly, it’s near the kettle for the copious amount of coffee I drink when I’m writing! … TO CONTINUE READING, CLICK HERE
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