New Year, new direction

In September 2012, I announced that I was laying this blog to rest. I'd said everything, many times; I was tired, and I needed to focus on other work, focus on trying to earn a living. I was also starting another blog, a more general one, though including writing advice, over on my main website.

A year later, in September 2013, three months ago now, I announced that Crabbit was back. That I'd be straddling two blogs, that I couldn't hold myself back from giving advice here.

I shouldn't have said it. Blogging is incredibly time-consuming, all-too-consuming. In December, I took a look at my workload for 2014, my hopes and wishes, and realised that this free advice for writers has to stop, much as I enjoy it. So, I'm stopping again. I've deleted a few posts, including book recommendations, but left all the advice here for you. It's all free.

A side-effect of giving advice is that people ask for more. The more one gives, the more people ask. My email box fills up with people who haven't read the blog but who've heard I give advice, and who ask me for free individual advice, disregarding the fact that actually, you know, I have to eat. And sleep. And work. From now, my reply will be, "I don't give free advice except for the million+ words on my blog. Or, perhaps, you could buy my books? Because if you want to be a writer, you have to understand the model: if people don't buy books, writers can't be published."

For me, 2014 is the year of The Teenage Guide to Stress, which will be published in the summer, and I'm focusing on big events/in-service training on the adolescent brain and stress, with bookings flowing in nicely. I'll also carry on critiquing manuscripts for Pen2Publication, though I'll only take one client a month. And, behind the scenes, I'm working on some fiction.

I'll also be working on my health. I'm not ill, but if I carry on sitting on my backside all day I will be. People who sit down too much die too young. I plan to avoid that. Actually, I looked into a standing-desk! But instead of a standing desk, I'll be 5:2ing my life, using Kate Harrison's book.

If you've valued my advice or enjoyed my fiction, do think about buying any of my books. You can do so from my website if you'd like a signed copy. I also sell most of my ebooks from there. Click the books covers you see on this page, or go straight to my shop.

If you've already bought all you want, thank you - very much! - or if you don't want to buy, that's fine; but do spread the word about what's here: all my advice, over a million words of it, free.

But I'm not.

I'm following my Heartsong. Do join me there, where you'll find me flying the flag for libraries and schools, supporting young people, shouting about the teenage brain and stress, sounding off about things that bug me, and generally being me. With chocolate, fizz and shoes. (I've got my eye on some new boots...)

If you want to be the first to know about competitions, free offers, special deals or where I'll be, then sign up to my brand new newsletter. It will only be once every 6-8 weeks and will focus on valuable information, often about our brains, stress, teenagers, or things to do with books. It won't just be about me! Head over to my website and click the link. The first issue will be in the next few weeks - and I'll be reviewing and offering a freebie relating to 5:2 Your Life.

Happy 2014 to all of you - may you all find time and space and strength and opportunity to follow your own hearts.