Bringing an Idea to Life

Author and book coach Stuart Wakefield’s book, Out In the Cold, has been published, so we sat down with him to hear about and celebrate his experience.

What are you most proud of in terms of this book’s journey?

I got to work with fellow book coaches, both those in training and those certified! Kathy Johnson, Margaret McNellis, and Leanne Phillips all volunteered as beta readers after I posted about the story in the Romance and Historical Fiction group [in Author Accelerator’s Membership Circle]. They all had positive things to say, all commenting on a particular phrase as their favourite. That gave me a huge boost in confidence. Then it was deciding to make an audiobook from the story that also exists in the "Snapshorts: Collected Stories" anthology. The other writers all gave me their blessing and then the excitement really kicked in!

What moment are you most looking forward to in the publication process?

For me, an audiobook can really bring a story to life and I was lucky enough to find a narrator, Henry Jones, who could do just that. We worked on the main character's voice so it matched what I had in my head. I spent many years in the theatre, so I'm happy working with actors. Because of that, I'm most looking forward to a "reader's" reaction to my words in Henry's voice.

Was there ever a moment of doubt about the book?

I'd originally drafted the story as a novel with a sci-fi setting as opposed to 1887 and in the Old West. When the opportunity came up to submit a story to an anthology with the theme 'photograph', I knew the basic story was right but that it needed a huge overhaul. I wouldn't normally rework something like that, but I was confident I had something there. But there's always doubt. Had I got the facts right? Had I got the vernacular right? It's one thing writing historical fiction set in your own country, but in another? That was terrifying. Luckily for me, Kathy has expertise in the area and time period, and she was able to help me get all of that right.

What is your favorite passage from the book?

When I go to my room, my Bible’s on my pillow. The leather cover’s cold. I hold it to my face, hoping to smell his hands on it or his breath on its pages. I should be glad to have it back, but now it’s like having God in my room, his eyes on me, scolding me for all my failures and loneliness. It’s a long time before I get to sleeping.

What did you do to celebrate the news?

I drank gin and had a little cry.

What’s next for the book?

Marketing, marketing, and more marketing. I’ll get some promo codes, gift some to the amazing coaches who helped me, then plan a giveaway.

What are the next steps in your career?

I'm working on a Creative Writing PhD proposal, and I'm working on the second series of a TV show I finished last year. The first series is airing soon, and I'm keen to see what other doors that might work me. I'm also working on a stage play about a girl with Trichotillomania and balancing the pathos with a good dose of comedy. If I can tell people I've written for stage, page, and screen.

Would you recommend book coaching to get to this point in the writing journey?

Absolutely. I've worked with coaches on other stories and, in my experience, the value they've added far exceeds that of any developmental editor I've worked with. The difference is like night and day especially the one-to-one video conference calls.

In the great scheme of things I don't think books on writing are that useful and I have 57! Writers need someone to talk with, to bounce ideas off, to guide them through what they've learned from a book. The Author Accelerator courses are magnificent. I learned more about writing than those 57 books combined. Nothing beats a highly-trained human, whether they've trained alongside you or are coaching you in person.