update on more

Okay, so it's morning now and I've ha a chance to look through the bits of paper with ideas etc written on them that i found in a carrier bag that was stuffed under the bed. It was a mixed bunch. There were a couple of good starts to stories, one in particular that I liked. Sadly they aren't complete because I guess that I didn't know where I was going with them. Something to think about though. Some of the other bits are worth a thought or two. There are however a couple of things that are probably only good for the B file. That is B for Bin.
Oh well.

More!!!

When I get an idea pop into my head (as long as it is day time because when it happens at night I rely on remembering it in the morning - bad move) I have the habit of writing whatever the idea is down on a piece of paper and stuffing it in a pocket or similar recepticle. I have dozens, nay hundreds of bits of paper all over the place. This morning a carrier bag caught my eye and when I pulled it from where it had been stuffed under the bed I discovered that there are about another 20 pieces of paper with this and that written on them. Some are ideas some are partial stories and it looks like there might be a complete story in there.
Note to self - sort them out.
Advise on how to be more organised would be more than gratefully received.

A new plan

Okay, so the wait is over. Eight weeks have gone by and I can once again turn my eye to my novel, which I did this morning.
I was looking at it with a relatively fresh pair of eyes.
Imagine my horror then when I realised that I really wasn't happy with the first three chapters. I have always thought that they were perfect before but not today. I wondered if it was because I was reading it from a computer screen that it just didn't seem to flow properly.
I was so dejected.
But maybe it's because I know the story so well having gone through it about 5 times in the last couple of years.
Anyway, I've had a chance to think about it this afternoon and I have decided that i need to look at one chapter at a time. Like I said I pretty much know what is coming so I don't so much have to worry about plot but I do make to sure that it flows.
I am happy to report that I am now much happier with chapter one. There wasn't much to change to make it work better just the occasional "and" to "but" or similar. I took out the odd unnecessary sentence.
I don't know if it's the right plan but at least it is one.

Me by any other name.

I was reading Olivia Ryan's news about how she's been able to come out of the closet so to speak and declare that she is indeed Sheila Norton. I am happy to know both of them.
Anyhoo Olivia/Sheila got me thinking about pseudonyms.
Someone else asked me recently if I thought that they should write under their own name and I said that I thought that they should if for no other reason than to avoid confusion when an editor wants to send you a cheque (or other form of payment.)
As some of you know I have been known to write erotic fiction under a not very well hidden pseudonym which Himself chose for me. The reason I do that is just in case my mum ever came across one of them. I don't mind the world at large to know but not my mum.
Having said that, I have seen editions of magazines that I actually have work in sitting on the table in front of my family members and they have never asked if it's me. I think that they probably think that it's someone who shares my name. Like I said in one of my very first posts, writing for publication is not something that someone from my back ground did - in the eyes of my extended family anyway. How little they know me.
I once wrote a children's book which I still dream of getting published one day under a different name. I had the notion that there would be a whole series of them and I wanted them to be published in my grandmother's name.
Maybe one day.
Oh and just one mor ething. To the person that asked me about pseudonyms the other day, thank you. It made me feel great that someone actually asked my opinion on something writing connected.

Thank you editor

I proposed an article to a magazine last week and they replied very quickly saying that they were interested in it but that it would need adapting because they had recently changed they way that they were dealing with such pieces, The editor sent me three recent copies of the magazine to study so that I could adapt my article and asked me to resubmit around Christmas because they thought that it would be more suitable to a summer edition. Of course I am more than happy to do that and am studying the magazines so that I can hopefully get it right next time.
I'm sure I don't need to tell you how excited I was that the editor took the time to do this for me.

I week to go

I have just one week left of my self imposed non touching of BTL. I haven't even opened a single page of it for seven weeks and now there is just one to go. To be honest I haven't even thought about it for about 6 weeks so hopefully by the time that I do read it again it will be with a fresh pair of eyes.
If there's not too much final tweaking to be done then I might even have it off to agents etc by the end of August. My plan for it was to have it off to agents/publishers by the end of the year so I've got a bit to play with.
But not much. Can you believe it's the middle of July already? There'll be Christmas cards in the shops in few weeks.

Where have you all gone?

I hope someone can help.
I noticed the other day that the pictures of my followers have disappeared from my blog and I don't know where they have gone. More importantly, I don't know how to get them back.
Can anyone help?
Okay now I'm confused. I've just visited s couple of blogs and their followers pictures are missing too.
Is this computer on the blink now?

Elementary mathematics

There's a hec of a row going on over at womag's blog about one thing and another and one of the things is that "names" get published more than the rest of us.
That started me thinking.
The full time writers that I know say that being a "name" doesn't guarantee doesn't guarantee that every story they submit will be accepted. I believe them. I mean after all even the books that they write aren't right all the time. However I'm sure that their strike rate is better than mine. God help them if it's not because if they only get the % of work submitted/accepted (currently about 5% of submissions accepted) that I do they must write a million words a year.
I commented on womag's blog that maybe the reason that they appear more regularly in mags than the rest of us mortals is not only that they write/submit more but also because they have more experience their stories are better.
I think that the lesson to us all is that if we want to be published more, we submit more. If we are to submit more we must write more.
It's a simple equation
writing = submissions = possible publication. Even if you don't get to publication straight away at least it will be experience.

Batteries recharged

I haven't written anything as such other than the shopping list for two weeks now. As I was taking a break from the day job I thought that I'd take a break from the second job as well. Tonight I am feeling ready to get back to both
Watch this space.
On the different note of things already written, I did receive a contributers copy of a magazine the other day which is always nice and I have a story due for publication tomorrow. Yay!

Another kick required

Are there ever times when you could kick yourself? Well I had one of those moments today.
Last night I had an idea which just popped into my head. However I am blowed if I can remember what the idea was. I know that I should have written it down and normally I was but I was so tired last night and it was so hot that I didn't. Well I'm regretting that decision now.
Maybe yesterday was just one of those days because when I was talking to Himself and Number 2 son I said "I think," I couldn't get any further. in the space of two words I had forgotten what it was that I thought.
Is there any hope for me?

Does anyone know?

Does anyone know if "Woman's World" magazine in the USA still accept fiction submissions? I've had stories in magazines and books in Europe and Australia but I'm keen to break another continent. Sadly there aren't many magazines in the US that take fiction anymore or at least not many that I can find. I read in a recent copy of Writers Magazine that WW did accept fiction but when I checked out their website there was no mention of it.

Not a lot...

...to report as I don't think that I'v actually done any writing this week. Himself and I are on two weeks holiday from the day job and have basically just been taking time to be together (Big "Aaagghh" here would be appropriate.) Not being much of a sun worshipper we never go away to exotic places during our two weeks off. Instead we stay at home and enjoy lazy get ups, lots of coffee breaks and the occasional chore that we've been putting off.Actually this year we have started quite a major task in that we are decorating the living room. No need to rush these things though. So what if it's only half finished after the first week - that leaves the second week to finish the rest. Who needs to be able to sit on a sofa? Not me. The project was held up by the day that I insisted we go shopping for accessories and cam back with two cushions and yesterday when we went to visit Knaresbrough wich is a place that I used to see when I passed through it on the train when I used to travel more for my day job. It was great. Just as pretty close up as it is from a distance and very relaxing. Life moves very slowly there which was fine by me beause I wasn't moving too quickly myself yesterday (or any day.) I even got my backside nipped by a total stranger which Himself thought was hilarious as did Number 2 Son when I told him. The "stranger" was a big black sofa of a dog that must have been able to smell my own dog on my trousers, decided that she liked the smell him and thought she'd take a nibble. I felt sorry for the owner because she was clearly mortified. I just thought it was funny and gave the offending creature a bit of a fuss. She said she was embarrassed but hey - my dog embarrasses me most days.
So that's what I've been up to this week and I would imagine that there will be more of the same next week.
Sounds like the coffee pot has finished so I bid you all adieu and will retire to my bed again.
It's a hard life.

A close shave

A word of warning to everyone out there.
Some of you may remember a few weeks ago when I apolgised to anyone who had received a very odd email from my personal email address. It was an email that I had never seen before and certainly hadn't sent. It was around that time that I lost all of my contacts in my address book. Himself worked in the computer business for over 30 years and always keeps our security up to date but just to be sure he gave it a thorough once over and I didn't think any more about it.
Then just the other day I was doing some online banking and noticed that the log in page was slightly different. It asked for slightly more information than it had done before. I had reached the website just as I have always done before but that little difference set my radar off.
And thank goodness it did.
I got son number 2 to try and log in on his computer and it was how it had been before. It didn't ask for the extra information.
I don't have a lot of money but what I have I have worked for and it is mine. However I was told when I reported it to the bank that had I put in that small piece of extra information I would more than likely have lost it all.
I know that this has absoloutly nothing to do with writing but I'm telling everyone that I know so that they are warned.

Confused

I've just checked my emails and got very excited when I saw one from the publisher that I sent my Topsy project to with the name of my book in the subject line.
I'm sure you can all guess what I thought.
Sadly no.
However she did say some lovely things about my writing. Unfortunately she said that they could not take it because they are currently only publishing for the professional market and as my book is aimed at the general public they felt that they would not be "able to do justice to the books potential." She said that she would be returning the material so that I could send it to another publisher which she urged me to do.
I know that I should be upset and maybe I am a bit but I'm not sure.

Still Alive and Kicking

An overactive firewall has caused havoc with the internet connection this week so I haven't been in cyber land much. However, I am happy to report that I am alive and kicking though I'm sure non of you thought that I wasn't.
Not much has happened on the writing front or any front come to that.
I had a story rejected the other day (boo!) by a magazine that has had two more of my stories since October. I queried them about a month ago but still haven't had a reply. The story that they rejected came back in a few days so I'm not sure what's happened to the other two. If they are still under consideration I would have thought that they could have dropped me a quick email. Who knows?
Also, Roxanne started a new story this week. She hasn't written anything for a while but the urge came over her this week. It's still in the early stages but I'll let you know how it goes.
I have just completed week three of leaving BTL alone - only another five to go. This week I'm probably going to start working on the final list of lucky agents who are going to get the chance to take it on. How many do you think that I should send it out to? Does six sound about right? And do I mention in my covering letter that I have sent it to others?
Oh there was something else that I did earlier in the week. I worked on the first part of NRIMH. I'm going to work on that some more this morning. That was the good thing about not having a reliable internet connection. At least it meant that I had to do some writing.

Almost but not quite

At the beginning of the year one of the things that I wanted to do was to submit "more than 29 pieces of work." Saying 30 seemed too rigid. Well I am happy to report that I have just submitted number 29 so I am almost there but not quite. Of those 29 pieces of work.
1 was accepted (Yay!)
11 were rejected (Boo!)
17 are still out there (Fingers crossed.)
Just wanted to keep you updated.

We are worthy

There is a very thought provoking post on Angel's blog about self worth.
I have to hold my hands up and say I'm as guilty as anyone of thinking that for one reason or another that I'm not worthy of any number of things. Why do we do that to ourselves?
When Himself and I took out special trip last year I found the most gorgeous notebook in a shop and my lovely husband wanted to buy it for me but I wouldn't let him. I said that I would never use it and I probably wouldn't. It was such a beautiful thing that it deserved beautiful writing and I didn't think no hang on I know that my handwriting would not do it justice.
Come to think of it I already have a beautiful notebook that's been sitting in a drawer for years. It has an angel on the front and the word "dreams." Does anyone else find the picture on the front of my book and the postee of the post that inspired this spooky. I think that I am meant to get that book out (I think I know which drawer it's in) and write in it. I won't beat myself up that my handwriting isn't beautiful as long as the thoughts are.
Angel also challenged us to come up with 10 positive things about ourselves which I am going to give that a go. Right here, right now.
1. I have hung onto the man of my dreams for nearly 30 years (Oh my God! how can it be that long?)
2. I have raised 2 strong, healthy independent young men.
3. I always say hello to the foreign bloke who I pass on the way to work. he plays the same tune over and over on the accordion and almost everybody ignores him.
4. I let my beautiful dog go when the time was right for her even though it broke my heart.
5. I make a wicked sponge cake.
6. When we all had to organise a fundraising "fun day" two weeks ago the one I organised beat the target we were given by 90% and was at least double that of any other in the area. (Sorry - that sounds like a boast but hey what's wrong with that? I worked bloomin' hard and I came up with a great idea so yes well done me.)
7. I held it together during the dark time a couple of years ago.
8. I passed my "speech" exam with distinction. I know that one might be hard to believe for anyone who has heard me speak but I swear it's true.
9. I can iron a shirt in less than a minute.
10. My Yorkshire Puddings always rise.
Good grief that was harder than I thought it would be. I know some of them are a bit feeble but it's all I can come up with.

A busy morning

Its been all go this morning.
After I'd unburdened my soul to you all earlier about why I do this I set about some writing projects. You may recall that I'm not allowed to touch BTL for another 7weeks (self imposed leave alone period) so I had to turn my attention to other stuff.
Those of you that have been coming over for a while may remember what I used to call my Topsy project which I initially wrote just for me as therapy during a very dark time in my life a couple of years ago. Well I have decided that it is no longer just for me and I have put together a proposal which I am going to send to a publisher in the morning.
Also (oh yes there's more) I have set in motion my next book. Well set in motion might be the wrong term because there's about 10,000 in longhand on bits of paper but I decided that this is the one that I am going to concentrate on. It's actually what I have always referred to as book number 3 but after a conversation with my friend I have promoted it. This book just like the last one will be referred to by the letters that make up it's working title - so it is NRIMH.
Any guesses?
I have to stop all that now though as there are Yorkshire Puddings waiting to be mixed. It doesn't matter that the sun is melting the tarmac outside - it's Sunday and my men like a roast.

Why?

I came across something the other day that said when you set out to do something you should ask yourself why you are doing it. It said that you had to be specific about your answers and above all they had to be honest. So while I was walking the dog along the riverbank this morning (what a glorious morning it was too) I asked myself a question or three and tried to answer them honestly.
1. Why do I write stories and articles?
Because I enjoy the process - particularly the fiction. I fnd that it relaxes me and well yeah, I enjoy it.
2. Why do I try to get the things I write published?
Because when I get an email or letter from an editor saying that they want to publish what I've written it feels great. Of course the downside of that is the times that something is rejected but hey, if youo want the good you've got to risk the bad.
3. Why do I want to get paid for what I write?
While it is true that as a rule I don't submit to places that won't pay me for what I write the first story that I ever had published was for a charity anthology so if it's for a good cause that I believe in then I'm there. There's nothing wrong with submitting to non paying markets. Indeed I wasn't paid for what I have on the fiftybeans website. That was something that I wanted to do and if that's what anyone alse wants to do then good luck to them. The reason that I want to get paid for what I write? Okay well as I'm being honest (remember it said that you have to be honest) I want to be paid because it means that I can buy treats and not feel guilty about spending the housekeeping. It means that we might be able to pay the mortgage off a bit sooner. And while that might not be very noble it is true. Also though, if I get paid for what I write that validates what I write in the eyes of those that never believed in me.
Gosh that last sentence might have been a bit too honest but you can't take things back once they've been said.
Please feel free to ask yourself these questions and answer them honestly. If you wanted you could do that here because I'd love to know the answers.

What now???

The payment that is due for the story that I sold last week - payment on acceptance so hopefully it should come through soon paid for Number 2 son's birthday presents and the family celebration meal out (including drinks) which was great - as long as it does come through soon. You may remember that the payment before that bought the road tax with a pound to spare. Well I've just heard that a story that I sold a couple of months ago is going to be published in July so I can expect payment at the end of that month. Can't help but wonder what's going to need paying for then.
Actually, last night when we were all sat around the table having a good time and Number 2 son was openeing his presents it was very satisfying to know that my writing efforts had been worth it.

What now?

I've literally just completed the second draft/rewrite whatever you want to call it of BTL and now I don't know what to do. Do I go through it again? Or do I pluck up the courage to send it out to the six agents that I have on my list?
There may still be things that need changing/correcting but I think you could go on doing that forever. Should I trust that there will be enough there for someone to see it's potential or my potential or do I go through it again and change things for the sake of it?
Answers on a postcard please.

To anyone that has my personal email address

This is just a quick message to anyone that has my personal email address. I would just like to apologise for a message that was sent to everyone in my address book on 4th May under the title of secure shopping. I just came across it while I was checking when I sent an email. I only noticed it because the first name on the list that I sent it to was someone that I haven't emailed in ages. I have never seen this email before in my life. I lost my address book around that time and even though I don't know how I'm sure the two things must be connected.

A beautiful day

When I was walking the dog along the riverbank an hour ago, the sun was shining the birds were singing, we had the place to ourselves and a said (yes I do talk to my dog) "what a beautiful day."
Now that I'm home the day is even more beautiful. At last I have heard about one of the many pieces of work that are out there circling the earth and I have sold it. YAY!!!
Like I said, it's a beautiful day.

Do I believe my ears?

I was browsing shelves of books at lunchtime when I overheard the conversation of the two women standing nearby doing just what I was doing. I swear this is true.
Woman # 1: "I think I'll write a book."
Woman # 2: "You should. You were always good at English."
Woman # 1: (nodding) "Yes I'm going to."
Woman # 2: "You'll need to get one of those whatsits before you start. Oh what do you call them?" (pause while she thinks and her friend looks at her) Agents! That's it. You should get an agent.
I thought about laughing (to myself of course) but I decided not to. She's probably one of those people who decides that they are going to be a novelist and it happens without much apparent effort.
Sorry, didn't mean to sound bitter.

tadpoles and fish

I really appreciate it when anyone takes the time to leave a comment on this blog. I always try to reply to any comment because first of all it's a two way thing so generally there is something to say back and secondly I was brought up to be polite. Now, I know that I'm just a tadpole in the writing pond, less than a tadpole probably but I don't know what that would be called. But tadpoles have feelings too and I get cheesed off when certain fish that maybe believe they are bigger than they really are don't think that I am worthy of acknowledgement. Or should I say that they don't believe a comment I have made on their blog is worthy of acknowledgement. Yet they reply to thngs said to other commentors.
Hang on I get it. They don't speak tadpole. No that can't be it because weren't they tadpoles once upon a time? Really big fish remember that.

Crisis! What crisis?

Okay, before I go any further I just want to point out that I am NOT writing this in an attempt to get you all to tell me how wonderful I am. Apart from anything else I would want you to tell me thr truth and I know that I am far from wonderful.
Anyway, to get to the point of this post. i am having a crisis of confidence.
I've spent this morning editing BTL. Quick update - this is the second re-write so nothing big just tweaking etc. I have found myself correcting lots of little things that should have been spotted on the previous twice that I have read this book in recent months or should not have been made when I wrote it. Things like replacing capital letters with small ones and vice versa. Also there was one bit where the heroine's mother was looking into a room where there were a sink full of dishes only to have her looking into an empty sink in the next sentence.
Silly! Silly! Silly!
Also if I am honest I am starting to look at it and wonder if it actually as good as I thought it was just a few short months ago? Or am I just feeling that was because I'm reading stuff that I read just a few months ago and it's losing it's freshness to me?
I don't know.
All I do know is that I feel better for getting that off my chest. That's the problem when people don't know that you are trying to write a book - there's no-one to talk to about it. I could talk to Himself but he's not here plus I think he's got enough on his plate worrying about how the play-offs will turn out (come on you Blades.) I could try talking to the Chairman of the corporation but the last time I saw him he was digging a hole in the garden so clearly also has more important matters on his mind. Or I could talk to my closest friend but she lives in a different time zone and even though she probably wouldn't mind I don't think her husband wold be too pleased.
So that leaves you.
Thank you for listening (reading?)I feel better for setting out what's going on in my head and in the absence of another plan I'm going to put the kettle on. It'll look better after a cup of tea.

Moving it forward

I haven't posted all week because I haven't really had anything to say that I thought would interest you - but that's not to say that I haven't been doing stuff.
I don't remember what prompted this decision but at the beginning of the week I decided that every day I would do something no matter how small to move my writing forward. It's often been my excuse that I'm too busy/tired/anything else I can think of to write but I thought that if I did something, even a small thing every day I would feel better.
Well that is what I have been doing. Some days I have done more than others but I have done something every day.
I can't say it's got me very far but at least it's a step in the right direction towards becoming more disciplined (in my writing.)
I still haven't heard anything from any editors even though some of them have had my work for over six months. Maybe they'll all answer at the same time and if I could get a couple of acceptances in there that would be great.

To critique or not to critique

Someone told me recently that before I sent the first three chapters, synopsis covering letter etc out that I should get the book professionally critiqued. I just wondered if any of you could advise me either way on this one.

The type of writer I would choose to be

I would guess, but am possibly wrong, that if you are a freelance writer you will basically write about anything and for any publication. Within reason of course.
I suppose what they will write is what seperates the freelancer from say a novelist or a short story writer who by definition only write novels or short stories.
I think that I would prefer to be a freelancer. I think that it would suit my personality more. As I have lamented a million times I sometimes find it hard to concentrate just on one thing and I think that not narrowing your field would offer a lot more opportunities. Would that make me a hack? Maybe, but I've been called worse.
But as I haven't written a published novel(yet) and I don't have that many short stories to my name I suppose I don't need to worry about being pigeon holed.
Anyway, must go - that's the kettle boiled. Today is an unexpected day off thanks to my sadly soon to be departed colleague who even more sadly looks like she will be going sooner than expected. Sod this recession!!! So as today os a bonus day I want to make the most of it. After a cuppa that is - got to get your priorities right.

Feeling a twit

I feel a bit of a twit if I'm honest.
Let me explain.
In April's Writer's News (sorry to name names but it was) I saw a piece about a small publishing house that is fairly local to me and thought that I would submit to them. The remuneration wouldn't be much but I wanted to support them. The piece gave the name of the editor and both the postal and email address. I have just been and checked and it definitely says that they accept submissions by post and email. Except they don't - as the said editor has curtly just pointed out to me. Don't suppose there's much point submitting by post now either

Story update.

A quick update on the new story that I started the other day. You remember, the first new thing that I'd started in ages.
It was previously written in long hand in one of my many note books using my favourite pink pen (the ink is black).I love that pen though it does go through refills like there's no tomorrow. Anyway I digress - just for a change. This morning I decided that I would type it up as it needs to be submitted by the end of the week as it's for a competition. Anyway, I would just like to report that it is now typed and saved and comletely different from what I had in mind. Well maybe not completely different but certainly very. I'm now going to leave it until probably Tuesday and then have one last look at it to check for typo's etc and then it should be off.
Just wanted to share that.

Got a Buddy?

I was reading an article in April's Writer's News earlier (okay so I'm a bit behind) about how some writers have a "buddy", someone that they share their writing with. They offer each other support and feedback etc. I know that there are a lot of writing groups out there (sadly not near me) and online forums but this buddy thing seems a lot more personal.
As I read further it mentioned that usually buddies commit to a certain amount of writing in a given time, say a story a month or 1000 words a week or whatever and I know that there are groups out there doing this already.
I would be interested in any-one's experience of writing buddies.

It's been a while

I've spent a lot of time in recent weeks editing BTL and at other times I've worked on old stories, you know re-working, re-submitting etc but it's been a while since I worked on anything that was completely new.
Until today.
Today I finally had a new story to tell.
And that felt great

Something for me

My new friend that I do it and my good friend Olivia Ryan has a post on her blog about why she writes. Well no-one has ever asked me why I write but I thought that I would tell you anyway.
I write because I have a story in my head. I do the writing for me. I try to get that writing published for the glory. It's a great feeling when an editor says that they like your writing and want to pay you for the right to publish it.
Olivia writes full time - for a living and she is lucky because that is what she wants. As I have just said in a comment on her blog sometimes I think that is what I want. Then I have a good day at work and I think "Nah." You see I actually have a day job that I enjoy most of the time and I work for something that I believe in which always helps.
I think my writing ideal would be that I earned a decent second living from it. I would like it to put me in the position that if the way that I currently feel about the day job ever changed I would have something to fall back on.
I guess I want the best of both worlds.
However, if it doesn't happen, it's no big deal because like I said, I do the writing for me and I wonder if that would feel the same way if my livlihood depended on it.

Another question

This was spawned from my previous question.
Do you prefer old or new? Pristine or creased?
I'm talking about books and spines.
Himself is so careful when he gets a new book not to crease the spine. I don't delibereatly set out to crease a spine but I don't mind if it happens. I think that there is something about a creased spine. It shows that the book has been read - prossibly more than once and hopefully enjoyed. I think that a crease or two gives a book a bit of character (a bit like a face.)
I also like an old book - again I think that it's something about character. There's something about the way that books used to be bound.
How cool would it be if in 50 odd years or longer someone was holding an eary edition of one of my books in their hands? That's always assuming that we still have books then.
Now there's another question.

A question.

Okay, I have a question for those of you that have a book published.
How do you feel when you see a copy of your book, the one you lovingly wrote sitting on a shelf in a charity shop for 99p or similar price.
If you see that the spine is creased and the the book has obviously been read, maybe more than once do you feel good? Or are you just narked that someone is going to buy a copy of your book and you're not going to get any royalties out of it.
I'm not sure how I would feel if it were me. A bit of both I suppose.
Of course this question isn't only for those of you that have actually had a book published. I'd be interested to know what any of you think.

A barrier broken

When I'd finished the first draft of BTL it was just shy of 70,000 words which I know is a little short these days. But I also knew that there was scope for improvement as there were parts of it that I needed to develop. Well this morning i.e. about 2 minutes ago I broke the 75000 word barrier and I'm feeling quite happy about that thank you very much.
I just hope that when I give it the final revision I don't think "what the hell is that all bout" and take it out again.
Little things and little minds as they say.

Confused - just for a change.

i was reading an article earlier which was reviewing someones second book. The reviewer said that Miss X (as she will mysteriously be known) had like so many other wannabe's "trawled her book around publishers before being accepted by British publisher BeWrite.) This is what reminded me of the confusion that I have. Am I right in saying that BeWrite are a print on demand publisher? When I was much younger I remember being warned away from Vanity Publishers for very obvious reasons that are still valid today but how are POD publishers different?
Please forgive what is probably the stupidity of this question but I have very little knowledge of the POD business.

Number 4 in my head

I was in the cellar at work today (rememeber it's a workspace not a punishment area) and I was looking out of the window (it's a very odd very old building) when a sentence popped into my head. I wrote the sentence on a piece of paper and shoved it into the pocket of my jacket. Then I started to think about it. It could be book number 4.
The current state of play is:
Book number 1 - having a final polish.
Book number 2 - about 10,000 words so far
Book number 3 - Couple of thousand words in longhand in a folder that's shoved behind the sofa.
Book number 4 - One sentence.
It's good to dream.

Fiddling - but no violins

I'm currently working on chapter 16 of BTL and have just had to stop myself from fiddling for the sake of it. I was just going over a short paragraph when I decided to add a sentence. Then I deleted it. Then I wrote a different sentence and deleted that. After I'd written another half a sentence I deleted that too. None of them added anything to what was already there and I felt that I was changing things just for the sake of it. I have had to step away from it for a couple of minutes.
Okay, I'm going back in.

Nudge update

On Tuesday I emailed the magazine that have had my story for a year. I emailed the 3 times. When the email was undelivered 3 times I was a bit concerned. Maybe they'd gone out of usiness or something. That might explain things. Undetterred I looked on their website and found a way of contacting them through that. I had a reply from them saying that the story should come to the top of their list in a few weeks time.
That's some pile of slush!

20 years on

I don't often post about anything other than writing but today I'll make an exception.
I happened to be in Sheffield on 15th April 1989 and I remember seeing the police cars and ambulances flying towards Hillsborough and wondering what on earth was going on. Not for one second did I think that it was what was going on. My heart and thoughts go out to anyone that was effected by what happened that day.
As a football fan who has stood on a kop you can't help thinking there but for the grace of God.

Happy birthday to....my submission

What a surprise, no emails regarding any submissions that I've made - AGAIN.
Some of these pieces were submitted months ago. I decided that I would check my what to where list and see just how long some of them have been out there and I discovered that one of them was submitted on 14th April 2008. That is one year ago today. As I recall I had an email from them about six months ago apologising for the delay in getting back to me but I think it's about time that I gave them a nudge.
Okay I'm calmer now (deep breath and all that) I've had a look and of the 16 pieces that are currently under consideration only 4 of them were sent before the turn of the year. I have another piece that I need to submit but I have to send a recent photograph with it. They'll be lucky.

The perfect writer

Writers should......

Answers on a postcard please.

My only excuse for this is that it's 6.20am and I've already been up for two hours. That said I would be interested to know what you think.

Why?

I don't often check how many hits my blog has had possibly because it's right at the bottom of the page and I forget that it's there. However just a couple of minutes ago I thought I'd have a look at it and where the hits had come from (Thanks womag, a lot seem to come to me via your blog.) Anyway, one of the referrers was a google search and the thing that had been searched was "gonna be a writer blog." Why would somebody search for my blog so specifically? I'm confused but hey that's me default state most of the time anyway so what's new.

More advice required please

Okay so the editing of BTL is coming along and I hope that in a few months time and certainly by the end of the year it will be in it's finished form and ready to be sent out to agents/publishers. I did send it out a couple of times about a year ago and the agents I sent it to were complimentary about the style of writing but declined to take it on. Okay that's their opinion and that was before it was changed and polished etc. I know that I went about it the wrong way before and this time I am determined to do it right.
I sent it out to each agent individually one at a time and had to wait for their reply before sending it to someone else. I read somewhere of an author (can't remember who but then I read about so many of them) who sent their book to about half a dozen different agents at the same time. Is it really okay to do that? What if three if them love it?
What I would be really interested to know (if you don't mind sharing) is, those of you that have agents, how did you find them?
By the way, Happy Easter!

Post Script to "Why I keep a secret"

In a comment on my last post Captain Black asked what a fake writer was. I wasn't sure what my colleague had meant by that comment but I took a guess. I now have a difinitive answer.
They said that you can sing as long as you like when you're cleaning the house but it doesn't make you a singer. So by that same token unless you are paid for what you write you aren't a writer. Phew! I haven't been paid a lot but I have been paid so I guess I'm not a fake writer afterall.

Why I keep a secret

I know that I've told regular visitors this before but for newcomers writing is my secret. People that I work with don't know that I do it. Even my family beyond my husband don't know that I do it. I think Son Number 2 might knows that I'm often writing stuff down but I don't think that he has any idea that I've ever had anything published.
I was having a conversation with someone at work today about a couple of people that I used to work with who both described themselves as writers. One wrote short stories and poetry and the other was writing a mystery/thriller novel. You'd think that they would have given each other help and support but nothing could have been further from the truth. They couldn't abide each other and on the rare occasions that they did speak it wasn't about writing. In fact when they spoke to me they were each very dismissive of what the other was doing.
Anyway getting back to the conversation I was having today with someone who didn't know either of them they said that the reason these two people didn't get on was because they both recognised the other for what they really were. As a fake.
That started me thinking about why I don't tell people that I write.
Just for the record I don't consider myself a fake (writer or anything else) but do you know what sometimes a girl (okay quickly approaching middle aged woman) has to have something that she does just for herself and for me that's writing. So I'll not be telling anyone other than those I want to tell thank you very much.

My mum

A couple of weeks ago I told you all that I had started something for a Harper Collins competition around the subject of "Mothers."
I chose to write about an experience that I'd had with my own mother many years ago and in the process of writing I learned a lot of things about both myself and her. They were things that we have never said to each other but writing about it made it all so clear to me.
This piece of work is not going to be submitted to the competition or anywhere else. It is not for public consumption.
Now I finally really appreciate just how much my mother loves me and I hope that she realises that the feeling is totally mutual.

Tea induced euphoria and other stuff

Even though I received one of those "R" things this morning (well technically it was yesterday but I didn't check the email until today) I'm still in a good place. The sun is shining, I had a lovely walk with the dog (even though I did have to drag him away from the flirty little collie down the street that was giving him the glad eye. the minx!)I can smell the cake that is cooking in the oven and I'm feeling optimistic about the future. "What's she on?" I hear you cry. Tea is the answer. I've had nothing stronger than a good old fashioned cuppa for hours so my good mood is induced by nothing stronger than that.
Remember that poetry that I submitted a while ago? Well that was also "R'd" this week but hey ho, that's life I suppose. No point letting it get you down. Just take it on the chin and get on with it.
Maybe you also remember that I said that I would submit seven things in March. Well I did but I don't feel good about it. Which wuld be better? Submitting seven mediocre pieces just to say that I'd achieved what I set out to do or one good piece that's pitched just right. I'm thinking that it's the latter.
Therefore, from now on I will be concentrating on quality rather than quantity. I'm not saying that the pieces that I've sent out weren't ready to go or weren't pitched at what I thought was the right market. I think that they were all fine and I wouldn't have sent them if I didn't think that they were ready but I do think that I need to adopt the mantra that I use in my day job. It's not a new thing and I'm sure you've all heard it before but it's "Work smarter not harder."
I don't have a lot of time for writing although I do spend a lot of time thinking about writing. I think that the crux of the previous paragraph is that I need to work smarter in my writing in general. I need to organise my time and my efforts better. I need to be more oganised.
Sadly for me being organised is not one of my strong points. Having said that I am organised with the day job.
Maybe there is hope for me.

Just a thought

I was thinking today about sites that allow you to publish your work and receive feedback from fellow writers. I don't want to single any of them out by name because I don't belong to any, never have, so don't know the good from the bad. I have heard of instances where some writers have received negative comments that might have been given for personal reasons rather than the write (attempt at interesting play on words) reasons.
I'm curious also as to what benefit it is to anyone for me to say that I like their writing. It doesn't matter if I like it because if they are trying to get their work pulished surely what matters is if an editor likes it.
It was just a thought.

Ironing out wrinkles.

I've just spent the last hour or so trying to iron the wrinkles out of chapter 4 and I think it's finally at a place where I want it to be. I'm leaving it behind for now anyway. I don't want to over analyse it. I want to get the whole thing into more or less the shape that I want it to be in before I get into the fine detail. I thnk I've earned the cup of tea that I'm going to make when the kettle boils who knows I may even have a biscuit. But hang on I don't want to ruin my apetite just in case either Son Number 1 or Number 2 turns up with chocolates. The dogs already got me q bottle of port. Clever doggie. Just in case any of you think that I actually believe my dog, clever though he is could go to the shop and buy alcohol I don't. He's not old enough for a start. No, my beloved Himself bought the port on the off chance that his sons disappoint me today. And trust me, if they disappoint me they will be his sons.
Anyway, getting back to BTL, I'll carry on with the ironing after my cuppa.

Slapping may be required

I'm trawling through BTL again doing fine tuning etc and currently stuck on chapter 4. It's odd because as I'm going through it this time I'm noticing things that I didn't the last time. I guess that just shows that you could probably tweak forever but I think that this will be the final time that I go through the book in its entirity.
I have two other books in the planning stage and I have been thinking of one of them quite a lot recently and feel like I want to get on with it but I am determined to finish BTL first. I've told you all a dozen times about how I flit from one thing to another but I'm not going to do that this time. having said that though, I need to make sure that I don't rush through BTL just to get to the next one.
Patience was nevr my strong suit.
If I mention working on my other book before BTL is finished I want you all to give me a virtual slap.
On a different note, I heard that I sold a story today which is always good news. It was a story that I sent out in October of last year. I'm yet to hear anything positive about anything submitted this year.

Must be more interesting

When I popped over here just now I was a bit disappointed to see that I've lost a follower. While I don't judge the success of my blog by the number of people that follow it the fact that someone decide to not follow it any more made me ask why. Mabe I need to be more interesting.
Thanks to the rest of you that are hanging in there.

Quick turnaround

On Monday I posted a story to People's Friend so they received it at best yesterday morning. It was back on my doormat this morning. When this happens, do you think the story is even read?

Not A B or C

Before I became disillusioned with my writing course I had to write a short story as an assignent which I duly did. My tutor said that it was good and suitable for magazine A and that I should send it to them which I did. They didn't want it so I sent it to magazine B. They didn't want it either so just after Christmas I sent it to magazine C. This "good" story was returned to me again this week. I can't give it away.

Chapter by Chapter

Okay, true to my word I have looked at BTL with a view to composing a chapter by chapter breakdown of the book. I'm doing this because I assume that if I am lucky enough to get someone interested in it they are going to want to see such a breakdown. The trouble is that I have never done this before and I wondered if anyone could give me any advice. Which would be a better approach?
A) Dark house. Where is this place? Why is she here?
or
B) Margot finds herself in a dark unfamiliar house. She has no idea where she is or why she is there.
or
C) Both of these are wrong and there's another way that I should be doing it.
Any advice would be most welcome.
Just for the record, I don't know where the house is or why there are no lights on. I don't know why she is there and I've never met Margot.
Oh and so much for that lovely weather that I talked about earlier. That has swiftly been replaced by wind, rain and even a bit of snow. Don't you just love this country?

Time of Year

It must be the time of year for me to be a bit lethargic writing wise. I wasn't blogging 2 years ago and I didn't keep a diary that year but last year I posted on 6th March that I was struggling to get my head around writing. How very odd. I think it was around the 4th/5th march this year that I said the same thing.
Anyway, I am happy to report that the lethargy has lifted, it is a beautiful morning up here in the far North (not only past Watford but Leeds as well) and now that the kettle has boiled and I can have a cup of tea I'm going to settle down to a couple of hours writing. I did start something yesterday for the Harper Collins competition on the subject of Mothers so I might work on that later. For now it's another look at the start of BTL. I'm doing it this time with a view to compiling a chapter plan. There are a couple of other things that I want to do but I'll see how we go.

Nothing much

I came over here with the intention of posting but now that I'm here I don't know what to say. I don't know if I have anything interesting to say. Some of you may say that I rarely do. But since when did that stop me from talking to friends?
I submitted something earlier in the week but I can't remember what it was. I could look it up on my spreadsheet but the way my day's been going if I tried to do two things at once the computer would probably blow up. Oh I remember it was a letter to a magazine. Okay so it probably wasn't a real submission but I had something to say and, if accepted, the reward will be worth the effort. There's a competition that I want to enter and I worked on that earlier. I'm looking forward to having a look at BTL this weekend but I'm still not sure what the next stage will consist of so maybe I should wait and give it a bit of thought first. I almost wrote a poem at lunchtime. It started off as random thoughts that turned into a verse. The second verse however didn't flow so well. I may look at it again, probably in the distant future when I come across where it was scrawled into my notebook.
That's it really. I'll try and have something more interesting next time.

3 times not a charm

I'm sure I'm not the only one amongst us that received that email today, you know the one, it said that Best will shortly be stopping their Fiction slot.
I received that email three times today.
Bummer!!!
I'm particularly disappointed by the one that they'd had since August.

So far and plans for March

Is it really March tomorrow? Time to set myself a new target.
So far this year I have submitted 11 bits of work, 5 in January and 6 in February. Sadly 3 of them have been rejected.
1. The WW competition entry with the critique by Sue Moorcroft.
2. A tip in TaB where I got the email response that made it easier to take.
3. A story that I sent to The Yellow Room where I received feedback saying that my characterisation was good.
The other 5 stories, 2 articles and 1 poem(or rather 6 poems as a showcase) are still out there.
In addition to my submissions, the first rewrite of BTL has been completed and the first 10 chapters are currently with my "reader" and I am awaiting feedback.
That's not bad - for me anyway.
So in March, to earn my reward I will submit 7 pieces of work (comes after 5 and 6 so seems sort of logical) and start work on the next phase of BTL. That second part might seem a bit wishy washy but I'm not sure what the next stage will be. I don't know if I will need to go through the whole thing again or if I should concentrate on the things I noted that I wanted to change. Either way I said that I would give myself 2 weeks off it so that I can look at it with a fresh perspective. That means that I won't be looking at it until next Sunday at the earliest.
I won't be doing anything much today though. Himself is taking me out for a little retail therapy (so what if it's only soil and paint - not for the same job I hasten to add) and then a spot of lunch. It's to help cheer me up after baby bird's departure yesterday. Himself is such a lovely man and I am so lucky.

Time off and baby birds

I haven't been around blogland much this week so I thought I'd take the chance to catch up. My reason for not visiting much has been that Himself and I have been on holiday from work this week. That has also lead to a distinct lack of writing this week too. I did write on Sunday and edited a short story on Monday but I think that's been it. I don't feel bad about that though because, well I just don't. I've also had other things on my mind this week. I am both unhappy and glad to report that my eldest has flown the nest. He told me on Monday and he moved out today. It's left a bit of a vaccuum - maybe I'll write about it. There was something quite sad about one less plate at tea time.
I had a rejection this week but that's okay too. I got positive feedback from the editor who liked my characterisation (they all say that) but it just wasn't right for them. They said that the plot was a bit "slight." I think that was the word they used I think but I might be wrong. I read it and took it on board and then went back to worrying if baby bird's wings are strong enough to support him. But don't worry, I'll go back and take it in properly in a couple of days time.
I've had my week off though now and when the weekend is over I'll knuckle down to work again, both the day job and the writing.
Apologies also to anyone who's comments I haven't replied to. I'll get caught up this weekend.

A second income

When I've been paid for a piece of writing in the past I don't know what's happened to the money. I think that most of it went into the "Rome Fund." We'd been planning that trip for a year and then had to postpone it for a year and I don't think I'd earned anything before then. Anyway it was just sort of eaten up and even if it did fill the holiday coffers which meant that we could afford to treat ourselves I didn't feel like I was earning a second income.
Well that all changed this week. I must be earning a second income, albeit an incredibly modest one because today I used money earned from writing to pay a bill. Last week I was paid for a story and today I used all but 5p of it to buy the road tax.
I never imagined that giving the DVLA money would mean so much to me.

Progress report

I have just finished the rewrite of BTL. Or should that be the first rewrite. There are still some things that I want to have another look at, chapter 26 for instance. Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know. I have gone from doing a chapter maybe two each week (Sunday's are the only day that I can get a real crack at it) to racing though it because I wanted to know what happened. The book was finished over a year ago and I couldn't remember exactly what had happened. But I wanted to know. Also there was a scene between two characters towards the end where I found myself sobbing. I cared so much about what was happening to them.
This is not a finished project by any stretch of the imagination. I know that. There are still things that need to be looked at and possibly altered. And then the really hard work of finding an agent/publisher will begin.
What do you think? Agent or publisher?
I just wanted you all to share in my euphoria in the fact that my creation is one step nearer completion.

Mixed messages

I'm a great believer in a)"being prepared" and b)the power of the mind.
"Yeah, and?????" I hear you cry.
Well, my thinking on this very good morning (hope I've not hexed the whole day) is that as I don't keep "proper" records I am not "being prepared" and I'm sending my mind mixed messages.
Okay I can hear you all asking what I'm banging on about so here goes.
The only record that I keep of my writing etc is a spreadsheet that records what I send where, if they accepted it, how much they paid me and when. I never keep records of expenditure.
By doing that I think that I am sending my mind mixed messages. It's like saying that I don't need to do that because I'm never going to be successful enough for anyone official to be interested in it. I know that the mind has great effects on what happens to a person. (This is not something that I think, it is something that I know from experience.) I've said before that if mega success doesn't come for me in this field then I'll be okay with that and I will because there are things out there that are so much more important but I would like to think that if the mega success does come I'd at least be a little bit prepared for the taxman.
I'm going to buy envelopes and stamps at lunch time, maybe I'll buy a small ledger too.

A different viewpoint

Last week when I was banging on my rewrite of BTL (for a change - sorry about that) Captain Black asked if it had been read by a "trusted reader." Well it will be now. Some time ago a dear friend that I trust read the first 3 chapters and gave me some feedback which I took into consideration and prompted me to change a few things. She did say that she would like to read more when I was ready to show her so today I gave her the first 10 chapters. I'll let you know what she thinks when she gets back to me.

Something said.

I don't often write poetry and I never submit it. But today something asked me why. The truth is I don't know why apart from the fact that I don't have a lot of raw material, I don't know if it's any good and I didn't know where to send it. Then something made me look in my "Poems" folder and I saw that I did actually have a fair bit of raw material. Something also pointed out that until I sent it out how would I ever know if it was any good and hadn't I recently read an article about a poetry publishing house. All very true so tomorrow I will be submitting poetry for the first time. Because Something (deliberate capital letter to denote the fact that Something has taken on a persona of it's own) told me to.

Rant followed by request

Ooooohhhh!!!!!! This is so hard.
Okay it's not hard really but I was just feeling the need to be a bit a dramatic artiste/creative type and I didn't much fancy lopping an ear off.
This is my problem.
I am editing BTL and I have realised about ten minutes ago that I seem to be getting through this rewrite much quicker now than I had been when I was doing the early stages. Now, it could be that the early chapters were really rubbish and needed a lot of work on them while the part I am on at the moment is just brilliant. Somehow I doubt it. Do you think that maybe I'm rushing it because I'm keen to send it off to the agent that I was going on about the other day. (I am sort of thinking out loud here so please bare with me. Do however feel free to jump in at any time.)I think that I am rushing it. Yes definitely now that I've put it like that I think that I am. There was a point in my last chapter when I thought "hang on that happened a bit quick didn't it" so if I'm thinking that then readers but more importantly in the first instance agents probably will too.
Deep sigh.
Yes, I am rushing it. There are parts that need changing but I'm going to plod on 'til the end and then go back. I went over and over the first 3 chapters until I was heartily sick of them so I don't want to make the same mistake again.
Okay so that's that drama over now I would like some more hard and fast advice rather than just the kind listening of friends to someones rant.
I have a problem with chapters.I made the mistake of just writing the book without any chapter breaks so now I am busily trying to fit them in. What advice can you give me about the best place to do this. Is it when you move onto a different aspect of the story? Or would some of you do it a different way? I would love to hear from anyone who can help. I think that i am happy with my chapters but I would like a different perspective.
Thanks as always for listening.

Best magazine

Does anyone have any idea what Best's turnaround time is like at the moment. They've had a story of mine for 6 months and I still haven't heard anything. I know that they were a little backed up before Christmas but I just wondered if anyone had any news.

Fighting the urge.

As I've told you before it is my plan and my hope to have my book ready to go out to agents and publishers by the end of the year and I've been plodding along with my rewrite quite nicely. How ever (elongated word) I have been given a heads up about an agent and now I'm feeling ...oh I don't know what the word is but I'm feeling it. I had been given the names of two agents to try and I had sent it to the first one who said that they really liked the writing but weren't in the position to take on anyone at that time but I didn't try the second. i found the two names written on a scrap of paper the other day and it was like karma or something. I want to send my novel off and have it accepted and be loved by the literary world right this second but I know that it's probably not ready yet and so I don't want to send it off until it is. I am by very nature an impulsive person who hates to wait for anything that I want so it's very hard to fight the urge. I am trying though. I'm trying to tell myself that I cannot send it off until....
So far I have come up with - the first rewrite is completed.
Anyone for anymore.
BTW it's snowing again here - again and my oldest friend was laid of yesterday without any warning. Just ta ta and go home. It sucks.

A great way to focus the mind

When I decided that I would set myself writing targets each month with a reward if I was successful, I never imagined that I would be so successful with it. Today is only the 10th and I have already completed my writing tasks for the month. The promise of a reward is really focusing the mind on getting the job done. Before the month was over I wanted to submit three pieces of work and edit four chapters of BTL. I have just finished that when I emailed off my third submission. However I think that I will be harder on myself next month and give myself more to do. It doesn't mean that I won't be doing any writing for the rest of the month though. I'll be working on my bonus for the rest of the month.
BTW my reward this month was a full hour curled up on the end of the sofa with my feet up. a pot of tea and my book.
Some of you may have noticed that my January reward also included reading time and that is because that is something that I really precious to me. By the time I've been at work all day and then I've come home and taken care of my men I usually have to grab the odd minute here and there to read a book or magazine. having a whole block of time to indulge myself is a real treat.

Double figures

I got a lovely surprise when I came by here this morning and discovered that I've made it into double figures - followers that is. I can't tell you all how chuffed that makes me. I love you all and thank you for being interested in me.

All tips welcome

I was just sitting at my kitchen table (it doubles as an office on Sunday mornings) editing another chapter of BTL and I started to think about how, hopefully this time next year it will be out there trying to find a home. So I then started thinking(okay there may not have been a lot of editing going on at this time) that want to do it properly. I don't want to waste my time by sending it out to the wrong people in the wrong way. So what I would like from you learned folk is any tips that you may be willing to share on the art of preparing a manuscript and choosing the right agent to send it to.
I am currently about 60% of the way through my first re-write so I have way to go yet but one of my writing aims for 2009 is to have it ready for submission by the end of the year.

A Me Day

I don't usually work the day job on Thursdays so I usually try to write as much as I can, especially in the mornings - after I've done the grocery shopping because we still have to eat. Anyway, today I've given myself a day off from that. I'm going to have a "me" day. I was saying to someone the other day how I missed the days when I'd tidy the house up a bit, do a bit of ironing, maybe bake a cake and wait for the kids to get home from school. Life seemed so uncomplicated then but sadly those days are long gone. Now I work full time because even though we said that we wouldn't when I went back to work we spend full time money so I can't just jack it in. I actually do enjoy my job and it is very worthwhile but now and then I do hanker for the life of a housewife. So that's what I'm doing today. I've just stopped by here to say hello after checking if I'd been paid for a story I sold recently and sadly I haven't so I had to ping off an email asking if there was a problem. But apart from those two things I'm doing nothing else on the computer today. I may pick up a notebook later because I used to from time to time when I was a housewife but I doubt it. No, I'm off to make an orange and sultana cake, clean the bath and do a bit of ironing. That should take me to lunchtime and as Himself is here for that today I shall make something nice for that (what instead of the dross that you usually dish up I hear you cry.) I might even get the hoover out later. Steady on though, there's no need to go mad is there. Then it'll be tea time by which time I'm sure I'll be bored with all the domesticity so maybe I'll pick up a pen then. We'll see.
I highly recommend that everyone has a "me" day from time to time. I actually have a "me" week every year in April. It's fantastic.

Easier to take

Remember Womag's post the other week about filler opportunites? Well I thought I'd give it a go with Take a Break. I sent off my tip and my picture and a couple of days later received a rejection email. The point of this post isn't to complain that my tip wasn't used because come on how many brand new tips are there out there. There was always going to be a good chance that it wasn't new. I mean I got it from somewhere. No the point of this post is that I actually got a reply. I thought that I would hear back from them if it was accepted but not if it wasn't. It makes the rejection easier to take - somehow.

What Sue thought

I received my critique back from Sue Moorcroft yesterday and this is what she thought. True to my word I will be sharing it all with you - he good and the bad.

Presentation: nice clear font, indented paragraphs and double line-spacing. Good grammar, punctuation and spelling.
Wordcount: Just right.
Dialogue: good. Advances the story and adds to the characterisation.
Characterisation; good. Christine is somebody I feel I could meet any day. Because you remain firmly in her viewpoint we are party to her thoughts and emotions, which is always engaging.
Overall: you have a flowing style with a good command of language. But i don't feel that this is the right story for Woman's Weekly. The plot is slight and sort of upside-down - instead of there being a problem that is solved, there's a good situation that gradually deteriorates into a disappointment. Instaed of ending the story with a glow, i feel fed up.
For this market, you generally need the central character to be instrumental in the resolution that, by reaching a turning point or epiphany, gives rise to a satisfying ending.
I like your writing style and characterisation and with the right story you might well be a future Woman's Weekly writer. Good luck!
Best wishes
Sue.

So there it is. I'm pleased that she liked the way that I write but a bit disaapointed that she thought it was an unhappy ending. I thought it was ironic. I have to say though that I think it was £3 well spent.

Deja vu or what?

I started to write a story a couple of days ago and gave the two characters in it certain names. The story hasn't really developed very much so i put it to one side and picked up something from my work in progress file to type up. I was amazed when the characters in the old story were called exactly the same names as the ones in the story that I had tried to write earlier in the week.
How mad is that?
I don't know where the names came from or why I would choose them together more than once.
When I'm writing a story I tend to pluck the names of characters from somewhere around where I am or what I'm doing e.g. if I'm writing at work I might give a character the name of someone who is around. It's all a bit random so I think it is really weird that I should put these people together more than once.

And what do you do?

I read a post on a blog recently and read the comments that had been left. The name of one of those leaving a comment intrigued me so I clicked on their link to have a look at them. Next to occupation they had said "freelance writer." As I'm sure you all know you can click on that link too and it will take you to all the bloggers that describe themselves in that way. There are a lot of them.
I am getting to the point trust me.
It is this. When someone asks what you do do you say "freelance writer"? (Sorry, not sure where the ? should go. Think I might have put it in the wrong place.)
I appreciate that this is blogland and maybe they wouldn't describe themselves like that in the real world.
Anyway that's irrelevant really, my question is when someone asks what you do what do you say?
I'll get the ball rolling. I say "I work for (name of company ommitted for intrigue purposes)." But then, my own mother doesn't know that I write so why would I tell a complete stranger?
Just a thought.

Was it really that long?

Has it really been a week since I blogged. If that's what the date says then it must be true. It doesn't seem that long though.
So, what have I been doing all week?
I've been in blogland a few times because I've been checking up on people and leaving messages. What else?
I tried starting a short story yesterday but that's not going so well. I had the start and I know what I wanted the final words to be but can't work out how to get there. That can't be all the writing that I've done this week. Maybe it was, I can't think of anything else.
Oh hang on I remember, there was something else.
I had an idea last weekend for a non fiction project and I was working on some ideas for that earlier in the week. I need to do some more work on that.
I honestly don't think there was anything else though.
Mmmm. Maybe I slept a lot.

Was it really a

I wonder

I've just submitted a short story - yes I know, that's 4 this month I'm on a roll - and in my covering letter I intruduced myself and said I've had work published in this and that. That started me wondering. Do you suppose Della Galton and Christina Jones have to do that?

Nero here I come.

Remember back in December when I told you about my plan to set monthly objectives to get me where I want to be at the end of 2009?
Well I am happy to report that as of this morning I have completed my set objectives and am in a position to claim my reward. The objectives I set were:
1. Submit 3 ideas/articles/stories.
2. Edit 4 chapters of BTL.
I have just finished editing my 4th chapter after posting off my third story this morning. Well if I'm being perfectly honest it was 2 stories and a feature idea. I'm sure some of you may think that I didn't set myself enough to do but there is absolutely no point in setting unachievable goals and I am a great believer of easing oneself in gently.
In case you don't remember the reward that I said I would give myself it was half an hour in Cafe Nero's with a hot chocolate and a good book.
I'm not going to rush off a give myself the reward straight away though. I think that I shall anticipate it a little first.

Such and such

Well, I typed up the story editing as I went along and as I was doing it I thought *Hang on a minute this might interest such and such." Then, would you credit it, when I do the word count that's perfect for them too. Needless to say after a polish or two I think I'll submit it to such and such and keep my fingers crossed. Then if they decline to take it I'll tinker with it a bit and send it somewhere else.
As usual I'll let you know.

Writing for Blah magazine

Speaking as someone who had a whopping 3 yes I said 3 pieces of work accepted in 2008 I was wondering how the rest of you target your market.
Do you think "okay, today I'm going to write a story for Blah magazine," and work to their guidelines or do you come up with an idea for a story, write it and then see who you think might be interested in it. Personally I use the second method but I'm not sure if it's the best one.
I tried the former once when I came up with what I thought was an amusing idea. I wrote the story with a particular magazine in mind and wrote it to fit their style, word length etc and sent it of to them. I was devastated when they declined to take it. (Rejection is not a word for Sunday mornings.)
I liked the story though, in fact I think it probably is one of the best ones that I have ever written. I'd planned it's structure and thought it through before I even put pen to paper which is very unusual for me.
Because I liked it I didn't give up on it. I sent it out to another magazine without changing so much as a comma and they accepted it.
The story that I'm about to type up this morning (currently on 3 bits of A4 paper that's been stuffed in and out of my jacket pocket a dozen times this week) wasn't planned at all. I had the idea and I knew how I wanted it to end but I wasn't sure how I was going to get there. I have no idea yet of the length of it so I'm not sure if or who it's going to be suitable for.
I guess I'll type it up and see.

Money well spent

I sent a story to the Writers Forum Womans Weekly competition today and invested £3 in requesting a critique from Sue Moorcroft. This is a first for me. Not the competition, I've entered those before but the critique. I'm really excited by that. Even if I don't win (and obviously I am hoping that I will) I'm going to get some valuable feedback. I'm willing to bet it's the best £3 that I'll spend this week. Obviously I'll let you know what she says.

Dull but true

Just thought that I would let you know that I did submit something this week, or rather I will in the morning. I've just printed it out and I will post it tomorrow.
It was while I was preparing to let you know this that I suddenly thought.
Why?
Will you be interested?
I hope so because all I can do is tell you what I'm doing. I can pass on a tip or two when I discover one but I don't feel qualified to offer advice. Obviously if someone asks me a question I can say what I think but I don't pretend to be an authority on anything.
All I can do is tell you what I've been up to with my writing and what I have done this week is edit a short story and print it.
Oh and yesterday I was looking through one of my notebooks and came across a plan for a story. I originally thought that it might be a good idea for a book but I'm not sure if it will have the legs to carry it to 70,000 words. Now I'm thinking that it could be a longer story for a fiction feast. It actually is a well thought out plan and I was really pleased with it.
That's been it though this week. Himself has been off work for a few days and we've been spending a lot of time together.
By saying what I have just said I'm not saying anything about anyone that does offer direct advice. I've learned so much from people that do. All I am saying that I don't feel that I can do this.
I suppose I'm also apologising for the fact that sometimes my blog might seem a bit dull compared to others. Dull but true.
And I thank anyone who reads what I write, I really appreciate it.

Easing back into "normal"

I love a statistic. Sorry if it makes me sad but there it is I have said it.
One of the things that I aim to do this year is to have my book (BTL) fully and finally edited and ready to be sent to agents/publishers. After much deliberation which I won't bore you with becuase God knows I could bore for England on the subject of how much to edit, I have decided to do a second edit which is what I am on now and then a final polish.
As of this morning (2 minutes ago) I am currently 43% of the way through my book's second edit. Okay so I haven't done all that since Thursday morning but it gives me a reference point of where I am and where I need to be.
I want at least another two chapters done by the end of January or the hot chocolate reward is forfeited.
I love Christmas even more than a statistic and I had a wonderful one but the tree came down this morning and it's time to get back to normal. A little light editing was my way of easing my self back into "normal." Who knows I may even submit something this week.

Non holiday holiday

Christmas/New Year is a woring time for me and I generally only get 2-3 days off. I'm not complaining because it does mean that I get to take some of my 26 days holiday when I want to rather than when the company is shut down for Christmas. The down side is that I have all the extra domestic stuff that is required over the festive season to fit in around the day job which means that, well not to put too fine a point on it I am cream crackered at the moment. Consequently there hasn't been a lot of writing done over the past two weeks. Hopefully things will get back to normal this week.
Oh, could someone please come over and finish these chocolates.

A difficult year for GBW & Co Ltd.

In the year 2007-2008 production was down by 30% and sales were down by 50%. The Board (that'd be me and the dog) has decided therefore, that unless the company is to go the way of so many other companies this needs to be addressed and addressed immediately.
The Chairman (the dog) has asked that I (the only person in the company that can type) "do something about it." (Please note the non specific nature of the Chairman's instruction so that if it doesn't happen he can deny all blame.)
The Chairman also asked if I had a theory on why the company had endured such a bad year and I told him that I felt that the reasons were threefold.
1. I didn't submit as much as I should have or hoped that I would.
2. What I did sub wasn't good enough.
3. I didn't write enough
Okay so that's the self pity over for another year and this is what really happened.
1. There were huge parts of 2008 when writing wasn't my number one priority. Okay, so as a year it wasn't as bad as the one before but it certainly had it's moments. So sometimes, writing and subbing were the last things on my mind.
2. I subbed some things to the wrong market at the wrong time or before they were ready.
3. Can't argue with number three - it's true.
After listening to my argument the Chairman nodded like the wise old sage that he is before knocking me to the floor and licking me ferociously for five minutes. That concluded the Board Meeting and we went for a walk to devise a plan to have a better year next year. Said plan will go before the Board at a later date.

Ho ho ho and all that

So it's that time of the year again and I don't suppose that there'll be much blogging going on in the next few days so I would just like to take this opportunity to say Merry Christmas to you all. I hope that it is everything that you hope it will be.
I'll be spending mine with my menfolk all four of them which makes me very lucky and I am so looking forward to it.
Have a good one everyone but spare a thought for those out there that are having a hard time making their Christmas happen for them.

Coming out of the closet

I'm still largely in the closet as far as my writing is concerned. Himself knows that I do it and my good friend Tuesday Moon knows too but that's it. I don't even think that my kids know they probably just think that I mess about on a laptop a lot. Anyway, you may recall I told you recently that I had sold a story to The Weekly News and what should my mother-in-law be reading last week but The Weekly News. So if she reads the edition with my story in and she reads the authors names she is bound to ask. I guess the cat will be out of the bag then.

A reward in mind

A firend of mine told me that to help you to be successful you should record what you want to have achieved in a years time and then work out what you need to do in the next month to help you to achieve that. Also you need to note a reward that you will give yourself if you do what you said you would do in that month. I'm going to give it a go. I'm not sure what my to do list for January will be but my reward will be half an hour in Cafe Nero with a good book and a hot chocolate.

Here is Georgiana

Georgiana

Thanks to Annie who gave me this writing cave dragon to take care of. I have called her Georgiana and discovered that she likes to sleep late and spend the afternoons playing with my dog. The two of them have become great friends.
Thanks Annie

Same old problem.

Do you remember a few weeks (might have been a bit longer than that) I was talking about editing my novel and how I couldn't stop myself tinkering with it? Well I'm still in that dilemma. I'm currently working on chapter 10 or at least I was a couple of minutes ago and I started to think about what Cally said. She told me that she stopped fiddling with her book (currently accepted and due for publication) when she bacame sick of looking at it. At that stage I was heartily sick of looking at the first three chapters that I had been tweaking for a while. So i left them and got on with the rest of the book and am currently as I say on chapter 10. So I'm asking myself should I go back and maybe work on say chapters 4 - 6 until I am sick of them or should I just plough on to the end?
Okay, so I'm thinking that I'll plough on for now. I'm thinking that I should work my way through the entire book because it's been a while since it was finished and I'm interested to read on and see how I developed the idea. (This book was finished before the bad stuff that happened last year so was stuck in a metaphoric drawer for a long time.)
Yes that's what I'll do...decision made...maybe.
Thanks for listening. I knew that you'd help me see sense.

Risking the hex

Do you remember a few weeks ago when I told you that I'd read about a freelance author who never submitted in December? Their theory was that editors didn't commission as much and they lost submissions etc. Well I thought to myself "What the hec! I'll take the risk" (brave soul that I am) and I have submitted. Yes that is correct I have risked the December hex and sent out a story.
I wanted to go back and read the article again so that I could clarify a few things but I can't find it and I can't remember who the author was so I can't look them up. Thinking about it they may well have been just referred to as "a freelance writer". Anyway couldn't find it - what a shocker!
Then I thought that maybe the whole December thing had just been said for effect because as a freelancer their income is not guaranteed so they must make loads in the other 11 months.
I wanted to submit so I did and I wanted to tell you so I have.
Now I'm off to make fish pie (insight into my domesticity.)

Oh no not another one.

Following the rejection emails I received in the past two days you can imagine what I thought when I saw a message from an editor sitting in my inbox this afternoon. But, I thought bravely, best open it and get it over with. At least it was from Jill Finlay and she writes the best rejection emails I have ever had. She trys to find something positive and always lets you down gently so it wouldn't be so bad.
I while I still maintain that Jill writes great rejection emails, she writes even better acceptance ones.
Yes, you've understood me correctly. I've sold a story. It seems like ages since I was able to say that (I'd need to check my WW file to give you the exact length of time but it's been too long.)
I could barely keep the smile off my face all afternoon. And there's nothing like a bit of success for spurring you on.
Thanks Jill.

Would you credit it?

Can you believe it? I don't hear a dickie bird from anyone about anything for months on end and then following yesterday's rejection email I get another one today. Ya boo hiss and all that but never mind it'll soon be Christmas.

A small thing

My latest rejection meant that I had to visit my "What's Where" file where I discovered that I only have 12 bits of writing currently with editors.
Of them there's one non fiction that I think I can forget about. It's with a magazine that is notoriously long at getting back to you and they have had it just over a year. I'd forgotten about it anyway so maybe I shouldn't count that. I only noticed it because I scrolled too far.
Then there's the story that has been with someone for 8 months. They asked that I give them 6 months so I have queried that one this morning.
There's one that People's Friend have had since May, another with Best since August and one with The Weekly News since later in August.
That leaves two with the magazine that rejected a story I sent them in November. They have had the two that they still have since October. I also have one fiction and one non fiction with editors I have never worked with before and they have had these particular works of genius (I am laughing you realise) since November.
There are also a couple of stories with a foreign editor who I have been warned never gets back to you sometimes not even when they want your story. I didn't know that when I submitted and I won't submit to them again so maybe I should just forget about those and out them down to experience.
So that, in a nutshell is my WW file. It is small but it is mine and just like my bank balance I will try and improve it in the coming months.

A lesson to learn

I've just read an article that stated that you shouldn't practise writing you should practise finishing the writing projects that you start. Now there's a lesson I should definately learn.

One year one

On this day a year ago I wrote on this blog that I had a big personal week ahead and that I wasn't going to set myself anything too difficult. I stated that in this week I would:
1. Work on my Topsy project
2. Develop an idea from my work in progress folder.
3. Come up with an ending to a half written story that I had come across.
One year on I can report that:
1. The Topsy project still isn't completed.
2. My WIP folder grows bigger by the day.
3. That story still doesn't have an ending.
Wasn't a very good week writing wise was it. Personally it was terrific and that's what really matters.
I think that this wa sthe week when my attitude to writing and what it actually means to me changed.