Long, long ago….
Long, long ago there was a day following years of writing when I landed in queryland to seek an agent and publisher, got x 7 Full requests, and…I started dreaming that maybe, one day, I’d be holding my book in my hand on launch day!
Do all writers dream of this?
Today I celebrate another step! My Pocket Novel is out in the world!
What is a Pocket Novel? Well, it’s a shorter novel, usually with larger print, that fits in a pocket!
The Romantic Novelists Association shorter novel term from their Awards page:
For shorter romantic novels, serials or novellas. These may range from magazine serials and short stories of no less than 30,000 words to shorter novels of no more than 70,000 words approximately. Entries may represent any aspect of the romantic genre and can be set in any time period.
(Generally from what I’ve seen those RNA Shorter Novel Awards usually comprise of Harlequin, Mills and Boon, and D.C.Thomson Pocket Novels)
and Large-print publisher Ulverscroft from their Instagram page:
There's more to Large Print than meets the eye...
It can make reading easier, calmer and more accessible for so many different people – including those with neurodivergence, dyslexia, or who are reading in English as a second language.
Sometimes, the best format is the one that feels easiest.
And for many, that’s Large Print.
So, what is The Sweetest Thing?
I call it a Pocket Novel, a shorter novel. It contains all the elements of a longer novel but in a short form! Mine appeared in larger print and received a lovely illustration by Manon at The People’s Friend. All the details of what D.C.Thomson/People’s Friend look for in a Pocket Novel can be found on their website. It was a delight to write and the length was just right for Bianca and Callum’s story.
So, now it’s out in the world, what now?
Most surprisingly, I was asked to do an interview by The People’s Friend magazine on why I wrote a Pocket Novel and that appeared online on X/Twitter and their website yesterday! You can read that interview via the link at the bottom of my newsletter!
It was fun to look back and see the journey that this story has been on (and you can read all about that in my previous post, here: )
WRITING A SHORT STORY LED TO A NOVEL!
Eek! My pocket novel will appear on supermarket shelves this week!
Doing the interview, got me thinking.
Apart from celebrating with my nearest and dearest - how will I celebrate this milestone?
Photo by Jackie Morrison: Blue Le Crueset mug and my chocolate-coloured nails
First things first:
I painted my nails a deep chocolate colour! This is because much of the story evolves around chocolate and Bianca’s deep relationship with the chocolate region of Italy, and now at Chocolatier Nord, Scotland’s (fictional) most northerly chocolate shop!
then I thought about what else I might do and this is what I came up with:
Have a little family party. We’ve had a tough time lately as Mr.M has been diagnosed with something that means surgery and gruelling treatment is looming. For now, though, our son will be visiting from London and we can gather with our daughter from Dundee and have a little garden party - if the weather plays nicely!
Chocolate! and Chocolate Cake! I decided I’d have my book cover printed onto the icing of a chocolate cake. What fun! And it’s edible - can’t complain!
Celebrate with writerly friends over lunch and drinks and coffee - let’s stretch it, why not?
Have my book cover made into a print for my wall.
Register my first ever “book” with ALCS - all my other registrations have been “articles/stories”. Yay me!
Go on another trip to the most northerly tip of Scotland because there’s nowhere more wonderful. That one will have to wait until Mr.M feels better.
Go on our planned, cancelled trip to Italy once we are able to.
Pat myself on the back and acknowledge all the weird feelings: elation (although that mostly came at acceptance time!); joy; anxiety; flatness; nerves.
Get on with writing the next one.
All of this means I have a new mantra! It means I know I can do it - I proved to myself I could do it, and so there is no reason I can’t do that again.
You did it. You are doing it again. Future you, thanks present you for doing it.
So, my message to you dear writer (and loudly to myself) is - DO IT. Finish your work.
Edit it and edit it and polish it until it feels right.
When you finish, you accomplish something that few people do. You can feel proud of your accomplishment whether anyone else ever sees it or not. And I strongly advise you to start sending out your work. I realise as writers that we have a particular fear about this:
Will you write better in the future? Sure you will! It doesn’t stop you from submitting work now…and also later. You can give yourself permission to do both. To be both.
Believe me, I have several novels in a drawer - many stories too. But nothing makes me more proud than the folder of finished stories ready for submission - other than the folder of successfully published ones.
Of course, that’s not the proudest thing. I’m most proud of my family! Although I can’t take all the credit for that, hence my writing is my proudest thing, lol!
Photo by Jackie Morrison: Feel-Good Fiction Bookazine, The People’s Friend Weekly and Pocket Novel: The Sweetest Thing
FINAL NOTE:
This last week saw FOUR of my pieces of fiction on the supermarket shelf at one time! I wasn’t aware until someone pointed it out to me!
Feel-Good Bookazine with x2 short stories in
People’s Friend Weekly with x 1 short story in
My Pocket Novel: The Sweetest Thing on the shelves for sale
Thanks again for being here and for celebrating my wins with me. I’m here for yours too, so please do share what’s been happening with your own writing! This Post is free to share, so please do share and comment so people can see The Little Writing Corner and join us in talking about our writing!
Lots of love from Jackie in the Little Writing Corner in Scotland x x
LINKS FOR YOU
Romantic Novelists Association (New Writers Scheme if you are unpublished)
Ulverscroft Publishing for large print
D.C.Thomson Publisher Shop: The People's Friend Pocket Novel Subscription
D.C.Thomson Feel-Good Bookazine: Feel-Good Bookazine
Authors Licensing and Collecting Society: ALCS UK
My Writer of the Week interview Writer of the Week Jackie Morrison
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