WRITING SUCCESS

Never Say Never
Whilst thinking about what to write on my blog this morning, I turned to my desk diary to make a note of the things I needed to do today. It's a Collins diary and there is a note of significance written on each day. For instance yesterday it said 'A group of starlings is called a chattering'. What a useful word to know, especially when you want to describe the noise a group of these bird might make. 


Today's entry was even better and it brought a huge grin to my face. Did you know that the oldest début book published was by a lady called Bertha Wood, aged 100? I have stuck to my wall in front of me a similar story about a 93 year old début novelist but it looked like Bertha pipped this writer to the post. Bertha wrote her memoirs, 'Fresh Air and Fun' to coincide with reaching her grand age. So, if like me, you yearn for publication, don't worry you have plenty of time. Though of course I'd like to reach this particular goal before turning 50, my centenary year seems an age away!


Tomorrows entry is not so inspiring, did you know that you are taller in the morning than in the evening because of gravity? No? Well it doesn't inspire me, but I'm looking forward to the next three hundred and forty entries, who knows what they might bring...

Don't Think Just Write

PUBLISH AND BE DAMNED

Having the Courage of your Convictions
As writers we are constantly told to edit, proofread and polish. And good advice it is too. I've been working on a short story submission for an anthology. I buddied up with one of the gang on Writers Abroad - have I told you what a great place ithat is to be? Yes? Oh well, you've been reminded again. Anyway, Alyson and I swapped stories and provided feedback and comments a couple of times. It is so useful having someone else look at your work. Writers get too close to their projects sometimes they can't see even the very blatant errors. Like moving from past into present tense half way through the story, or writing 'would' instead of 'wood' or changing a characters name without realising it. You know the kind of thing I mean. But it could be the difference between acceptance and rejection. With the many thousands of entries that are submitted to anthologies, competitions and magazines, they have to employ some way of sifting through the pile. And this kind of thing is essential. But there also comes a time when you've done all the polishing that you can, when you have to take a deep breath  and either press the 'send' button or let go of the envelope. I did just that eventually today, after I'd asked my Man Friday to do 'one last check'. Good job too, the wily little proofreader picked up another couple of errors. But now it's gone and I can't do any more apart from forget about it and move onto the next project. 
Thanks Alyson (and my Man Friday)!


Don't Think Just Write


Visit Writers Abroad

RECYCLING OLD ARTICLES

Could Pay Off
I have written to date over 100 articles which have been published on Suite 101. The pay isn't fantastic, but it helped to structure my non-fiction writing and I'm not in the position of turning my nose up to a few extra Euros in the coffers. Some of these articles are now two years old, so I have picked four of the most popular, which by the way are management type articles, and have set myself the task of revamping them and submitting them to Constant Content. This site accepts articles, you set a price and condition of use and then you wait for someone to buy them. I've read quite a bit about this site and the main message seemed to be that it took forever to get a purchase but that persistence would pay off. And this week after only my second submission of copy, I received an email to say that someone had purchased it! Well, I was chuffed as you can imagine, so its given me the motivation to keep trying. Again, its not big bucks but as they say 'look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves'. (or the Euro's will).
So never write off an article, brush it down, tart it up and seek an alternative place for it to rest for a while.


Don't Think Just Write

MARKETING YOUR NOVEL

Don't Think Just Write

Publisher or Agent?
As you know I've been touting my first novel out in the scary world of publication. I have submitted it to one publisher and eleven agents, I've had nine rejections and one outstanding. All the rejections have been personally addressed, two of them have indicated the current financial market as a reason for rejection, others that it doesn't fit their current requirements. At least I'm eliciting some kind of response. I get a bit niggled when I've spent time researching their websites and its indicated that they are open to submissions and do represent my genre, but what else can you do?
Anyway, I went with agents mainly in the first instance because a friend of mine (a published author) felt it would be easier if I was represented. However, there are other writers who recommend going to a publisher first. So what would you do and why?

Book Review
Is delayed... I'm almost at the end, but not quite. Patience is a virtue...

REJECTIONS

And they keep coming...

Yep, just recieved my fifth thanks but no thanks from an agent regarding my novel, All Will Be Well.

Will it? I ask a little deflated.

At least they are writing to let you know, my positive side says.

Yeah, but thats the fifth rejection, they said 'not motivated' enough, that means boring, says the negative gremlin.

Ok, thats true, positive peacock retorts, but they do wish me well with finding representation and, yes and, they admit that its a very subjective assessment. (Sticks tongue out...)

Well I still believe it's good enough, look at JK Rowling...

Yeah, yeah, hundreds of rejections and now look - well you ain't no JK...

Onwards and Forwards...


Book Review

The Ice House by Minette Walters



Characters
Three women who live in 'the big house' under great suspicion of the other villagers, a missing presumed dead husband, a half eaten body and a cold dark place at the bottom of the garden. One of the key characters is a disgruntled police seargent, unhappy with life and the force but who does learn how to like himself a little by the end.


Plot
Its a regular 'whodunnit' but Walters keeps us guessing about it all from start to finish. She is very gifted at taking a very simple plot - dead body, very little evidence and one suspect - and weaving and winding her way to take us to different dead ends. He story telling is absolutely a dream and she keeps all the threads together neatly tying off the knots as she goes along.

Setting
In a quintisential but run of the mill English village in present day and with flash backs to ten years previously when the abusive husband of one of the women went missing. The Detective in charge of the recent inquiry was present then and is convinced that she murdered him. The Ice House is a super title which describes both the poor being who is found half eaten by animals and who maybe or may not be the missing man?


Quick Summary
There are lots of little subplots, like the women portray themsleves (well don't deny the rumours) as lesbians. The woman abused has a daughter and son and the daughter harbours emotional problem exhibited through anorexia. The wife of a missing man appears to develop religous and sex manias - which is actually quite sinister and the Detective in charge has something to hide. The community have played a big part in the ostrac...in the ostrac... oh flip, can't spell it but they have shunned the women and my favourite character was Anne Catterel, one of the three women who also happened to be a writer.




Recommendation - Absolutely

SERENDIPITY

Current Work: Admin, Queries management, general tidying up
Listening to: Bertie (the dog) sighing - he's waiting for a walk
Reading: Not sure what next, just finished a Scarpetta novel

Agent Hunting
Don't you just love that word? Serendipity? When I first heard someone use it I thought 'how pretentious!' but now I use it quite a lot. So why I am referring to it today? Well, as you know I have finished my novel, polished my manuscript and exercised my marketing skills to 'sell' my book (it feels as if it is my soul). Anway I digress as usual, but I emailed a writer friend to let her know how I was going on. My friend occupies the revered position of published writer and she offered to have a chat with her agent. And the agent agreed to have a look at my manuscript!! I know nothing is for certain in this life and I know that I am probably heading for a big fall. But, all the same, if feels pretty scary yet exciting. At least its a step forward...Cripes!

Three Cheers for...

• Revisited the Work in Progress - The Good Life with my Man Friday and have re-energised our plan - wrote about 700 words.
• Worked on a short story for submission - one that I'd submitted and had feedback to hope to get it off next week
• Developed a Writers CV, synopsis for All Will Be Well and submitted it to an agent!!
• Submitted latest Suite 101 article - King John of England - as its the anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta this week
• Had a feature accepted for Writers Forum on my experience as a First Time Novelist
• Agreed approach with Writing Group and shared my first piece for feedback. We're looking for a name -any suggestions welcome.

CALL YOURSELF A WRITER?

Publication at Last!
Well, I'm just 'chuffed' to pieces (it's a northern term I was told by a guy from Sheffield). As well as the piece I talked about last week, I have had a feature written and accepted within a week of my first query. That's going some by any standard I'd say. Last Friday (after I'd written my blog) I whizzed of a query to a publication I'd read about in Writing Magazine. On Monday the Editor accepted my pitch and asked for copy asap as (luckily for me) my query complimented a feature they were already working on. I submitted the feature last night and the purchase order arrived in the post today! Wow, now that's fast work.
I can't take all the pomp and glory though, as I must acknowledge the input from my Man Friday as this was a first person piece about a personal experience of ours. Writing features first person was harder than I thought, especially when I have been writing very factual, tight pieces for e-publication. It has been a very refreshing and thoroughly enlightening experience. I realise that this might not be the general experience of many writers but I feel like making myself one of those name badges with ' I'm a Writer' written on it!

The second feature I talked about has been submitted, but now there are a few issues with images (not my strong point I must admit, but I'm learning fast!) Anyway it seems to be ticking along...

Finally we have more relatives arriving (for the majority of October in total) so I've been trying to plan out some targets for the next month. I've written almost 36,0000 words towards my novel and at the moment the characters are living with me day and night. I've never quite had this 'invasion' and it feels really good and just like how I've heard other writers talk about the writing process. I have some way to go though, to get achieve my deadline for November and whilst I had planned for the beginning, I'm now thinking that the end (of November) is more realistic. Anyway the way my characters are behaving - they won't leave me in peace until I tell it how it is!

Finally on the Bedside Table
I finished The Road Home - absolutely fabulous read and a fairly happy ending (I like happy endings...) but it had some real 'aha' moments for me, especially about some of the hardships immigrants can face.
I am now reading The Chimney Sweepers Boy by Barbara Vine and it has me hooked. Its about a writer and his family and secrets and it really is a classic page turner. I've never read any of hers before but I shall definitely be looking forward to other titles.