How I Found Imogen’s Story Inside Myself

On The Table Read, “the best creativity magazine in the UK“, author Ali Fischer writes about what inspired her to write her books, including her new release, Imogen’s Story, an erotic story of psychological abuse and romance.

Written by Ali Fischer

Imogen’s Story

They say everyone has a book in them. I decided I had four.

Back in 2015, I downloaded ‘How to write your first novel’ onto my kindle and started to read it. I’d had an idea. Just an acorn of an idea, really. I also had two boys under the age of five and a full-time job, so writing was a pipedream.

Book Club

Fast forward to 2020 where we found ourselves in the first Covid-19 lockdown. I went from being busy all the time to having time on my hands. Two friends and I started a book club to keep us going. We’d meet up via Zoom every month; it was during one of these sessions that I mentioned my idea for a book. And they didn’t let me forget it. My 40^th birthday was rapidly approaching too, and writing a novel was on my bucket list.

Our book club meetings became book planning meetings, and the Book Club series was born. I wanted to write steamy romance with purpose and thrilling plotlines. I’d also been reading a lot of romance novels and felt like there needed to be more strong female main characters that could inspire women to fight for what they want.

Starting To Write Imogen’s Story

The biggest obstacle in my way was imposter syndrome. What do I know about writing? What makes me think anyone will want to read something I write? Who do I think I am, JK Rowling? Another very good friend of mine gave me a good talking to. What did I have to lose? I owed it to myself to at least give it a go.

Where do you start when writing a book? I read many articles and books on the subject. Do a detailed plan. Don’t do a plan. Do a summarised plan. In the end, I decided to ignore the advice and see what worked for me. Did I have a writing style? I was about to find out. I jotted down a rough idea of what to cover in each third of the book. Then I started writing. I just let the words flow out of me and kept reminding myself that I had to just get something down. It wasn’t going to be perfect, that’s what the editing process is for. So, I wrote, and I wrote. Then I walked away.

I gave myself a week away from it to clear my head. This is my first piece of writing advice. Before you do your first read through, have a break. You’ll get to a point where you can’t see the wood for the trees. When you come back to it, you’ll spot errors, read paragraphs or whole chapters that don’t feel right, or bore you. If you’re bored reading it, your target audience will be too. At the end of the day, you’re writing something with the hope that someone else will read it, and like it. Keep the reader in mind, not your ego.

I read my manuscript a lot. I read it six times and used the online app

Self-Publishing

I had a decision to make. Do I try and go down the traditional publishing route, or do I self-publish it? I researched the pros and cons of both and decided to self-publish. After all my research I settled on a decision based purely on fear. Fear of rejection; fear of failure. If I self-publish, I don’t have a team of professionals telling me it’s not good enough before I’m even off the starting blocks.

I told myself that I was doing this because of a bucket list, and therefore I’d be content to self-publish it, see how it went and potentially walk away. No money lost. I uploaded it onto Amazon for paperback and eBook formats, for free using the resources on KDP to teach me how to do it all.

Second Edition Of Imogen’s Story

Here’s the thing though. People loved it. People started buying it. And I was no longer content to treat it like a bucket list exercise. It was time to have a serious chat with my husband. I was the cover designer, the editor, the typesetter and marketer, but I felt my book deserved more than that. I hired a professional firm to design my cover. I hired an editor and typesetter. I purchased my own ISBN’s so I could control where my book was sold and how it was sold. And the 2^nd edition came to be.

I’ve never felt fear like it. Sending your manuscript to an editor is gut-wrenchingly scary. They know what they’re talking about. They don’t worry about hurting your feelings like your friends might. When I got the editors report back on my manuscript, I cried. Not because they slated it, but because they loved it. And then my husband shed a tear, because he was so proud of me. The 2^nd edition was polished, and I loved it. The new cover was amazing, and I couldn’t wait to see it stand out from the crowd in the romance section.

If you have limited funds, spend them on a cover designer and editor. It really does make all the difference. Truly, it really does.

Imogen’s Story

I wanted to write a book that covered issues that aren’t widely spoken about that impact women every day. I wanted steamy romance with a crime/thriller edge; and I did it. If nothing else, my children will know that you really can achieve anything if you put your mind to it. Everyone has a book in them, you just have to find the courage to let it out.

Imogen’s Story covers issues of gaslighting, stalking, and psychological abuse, but more than that, it shows you that there is hope for a brighter future. Imogen’s Story is full of spice, relatable characters, banter and action and is not to be missed.

Find more from Ali Fischer:

Get To Know Ali Fischer https://youtu.be/mpQSsavMLiE

Link to Imogen’s Story on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Imogens-Story-Book-Club-ebook/dp/B09SLTZ1B4

Link to Imogen’s Story book trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB1bxldEwUY&t=9s

Ali Fischer facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AliFischerAuthor

Ali Fischer Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/AliFischerAuthor

Ali Fischer TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@alifischerauthor

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