Welcome!

Hey guys, welcome!  My name’s Saira (pronounced Sarah) Beekhy, and I write supernatural horror and fantasy.  My series, ‘The Prophecy of Four’ is about four women, The Seers, who have a variation of gifts – Ree sees lost souls, Sam unveils the truth, Ash is psychometric, and Caz is precognitive – who are prophecised as saving humans from evil entities.

Writing is a satisfying achievement and when I hit my goal of 1,000 words a day, I feel excited that the world I am creating is slowly coming together. With Psoriatic Arthritis and permanent nerve damage from a slipped disc, pain and side effects do make writing every day difficult, but I focus on the aspect of routine within flexibility and with a few adaptations, I soon find my way through and most weeks, achieve my aim.

I currently work on a small desk in my bedroom, so my daily commute is quick to say the least, particularly for North London! Stephen King wrote his first novels in the laundry room of his trailer.  While Agatha Christie famously said “all you need is a chair and a table and a typewriter and a bit of peace”. So it doesn't really matter where you write, as long as you’re comfortable and productive.

If you are interested in building a career from writing, invest in the craft.  I have attended workshops with Writers and Artists, and Eventbrite – which is where I found my mentor and friend, Dr Charlotte Baker, who has provided support to develop my voice and style. I was stuck in the old style of writing (more descriptive and telling) and had to re-learn how to write;   although the ‘show, don’t tell’ aspect is still a challenge. She recently told me about the 20-20 method, which I use as one adaptation to help continue to work on the not-so-great days. You write for twenty minutes, then do something completely different for the other twenty minutes. Then repeat. It takes me a few hours to write a thousand words, so I need to focus to cut the time down.  My mind tends to wonder – a side effect of my drugs. 

I also Free Write; a pre-writing technique which uses a timer and a topic, and then writing without stopping.  Pick a photo or picture for inspiration, or you can even journal.  The rule is, your pen has to stay on the page for that length of time.  If you get stuck, you can re-write the last sentence until you can move on – this usually happens no more than four times. It boosts confidence, honesty in writing, develops your voice as well as inspiring creativity. Through regular practice, I’ve found the results very interesting!

I’m hoping to get published in 2027, so wish me luck! And join me for the ride….!