Writer Of The Week: Della Galton


Meet our Writer Of The Week, Della Galton.

When it comes to writing, and teaching about writing, Della is success in motion.

Here she shares with us a little bit about her writing journey.

“Back when I was in my early twenties, I joined an Adult Education class called Writing for Profit and Pleasure. At our first class the tutor asked if anyone had any successes to report. A young woman a little older than me said she had just sold her twenty-seventh story that year to a magazine called ‘Loving’ (which was for teenagers and is sadly now gone).

My life’s purpose

“I looked at her in awe. In that moment I decided this was my life’s purpose to be a published writer just like her. I did actually sell a story quite quickly. This is easy, I thought. Oh, the naivety! It was not easy to sell another story to a magazine, and, if anything, I think it’s harder to sell one today.

“Even though I make my living from writing and have done so for the last fourteen years, I am still thrilled when I make a sale. I have sold over a thousand short stories since I went full time, as well as three novels, a memoir about a dog I brought back from Greece, a diet book and four writing guides. Oh, and I also have a selection of novellas out, which were originally published in magazines as serials. Phew that would explain why I feel tired!

“But I love writing. I can’t imagine a life without it and I love working for the ‘Friend’ because their editors are such a charming bunch of people. Warm and inspiring rather like the stories in the magazine.

I don’t believe you ever stop learning

“Today, I also teach writing classes twice a week during term time in Bournemouth and I lecture at conferences around the UK in the summer. I still attend that same class I joined twenty-seven years ago, because I don’t believe you ever stop learning. And I still find other writers both the ones I teach, and the ones in my class just as inspiring as that first student I ever met.”

You can catch up with Della’s latest story, “Agent Brown’s Mission”, in our September 27 issue.

Visit Della’s website.

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