Pointing your lap in the right direction! by Jane Walters

I want to talk about opportunity this month, since it applies to every aspect of writing, from getting the chance to do any, to what to do with it when you’ve managed it. I want to share a little from my own experience of how opportunities can be created. Of course, some invitations and openings do sometimes land in your lap from nowhere but, the vast majority of the time, you have to at least have your lap pointing in the right direction. It’s not a pretty picture, but you get the idea.

My biggest break in writing came almost out of the blue. I was the “plus one” at a Christmas meal, not really knowing anyone but thrilled at the simple chance to dress up and leave the house. I enjoyed the convivial atmosphere and told anyone with the misfortune of coming near me the tale of how I’d just been on a writing retreat and how it had changed my life. Simple party banter. However, someone overheard me that night and, within eight weeks, I had secured a regular monthly slot on our local BBC radio station. All because I said yes to going to a “do.”

My new-found love of radio led me to make regular appearances on Premier Radio. How? Like this: I sent a tweet to them saying, almost literally, “Hello. I do some stuff on BBC Radio Norfolk, can I do some for you?” To my surprise – and possibly theirs – they replied almost straightaway. Affirmatively. I didn’t even know how Twitter worked.

When my book was published in 2018, I was doing the round of interviews, one of which was at UCB. After we’d done the recording, I was about to be shown out when, with a thumping heart, I asked if I could write anything for them. Within an hour, I was in a meeting with the station producer who signed me up for their hourly God Spots, even suggesting a set of topics.

Before you respond with, “well, it’s alright for you, but…” I want to interrupt with the fact that I was excruciatingly shy as a child – terrified of an audience, of standing out in any way. As an adult I still get flutters. But here’s the thing: we’ve only got one life. If, like me, you want to spend that life being a writer, it may be time to take some risks. Look for opportunities, constantly. Where there don’t seem to be any, think how you can create them. See who you can hook up with – ACW is a great starting point! For example, I got an agent because a friend in ACW introduced me to her.

So, here’s the recommendation:

Shoulders back.

Deep breath.

Ask for what you want.

Say yes to what is offered.

Let the adventure begin!

Jane Walters is the author of Too Soon, a mother's journey through miscarriage (Jane Clamp, SPCK). She writes short reflections for radio, Bible commentaries for BRF and is a signed novelist at Intersaga Literary Agency. In non-pandemic seasons, she leads writing retreats for aspiring writers.