Gail Gilbride-Bohle

Gail Gilbride-Bohle is a dedicated reader of allaboutlove.net, and a keen writer of romance. She has written several short stories, some of which can be found on our site. She has completed our Preparation course, our basic Romance Writing Course and is busy with our Advanced Guide. With our feedback, she has already written five chapters of her first novel.

As an incentive to other would-be writers, we are introducing her to you here – perhaps you will identify with her triumphs and her struggles, as she tries to make herself the best writer she can possibly be.

1.Tell us a little about yourself and why you love writing.

I am a Communication Skills lecturer at CPUT and a part-time writer of romantic stories.  I have always loved writing and find it easier than speaking. Writing allows me to express my feelings and to create imaginary worlds. It is also so much cheaper than therapy.

2. What grabs you about writing Romance?

I am a hopeless romantic and I think falling in love is one of life’s greatest experiences. I enjoy expressing emotions and bringing them to life on the page. Perhaps I like writing in this genre, because I can create beautiful love stories which might not have worked out quite so well in real life.

3.You’re a highly educated professional woman. In some circles, there is still the old fashioned stereotype of Romance readers being less educated. What do you think of that idea? What is the appeal of Romance and why do people read (and write) it?

I’d like to turn that concept on its head. Life is about heart as well as head.  I think if you get stuck solely in your head, you miss out on the spice of life.

Being human involves engaging with your emotional side and opening yourself up to falling in love, at whatever age! I think people read and write romance because we need it in our lives.

4. What do you find most difficult to achieve in writing generally?

I find pulling all the different strings together the most difficult part.  Jumping into the different scenes is easy, but actually linking them all up properly is hard. That’s where allaboutlove’s courses have come in.  The editing has been superb and has really steered me in the right direction.

5. What’s the most difficult part of writing the novel you are busy with?

The most difficult part is stealing time during the day. The next difficulty is pacing myself.  I tend to want to blurt out the story all in one fell swoop.  I am learning to give each scene its rightful due and not to “underwrite.”

6. What are you enjoying the most about writing your first novel?

I am really enjoying putting each completed and edited chapter to bed. I feel as if I should have a glass of bubbly after each one! The sense of achievement is tremendous.  I am not allowing myself to go back and prune madly.  That will only happen when I’ve completed the whole novel.

7. Do you find that your writing improves the more you write?

Yes, definitely.  I trust my writing more now than I did when I started.  My voice is still developing but I think it’s not as timid as it was at first.

8.. What secrets have you learned, in the past year, that have improved your writing the most?

Top of the list is “show don’t tell!”  It sounds easy, but it takes time to really understand it. Write first and edit later. Don’t give in to “writer’s block.”  Just write, even if it feels a bit forced.

9. What do you think the most important thing is, in writing well?

I think it’s important to allow yourself to just write, to allow your true feelings to emerge and to write from the heart. If it really comes from the heart, it will be good. I think it is also important to lock your ego up and learn from your editors.

10 Do you ever get writers’ block? What do you do about it?

Sometimes.  I make myself write, even if the words emerging sound stupid.  Sooner or later, the block disappears and words flow once more.

11. How does it feel to have written five chapters?

It feels great!  I am so excited about it and I can’t wait to see what my characters are going to do next.  They tend to kick my “beatsheet” to death and follow their own story. (Still – the beatsheet is really useful.)

11. What message would you give to other would-be writers, who long to start their first novel?

Do it!

Just sit down and start writing. You’ll be surprised at what you have inside. After you’ve written a bit, sign up for one of the allaboutlove courses.  You won’t look back.

Don’t let just anyone read what you’ve written. Keep it close to your chest and only allow your editors in.

Write for the joy of writing.

Read The Raft by Gail Gilbride-Bohle

Find out more about our Online Romantic Fiction Writing Courses.