Portia MacIntosh

My Constantly Changing Writing Space.

I started writing novels as a way to tell the world about my experiences touring with bands  – something I have been doing since I was fifteen-years-old, and I’m in my mid twenties now. I wanted to tell my stories anonymously, so using them to inspire works of fiction seemed like the best way to do it.

The thing is, when I started working on Between a Rockstar and a Hard Place and How Not to be Starstruck, I had no idea that one day a publisher like Carina would pick them up, so I had to keep up the day job, and I had to keep myself in material. This meant touring with more bands (I’m not complaining, I love it) and trying to fit writing in around that, which was tricky at first.

When Novel Kicks asked me about my writing space, I realised that I didn’t have one. I hadn’t give it much thought, but soon realised that most people have their desk or place where they write and that’s where the magic happens – one thing I can say for certain, I haven’t ever written at a desk.

The truth is that I write where I write. Sometimes I’ll be in bed, on my laptop in the middle of the night. Other times I’ll be on the road and frantically tapping away entire chapters in the notes app on my phone or my iPad. I have even been known to write chunks of my book using a pen and paper.

To some it may seem like chaos that I don’t have a writing space or writing ritual, but I think it’s great. I feel like a double agent, hanging out with rockstars and then secretly using my time with them to inspire my fiction, but I also think it’s a wonderful thing that I have been able to write books in such a chaotic environment. It just goes to show that you don’t need a desk and a hi-tech laptop to write a book. You can be anywhere – at home, in a hotel, on a bus, backstage at a noisy gig… I’ve even made notes on my phone from a club in the middle of the night.

If you want to write books, don’t let anything stop you. You don’t need hours of free time and a quiet study to work in, all you need is something to write with and a fierce imagination. It’s that simple.

Between a Rockstar and a Hard Place is out on 20^th February, ahead of Portia’s debut novel, How Not to be Starstruck, in March.

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.