About me

Hey. I'm Beth, a self-published novelist living in Auckland with a love for all things related to writing, cafes, Spain, and Liane Moriarty. I live with 5 humans, including my partner Daniel, along with a German Shepherd called Banksy and a Rottweiler puppy called Moose (currently 40kg so not really a baby anymore).

My passion lies in writing and creating. I’ve been doing this in some form throughout my whole life: poems as a kid, composing music in a band as a teenager, travel blogging when I took a year off to live in Melbourne and tour Europe, and writing novels ever since I got back.

I write best at cafés. Being surrounded by people with good lighting, some kind of jazz music, and an Americano with cream (single shot), provides the perfect backdrop for my creativity. Writing from different locations energizes me, so I tend to mix it with a variety of cafes, restaurants, bars, and (if I'm lucky) baches. 

To date, I have self-published two novels - my first novel Guidelines, and my second novel Behind Closed Eyes.

I'm at the start of my journey, and this is my first time sharing it with the world. Drop in from time to time if you want to see where I'm at in my process, learn more about my books or how I write, or give my Instagram a follow for the latest updates. I'd love to hear from you.

Writing your own book?

Ideas are one thing, but knowing how to convert them into a book is another. It's something I'm still learning, but I like to believe I'm getting better with each draft.

Despite having only written one book (again, self-published), I still often get asked the following questions when people discover I'm an author: "How do you find the time?" "Wow that must take so long." "That's amazing that you actually finished it".

And yes, it does take a long time - or at least, it takes me a long time. I've heard of authors churning novels out in 6 months, but for me it takes years. Yes, YEARS.

Like any long-term goal, I've found that having a routine helps. I come into town an hour early every morning and spend 45 mins writing before work. I don't always get to it. Sometimes life admin, uni, a desire to plan my next holiday, or just plain exhaustion means I spend this precious time cruising the internet, occupied with other things.

But when I do force myself to open my trusty Word doc and start, I always get something down. Some days it's two pages, other days it's two sentences. It depends where I'm at - if I've left off at the end of a chapter and need to think about how to start the next one, or if I've left off at the climax of a scene (way more fun).

The hard part, I’ve found, is knowing when to push yourself and when to give yourself a break. Sometimes I push through, and when my brain reluctantly agrees to get off Instagram or whatever other procrastination I’ve engaged and put pen to paper, I find I can do it. Other times, I decide not to push, and focus my energy elsewhere.

I think there is a lot of wisdom in balancing the energy we put out and the energy we take in. If I spend too long producing and spending energy, such as by working, running, talking, I need some time to absorb energy back in, which I usually do by walking, reading, spending time alone, having a spa or a massage. Writing is a weird mix of the two for me. It takes energy to write, yes, but it also energizes me.

In the end, if you're looking to write a book, the main piece of advice I can give you is this: start, and keep going. Even if it's hard, or you hate it, or you doubt yourself, or the end seems to far away. Keep going. You're not going to get worse.

I listened to an experienced writer speak at the Writers Festival this year, and he left the audience with this quote: "The only difference between a real author and someone who wants to be an author, is that a real author actually finishes the book".

Further Enquiries 

If you would like to book a coaching session, speaking arrangement, or call to discuss being a reseller of my books, you can get in touch through bookings@bethsketcher.com