A Love Letter to the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writer’s Scheme

Writing is a solitary occupation. Anyone who pretends otherwise is fibbing. By the time you read this, I’ll be a published novelist with my debut dual-timeline novel The Forgotten Village. I’ve got a handful of really lovely writing friends, most of them local, some online, a fabulous agent and a wonderful publisher. But rewind two years ago and I wasn’t even writing fiction and I certainly had no writing buddies.

I was a jobbing journalist, a part-time freelance PR and a fairly harassed mum of two very small children. And that, I thought, was me. I had an idea for a novel. As it turns out, a very bad one that I finished, entered into a competition, got shortlisted…and then threw in the proverbial drawer. While lovely to get shortlisted, I knew my first attempt at a novel wasn’t ‘the one.’

I’ll confess that I hadn’t even heard of the Romantic Novelist’s Association (RNA) until I started googling. I knew I needed help and stumbled across publisher website after publisher website wondering how on earth a normal woman with two small kids and zero time went about writing a decent book and actually reaching the unlikely goal of landing a publishing contract. What did these publishers want? Besides a good book, obviously. One small publisher’s submission guidelines asked, ‘Have you had your manuscript professionally critiqued by, e.g. The RNA New Writer’s Scheme (NWS).’

I remember the moment I found this hallowed line. I left the publisher website and went off to that of the RNA. And I’ve never looked back. I had two months to wait until the NWS opened places up and I started writing The Forgotten Village. Having the NWS deadline of summer by which to send my manuscript spurred me on and I finished the book in time for the deadline. Just. On the scheme you submit a manuscript or a partial if you can’t quite get all the words out in time, you get assigned a professional, published author who writes in your genre, they read your work, critique it fully and send you a report. It sounds so simple when put like that but honestly, it’s life changing.

I was assigned a seriously top author. I know this because, while they’re meant to remain anonymous she ‘outed’ herself to me one day on the sly and I almost jumped for joy when I found out it was her. (One assumes they mainly remain anonymous in case you hate what they’ve written in your report and you decide to hunt them down and throw things at them.) But her report highlighted things that needed addressing and things that were spot-on. It was a good mix of phrases such as ‘plotting genius’ and ‘this bit here makes no sense.’

I edited and edited, painstakingly following her suggestions for character and plot development. I must have read the novel that became The Forgotten Village ten times and despite never wanting to look at it ever again, I read it again and again and again. I think, as of today, after structural edits and proof reading I’ve read my own book about twenty times. It’s brilliant. I promise you! Lovely authors such as Liz Fenwick, Kate Riordan, Nikola Scott, Gill Paul and Jenny Ashcroft have read it and said wonderful, glowing things about it. But you will excuse me if I never read it ever again, won’t you?

It was this reading and re reading, the going over old ground with new suggestions from my not-quite-anonymous NWS reader that got me agent attention. I sent the novel off to a few agents who I thought looked like the dream for successful authors in my genre. I was in a completely overwhelming position when I received multiple offers of representation.

A few more edits arrived, courtesy of my wonderful agent, and then off it went to publishers. Would I have got offers from publishers to publish in UK, Canada, USA, Germany and the Netherlands if I hadn’t been lucky enough to have the book critiqued in such an in depth way by the RNA New Writer’s Scheme? No. I think not.

I cannot praise the NWS enough. I’m an unofficial, self-appointed ambassador. I am the flag-flyer for aspiring authors who have no idea what they’re doing. If you write fiction with even a hint of romance look at the RNA NWS. And if you’re lucky enough to secure a prized place, hang on to it for dear life. It will be one of your biggest stepping-stones on the path to publication. It was for me.

—

Lorna Cook is the author of The Forgotten Village, which went through the RNA New Writer’s Scheme. The novel is set in the requisitioned village of Tyneham in Dorset and moves between WW2 and present day as secrets about what happened on requisition day are finally revealed.

Lorna lives in coastal Essex with her husband, two daughters and a staffy called Socks. She owns over 100 cookery books but is far too busy writing to cook.

THE FORGOTTEN VILLAGE

A timeless story of love and sacrifice, perfect for fans of Rachel Hore, Tracy Rees and Kate Morton.

‘I was so absorbed that I read it in a single day’ KATE RIORDAN, author of The Girl in the Photograph

‘A gripping tale of secrets and love… I loved it’ LIZ FENWICK, author of The Cornish House

1943: The world is at war, and the villagers of Tyneham are being asked to make one more sacrifice: to give their homes over to the British army. But on the eve of their departure, a terrible act will cause three of them to disappear forever.

2018: Melissa had hoped a break on the coast of Dorset would rekindle her stagnant relationship, but despite the idyllic scenery, it’s pushing her and Liam to the brink. When Melissa discovers a strange photograph of a woman who once lived in the forgotten local village of Tyneham, she becomes determined to find out more about her story. But Tyneham hides a terrible secret, and Melissa’s search for the truth will change her life in ways she never imagined possible.

‘A coastal village abandoned in wartime, a haunting expression in an old photograph, and a charismatic TV historian: from these raw ingredients Lorna Cook creates an intriguing mystery that will keep you wanting to read more.’
―GILL PAUL

‘Compelling, rich in detail and vividly told, The Forgotten Wife explores love and its darker side against the backdrop of a fascinating and little known slice of WW2 history. Perfect for readers of Rachel Hore and Kate Morton.’
―NIKOLA SCOTT

 

 

Category: On Writing