Phoebe Morgan Writers Tips
Phoebe Morgan is an author and editor. She studied English at Leeds University after growing up in the Suffolk countryside. She has previously worked as a journalist and now edits crime and women’s fiction for a publishing house during the day, and writes her own books in the evenings.
Today Phoebe shares her writing tips for aspiring authors.
I think it’s very important to read a lot, get to know your genre, find out what works and what doesn’t work. I’d also suggest getting your work read by beta readers or joining a writing group that might help critique your manuscript – it’s always good to get other opinions and find out if what’s in your head makes sense on the page! Don’t be afraid of editing your book, either – get your first draft down and then go back through it, again and again, moving chapters around or making cuts where necessary. No one ever writes a perfect first draft so the editing process is something you need to get used to.
Read more about Phoebe and her writing journey
Perfect mother. Perfect wife. Jane Goodwin has spent years building her picture-perfect life in the quiet town of Ashdon. So when the girl next door, sixteen-year-old Clare Edwards, is found murdered, Jane knows she must first protect her family. Every marriage has a few white lies and hers is no exception. Jane’s worked hard to cover up her dark secret from all those years ago – and she’ll do anything to keep it hidden… ‘The Girl Next Door’ is Phoebe Morgan’s second book but this is the first book that I’ve read by her. It’s a thrilling story with multiple narratives that give an interesting slant to the story. The story is seen through the narrative of teenager Clare leading up to her death and then from the perspective of her next door neighbour Jane and the detective investigating her death. To the outside world, Jane has the perfect life married to the local GP, a man most of her female friends lust with a glamorous lifestyle but behind closed doors Jane leads a very different life. She’s anxious and always on edge and wearing long sleeved tops. Meanwhile, DS Madeline Shaw is trying to piece together Clare’s last minutes alive but there are a lot of unanswered questions and suspects that makes Madeline think that Clare’s killer is closer to home, despite what the local community are saying. I really enjoyed this story and thought the multiple perspectives were a clever addition especially Clare’s insight, which gave a completely different version of her life to what others thought. It was fast paced, riddled with suspense and suspicious characters that made everyone a suspect in the chilling tale. A sharp and well plotted story that really pulls the reader in, ‘The Girl Next Door’ is a dark story weaved with secrets and lies made for compelling reading. You can buy ‘The Girl Next Door’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.
The Girl Next Door By Phoebe Morgan
‘The Girl Next Door’ is the latest book by Phoebe Morgan.