Isabel Losada on writing at home

The ups and downs of writing from home

Last week non-fiction writer Isabel Losada told us about the workshops she runs from home in London. Today she talks about her writing:

What are the best bits of what you do, Isabel?
The best bit of what I do is if I have something that I’ve done for a book and I’m writing about it and I know that the writing is going well.  I know it’s going well if it’s just flowing out of me as I’m writing and even I am laughing as I’m reading it.  Parts of my books get pretty absurd so you’ll know what I mean if you’ve read any of them.  The other bit I love is getting random emails from someone I’ve never met that say, ‘You made me laugh out loud on the train/plane/bus.’  I always think that if I die tomorrow my life will have been worthwhile because I made a stranger laugh out loud. That’s wonderful, isn’t it?
 
Anything you’re not too keen on?
Not having a gorgeous man with a highly developed masculine side to share my life/heart/soul/bed with.  But this problem is not, of course, unique to writing. 
Anything about being an author I’m not keen on?  Yes – giving away 90% of what I earn.  This isn’t the way that you normally hear the 10% author royalty described.  But that’s what it is.
Anything else?  Well, yes – an editor I knew once said that she worked in a publishing house where authors are described as ‘the enemy.’ This attitude is more common that anyone except me will ever tell you.  I wish it was not like this.
 
What piece of advice do you give aspiring writers?
For the writing I would repeat the ‘advice to writers’ given by George Orwell – ‘Brevity, Clarity, Precision.’  For life – well, if you don’t LOVE and ADORE writing – don’t do it. If you are one of those writers who has to force yourself to sit down and write, then stop and do something you love because life is very short and we must do what we love.
 
Is there anything budding writers need to know? 
Yes, if you do the job you are going to need to self promote.  So it looks like this… I love my books. (If I don’t, how could I expect anyone to buy them?) The books are wonderful – they are inspiring and they make people laugh.  If you are looking for a great summer read, please have a look at them (see isabellosada.com) and then write to me c/o the site and let me know whether you agree.
And then if you like any of them please don’t buy them on Amazon but find them in an independent bookshop.
Money back from the author if not completely satisfied. Really.

Isabel’s titles include The Battersea Park Road to Enlightenment, For Tibet, With Love and The Battersea Park Road to Paradise, as shown above. They have been translated into 16 languages and sold over 100,000 copies.