How to write a bestseller

Claudia's tips on how to write a novel and get it published:

1. Research your market. Claudia says: 'I knew ''chick lit'' was a growing arena and there was room in the market for more of the same, so I devoured every bit of it I could get my hands on. I also knew, however, that I couldn't just jump on the bandwagon; I needed to have a new spin. The obvious thing for me, with my background, was to write about celebrity.
   'If it all sounds very calculated, that's because it was. I thought about what would sell, what was marketable, what would grab the publisher's attention and what would stand out in a crowd.'
2. If you really want to do it, just start writing. Even if you're not sure what the plot is going to be or what comes next, just get something written down. Claudia says: 'What put me off originally was the idea that I had to have a clever plot. If you can just do good scenarios and interesting relationships, you're well on your way.'
3. Make your first page special. If people aren't grabbed by the first page, they won't go any further.
4. Plan your book. 'I found it very helpful to plan my book chapter by chapter,' says Claudia. 'Some people don't (Stephen King for one), but I think I would have found the whole task too daunting without it. I would've panicked.'
5. Try to write something every day, even if it's just three lines. It helps you keep in touch with the characters and the plot.
6. Don't underestimate the power of the title. Try to think of something original and think hard about it. Don't do it as an afterthought.
7. Don't be inhibited, particularly when writing sex or drug-taking scenes. Says Claudia: 'I couldn't help thinking, "What if my mum reads this?" That's partly why I didn't let anyone read my book apart from my boyfriend, and then only at the very end. Just tell yourself that no one is ever going to read it and you won't feel as if you have to hold back.'