Posts
40 Years Ago
3 days ago
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Monday, 15 June 2009
Short story is published
I'm happy to say that my first short story is now live, http://www.literarymama.com/fiction/archives/002487.html please read and enjoy - all comments appreciated x
Friday, 17 April 2009
Snowman
I am very happy to say I have had another short story accepted for publication. Snowman (which will be familiar to my Litopia friends from another one of our short story challenges) will be in the fall edition of Midnight in Hell magazine.
Two down, three to go! And a big thanks to the weather for inspiring this one.
Em x
Two down, three to go! And a big thanks to the weather for inspiring this one.
Em x
Saturday, 28 March 2009
Update
It's been a while since I've found time to post on my blog so I'm happy to start this one with some good news. I've recently had a short story accepted for publication by a literary magazine www.literarymama.com. I was really pleased that the piece was accepted as it was part of the Litopia short story challenge for Pinter house. The title is 'He Waits Helplessly' (my Litopia friends will know it as The Gift) and I'd urge you to go and have a look once it is published in June. I gave myself a challenege of five short stories published this year and five non fiction articles - so this one starts the ball rolling!
Other news? Well I have finished a complete edit of Immune, www.emmashortt.co.uk/immune more show less tell and I plan to send out some submissions to a few indie publishers at the beginning of next month. I am also chugging along very nicely on my new WIP, Fallen Angel - I'll post a sneak peek soon.
Lastly I have to say it's damn good to be back in the saddle. x x
Other news? Well I have finished a complete edit of Immune, www.emmashortt.co.uk/immune more show less tell and I plan to send out some submissions to a few indie publishers at the beginning of next month. I am also chugging along very nicely on my new WIP, Fallen Angel - I'll post a sneak peek soon.
Lastly I have to say it's damn good to be back in the saddle. x x
Friday, 13 February 2009
Tough times ahead? :(
'The worst recession ever...' Those were the words spoken by one of the leaders of the area in live in. The worst ever, was she right? I don't know - I really don't, but it got me thinking about the economic slowdown and what that means for us writers.
I have to fess up straight away that in my normal day to day life it seems difficult to believe there is a full blown recession on. People are still parked in front if their flat screens, with their sky dishes, their high speed broadband and their two cars out front. The supermarkets at least seem as busy as ever and none of my friends or colleagues are tightening up in any way. A recession always brings images, to my mind at least; of bread and dripping and grey smocks and hand woven wollen clothing and SPAM - winding queues from the job centre, strikers out in force, awful haircuts etc and I'm not seeing any of that. I'm seeing people still in their designer togs, still splashing out on pricey meals and buying extravagant valentine gifts.
So from my perspective, where is this recession... is there even one? Well yes, it seems that the headlines are difficult to ignore. Woolworths, Adams, store after store shutting their doors, mass unemployment - shares tumbling. I don't even want to consider what my pension looks like. It is happening, it's not just media scare-mongering. The greedy bankers (trying to build an economy on credit?!?!) and our ineffective government (selling our gold shares when the market was at an all time low... need I say more) have put our country in one of the most worrying positions in more years than I have been alive.
So rant over, what does this mean for us writers?
Worst case scenario: Book stores will be more cautious about the amount they order, they'll want better deals - buy one get one half price etc - they'll ask for bigger percentage discounts. This will be passed on to the publishers who will be squeezed and less likely to take a risk on an unknown unproven author. They'll be looking for the next 'big thing' - though how they'll know what that is I have no idea. Authors may get smaller advances, may have to accept lower royalties. And then the agents, they'll have to work even harder to promote the authors they do have so may be less inclined to take on new authors. Slush piles will get even bigger as authors battle to capture the attention of agents/publishers. More people will try their hand at writing - thinking it's a get rich scheme (boy they're sooo wrong) making the slush piles even huger and wearying the agents/publishers to the point of exhaustion and then in all that there's us. The writers who work so hard, the writers who are hunched over their computers for hours on end - editing and worrying and re-writing the query letter for the hundreth time and fiddling with the synopsis in the very early hours and putting their very heart and soul into every single word that drips onto their page... where are we in all of this, do we even have a chance...
Best case scenario: If you write something that is special, something that is different, new and refreshing. Something that tugs at the heart strings or brings a smile to the face of a tired agent then there is still a chance. When all is said and done if you have the talent, if you believe in yourself then the recession will matter very little. There is always room in the world for someone who belongs - someone who is doing what they were born to do. If you are meant to be a writer then a writer you will be. So stick at it, make sure you query letter is as polished as it ever can be. DO worry and fiddle with that synopsis, read it back to yourself aloud - make it perfect! Check your grammar, your spelling, check everything. Agents/publishers will be looking for a reason to reject - do not let yourself fall at the first hurdle - make your pitch as fabulous as possible and then sit back eat some spam, itch away at those wollen pants and remember the hard times wont last forever.
Emma x
I have to fess up straight away that in my normal day to day life it seems difficult to believe there is a full blown recession on. People are still parked in front if their flat screens, with their sky dishes, their high speed broadband and their two cars out front. The supermarkets at least seem as busy as ever and none of my friends or colleagues are tightening up in any way. A recession always brings images, to my mind at least; of bread and dripping and grey smocks and hand woven wollen clothing and SPAM - winding queues from the job centre, strikers out in force, awful haircuts etc and I'm not seeing any of that. I'm seeing people still in their designer togs, still splashing out on pricey meals and buying extravagant valentine gifts.
So from my perspective, where is this recession... is there even one? Well yes, it seems that the headlines are difficult to ignore. Woolworths, Adams, store after store shutting their doors, mass unemployment - shares tumbling. I don't even want to consider what my pension looks like. It is happening, it's not just media scare-mongering. The greedy bankers (trying to build an economy on credit?!?!) and our ineffective government (selling our gold shares when the market was at an all time low... need I say more) have put our country in one of the most worrying positions in more years than I have been alive.
So rant over, what does this mean for us writers?
Worst case scenario: Book stores will be more cautious about the amount they order, they'll want better deals - buy one get one half price etc - they'll ask for bigger percentage discounts. This will be passed on to the publishers who will be squeezed and less likely to take a risk on an unknown unproven author. They'll be looking for the next 'big thing' - though how they'll know what that is I have no idea. Authors may get smaller advances, may have to accept lower royalties. And then the agents, they'll have to work even harder to promote the authors they do have so may be less inclined to take on new authors. Slush piles will get even bigger as authors battle to capture the attention of agents/publishers. More people will try their hand at writing - thinking it's a get rich scheme (boy they're sooo wrong) making the slush piles even huger and wearying the agents/publishers to the point of exhaustion and then in all that there's us. The writers who work so hard, the writers who are hunched over their computers for hours on end - editing and worrying and re-writing the query letter for the hundreth time and fiddling with the synopsis in the very early hours and putting their very heart and soul into every single word that drips onto their page... where are we in all of this, do we even have a chance...
Best case scenario: If you write something that is special, something that is different, new and refreshing. Something that tugs at the heart strings or brings a smile to the face of a tired agent then there is still a chance. When all is said and done if you have the talent, if you believe in yourself then the recession will matter very little. There is always room in the world for someone who belongs - someone who is doing what they were born to do. If you are meant to be a writer then a writer you will be. So stick at it, make sure you query letter is as polished as it ever can be. DO worry and fiddle with that synopsis, read it back to yourself aloud - make it perfect! Check your grammar, your spelling, check everything. Agents/publishers will be looking for a reason to reject - do not let yourself fall at the first hurdle - make your pitch as fabulous as possible and then sit back eat some spam, itch away at those wollen pants and remember the hard times wont last forever.
Emma x
Friday, 6 February 2009
The Roaring Fire
Sometimes in life when you have a million and one things to do you have to prioritise. The more important things get moved to the front (in my case moving house, settling my children in to their new home, a huge workload in my paying job etc etc) whilst other things get moved to the back.
It's easy to imagine that writing could be one of those things that could shift easily to the back. It's just a hobby, it's not that important etc are some of the comments I have heard. But this is so far from true.
In my case at least the act of writing, putting my thoughts and ideas into a story is like a little fire in my brain. When I'm writing regularly the fire burns merrily in the corner. It's a constant burn, almost like I'm feeding it a steady supply of fuel. When I am not writing something every day you would expect almost that the fire would stutter and begin to dim, but no that is not what happens. The fire turns into a blaze, it roars and screams at me to feed it. The thoughts and ideas explode around in my head begging to get out. The fire is like their mental manifestation consuming my brain and seeking release. Writing will not let me put it on the back burner, it will not let me de-prioritise it.
Is this a good thing..?
I think it must be - the things that consume us in life are surely the things that are the most important. The fire has to be fed and so feed it I will.
It's easy to imagine that writing could be one of those things that could shift easily to the back. It's just a hobby, it's not that important etc are some of the comments I have heard. But this is so far from true.
In my case at least the act of writing, putting my thoughts and ideas into a story is like a little fire in my brain. When I'm writing regularly the fire burns merrily in the corner. It's a constant burn, almost like I'm feeding it a steady supply of fuel. When I am not writing something every day you would expect almost that the fire would stutter and begin to dim, but no that is not what happens. The fire turns into a blaze, it roars and screams at me to feed it. The thoughts and ideas explode around in my head begging to get out. The fire is like their mental manifestation consuming my brain and seeking release. Writing will not let me put it on the back burner, it will not let me de-prioritise it.
Is this a good thing..?
I think it must be - the things that consume us in life are surely the things that are the most important. The fire has to be fed and so feed it I will.
Monday, 19 January 2009
A new cover from Andre
When I finished Immune I created myself a little cover to go with it. I hated giving out beta copies without something on top - jumping the gun a wee bit I know but it felt more like a 'book' to me that way! Anyhow my cover was nothing fancy by any means, I put it together on Word with clipart and then somehow(I can't recall how exactly) I managed to turn it into a jpeg and post it on my website. http://emmashortt.co.uk/immunecover.aspx.
Now just the other day a lovely chap called Andre from my Facebook group To Stalk a Publisher e-mailed for some advice about the length of his novel. I replied with the advice I have been given by my Litopian crew and he e-mailed me back with a thank you and a little present.
That little present was a new cover for Immune. Andre had taken the original one and done some whizzyness to produce me the cover above. I have to say I really like it - It was kind of strange to have someone creating a cover for a book I love so much and one that I happened to write!
So a big thank you to Andre for his creativeness.
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Tagged
I've Been Tagged by Kate
So Kate tells me this is how it works: Display the award. Link back to the person who gave you this award. Nominate at least 7 other blogs. Put links to those blogs on your blog. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you’ve nominated. You can only answer in one word.
1. Where is your cell phone? Here
2. Where is your significant other? Work
3. Your hair colour? Black
4. Your mother? Birmingham
5. Your father? Dead
6. Your favourite thing? Passion
7. Your dream last night? Absent
8. Your dream/goal? Published
9. The room you’re in? Kitchen
10. Your hobby? Writing
11. Your fear? Zombies
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Published
13. Where were you last night? Kickboxing
14. What you’re not? Nasty
15. One of your wish-list items? Happiness
16. Where you grew up? City
17. The last thing you did? Type
18. What are you wearing? T-shirt
19. Your TV? Off
20. Your pet? Deceased
21. Your computer? Fab
22. Your mood? Mischevious
23. Missing someone? No
24. Your car? Parked
25. Something you’re not wearing? Earmuffs
26. Favourite store? Waterstones
27. Your summer? Difficult
28. Love someone? Possibly
29. Your favourite colour? Black
30. When is the last time you laughed? Just
31. Last time you cried? Earlier
And I will tag...
Richard Donna lynn Brian Pete Richard John
Saturday, 3 January 2009
Open my book, open my heart...
I was intrigued by a thread from a Liopian friend regarding romance in his WIP. It immediately made me think of Immune and the high levels of romancation involved. I remember when I sent it to my brother to read, he phoned back and after giving me some great feedback said to me, Wow I didn't realise you were such a romantic - you kept that one quiet didn't ya. I of course cringed whilst blushing furiously. They're just characters, it's not real!
Now I do quite a good job as the cynical I-don't-do-romance type (whilst stashing my steamy books under my bed)but I've now realised that my books totally blow my cover. They are chok-o-block with sighing and longing and lurve. I've come up with some lines and then re-read them a few weeks later and been like, Em - no you didn't really write that did you?!?!
And now I'm thinking, geez if someone reads my book they're gonna know I'm a total fraud, the whole - they're-just-my-characters-I-would-never-say-anything-like-that defence is pretty shaky.
I'm considering a pen name.
Now I do quite a good job as the cynical I-don't-do-romance type (whilst stashing my steamy books under my bed)but I've now realised that my books totally blow my cover. They are chok-o-block with sighing and longing and lurve. I've come up with some lines and then re-read them a few weeks later and been like, Em - no you didn't really write that did you?!?!
And now I'm thinking, geez if someone reads my book they're gonna know I'm a total fraud, the whole - they're-just-my-characters-I-would-never-say-anything-like-that defence is pretty shaky.
I'm considering a pen name.
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
Happy New Year
A very happy new year to everyone. I hope that 2009 brings you everything that you hope for.
Emma x
Emma x
Saturday, 20 December 2008
It's time to kick it baby
Right it's the end of the year and there's nay a publisher in freakin sight. I haven't captured an agent... ok there might be one or two in my scope but no capturage as yet. So it is time to up the ante.
Gawd I can't even tell you how much I loathe the whole-everything-is-out-of-my-hands feeling. I'm sending out my submissions and waiting and waiting and biting off my electric blue/emerald green/pulsating purple/blue me away/risque red etc nail varnishes and developing a worrying nervous tick. It's time to try and wrestle back some control.
I sat down today and thought okkkaayyy, I can write, I like my books, I love creating them, people DO want to read them - I have a list of buyers, I have my teen readers e-mailing me and moaning for copies... something's got to be done. So I drank quite a bit of diet coke, ate too many celebrations and played 'Listen' by Beyonce about twenty times and then I decided on a plan of action.
When it comes right down to it an agent takes on your project because it will make them money, as of course they should. That is their job, they need to buy food for their cats and pay their book store bills just like the rest of us. Ergo an agent will take you on if you can show them that baby you can ring those tills. A publisher will publish your book because they want to sell lots of copies and make lots of money - this you see is how awful celeb autobiographies end up taking up space in our bookstores.
So it's obvious right, I need to show said agent and then said publisher that I can produce the dollars.
How to do so? Well here comes my plan of action... dem dem dem... reader-recruit.
Now I'm coining this as an official term, reader-recruit will henceforth be known as the strategy undertaken by an unpublished authour to collect such a vast amount of future readers that an agent's eyes will pop in glee and a publisher will sign her to a five book deal instantly whilst bouncing around in a state of hyperactivity. The author will show gleeful agent and bouncing publisher an excel sheet containing thousands and thousands of names (real ones) all of readers who have been recruited to the cause. These readers will all be salivating for a copy, they will be waiting and ready to buy on release date... and there you have reader-recruit.
Now I'm not going to go into my reader-recruit strategies in detail - 'cause they're techy and kinda boring but suffice to say they involve a banging website, an OH-SOMEONE-HELP-ME kinda blog, Bebo fan groups, Facebook sign up to the cause groups, Myspace bulletins and various other web-related publicity tools.
So far reader-recruit is at 476 people (web addresses harvested from my site, fans from the Immune group on Bebo and fans from the newly launched WE WANT IMMUNE PUBLISHED' Facebook group)and baby it's gonna rise - the target is 1000 by Jan.
So c'mon pledge yourself to the list - join the cause - be part of reader-recruit.
P.S. I have a rather fab GothEmBlack varnish I want to wear, my pale nails are crying out for it - only with your help may they wear varnish again!
Gawd I can't even tell you how much I loathe the whole-everything-is-out-of-my-hands feeling. I'm sending out my submissions and waiting and waiting and biting off my electric blue/emerald green/pulsating purple/blue me away/risque red etc nail varnishes and developing a worrying nervous tick. It's time to try and wrestle back some control.
I sat down today and thought okkkaayyy, I can write, I like my books, I love creating them, people DO want to read them - I have a list of buyers, I have my teen readers e-mailing me and moaning for copies... something's got to be done. So I drank quite a bit of diet coke, ate too many celebrations and played 'Listen' by Beyonce about twenty times and then I decided on a plan of action.
When it comes right down to it an agent takes on your project because it will make them money, as of course they should. That is their job, they need to buy food for their cats and pay their book store bills just like the rest of us. Ergo an agent will take you on if you can show them that baby you can ring those tills. A publisher will publish your book because they want to sell lots of copies and make lots of money - this you see is how awful celeb autobiographies end up taking up space in our bookstores.
So it's obvious right, I need to show said agent and then said publisher that I can produce the dollars.
How to do so? Well here comes my plan of action... dem dem dem... reader-recruit.
Now I'm coining this as an official term, reader-recruit will henceforth be known as the strategy undertaken by an unpublished authour to collect such a vast amount of future readers that an agent's eyes will pop in glee and a publisher will sign her to a five book deal instantly whilst bouncing around in a state of hyperactivity. The author will show gleeful agent and bouncing publisher an excel sheet containing thousands and thousands of names (real ones) all of readers who have been recruited to the cause. These readers will all be salivating for a copy, they will be waiting and ready to buy on release date... and there you have reader-recruit.
Now I'm not going to go into my reader-recruit strategies in detail - 'cause they're techy and kinda boring but suffice to say they involve a banging website, an OH-SOMEONE-HELP-ME kinda blog, Bebo fan groups, Facebook sign up to the cause groups, Myspace bulletins and various other web-related publicity tools.
So far reader-recruit is at 476 people (web addresses harvested from my site, fans from the Immune group on Bebo and fans from the newly launched WE WANT IMMUNE PUBLISHED' Facebook group)and baby it's gonna rise - the target is 1000 by Jan.
So c'mon pledge yourself to the list - join the cause - be part of reader-recruit.
P.S. I have a rather fab GothEmBlack varnish I want to wear, my pale nails are crying out for it - only with your help may they wear varnish again!
Thursday, 11 December 2008
Vampore Bore...
I love vampires, I mean really - they're my favourite ever mythical creatures. The fangs, the good looks the whole broody element... sigh.
However it seems to be really difficult to create an original vampire novel. You write about a ass kicking heroine and she's compared to Buffy, you write a smouldering hottie and he's compared to Edward Cullen and accents... nuh hu you're entering Dracula territory here.
So what's the solution? Well I am going to have to write a vampie novel - just gonna have to. I won't be happy till I do but how to make it original? I cannot have a weepy, wimpy heroine, nope my female heroes have to be strong and tough and a bit rebellious (I have to set an example here) and I cannot have an fugly vampire hero, he simply has to be hot and smouldering and a bit tortured whilst of course still chugging down the blood - and they have to be mortal enemies who will fight each other to the death whilst being overwhelmed with desire for one another.
A bit copycat, a bit generic - it kind of seems that way doesn't it... so how about I make my heroine another mythical creature - a Fairy or a Furie or something similar. And how about I make my vamp hottie a prince about to be crowned the vamp king. And let's throw in that she's been trained her entire life to hunt and kill him and that he plans to torture her to death before swilling her mythical blood. And then they meet and whoa hoo... the chemistry.
Throw in a mutiny so that they're set on the same side - having to depend on each other for survival, loathing each other whilst falling into the abyss... how is this sounding, am I exciting anyone here...?
However it seems to be really difficult to create an original vampire novel. You write about a ass kicking heroine and she's compared to Buffy, you write a smouldering hottie and he's compared to Edward Cullen and accents... nuh hu you're entering Dracula territory here.
So what's the solution? Well I am going to have to write a vampie novel - just gonna have to. I won't be happy till I do but how to make it original? I cannot have a weepy, wimpy heroine, nope my female heroes have to be strong and tough and a bit rebellious (I have to set an example here) and I cannot have an fugly vampire hero, he simply has to be hot and smouldering and a bit tortured whilst of course still chugging down the blood - and they have to be mortal enemies who will fight each other to the death whilst being overwhelmed with desire for one another.
A bit copycat, a bit generic - it kind of seems that way doesn't it... so how about I make my heroine another mythical creature - a Fairy or a Furie or something similar. And how about I make my vamp hottie a prince about to be crowned the vamp king. And let's throw in that she's been trained her entire life to hunt and kill him and that he plans to torture her to death before swilling her mythical blood. And then they meet and whoa hoo... the chemistry.
Throw in a mutiny so that they're set on the same side - having to depend on each other for survival, loathing each other whilst falling into the abyss... how is this sounding, am I exciting anyone here...?
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
All about the emotion
I've often wondered how the emotional state of the author affects the emotional state of the writing. Can you ever truly write about heartbreak unless you've had your own heart pummeled? Can you ever really convey the dizzying effects of love unless you've fallen yourself?
When you are a bit depressed is it better to write the black parts of your WIP? If you're all happy and loved up does that make the love scenes all the more poignant - more meaningful?
It's a tricky area and I guess I only have my own experiences to answer it. I know that when I am feeling a bit bleak I cannot write a happy cheery scene, when I'm in love I want to write about that and not about anything depressing. So does it therefore mean that happy people can't really ever write a really dark book and that chronicly sad types can't really get away with writing an uplifting story?
I honestly don't know. It may just be that this is a very personal thing - something that is different for each writer. Maybe like how some writers can get away with writing about an area they've never visited and some can research a certain profession and then sound like they've been pickling gherkins since the year dot.
Prehaps when you get right down to it it's the emotions themselves that matter, whether an author has experienced them or not - if they can make you believe they have then is that job done?
When you are a bit depressed is it better to write the black parts of your WIP? If you're all happy and loved up does that make the love scenes all the more poignant - more meaningful?
It's a tricky area and I guess I only have my own experiences to answer it. I know that when I am feeling a bit bleak I cannot write a happy cheery scene, when I'm in love I want to write about that and not about anything depressing. So does it therefore mean that happy people can't really ever write a really dark book and that chronicly sad types can't really get away with writing an uplifting story?
I honestly don't know. It may just be that this is a very personal thing - something that is different for each writer. Maybe like how some writers can get away with writing about an area they've never visited and some can research a certain profession and then sound like they've been pickling gherkins since the year dot.
Prehaps when you get right down to it it's the emotions themselves that matter, whether an author has experienced them or not - if they can make you believe they have then is that job done?
Sunday, 30 November 2008
If only we could all do this...
Just imagine sending a similar response to an agent...
Copyright www.truckerfun.com
Friday, 28 November 2008
Updated Website
I am so exhausted I can barely type so this is just a quick one to let everyone know that I have updated and refreshed my website www.emmashortt.co.uk
This bout of websiteitis was induced by an agent telling me one of the main reasons he replied so promptly to my submission was because he liked my website... ooh I thought and skipped across to have a look... and then stayed there until the early hours of this morning re-freshing and re-spunking.
I've also taken on board some advice given by our Litopian agent, things such as navigation, clarity etc. I hope it's a lot easier for everyone to get around now and more importantly enjoy.
Let me know what you think.
This bout of websiteitis was induced by an agent telling me one of the main reasons he replied so promptly to my submission was because he liked my website... ooh I thought and skipped across to have a look... and then stayed there until the early hours of this morning re-freshing and re-spunking.
I've also taken on board some advice given by our Litopian agent, things such as navigation, clarity etc. I hope it's a lot easier for everyone to get around now and more importantly enjoy.
Let me know what you think.
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
The Thud of Fear
It is the sound that strikes fear into the heart of every writer, the sound then sends your stomach dropping to your knees and the 'OHGODNOTAGAIN' reflex kick into action. It is a sound now burned into my brain.
The Thud of the rejection on the floor. (Yes I'm capitalizing it - it's worth a capital T! The emotion alone that sound enduces demands a capital.)
I'm now on my fifth Thud - I escaped three thanks to a late postie. Those lovelies involved a phone call from my teen, 'Erm mom... there's like a brown envelope and erm it's, well, I think it's a rejection - shall I open it?' Chewage of lip, shudder ever so slightly, it might be good news, it might, it might!!! 'Yes open it, read it, quick, quick WHAT DOES IS SAY??'
Suffice as to say the 'it might' turned quickly into 'it isn't'.
I have found two Thud created reactions within me. The first is a defensive type retort, well yeah ok but you'll be sorry one day, you'll so regret refusing me!Just wait till I sell millions! The second, why, why, what did I do wrong, why don't you like it? Can't you see what I see? Two very different reactions but in essence both the same.
8 rejections, 8 Thuds - when is it all a Thud too many? Well the answer is not quite yet, my teen had some rather comforting words for me today. 'Mom you will get published one day - of course you will! Someone will snap you up... the chances are you'll be mad by then from all the rejection and stuff and I'll have put you in a mental institute but don't worry I'll make sure you have a computer so you can write more books.' 'Yes,' I replied, 'but no one will buy books from a mad author.' 'No that's fine,' she assured me, 'I'll take the credit for all your work - you know as a favour...'
As that didn't quite bring me the feelings of joy she intended this little quote did:
"No one put a gun to your head and ordered you to become a writer. One writes out of his own choice and must be prepared to take the rough spots along the road with a certain equanimity, though allowed some grinding of the teeth."
Stanley Ellin
Either or - but the Thuds can take that!
The Thud of the rejection on the floor. (Yes I'm capitalizing it - it's worth a capital T! The emotion alone that sound enduces demands a capital.)
I'm now on my fifth Thud - I escaped three thanks to a late postie. Those lovelies involved a phone call from my teen, 'Erm mom... there's like a brown envelope and erm it's, well, I think it's a rejection - shall I open it?' Chewage of lip, shudder ever so slightly, it might be good news, it might, it might!!! 'Yes open it, read it, quick, quick WHAT DOES IS SAY??'
Suffice as to say the 'it might' turned quickly into 'it isn't'.
I have found two Thud created reactions within me. The first is a defensive type retort, well yeah ok but you'll be sorry one day, you'll so regret refusing me!Just wait till I sell millions! The second, why, why, what did I do wrong, why don't you like it? Can't you see what I see? Two very different reactions but in essence both the same.
8 rejections, 8 Thuds - when is it all a Thud too many? Well the answer is not quite yet, my teen had some rather comforting words for me today. 'Mom you will get published one day - of course you will! Someone will snap you up... the chances are you'll be mad by then from all the rejection and stuff and I'll have put you in a mental institute but don't worry I'll make sure you have a computer so you can write more books.' 'Yes,' I replied, 'but no one will buy books from a mad author.' 'No that's fine,' she assured me, 'I'll take the credit for all your work - you know as a favour...'
As that didn't quite bring me the feelings of joy she intended this little quote did:
"No one put a gun to your head and ordered you to become a writer. One writes out of his own choice and must be prepared to take the rough spots along the road with a certain equanimity, though allowed some grinding of the teeth."
Stanley Ellin
Either or - but the Thuds can take that!
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
The first and the third
I recently started my new project, it's tentatively titled Fallen Angel and already I'm in love it. Before you ask I will confirm that yes it is another teen romance because despite being a bitter old cynic I can't seem to stop writing them.
So far this project had been interesting in more ways than I bargained for. All my projects so far (bar one and it doesn't count) have been written in the 1st person. I've always really liked this style because it allows me to really get inside my main characters head - I can put across all her feelings and hopes and dreams (it's always a she) but Fallen Angel has two main characters, Astrid and Sebastian and I wanted to write from both of their POV's.
Ha ha you say - you know where I'm going with this then. Well first off I 1st POV'd them both, to me it was all perfectly clear - I knew who was who, what was what and how Sebastian and Astrid were thinking etc - and if I knew then of course everyone else would yes... well actually no. I posted these first very rough chapters in my house at Litopia for crit and the message was CONFUSION! Who is who? Which bits are Astrid, which are Sebastian - clearly it was not working.
Some sage advice, much thrumming of fingers on keys, sighing at monitor and eating too many caramel crunchies later and I came to the inescapable conclusion that I was gonna have to 3rd POV the lot. So I have.
And this is what I have learnt, it is far harder to write in the 3rd person than it is to write in the 1st. 1st person POV is almost like diary writing, you can just waffle on, pretend you're the character and it all word vomits out - 3rd person POV is not like that at all. You have to think a lot more about your prose, you have to think about the clarity of it - it can't be all he thought, she said etc you have to really labour on it.
Fallen Angel is going to be a very interesting experience for me and I have no doubt that it is going to improve my writing skills tremendously. I'm several chapters in now and already I can see that it reads better from this change... so the point of this rambling post - well it's just to say to all those 1st POV addicts out there that sometimes it's worth thinking about doing something different even if it is more challenging.
Instead of aiming for 1st - hit a 3rd!
So far this project had been interesting in more ways than I bargained for. All my projects so far (bar one and it doesn't count) have been written in the 1st person. I've always really liked this style because it allows me to really get inside my main characters head - I can put across all her feelings and hopes and dreams (it's always a she) but Fallen Angel has two main characters, Astrid and Sebastian and I wanted to write from both of their POV's.
Ha ha you say - you know where I'm going with this then. Well first off I 1st POV'd them both, to me it was all perfectly clear - I knew who was who, what was what and how Sebastian and Astrid were thinking etc - and if I knew then of course everyone else would yes... well actually no. I posted these first very rough chapters in my house at Litopia for crit and the message was CONFUSION! Who is who? Which bits are Astrid, which are Sebastian - clearly it was not working.
Some sage advice, much thrumming of fingers on keys, sighing at monitor and eating too many caramel crunchies later and I came to the inescapable conclusion that I was gonna have to 3rd POV the lot. So I have.
And this is what I have learnt, it is far harder to write in the 3rd person than it is to write in the 1st. 1st person POV is almost like diary writing, you can just waffle on, pretend you're the character and it all word vomits out - 3rd person POV is not like that at all. You have to think a lot more about your prose, you have to think about the clarity of it - it can't be all he thought, she said etc you have to really labour on it.
Fallen Angel is going to be a very interesting experience for me and I have no doubt that it is going to improve my writing skills tremendously. I'm several chapters in now and already I can see that it reads better from this change... so the point of this rambling post - well it's just to say to all those 1st POV addicts out there that sometimes it's worth thinking about doing something different even if it is more challenging.
Instead of aiming for 1st - hit a 3rd!
Thursday, 30 October 2008
Vamp It Baby
So I've always been a bit of a vampire obsessee, ever since I was a tween... Other girls wanted to be the prima ballerina, I wanted to be a vampire.
Growing up on a steady diet of Anne Rice and Dracula I suppose it's not really suprising. I remember the first time I read Bram Stoker - ah love at first word! And then I discovered Anne Rice, I loved them all but Interview with the vampire was my absolute, 100% fav.
The first ever book I wrote was called 'Crimson Wars' and it was a vamp-human war type novel. It was truly appalling - I was fifteen years old and honestly looking back not only do I cringe, I shudder. It's like a little window to my mindset at that point in my life. I splurged out all my racing teenage hormones onto those pages, laid down all my supressed longings and fell in love with my male lead.
Cringe once more...
So where is this leading you might ask? Well two things really. One, there seems to be a bit of a ressurection of vamp lit at the mo - ably led by Twilight (which yes I love, yes real men sparkle, yes Steven Strait should have been Jacob... sigh, swoon... I digress). Kresley Cole is also one of my fav vamp story tellers. Her stuff is a wee bit racy but it's good. So rise of the vamp yada yada - and that brings me to number two.
I've had a vamp novel bubbling away in me for some years now - it's shaped itself in my mind and is likely to be another horror/love fest. But is it the right time to write it? In terms of my target audience (the tween) I could never beat Twilight, it would be impossible. So what to do... jump on the bandwagon or let it bubble away a bit more...
I'm torn I must admit. There's no desperate hurry I know, I still need to get Immune published ASAP and I've started a new WIP, Fallen Angel and then there are the hundred other projects racing away in my mind... but the pull of the vampiric is strong... so should I wait or should I bite...
Thoughts appreciated...
Growing up on a steady diet of Anne Rice and Dracula I suppose it's not really suprising. I remember the first time I read Bram Stoker - ah love at first word! And then I discovered Anne Rice, I loved them all but Interview with the vampire was my absolute, 100% fav.
The first ever book I wrote was called 'Crimson Wars' and it was a vamp-human war type novel. It was truly appalling - I was fifteen years old and honestly looking back not only do I cringe, I shudder. It's like a little window to my mindset at that point in my life. I splurged out all my racing teenage hormones onto those pages, laid down all my supressed longings and fell in love with my male lead.
Cringe once more...
So where is this leading you might ask? Well two things really. One, there seems to be a bit of a ressurection of vamp lit at the mo - ably led by Twilight (which yes I love, yes real men sparkle, yes Steven Strait should have been Jacob... sigh, swoon... I digress). Kresley Cole is also one of my fav vamp story tellers. Her stuff is a wee bit racy but it's good. So rise of the vamp yada yada - and that brings me to number two.
I've had a vamp novel bubbling away in me for some years now - it's shaped itself in my mind and is likely to be another horror/love fest. But is it the right time to write it? In terms of my target audience (the tween) I could never beat Twilight, it would be impossible. So what to do... jump on the bandwagon or let it bubble away a bit more...
I'm torn I must admit. There's no desperate hurry I know, I still need to get Immune published ASAP and I've started a new WIP, Fallen Angel and then there are the hundred other projects racing away in my mind... but the pull of the vampiric is strong... so should I wait or should I bite...
Thoughts appreciated...
Monday, 20 October 2008
Falling For The Fiction
When I first started writing Immune I created a character called Grey. He was the third character I created and I had this set idea in my head of what he would be like. He was going to be a stern authority figure who was holding my lead character back, he was going to be a bit mean, a bit angry and a bit difficult to handle. In short I didn't imagine that he was going to be very likeable.
But something strange happened to Grey as I tried to write him. The words changed and morphed until he began to turn into something else. As hard as I tried I couldn't pull him back - he resisted me until he became a hero figure who saved my lead again and again. I could almost feel him grinning as the words came out - laughing softly and telling me, yep that's who I am, suck it up and write it out.
Now all these months later he has become one of my favourite ever characters, I know who he is, how he thinks, what his favourtie books are etc... and if truth be told I have become a wee bit smitten by him...
Now I know what your thinking it is the height of absolute sadness to fall for a character - nevermind one you've created yourself. He doesn't exist! He's not real yada ya. You're not telling me anything I don't know! Smitten - subject closed.
So my sad smittenishness got me wondering... (my own desperate need to get a life aside) how much of our own wants and desires do we project into the characters we create. Does a shy author create rebellious heroines because she longs to be a bit of a rule breaker herself? Does a retiring author create dashing male leads because he sees himself like that? Do we create our male leads to be the sort of men we actually want in our life? How much of ourself do we put into our characters?
So here's the challenge - I want all you writers out there to read over your latest creation and ask yourself these questions. Why is your character like that? What does it say about you? Why have you made him/her that way?
Ask and wonder... and try not to fall for the fictitous along the way!
But something strange happened to Grey as I tried to write him. The words changed and morphed until he began to turn into something else. As hard as I tried I couldn't pull him back - he resisted me until he became a hero figure who saved my lead again and again. I could almost feel him grinning as the words came out - laughing softly and telling me, yep that's who I am, suck it up and write it out.
Now all these months later he has become one of my favourite ever characters, I know who he is, how he thinks, what his favourtie books are etc... and if truth be told I have become a wee bit smitten by him...
Now I know what your thinking it is the height of absolute sadness to fall for a character - nevermind one you've created yourself. He doesn't exist! He's not real yada ya. You're not telling me anything I don't know! Smitten - subject closed.
So my sad smittenishness got me wondering... (my own desperate need to get a life aside) how much of our own wants and desires do we project into the characters we create. Does a shy author create rebellious heroines because she longs to be a bit of a rule breaker herself? Does a retiring author create dashing male leads because he sees himself like that? Do we create our male leads to be the sort of men we actually want in our life? How much of ourself do we put into our characters?
So here's the challenge - I want all you writers out there to read over your latest creation and ask yourself these questions. Why is your character like that? What does it say about you? Why have you made him/her that way?
Ask and wonder... and try not to fall for the fictitous along the way!
Thursday, 2 October 2008
Anything But Ordinary
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please...
The words of a rather catching Avril Lavinge song, I was listening to it the other day and it got me thinking. If I had to choose a song which reflected me it would surely be this one. Some of the lines jumped right out at me and struck a rather loud chord.
'Sometimes I get so weird I even freak myself out'
Yes, that would be me where the book is concerened. I'm totally weird and obsessive about it - not in a bad way (disclaimer in case an agent is reading and thinking nuh uh not working with that freak) in a good OMG this will be published kind of way.
In real life? Yes that is kind of true again actually...
'I wanna scream it makes me feel alive'
Writing does that for me, when the characters flow from my brain to the paper - when I'm creating a whole new world I feel like I'm following in the footsteps of the old story tellers who have come before me, sat around a camp fire, scratching art on cave walls - just enjoying the process of getting it out there, the feeling can hardly be described.
In the context of real life - what good is doing something if it doesn't make you feel alive?
'Is it enough to love'
In the context of the book no, loving it is not enough, it has to be totally believed in, continually obsessed over and adored. It has to fill you completely until you fall in love with your characters, until you know them as well as you know yourself - until you talk to them and dream about them.
In the context of real life bit off topic here but I'm feeling introspective tonight, I would have to say yes - true, real, actual love - the sort we write about, the sort we compose poems in awe of, the sort we all search for but so very rarely find - that should always be enough.
'Somebody rip my heart out and leave me here to bleed'
I felt that way the other day when I had my first rejection of the full manuscript. Agonising, gut churning, heartbreaking... but what is pain for if not to make us stronger? When we're bleeding and low we learn the lessons we would never have ordinarily got a chance to and as that is true for publishing so is it for real life.
'To walk within the lines would make my life so boring, I want to know that I have been to the extreme - so knock me off my feet... anything to make me feel alive'
Always, always in every single aspect of my life. When fate decides my time is up I want to know that I have done everything in this life I ever intended to, I want to know that I have pushed myself and worked myself and loved every single moment I was given. I never want to walk within the lines... and you know so far I don't think I ever have.
'I'd rather be anything than ordinary please...'
Of course this just sums everything up in my writing, my thinking, in all that I do, in the very way I live my life - what good I ask you is ordinary???
The words of a rather catching Avril Lavinge song, I was listening to it the other day and it got me thinking. If I had to choose a song which reflected me it would surely be this one. Some of the lines jumped right out at me and struck a rather loud chord.
'Sometimes I get so weird I even freak myself out'
Yes, that would be me where the book is concerened. I'm totally weird and obsessive about it - not in a bad way (disclaimer in case an agent is reading and thinking nuh uh not working with that freak) in a good OMG this will be published kind of way.
In real life? Yes that is kind of true again actually...
'I wanna scream it makes me feel alive'
Writing does that for me, when the characters flow from my brain to the paper - when I'm creating a whole new world I feel like I'm following in the footsteps of the old story tellers who have come before me, sat around a camp fire, scratching art on cave walls - just enjoying the process of getting it out there, the feeling can hardly be described.
In the context of real life - what good is doing something if it doesn't make you feel alive?
'Is it enough to love'
In the context of the book no, loving it is not enough, it has to be totally believed in, continually obsessed over and adored. It has to fill you completely until you fall in love with your characters, until you know them as well as you know yourself - until you talk to them and dream about them.
In the context of real life bit off topic here but I'm feeling introspective tonight, I would have to say yes - true, real, actual love - the sort we write about, the sort we compose poems in awe of, the sort we all search for but so very rarely find - that should always be enough.
'Somebody rip my heart out and leave me here to bleed'
I felt that way the other day when I had my first rejection of the full manuscript. Agonising, gut churning, heartbreaking... but what is pain for if not to make us stronger? When we're bleeding and low we learn the lessons we would never have ordinarily got a chance to and as that is true for publishing so is it for real life.
'To walk within the lines would make my life so boring, I want to know that I have been to the extreme - so knock me off my feet... anything to make me feel alive'
Always, always in every single aspect of my life. When fate decides my time is up I want to know that I have done everything in this life I ever intended to, I want to know that I have pushed myself and worked myself and loved every single moment I was given. I never want to walk within the lines... and you know so far I don't think I ever have.
'I'd rather be anything than ordinary please...'
Of course this just sums everything up in my writing, my thinking, in all that I do, in the very way I live my life - what good I ask you is ordinary???
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
