Writers Abroad Anthology in Print
Yes, that's right. The Writers Abroad Anthology of Short Stories can be purchased in hard copy (that's a real book to most of us) from Lulu. Although the Anthology is available for free download as an E book from the Writers Abroad Home Page, we couldn't resist the temptation to produce our very precious production in print. The exercise itself has been very interesting and despite some hair pulling moments a very pleasurable experience and one I wouldn't mind doing again. Lulu offers a 'print on demand' service and therefore doesn't have thousands of copies sat in some warehouse. This can make the end product a little more expensive than normal purchases but not much and we were also provided with a free ISBN number so can put it up on Amazon and other related sites. Lulu allows you to set a profit too, so you can make money out of your publications if you wish to.
This isn't something we wanted to do as our Anthology was produced in support of National Short Story Week but that is food for thought. However, publishing through Lulu does have other issues you need to bear in mind, the biggest being that you have to also be the marketing department as well as the editor, designer and publisher. So if you want to make some return on your efforts (there is no other cost involved and of course Lulu takes a cut from all sales anyway) then you really need to consider this carefully.
So if you want to purchase a copy follow this link to Lulu and please, tell me what you think!
Don't Think Just Write
The Flip Side of the Coin
As regular readers will know (I like to think that there are some at least...) Writers Abroad is supporting National Short Story Week. We put out a call for submissions of short stories for an anthology that we plan to release in November in conjuction with this event. The theme of the short stories was Expat life, based on the fact that all of us are expat writers. We have had a number of submissions and with the deadline only just over a week away, I am expecting (fingers and toes duly crossed) that we will get a flurry leading upto the 15 October. That's how I work (and many WA members I have learnt), always flying by the seat of my pants.
The one thing this experience has taught me so far is that the life of an editor is not an easy one. I've read this statement more than once and always thought how bad could it be reading stories for a living? Well if the stories are well written, that's fine. And I'm not saying that all of the submissions so far have been bad. But when you've read another submission which you either don't understand, or the story is clearly a ramble of real life and not fictionalised you start to become a little frustrated.
I cringe when I think of the stories I sent out in my early writing life. We've all done it, that's how we learn and develop our craft. I would dare any writer to claim that they were perfect from day one and many of us will never be perfect. That's not the point. Writing is about exploring our style, improving our presentation, learning new ways of saying old things and if we all were so wonderful, it would be a very odd place to be. What is clear is that there is always some good writing and there will always be that which isn't so good. If everyone stopped writing just because an editor thought their submission was crap then there wouldn't be any books or stories to read. The key skill for an editor is to be able to convert 'crap' into some kind of constructive criticism.
So next time I submit something, I'm going to view it from the editors eye before pressing send, in the knowledge that this might be the umpteenth manuscript that they've read that day, and challenge them to find something positive in my words.
Don't Think Just Write
To Cut or Not to Cut?
Writing, as we all know, is a process of sorts. It needs to follow some kind of order, which for the largest part can be decided by the individual writer. But all writers have to edit. As an apprentice writer of some years standing, I am only just beginning to understand this part of the process.
Like many, I see my first draft as a kind of sacred script which needs gentle handling and the utmost care. Since joining Writers Abroad I have discovered, thanks to the very constructive feedback from members, that the first draft always needs a second re-write, often and third and very occasionally a fourth. I know deep in the recesses of my mind that there isn't a writer out there who can produce a perfect first draft and it is that piece which will end up on the bookshelves and finally on the readers lap. I'm not that stupid. But I suppose what I didn't grasp was the extent to which the first draft very well might change. Huge sections of text, dialogue, back story, imagery and characters may well need to be slashed and burned. My fingers hover nervously over the delete key and I break out into a hot sweat with a wildly beating heart (see what I mean) as I make the decision - 'off with their heads!' Once I've done said deed I panic that I've cut the only bit of the story which was any good. However, I do trust the expertise from my fellow writers and the thing is they don't just glibly pull the story to pieces, they tell you what bits are good, which parts made them laugh or cry, which bits they didn't understand and which bits they think should be carefully put away - somewhere else. And to top all of that, many members are great grammarians (is that the right word?) who can spot a misplaced apostrophe, or a wild adjective or even a pleonasm (I didn't know what that was until a few weeks ago) which all help to shape the story.
So whether it's editing or rewriting, I finally understand that stories whatever length, need a bit of care, attention and sometimes a bit of a beating into shape. And do I have any evidence for my preaching this week? Well, I've just been informed that my story Smiles and Heartaches has just been short-listed for the Flash500 competition, along with a story of another member from Writers Abroad.
So go ahead, Slash and Burn!
Also this week, I've posted a book review Louise Charles' blog on the last book of the Millennium Trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest. And having now got my editing brain into action I have been setting up a new website to track the progress of the edit...no re-writing process for my four (yes four) novels in progress... watch this space for further details.
Don't Think Just Write
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
Is A Little Like Taking a Slow Walk
I'm afraid I can't claim the credit for this simile (is it a simile or something else, I never know...but my Man Friday will bust a gut laughing if I've made yet another Mrs Malaprop!). But whatever the fancy word maybe, the sentiment is so right. I've been editing my second novel, this is the first edit where you think 'what on earth was I thinking about when I wrote that?' I have more red pen marks than words printed and the toner on the poor printer has given up on life. But it is quite an exciting part, however tortuous it may be. For me, it is the real writing bit (though I love the freedom of just writing without thinking), the part where you really start to shape the story, kill off some characters who just don't fit (well never kill them off, put them away and bring them to life in another story) and the time when you actually read the story from start to finish. The advice I've read is to edit in big chunks of time. I don't know about you but I find that really difficult because I'm thinking so much about all the red pen marks! So small and often is my preferred method - what's yours?
Although it feels like an insurmountable task, it actually is just part of the process but also a huge step towards the goal of publication. (I wish!).
Oh and due to the extended deadline, I had to just get something submitted for the Haiti cause. So I cut down a long story submission down to 1000 words and have just submitted it. It's not the result that matters, it's the taking part...
Don't Think Just Write
Current Work: Editing, Drafting and Admin
Listening to: The boiler - the heating has just been switched on.
Reading: Shadows in the Wind - I don't want it to end
The End of the Week
In some ways I relish Fridays. It's the end of the week and now spring is in the air. But I usually do my admin on a Friday and that means gritted teeth and a few choice words. Why? Well because it usually involves technology of some sort or another and it takes so flippin' long! I'm seriously considering going back to a manual, written record, but I don't want to be seen as some kind of Victorian writer locked in the anals of history. But some things work better, the old way. How old am I? Only a mere 46, going on 96 methinks...
Short Stories
I'm trying my hardest to get a short story published. Now I've had a little success on the non-fiction side, it's given me a little push to dip my toe in the water. But as ever, I have a problem with deadlines, which are even more of a problem if I have to post off submissions. As I live in Italy I have to post at least 5 days before and even then I'm not convinced it gets there. Not all short stories have deadlines, but you know about my procrastinating habit. But I'm a girl who gets going by the clock. As those little hands whir round to the last day and hour...my fingers fly and I manage to hit the deadline with a press of the button, but only if emailing submissions is allowed. You see, that's why I must get 'modern'.
Something for the Weekend?
Well, I hope the garden and a chat with my two granddaughters who will be 4 and 1 respectively on 8th March - International Women's day. Now thats what I call planning!
