It's the Diagram Prize for the Oddest Book Title - The Shortlist...

Yes, it's time for the Diagram Prize again- the 38th.

A few weeks ago I mentioned that there was still time to nominate odd book titles from 2015, well the deliberations are over and the shortlist of titles has been announced.

The Bookseller administers the Diagram Prize - you can see the interesting range of book covers for the shortlisted titles here, as well as find out what each book is about (briefly).

Now it's up to the public to vote for their preferred oddest title. You can follow the Bookseller's link to the voting page, select your title and press submit, you don't even have to leave an email address...

I don't feel that this year's selection is as varied as in past years, but at least there are titles to choose from.

There have only been two years when the prize was not awarded, 1987 and 1991. Fortunately there's been a winner every year since 1992, and with the interest and publicity the prize brings each year I don't think a lack of strange book titles will be a problem.

So here's the 2015 shortlist:

• Reading the Liver: The Papyrological Text on Ancient Greek Extispicy.

• Too Naked for Nazis. (The author submitted it himself...)

• Soviet Bus Stops.

• Paper Folding with Children.

• Behind the Binoculars.

• Reading from Behind: A Cultural History of the Anus.

• Transvestite Vampire Biker Nuns from Outer Space: A Consideration of Cult Film.

I have to admit that those last two appealed to me, but having given the titles a couple of days I can see the appeal of 'Paper Folding with Children'. :D

Do look out for any odd book titles that are published in 2016- including self-published- so you can nominate them early next year.

The voting closes 15th March at 23.59, and the winner will be announced later in the month.

Any opinions on this year's selection? 

Newspaper Research...

I'm very pleased I didn't need any newspapers to write my short story- it's now on its way, and after the final editing came out at 1,799 words, so 1,800 as the magazine requires. When I eventually get an answer (around 16 weeks from receipt) I'll let you know if it's a yes or no.

So with that story out of the way I'm free to get back to my longer works in progress.

At the moment I'm checking a few facts- dates of events that cannot be manipulated; such as the date the Treaty of Amiens was actually signed. It's only a background detail but if it was signed later in the year then everything in the story has to be shifted too.

This is where old newspapers come in useful.

Old newspapers are being digitised and added to the British Newspaper Archive each year. It's a partnership between Find My Past and the British Library, their aim is to digitise 40 million newspaper pages "over the next 10 years".

It's possible to search for free, but if you want to access the page and save/print the details there is a charge, but they do have a number of subscription options which is helpful.

Old Newspapers...

The last few days I've been checking for ancestors, and today discovered one of my grandfathers was fined (in December 1940) for "a black-out offence" the previous month - shows how seriously it was taken.

I did eventually discover in the Morning Post when the Treaty of Amiens (between the French and the English) was actually signed- 25th March 1802. Admittedly the article was that date the following year, looking back on events, but another article elsewhere confirmed the date too.

So the 25th of next month it will have been 214 years ago, and we can still read the views expressed at that time...

From 1850 onwards there's a lot more available than 1710-1830's, but those early newspapers and sheets that survived would probably be very delicate anyway.

While the annual subscription seems like a lot of money, when compared with the time and cost of travelling to places to scan through film, or maybe even microfiche in some cases, it doesn't start to look too bad for my needs.

As with any research there's the risk of distractions, so I'm limiting myself to an hour or two in the early or late evening, and I bookmark anything relevant in folders in my account, so I can come back to them again.






image courtesy of Naypong & www.freedigitalphotos.net

Short Story Ready to Go - Almost...

I'm always surprised to discover my editing skills have improved.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I have a short story that I wanted to revise to submit to Woman's Weekly.

My dilemma was that the story was too long for the 1,000 words, nor would it work at the shorter length, but it was too short for the 1,800 requirement.

So my revision became a rewrite to add words- about 400 in fact. It isn't a lot but I have to admit I didn't think I could do it without ruining the story.

I didn't quite finish last week, as a final few paragraphs needed to be looked at, even though I didn't think I could squeeze any more out.

But I did!

Actually I read through the whole story yet again, made more adjustments and my word count went up to as much as 1830, and then when I did my final edit it came back down to 1805.

Fixing the problem...

So where am I now with it?

Yesterday I printed the completed manuscript out and the cover sheet, addressed the envelopes and did a last minute read through.

That was when I saw it. No not the dreaded escapee typo, but one short line that didn't read clearly. So I'll sort it out and reprint, and read through again...

But it will be posted Monday. :D






Image courtesy of supakitmod & www.freedigitalphotos.net

Romance: Monthly Masterpiece Competition...

February seems to be bringing lots of competitions, so here's another one you might like.

It is Valentine's Day this coming Sunday, and an ideal time to be writing about love.

So here's an opportunity...

Romance

Just Write.

Submission by 28th February, of a first chapter, "fewer than 4,000 words". Whatever the genre it must contain a romance between characters.

Best of all entries can be from anywhere in the world.

There's a prize too: for the winning entry it will be published on the website, and there's four books as well.

Two runners-up receive a copy of Masterclass: Writing Romantic Fiction.

The winner will be announced the first week of March.

Now like any competition read the terms and conditions, pop to this link or click the link at the bottom of the competition page (see the Just Write link further up).

They're looking for "strong characterisation and originality, close attention to the genre theme, and accomplished writing style."

Next month it will be something different, so if this doesn't suit you, then a future competition may.

The competition is organised by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.






Image courtesy of Renjith Krishnan & www.freedigitalphotos.net

A Few Prize Opportunities...

It was a busy week so I missed writing my Thursday post, so you'll be getting 2 for 1 today. :-)


If you are a young woman writer who writes articles, then you may be interested in the Cassandra Jardine Memorial Prize that was launched in 2013 in memory of the Telegraph journalist, who sadly died from cancer in 2012.

When it was launched in 2013 it opened to women aged between 18 and 25. The prize is seeking "creativity and potential in an original feature article."

If you're interested pop along to the Telegraph's Lifestyle section here, and check the criteria for entry, and what you're aiming for.

You can follow their link to read last year's winning entry.

Closing date: 31st March 2016.

*   *   *

If you read my blog regularly you'll know one of my annual features is the Diagram Prize shortlisted titles.

Odd book titles are suggested by readers, and could make the shortlist...

Well here is your opportunity to suggest an odd book title for consideration. You can either send your recommendations by email or on Twitter using the #DiagramPrize hashtag. Find out who to email or tweet to in this Bookseller article.

The shortlist will be unveiled 26th February, so there isn't long to make your odd title suggestions.

Self-published titles are eligible too.

But remember, the titles "must be unwittingly odd, not deliberately so."

*   *   *

Now, I need to get back to that short story-it's almost finished, a few final tweaks and it will be ready to go out into the world. I'll update you on my progress later in the week... :)

Nothing is Wasted...

Every writer knows the value of carrying a notebook or some device to record those moments we all get when an idea pops into our heads; we see something that attracts our attention, or we overhear a conversation and there's a line or phrase we just have to use in a story.

I've been known to be walking down a road in the city centre, hearing someone on a phone, stopping and then sidling to a discreet position to casually remove a notebook and pen, before madly scribbling down the words that attracted my attention- and listening for more.

Many of these 'moments' disappear into my notebook and don't emerge again until I'm reading through them weeks or months later.

Others stick in my mind, then years later other thoughts immediately bring that long ago note to mind and a story starts to emerge.

Many years ago- before the tram lines were put in Nottingham city centre- I overheard a phone conversation, and put a single line of dialogue in my notebook. It was asking for a story, but none of my ideas worked, so it was stored.

Ideas...

Last week at the informal NWC meeting in the pub, in conversation I mentioned the comment I'd overheard. We all laughed- because it did sound funny- and back it went into my mental filling cabinet.

Then over the weekend I was reading an article by Patsy Collins in last month's Writing Magazine (February 2016 issue) '101 Ways to Inspire Ideas'. I've no idea which one or more of her ideas started it, but two voices began holding a conversation around the words I'd heard all those years ago...

There's a competition I want to try writing it for, with a deadline in March. Whether it is good enough, or finished in time, I don't know, but I have to try... :D






Image courtesy of Ventrilock & www.freedigitalphotos.net.