Entering Competitions...

Well I finished my entry for the Spring prose competition at the writers' club in time. It was written and edited in two days. May not have been as good as it could have been, but considering I wasn't 100% well, it's amazing it was completed at all. And the three things that the story had to contain: the tin of treacle, a bird and the weather, actually didn't turn out to be as difficult as I thought...

I've been considering entering a larger short story competition for a couple of years now, but haven't taken that final step yet.

I know I'm not ready for Bridport prize- and quite honestly I don't think I ever will be - so I decided to just step up a level.

There are lots of writers' groups who run open prose and/or poetry competitions, and others that run with literary festivals.

I've decided to put an entry into the Wells Literary Festival short story competition - I posted the details about it last month.

Yesterday I printed out the entry form and details.

It does have the option to pay and submit online, but for this one I'm going to post it - I think it's a psychological thing - if I put it in an envelope and take it to the post office (and put it in the box)  I'm taking another step, and next time I probably will submit online because it won't have the same significance.

So today I'll be looking over my short story in case there's anything I want to revise, and then making a fresh copy that conforms to the rules - title and page numbering stuff.

Then if I'm happy with it all, it will be fill in the form and the entry fee cheque (£5) and off to the Post Office tomorrow.

But if you're not ready for this stage yet, then I can recommend the competitions run by Erewash Writers Group, you can see the current competitions, here.

I still have a few entries to do for some of the annual competitions that Nottingham Writers' Club runs for members each year. The deadline for these is the end of the month, so I better get on with those too.

Then I will be ready to get back to the final two chapters of the novella- draft 1. :-)

Medicines in History...

Sadly I'm indoors with an oil burner infusing the air around me with Eucalyptus pure essential oil- a couple of the family have had a cold and now it's got me- always happens during half terms when everyone is home and exposure is at the maximum- while they recover I get poor breathing...

As much as I'd have liked to spend time in the 18th/19th century, I really wouldn't want to have lived there forever- I would never have survived the various bugs and germs that were lurking...

There's some info about medicine through the ages, here.

Having blood tests done for valid reasons nowadays is bad enough, but bleeding someone as a general treatment for curing many ills as was done in the past, I can only say thank goodness we've moved on!

And you'll find some of the medical equipment used at the time displayed on Pinterest, here.

The local chemist, near where I grew up, still had the big glass jars in the window, (like the big one filled with blue liquid here) and at the back behind the counter area, the chemist's domain, still had the original polished and labelled wooden draws and counters- must have been a high class pharmacy in it's heyday. Sadly the shop is long gone...

Those old shops really had character...

In the Mood for Short Stories...

After three days of lovely sunshine and warmth it's back to cool and wet weather- it's also half term so everyone is around and there's the accompanying noise that goes with it, so the novella has gone on hold for a week...

I have a couple of short story ideas that I want to work on - jotting down points and character notes doesn't require quiet (fortunately).

I've got a few months worth of Woman's Weekly Fiction Specials to read too.

But I have a deadline for one story for Wednesday of next week.

At the writers' club we have a quarterly prose competition and the Spring prose deadline is next week.

Now for this story the judge has asked we include 3 things- a tin of treacle, the weather and a bird. I have been pondering these items for the last 10 weeks and coming up with various ideas, but nothing was quite right, until the sunny weather arrived the other day and my brain went into overdrive and began creating a back story for my character...

Having had further thoughts this morning I can see it has potential to be (another) longer story, but I think I can rein this one in and keep it within the maximum length- 2,000 words.

Before I go I just want to put in a mention for Rosemary Gemmell's new novella that is launched today 'The Aphrodite Touch' as Romy Gemmell  and published by Tirgearr Publishing, an Irish independent.

Do pop in to Rosemary's Reading and Writing blog to help her celebrate, and for a chance to win a free e-copy...

DC Thomson contract- see Simon Says...

Just wanted to let anyone know that there's a very helpful blog post by writer Simon Whaley who asked the Society of Authors to look at the contract sent him.

It's a long post but you will find it worth the time to read- especially overseas writers who may find specific issues for their circumstances.

'DC Thomson: Me, The Society of Authors, and a DC Thomson Editor.'

Sally Quilford is following up on the Pocket Novel aspects, so look out for her posts...

And there is a post by Sally on the large print issue, here.

More on the Contract Issue...

Following on from the concerns raised by writers on the new DC Thomson contracts- which I mentioned in my last post- Womag has received a response with clarification from Shirley Blair, who is the fiction editor at People's Friend.

You can read it on Womag's latest post, here.

I don't think it acceptable to re-use a writers work without further payment- unless the fee you're paid initially is increased to reflect that fact.

Interestingly the new contract has a much wider reach:

"Our legal department decided that it was necessary to develop new contributor terms that apply right across our publishing business and are relevant to magazines, newspapers and digital publishing."

So this will effect not only the Scottish newspapers they produce, but also The Weekly News, The People's Friend, My Weekly, Beano, The Official Jacqueline Wilson Mag, teen magazine Shout, and Dandy Extreme, The Scots Magazine, and Animals and You- aimed at the younger market.

There's been an explanation of the Clause 8 concern. But saying there will be an" additional payment" if a collection is done, which suggests it will be a one-off payment and not royalties.

And the Joint Contributions aspect will certainly have a knock-on effect. The large print publishers who print previously published pocket novels (that are often in libraries and earn PLR) will now find they can't just use them as before, because they can only have the writers original, not the edited for publication version...

They will answer questions and concerns about the new contracts, which is good.

But, the new contracts are not negotiable, so if you don't sign it, they won't buy your work.

So it will now be down to individual writers to decide whether they sign the contract and continue to be paid for their work, or they don't sign and lose an income source...

Understanding Issues...

Last week went so quickly and I was trying to get so much done that I missed any blog posts.

Plus a trip to the dentist on Friday for root canal work just makes me glad I don't live in the 18th/19th century with the dentistry of the time...

Finally got some more of the novella completed; these last chapters are certainly picking up the pace as the past starts to unfold and there's trouble afoot.

Originally the novella was being written for the pocket novel market, but then changes were made to what was wanted- 20th century onwards.

DC Thomson (who produce the My Weekly Pocket Novels and those by People's Friend) have been a topic for discussion re rights and contracts over the weekend.

Apparently they are sending out new contracts to writers and the new terms have caused a few upsets.

Now I'm a great believer in not giving up your rights, or limiting your rights, unless you are paid an adequate amount to compensate, so I was interested in what the issues involved were.

So let me refer you to Womagwriter's blog post from Friday. Womag has seen an actual contract...

Okay, I've not been in a position to be offered a contract by DCT so I'm not a writer who finds themselves faced with agreeing to such terms or losing a portion of their regular income.

But it does rather seem they want a nice portfolio of stories they can use again and again in assorted media without paying more for it.

And as for that restrictive Clause 8: " In the case of a collection of your contributions where you are the sole or majority author in book form, you commit to offering the Company the right to first refusal to publish any such collection in any format... such an arrangement would be subject to new contractual terms..."

(Now, I am not a lawyer, so this is only my personal opinion of how that clause reads.)

So they can say, yes we want to publish your collection. But if you don't like the contractual terms they're offering, and you can't negotiate on those terms to your satisfaction, then it's goodbye to you publishing your collection yourself, unless they turn down your offer...

Some years ago I read an interview with an author who had been contracted for a second book. The publisher didn't like the second book presented to them, but being bound by the contract she could not offer that book to anyone else...it does sound like it could be a potentially similar scenario...

Writing is a business, and we mustn't lose sight of that fact.
The publisher wants to get the best deal they can, and so does the writer. Sadly the writer is usually the one who loses and ends up doing all the hard work to promote their story/novel for less financial return.

(Is it any wonder that self-publishing to Kindle/Smashwords is thriving?)

We all know that magazines are struggling.

The elusive younger end of the market do everything online (and admittedly not just the young nowadays)- or so it seems. With Smart Phones and iPads, magazines are actively pushing digital subscriptions, as print figures for many magazines drop...

While these are not magazines with short story markets, Bauer have closed 'More' magazine; and 'Full House' is closing too. I've also heard that glossy 'Easy Living' is on the way out...

Could changes in contracts be an advance sign that magazines are trying to build potential collateral that could make the difference between them closing, or being bought out by another publisher?

In the world outside publishing, if a business fails it has more chance of being bought out or taken over if it has an order book/a market; publishing is no different.

But I do worry that if DCT's contract doesn't get revised, then other publishers will start to go that way too, and that won't be good for any writer...

As a last word on rights, you might like to peruse "Authors and book rights – some more truths" - from the futurebook.net website- a digital blog from The Bookseller- it was taking too long to load as a link, so I've just included the name here.

As writers we need to protect our rights, so if you aren't clear on the subject start reading up- there are numerous rights you hold and unless you understand them, you could be signing away a potential source of income.

If you have any thought on this issue, or rights generally, then do please leave a comment.

My Workshop Experience- Writing for Children...

First, I must say a big thank you to Ann Evans who ran the workshop for Nottingham Writers' Club on Saturday.

It was only a group of 10, but it did mean we could ask lots of questions as we went along.

Now I don't write for children, but sometimes I do need to have children in my stories- as Sarah, the heroine in my novella is having memory flashes and dreams/nightmares from when she was a child, I'd been finding it very difficult to convey the thoughts and language of a 10-12 year when she's experiencing these moments.

So I was hoping that elements of the workshop would help me get a grip on that.

We began with picture books and worked up...

I learnt that the pages are spreads, so if you open the book and have two pages in front of you, that is a spread.

I'd never really thought about how you would lay out a manuscript for a picture book, but it is nothing like a standard manuscript; it's broken up into stages, so the editor knows what the visual clues are (for the illustrator) and the text for each page...

The language use and sentence construction needed for the younger age range proved that it is as hard work as a longer length work.

There was discussion on the skills needed for producing stories suitable for older children who have a lower reading ability. The exciting stories required by their age, but the text not being as complex as you'd usually get. These are referred to as Hi-lo stories.

Writing for young adults did seem to be popular- and it is an expanding market...

There were exercises to do and it was the last set that gave me the breakthrough with Sarah.
We did bullet points about our character- character traits and so on. But we had to include their aim- either for the day or their life, and the thing they fear.

Now Sarah fears storms, so that was easy enough. But as I slowly began to tune into Sarah as a child, I recalled my own care-free childhood around the same age, and like most children wanted to grow-up to be like my mum.
In the past life wasn't as complex as today, so our parents were our role models, who we aspired to be like, so I'm sure Sarah would have felt the same...

As the exercise progressed I found there was a depth to Sarah I hadn't been aware of, and in doing so I discovered why she is so concerned about an aspect of her friends lives in the present.

I will certainly be doing this again, with one of my secondary characters who is a bit two-dimensional at the moment. I haven't quite found the key to him...

We had a variety of discussions, including age ranges and book lengths. Nothing seems hard and fast with lengths, as a publisher may have specific requirements for a particular country/market.

So generally: Ann suggested; picture books approximately 300 words.

4-5 year old- books with line drawings, 1,800-2,000 words or less. At this point parents will be reading the book to their child/children, and then the children will eventually be able to read the book themselves.

7-9 years old- 12,000-25,000 as an average.

9-12 years old- 25,000-60,000.

But clearly every child is different. Consider how many younger age range children were reading Harry Potter tomes- each book seemed to get thicker with a larger word count than the previous one...

While I may never write books for children, I'm not going to forget that the back story of each of my main characters includes their childhood influences and experiences.

After all our childhood is a part of who we become later...

No Time to Procratinate...

I've had one of those busy weeks, so my normal routine has been grabbing a break; but it will be back to the novella on Monday...

Saturday I'm leaving my OH and the family at home while I do a one day workshop being run by the writers' club- Writing for Children - is it kids stuff?  With author Ann Evans.

Although writing for children is not my preference I know I will still find many aspects useful.

In my novella, my heroine Sarah is starting to have nightmares and dreams, which are actually memories - except they are memories of when she was ten years old.

So I'm hoping I will learn something to help me recreate the younger Sarah.

I'll tell you about the workshop next week...

Enjoy the weekend.

Crime Time - Win a Trip to Harrogate Crime Festival

Constable&Robinson, publishers, have a website (C&R Crime) dedicated to crime fiction whether it's cosy or mainstream...

Have a look here.

They are also holding a competition for you to win a weekend in Harrogate- home of the Crime Festival.

You have the chance to win 3 nights bed and breakfast accommodation for two, only five minutes walk from the festival venue.

The winner also gets two Rover tickets to the festival for all events, except the dinner event on the Saturday evening.

There's a goody bag- books.

And you really need to read the details of what's included, follow this link.

Of course you'll need to pay to get there if you win, but I know it's often accommodation costs on top of travel costs that make attending big events impossible.

If you enter, fingers crossed and good luck. :-)

A Long Wait but Worth It...

Last November I wrote a 500 word flash fiction for the Autumn prose competition at Nottingham Writers' Club.

We'd been fortunate to have the wonderful Sally Quilford setting and judging this flash fiction competition. Sally had done a mini workshop in the summer on the subject, so the competition was an opportunity to show what we'd learnt with our entries.

When the competition opened I had three months before the final submission date, and I had a few ideas rolling around my brain to fit the theme of 'A Christmas Visit'.

My first idea was a parent visiting their baby in a neonatal unit on Christmas morning. That thought was inspired by my own memories of going to see my premature triplets in hospital on Christmas Day- they were only a few weeks old at that point.

But I couldn't write it, the words wouldn't form, the emotions too deep to catch and share with my characters.

The weeks went on and the deadline approached.

Then a vague idea that had been lingering began to demand attention. What if you had to go and deliver the sad news of a death at Christmas? And bad weather hampered the task too (heavy snow).
And because I inevitably write romances, how would the messenger feel if they are giving that bad news to someone they have been in love with for years?

Generally we think of good things happening at Christmas, but we know that isn't reality, and that must have happened in the 19th century too. But the story could still have a positive ending.

I settled down and wrote about 550 words, cutting and changing to get it to the 500 word limit.

Then I realised that it was just an advance snippet of a longer story- this usually happens with my short stories, I just can't keep them small, they all want to be full scale productions... :-)

Then disaster struck, in the New Year we discovered the entries had never reached the judge, so we had to re-run the competition- and a big thank you to Sally for having fitted the new judging dates into her busy writing schedule.

So last night at the May speaker meeting, the results were finally announced, and my entry 'A Second Chance' won.

It will be turned into a longer story.

The judge's comments:

(I chose the pseudonym, Fiona Faddy for my entry)

"I chose the first prize winner, A Second Chance by Fiona Faddy because I’m a sucker for unrequited love! Fiona packed so much emotion in to so few words. The opening lines immediately set the scene and let us know we were in the past. The ending was just sweet!"

If I hadn't been intending to use the piece in future, I would have posted it here. But I hope you'll get the opportunity to read it when the longer story is completed- and hopefully published somewhere...





image courtesy of Stuart Miles www.freedigitalphotos.net.

 

Detailed Instruction Are Hard to Write...

Essential: they have to be written better than flat-pack instructions...

Now I've been having a busy few days in a writing related way- must add to my word count.

Nottingham Writers' Club have a one-day workshop taking place on the 11th May, (plug, plug :-) ) but with all the road closures and tram track construction going on, it's been necessary to update our direction information.

Issue one: You can no longer use the walkway from inside the station to get to the tram platform. You need to leave the station and get to the tram from outside- down the road in this case...

Issue two: The station building is undergoing a massive update, so entrance and exits are different.

So I needed to write out detailed instructions for anyone arriving by train and needing to know how to get to the workshop via the tram.

It was tough.

You have to start with putting yourself in the role of the person needing to access the tram- not something I need to do as I use the bus.
Getting left or right correct.
Instructions to get to the access point for the tram via stairs/ lift depends on whether you come out the front of the building- through a hardboard walk-through tunnel, or via the side exit- nearer to where you have to go...

Once you get off the tram it's a brief walk. But it only takes being vague about where you cross over the road and the hapless writer could end up in the cinema or the shopping centre, so it does become a little bit like dot to dot with a few landmark buildings thrown in to help.

Almost there.
Crossing the road without getting run down by the traffic coming round the corner, it takes you a little out of the way you need to go, so remember to say, go right then immediately left.

I had to mentally imagine what would be seen, and produce the right description to ensure the walker looked in the correct direction; one minute you're following the road and then you suddenly have to ignore it - as it turns away from where you're going.

The last fifty yards was rewritten three times!

And then I began editing- well it was a bit long, and people might give up reading it.

Changing one word for a much better descriptive word, then realising that no, the first one was the best, and yes I could make that sentence shorter...

Finally I was finished. I tell you, writing fiction is much easier and less headache inducing.

Now I just hope the powers-that-be don't make any more changes between now and the 11th May...

Fortunately I Can Sit Down to Write...

I've been suffering since last week.

Apple Tree in Spring

I woke up last Saturday morning with a pain in my left foot- looked like my instep was bruised as it was red and I could only hobble on that leg. :(

So I was a pitiful sight getting round the garden with my secateurs trying to help with the 'spring' (ha ha) tidy up- that should have been completed a month ago!

I've just about stopped hobbling now and can flex my foot without discomfort. But I could have done without the busy week as it limited my writing time, and meant I've not given my foot much rest..

But I've made up for it, today I added 897 words to yesterday's 482. The novella is about to pick up speed as I head toward the last three or four chapters. I'm on chapter 12 currently.

The break from writing over Easter did help me get my thoughts in line, and the content of a couple of chapters have changed order from my original outline.

I have decided that working on the skeleton of the first draft does seem to work for me.

Scene order and content, along with dialogue has been my framework, with any detail where I knew what I needed to know already, written in as I've gone along.

I've got some questions noted too- like yesterday, my heroine Sarah, was weeding the vegetable patch when the baddie turns up.
We have lots of tools for gardening nowadays, but what did they use in the early 1800's- and could it have been used as a defensive weapon if needed? I thought holding a nearby spade in front of her might work, but were they heavy, easy to lift?

Fortunately I have a few reference books which might have details, otherwise I'll be Googling...

Draft 2 is going to be a lot harder work as quite a few of the chapters lack description, and I have one scene that I marked in place on the manuscript, but haven't written yet- as the description elements in the scene need to be right.

It's very true about only ever needing about 10% of your research in the book, but you still need to understand the other 90%...

Draft 3 will be the checking for inconsistencies, plot holes, corrections; then Draft 4 will be editing.

Once I'm at that stage I have a couple of readers to give me feedback- if I've missed anything, or something isn't understood, they'll tell me.

Meantime I have a few competition entries for the writers' club to get on with...


Image courtesy of Vlado and www.freedigitalphotos.net

Spring Into Opportunities with Wells...

Today has been wonderful. Sunshine and a comfortable temperature has finally allowed the spring tidy-up in the garden to take place (too busy to stop and take photos).

Mind you not everything survived. Three frogs have had to be buried after expiring in the garden at some point. Not sure if they were victims of old age or all the snow and bad weather.

The hawthorn has suddenly opened it's leaves, though it is a month behind last year.

There's now a wheelie bin full of dead branches, and old wood from last year. The fruit bushes may actually produce their crops at the appropriate times this summer, rather than a month or two early. :-)

And just as the gardens are springing into life, lots of competitions are around.

I'm considering entering a short story for one of the Wells Festival of Literature competitions. One recognisable name from the judges is Della Galton.

There's a competition for poetry- judged by Sean Borodale. Short stories and a Crime Novel.

The Festival is the 11th to the 19th October this year; there's a great selection of speakers- have a look here.

If you're interested in entering any of the categories, have a look here.

You can enter online or by post. Deadline 31st July. You can find details of the reasonable fees here.

And yes there is prize money for those who get judged 1st, 2nd, 3rd. For the poetry and short story First Prize £500, Second Prize £200, Third Prize £100.

If you happen to have a crime novel ready then you may find the prize for the winner very attractive...

"The winning entry will be read by a major publisher and by a leading agent.  In addition there will be a cash prize of £100.  The judge may also arrange for an exceptional runner-up entry to be read by an agent or a publisher."

(The judge for this competition is Janet Laurence.)

But note for the crime novel competition: "Entrants should not have had a full-length work of fiction published before."

The prize-giving is on Sunday 13th October 2013.

I've been to Wells a couple of times over the years, but not to the literary festival.

If you enter, fingers crossed you do well.

Back To Writing...

It's always hard get back into routine after a break, and that certainly goes for writing too.

I was at a difficult point in my manuscript just before the Easter holidays and having had a break for a few weeks, I've had the necessary time to sort out what was bothering me- my heroine had been getting very introspective in the last chapter and I wasn't sure if I was letting her get away from the plot.

But with time away, I've realised I'm just at that point where she is changing from who she was at the start of the story, to whom she will become by the end.

And the next part of the story is going to be hard work as both my protagonists are in that changing process. Sarah is the one with the problems now, while Hugh's initial source of conflict has been resolved. But of course, he isn't go to have the rest of the story to relax in- he will still have issues to resolve... :-)

Now I'm feeling comfortable with my writing process, I'm going to try adding in some other writing.

Last year, I did say I was going to enter more of the competitions run by the writers' club I go to- and as Chairman, I really should be leading by example...

So, I have deadlines for handing entries in by the first few days of July- these are annual competitions.

One is a new non-fiction competition for members; we need to write a piece on what kind of future for the printed book- I already have a few ideas for that one.

I also want to try the story suitable for radio. There was a useful short column in Writing Magazine recently which will be very helpful. And I'll be checking out the BBC's Writers Room pages.

I do have a deadline for a short story competition in early June, so I better get my ideas jotted down...

And in a couple of months I'll be performing a piece of flash fiction (already written) at the second 'Fringe at The Ship' event, on the last Saturday of the Lowdham Book Festival. (The festival runs throughout June.)

So the next few months will be busy.

The Times/Chicken House Competition...

This is quite a high profile competition which has been running for a few years now.

When The Times went behind a paywall I did think this competition would suffer, but I'm pleased to see it is still running despite the difficulties in finding the info.

The entry cost is high- £15, to cover the administration costs for the large number of entries received- but if you do get into the longlist you will get an editorial report on your entry.

"Your full-length manuscript (no more than 80,000 words, with a suggested minimum of 30,000 words), suitable for children aged between 7 and 18, must be received by the closing date of November 1, 2013."

But you will also need to include: a brief synopsis- no more than one page and it should give an overview of the whole story etc. A submission letter explaining the book's appeal to children, and a plot plan. (see the requirements in the terms and conditions).

There will be a longlist of 20 authors announced in January 2014. Then in March 2014 the shortlist of 5 entries will be announced. The revelation of who has won is just listed as spring 2014, but t&c's state expected result about the 29th March 2014.

"The winner will be the entrant whose story, in the opinion of the judges, demonstrates the greatest entertainment value, quality and originality.
The prize is the offer of a worldwide publishing contract with Chicken House, with a royalty advance of £10,000, subject to a signed contract."

And these terms are really important; but it's good to see self-published books aren't excluded.

"Entrants must be aged 18 or over. One entry per person. Entries must be submitted by the author, not an agent. Entries must be the original work of the entrant and not previously commercially published and distributed, however, self-published works are allowed. The entrant must not have previously commercially published any whole children’s novel in any country. Resubmission of previous entries (excluding previous winners) is accepted. Entries must be written in English, picture books and graphic novels will not be accepted and illustrations will not be considered. " (Details from The Times here.)

But do read all the detailed terms and conditions here on the Chicken House web pages. (And note number 11.)

You can't enter by e-mail, entries have to be received by post, so don't leave it to the last few days before the deadline...

The instructions on the Chicken House terms and condition pages are very precise, even down to how your manuscript should be presented.

There's an alternative prize for the best entry if the judges decide that none of the finalists are of a standard to be offered the stated contract.

This is a serious competition to enter, so double-check you are fulfilling the terms and conditions to the letter before sending your entry... And good luck.

*   *   *

 

But if you aren't ready for the Chicken House competition yet, or just starting out, then you might want to consider a workshop.

 

11th May, 10am to 4pm, Writing for Children- is it kids stuff? With Coventry based author, and Raring2Read winner, Ann Evans.

 

The cost is subsidised, so you will only be paying £20 for the day, including tea and coffee.

 

If you're interested download the booking form here and follow the instructions on the bottom of the sheet. 

Spring Is Here...

You may have noticed that there were no blog posts last week. I was quite busy and very tired, so posting and reading other blogs just fell by the wayside...

Immediately after the Easter weekend, I had to get a few things sorted for the local writers club AGM. I was elected Chairman last April - so I have two more years to go before I have to step down. But there's still a lot to do, keeping the club viable and modern; moving forward into another decade...

Writers have so many opportunities to develop their craft nowadays via the internet, online groups and forums, a wide variety of competitions, courses and workshops, that it is getting harder for many groups to continue to attract members.

There are still a lot of groups around, some parts of the country fair better than others, but don't overlook them. Some will have visiting authors you might like to hear talk and to get their latest book personally signed.

When Nottingham Writers' Club was founded in 1927 life was much simpler for it's members. Short stories were read widely, and novels were what we now look on as novellas.

Publishers worked with their authors and didn't demand instant success to keep on producing the individual writer; and newspapers - there were lots of them in the first half of the 20th century - actively looked for articles and fillers.

Even in the 1930's writers were still writing to future deadlines. I do think this suggestion from the club magazine, Scribe, in July 1935, was a bit extreme...

"Now is the time to write your Christmas stories and articles. If you find it difficult to conjure up the appropriate atmosphere try sitting in a cold room wearing a heavy coat, with your feet in a cold bath."

The modern world does have some advantages after all... :-)

Do you think a writers' club or group still has a place in today's writing world?


See: www.nottinghamwritersclub.org.uk for author talks, workshops and other info.

There's Only So Many Plots...

Quite a few romance writers were surprised to read that Mills and Boon author Kate Walker and Harlequin had recently been the subject of a copyright violation case; and were happy to hear that Kate (and her publisher) had been cleared of any wrong-doing.

Kate revealed the news on her blog earlier this week. You can read it here.

Kate ran a Romance Writing workshop for Nottingham Writers Club in 2012 that I arranged, and I'd have no doubt of her innocence.

She would never infringe another writers copyright.

And the judge agreed...

Please read the judgement that you can find here you will learn a lot about the elements in romance writing that are not considered protected, and those that are. The detailed analysis starts around page 9.
It really is worth the time reading this judgement if you want to write romance...

The link was available on The Pink Heart Society blog, whose post 'A Troupe of Tropes' has an explanation of tropes and archetypes in relation to copyright, by the editor of the PHS blog, Michelle Styles, who is also an Harlequin Historical author.

It is sad that this case even came to court in the first place.(My personal opinion only.)

As a reader of category romances of over thirty years, I can recall a number of Mills and Boon novels that used scenarios and plots that 'the plaintiff' used in her unpublished synopsis, and first chapter (that formed a part of her claim for copyright infringement).

There are only a limited number of plots, whether you are writing a contemporary romance or an historical. They even apply to futuristic stories.

The scenarios of Star Wars and Harry Potter share many similarities, and it occurred to me today, that even Pip in Charles Dickens, Great Expectations has shared scenarios...Nothing is new, just the uniqueness of your story and the characters you've created.

We all want our heroes and heroines to fulfil certain demands in a romance. Whether you go for the tall dark and handsome man, or prefer the blue-eyed blonde, they are all recognisable.

And red hair does often genetically go with green eyes, like blue eyes with blondes...

My novella uses a returning character to resolve a past situation in the story. But so do a lot of romances...

The only essentials, with stories and characters, are what you do with them and the details that make them yours...

It's all just a variation on a theme...


Do you have a particular plot or scenario that you find yourself regularly using in romance writing? Or are there any you don't like, or wouldn't use?

A Temporary Halt in Progress...

I've been making steady progress on my novella but have now come to a temporary halt.

Why?

Because my floppy disk reader has gone astray - I know one of the family borrowed it, but can't remember who, and I know they'll all deny they ever had it, or if they did they gave it back.

If they'd given it back then I would have known where it was!!!

When I first got the idea for the novella I had a scene in my head, which I wrote down, and saved for later. At the time I was still using floppy disks as my computer tower didn't have a Cd/DVD drive.

Now I intended to transfer everything over, but just didn't get round to it, and yes, you've guessed it, the scene that I saved onto the floppy (at least it's on one of them) is now needed to refer to...

This week I've been dealing with a lot of introspection with my heroine, Sarah. She's at a turning point both emotionally and mentally, which makes writing tiring. Plus I'm having to jiggle the content on a couple of chapters around because of how the story has actually developed around the scenes in my mind.

No doubt some of Sarah's soul searching will eventually be edited out, but this missing scene belongs here at the point I have now reached in my manuscript. I know I'll rewrite the scene anyway, but the details are being elusive.

The version on the floppy is from about 8 years ago, and my brain seems to work like this: once it's typed onto the screen, and saved, the details go into brain deep storage- perhaps my memory just deletes them entirely because it knows the information has been recorded somewhere, so it's no longer in stand-by.

Weird idea, I know. But that's how it seems to me... :-)

With Easter week almost here and the family being around, my opportunities for concentrated writing will be brief, so I think I better make sure I get these floppy disks sorted, so as soon as my normal routine can be restarted, I'll be able to get on with the story.

So my total so far this month, 4, 553 words, but I have to admit that 200 of those were for a flash fiction piece for the March, One Word Challenge on the writers-online Talkback forum. And the character in that story has more tales to tell but that's for another day- they're contemporary rather than historical...

The 5,000 words a month remains unfulfilled, but it continue to be an on-going target.

smiley from: http://www.freesmileys.org/

Reality Strikes Back...

In more ways than one.

You know those weeks when everything is progressing nicely and then you find you have a long to-do list. Well that's been this week for me.

I'm getting through the list, and still managed to write 1400 words this week, but the 5,000 word March total is looking doubtful. Well there's always April... :-)

The charming and talented Patsy Collins has nominated me for the Reality
blog award.

Now it does come with responsibilities- there are always rules to follow.

Visit the blog of the person who nominated you and link to them on your post. Then answer the questions and nominate other bloggers- and tell them of course...

If you could change one thing, what would it be?

So many things, both personally and in the outside world, but even the bad things can make us stronger. But if I really had to choose, then it would be my fear of spiders.

If you could repeat an age, what would it be?

Definitely my teens. I didn't fit in at school, and was persistently bullied by a few girls because I was different. I was tall, broad and wanted to learn and to do well in my exams to be able to have a career. If I could do that time again - but with the knowledge that everything will eventually be fine.

What one thing really scares you?

Getting Alzheimer's and losing my ability to create characters and give voices and personalities to my characters; and eventually losing that link of reality with my family.

If you could be someone else for a day, who would it be?

I honestly don't know. Because whoever I temporarily became I'd still have to do their job, and if I was going to be anyone then I'd be selfish and want to be someone who doesn't have any demands to be made upon them, or have any responsibilities- it is only a day after all...

So here are the bloggers I'm nominating for the Reality Blog Award:

Lizy-expat writer

Maxi- Scribbler Maxi's Musings

Keith- Dream it, then do it

Lorraine- From the Top of the House

Alan- snailmale-chez l'escargot

A Costume Book I Couldn't Resist...

Now I have to admit I do have a weakness for books on historical costume.

If it's a full size beautifully illustrated book and the content will be helpful in my research, then I will probably buy it- though I will look for the best price...

Some people collect pottery, and no one blinks an eye at how much they might pay for a teacup. I like costume books. :-)

So my most recent purchase came about via a post on Facebook by Rachel Knowles. Her blog, Regency History can be found here, and will be a useful starting resource for anyone wanting to find out more about this time period...

Go to Amazon and use the look inside option
- image from Amazon.co.uk

The book reproduces a selection of the fashion plates that were published in Ackermann's Repository and covers plates from 1809 to 1820, with the description and spelling of the time they were published.

I suppose you could consider Ackermann's the Regency version of today's Vogue, or Harper's Bazaar.

The book was inspired by romance author Candice Hern who has a large collection of Georgian and Regency antiques and a great selection of images and information on the objects on a section of her website, here.

I have a few favourites in the book. There's a lovely ball dress of April 1812- " A round Circassian robe of pink crape, or gossamer net, over a white satin slip, fringed full at the feet." The "peasant" bodice was clearly designed to show off the fuller bossomed woman...

And there's a fantastic "Spanish lappelled coat of fine orange Merino cloth", part of a Promenade Dress from January 1814 that I adore.

Mantles and capes, I would happily wear them today if they were made in my size.

So that's enough, or I'll be talking for days.

Do you have a favourite costume style - from any time period?

I'm Moderating Comments for a While...

Good morning all you polite blog readers and bloggers.

Just wanted to let you all know that I've had to switch to moderating all comments at the moment, due to anonymous spam comments getting through the filters and being published.

My blog seems to be getting more spam than usual, and despite the spam comments clearly being spam they are not being recognised as such.

So until the filters start picking these up, I've decided to temporarily move to moderating comments.

Sadly there seems to also be an issue with genuine comments not appearing too- despite the dashboard saying they are published.

So if you have commented and your comments haven't shown up within a couple of days, please let me know via one of the contact methods shown on the right of my blog page.

Thanks

Carol.

Edited to add: I've had to disable the ability to comment as anonymous. Apologies to any blog readers that used this facility previously to leave genuine comments.

Bonus Material in Bookshop Books- Will it Get You to Buy?

I was interested to read an article in The Telegraph online today, about bookseller Waterstones offering exclusive extra material in books, and according to The Independent online, they have signed exclusive deals with some authors for a version of their latest book with extras, which can only be obtained by buying from Waterstones (or other bookshops that authors may have contracted to)...

Which authors you ask?

"Anyone who buys the new Joanne Harris paperback Peaches for Monsieur le Curé from Waterstones will find it contains an extra chapter not included in copies sold elsewhere."

The hook in this case is that "The chapter, which Harris says can be read either as an epilogue or as “the prologue to an as-yet-unwritten story”"

(Both quotes from The Independent article.)

They mention other recent exclusives from Claire Tomlin, author of the biography published last year about Charles Dickens; and Alexander McCall Smith who included and extra short story in a booklet with his last book.

Now forgive me for cynicism, but the mainstream publisher/author has a big advantage with a bookshop- they can get their books distributed to all the branches, and are guaranteed to be stocked, and Waterstones would probably let themselves be walked over if the writer was able to go instore and do book signings.

E-book buying is increasing, and the book shops are coming up with these ideas because so many are buying their books digitally.

Why go to a book shop looking for a particular book only to find: they don't stock it; they will have to order it and it will take a week, or even more- so that would be another trip; when with a few clicks of a mouse, or press of buttons/symbols, that book can be on your e-reader and ready to start reading within a few minutes..It's the one big advantage that e-books have over a bookshop.

So what can self-published / e-book authors do to compete? In fact, do they need to compete?

It is as easy for them to include an extra short story, or the first chapter of their next book too.

If Waterstones want to make it more attractive to buy a solid book from them, then they'll need to do a lot better...

So, what do you think about extras to attract book buyers? And what extras would tempt you?

Would We Marry Our Fictional Heroes if They Were Real?

I ask this because apparently there has been a trending topic on Twitter this week- #FictionalCharactersIWantToMarry.

In the short piece in the Guardian Bookblogs section 'Want to marry a fictional character? You could do so much better', Alison Flood makes some interesting remarks, read it here.

So who would I choose?

The first one that springs to mind is Alex Randall from M M Kaye's 'Shadow of the Moon' (I mentioned this book in my glomming post). There he is trying to do a tough job in a volatile situation, falling in love and then having to watch her marry another man, but maintain a co-existence, only to have everyday life violently fall apart with the Indian Mutiny, and then keep not only himself alive, but the woman he loves and one of her friends too... He's strong, compassionate, dutiful and emotionally torn by the circumstances.

Mr Darcy? No, I think I'd want to kill him after a week!

I suppose I do have a soft spot for my hero, Hugh, from my current work in progress. He's considerate but not a push-over; he can be tough when needed but not a bully, dependable and intelligent.
I've just realised that I've been borrowing a few characteristics from my OH for Hugh, but I won't tell him that. :-)

Fictional characters are just that, fictional, but to be believable to the reader, they have to display characteristics that we recognise and can relate to, whether they are things that you like, hate or are indifferent about.

Perhaps you could liken reading to a series of short relationships; some are disasters, others are fine while you're together, and a few stay in the memory and become longtime friends.

What do you think?

Have you Been Glomming?

No, it isn't euphemism. :-)

As part of my new regime I've been trying to catch up on all the websites I haven't looked at for months to see what interesting items I've been missing, and this was one of them from www.heroesandheartbreakers.com

If you've found a new to you author, and then started buying all their books . then you've been glomming.

The article above asked who was the first author you glommed?

But I'm going to expand on this, for those slightly older individuals, who like me, started off borrowing book after book from the local library...

I can remember working my way through every Jean Plaidy on the library shelves. It was only a couple of years ago that I discovered my other favourite authors of that time, Victoria Holt, and Philippa Carr, were actually all the same writer!

This article gives a fascinating insight into her books and personal life, read it here.

Obviously my early reading experiences must have sunk in, hence my preference for historical romances.

My reading broadened out, and surprisingly I didn't start reading Georgette Heyer until much later, and while I have a few of her books, there's many I still haven't read.

The next author whose books I bought and avidly read, is M M Kaye. Her book 'The Far Pavillions' went on to be made into a mini-series for television. There's a very interesting piece in the above link about the authors determination to ensure the story was done right, by the right people when the film rights were on offer...

Of her novels my two favourite stories are 'Shadow of the Moon' which centres around the fight for survival (during the Indian Mutiny) of the main protagonists, Alex and Winter.

The other story, 'Trade Wind', whose story takes place in Zanzibar- the hero Rory Frost, is a trader, who pulls the heroine Hero Hollis, (an American) out of the sea after she is swept off the ship she is travelling to Zanzibar on.

And finally from this time period, the Poldark books by Winston Graham. He's probably best known for his Poldark books, but he did so much more, including 'Marnie', the thriller filmed by Alfred Hitchcock. Find out more about Graham here and here.

So those are my first few glomms.

Who were yours?

Busy, Busy, Busy- Making Plans...

Yes, it's Sunday night and I've not blogged for a few days.

Life is getting so busy that I've decided to reduce my regular three posts a week, to two regular slots.

I've been missing from Twitter too, so I'm going to try for a drop-in there a few times a week, just for ten minutes...

I have to admit it's easier to pop into Facebook, during a quick break, and link up with other writers, than on Twitter where the stream of Tweets is constant...

As for all the other tasks I have to accomplish this month, I think I better make a list and put it within eye range so I don't forget to tackle them too.

Even reading has taken a step back, so I may have to set myself a target there too. :-)

The aim for this coming week is for the next blog post to be posted by Tuesday evening, with writing time slots Tuesday and Wednesday for sure.

March is going to be the start of a new routine for me. There will be hiccups I'm sure, but I have to make changes now if I want to get the novella completed and ready for either sending out, or e-publishing myself early next year- if not this year.

I've a few longer projects that I want to make progress on this year too, so I can work on them intensively in 2014...


All those characters and plots waiting...

Each new idea has to go to the back of the queue, and there are at least half a dozen firm ideas awaiting attention. It's good, but I need to be strict with myself.

And don't even mention the cobwebs...




Image courtesy of Stuart Miles and http://freedigitalphotos.net

Reaching for Targets...

Word count targets...

Well my mini target of a minimum 500 words a week on my work in progress - which I started in January - has been working really well and even on difficult weeks I'm exceeding that target.
In fact this month I almost managed 5,000 words, but have fallen a little short by less than 250 words.

I'll be continuing the minimum word count each week, but my new challenge will be to write 5,000 words in March.

I'm now at a stage where not only am I discovering information about my heroine that I didn't foresee when I was doing my character sheets last year, but elements within specific chapters (that I had outlined) have needed shifting around a little too.

When the idea for the novella first came to me all those years ago, I wrote two different scenes, both involving my heroine Sarah, and having written one of those two scenes earlier this month, and reached the other scene today, I know I must find those original pieces- they captured something that I can't grasp now, but know is needed for these scenes.

So I'll be looking through old floppy disks this weekend- I have a plug-in floppy drive fortunately- and searching DVDs for the elusive words...

There's no more school/college holidays until Easter, so I have just under 4 undisturbed weeks to reach my new target...

Do you find setting yourself targets a help, or a hindrance?


Image courtesy of Vaximilian and http://freedigitalphotos.net

Characters That Start Talking to You...

It's very useful when your characters talk to you; reveal information about themselves, or other people, even tell you what they thought about the behaviour of another character.

 As long as they don't do it at the wrong time...

The wrong time being: when you're in a room full of people; it's noisy; you don't have a pen or pencil, or any paper; without a recording device you can spill their burst of thoughts into...

Then there's when you're in the shower and you're washing your hair- yes, Jago did that- he's my very attractive support character from my Dorset novel- then he waited until I was almost dressed and had started cleaning my teeth... :-)

A couple of writer friends confirmed this issue the other day. One mentioned the bathroom scenario, while the other despaired over characters talking at her while she was trying to concentrate on cooking a meal.

Now mine used to interrupt during cooking, but I just went and got a pen and notebook and started writing. I think that annoyed them...

So whether relaxing or creating, a character will grab the opportunity to break through and start whispering in your ear, or looking over your shoulder as they can't wait any longer to give you the details of something that happened in their past, which explains something else that didn't make sense previously, but now you know why you wrote it into the story...

Then they'll slip back into the mists, or in my case behind the wispy curtain, without so much as a see you later...

It's all to do with the writer's subconscious of course.

Everything under construction goes there. The ideas that have been triggered by an image, or an over- heard conversation. An incident observed, or noticed without consciously being aware of it.

It will synergise while normal everyday life goes on, and then when you sit down at the keyboard it all comes together. The plot problem that you thought couldn't be resolved, turns out to have a solution after all.

And most importantly the subconscious keeps the writer sane- well sort of... :-)

So, do your characters choose inconvenient moments to pop in to your conscious, or is it a specific place that brings them out?

Flashbacks...

I'm at the stage in the novella where I need to use a flashback.

I've always been ambivalent about flashbacks. Done well they can help a story; done badly, they will ruin it.

As I'm only on the first draft, it doesn't matter if I don't get it right the first time- that's what further drafts and editing are for... :-)

I'm sure I'm not the only writer who has weak spots, so yes, flashbacks are one of mine.

Now fortunately I know a writer, A J Humpage, who is good at explaining how to use flashbacks effectively, so I looked up her blog 'All Write - Fiction Advice' for the post on the subject. Read it here.

Found some useful pointers in avoiding getting flashbacks wrong, here, at Fiction Notes.

So next week I will be attempting the short flashback scene that leads to secrets being revealed...

Any advice on successful flashbacks?

Or any thoughts on the subject?

Then please leave a comment. I enjoy reading, and responding to them. :-) 

Progress?

This week is half term in the UK, so that means my writing time will be severely eaten into, but I hope to keep to my minimum writing target anyway.

Today I had one of those moments when a whole scene started playing in my head and there was no quiet to concentrate, the computer was in use by another family member, and everyone kept asking questions as I was desperately trying to hold onto the scene and stop it fading away, until I could get to my pen and notebook.

I lost some of the first bits of dialogue, but the important elements of the scene hung around long enough for me to write the basics...

It was actually the end of the novella, which has only been a vague point in the future. I knew there was a happy ending, and the big revelation that leads up to it, but hadn't been too concerned about it.

But clearly my brain has been working in the background anyway, and the content feels right.

Now I just have to get on with the bit in the middle... :-)

Now Blogger seems to have sorted out the accessing the elements, of the layout in my browser, issue. I am going to finish updating the blog.

So you may see some different styles being tried out in the coming week, while I decide what I like and what works for me.

Then I will have to start getting Serena's site sorted out...

It's Love-ly Thursday...

Happy Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day
 

My lovely other half bought me some 'Sweetheart' red roses last night at the supermarket, and this morning I got up to find
a lovely card and a box of Thorntons Classic Collection chocolates waiting for me... :-)

(He has a card and a hardback book awaiting
him when he gets home.)

I mentioned in my last post that I was still reading Erica James's 'The Real Katie Lavender'; now I've finished reading it, I can safely say there was a happy ending for her...

And if you want some freebie romance/romance intrigue e-books today (Thursday)
then Sally Quilford is your lady. Pop over to her blog to find out the specifics- and remember you don't need a Kindle to read them, you can download an app for your computer so you can read them that way.

As to the novella, progress is still being made. This week I've written the scene where Hugh and Sarah share their first kiss...

(You can track my weekly progress in the side bar, as I update it soon after my writing sessions.)

Have a great day...

image courtesy of Renjith Krishnan and http://freedigitalphotos.net

I've Been Reading...

This post should have been done yesterday, but I was out clothes shopping with one of my younger sons- the fashion aware one at that too. Needless to say I was exhausted by the time I got home, so the blog is being done today instead.

It did cross my mind that it would have been much easier in the 19th century; I could have just sent him along to the tailor to measure him up and make the clothes he needed...

So I thought I'd share with you a couple of the books I've been reading- both have been keeping me up until midnight just to finish the next chapter.

I've read a few of Trisha Ashley's books over the last two years, so when I was trawling through the kobo bookstore and saw 'A Winter's Tale' and read the brief description, I wasn't too sure if I'd enjoy it, so I downloaded the preview to read, and I was hooked.

Sophy Winter is a single mother who has just lost her job, but finds out she's unexpectedly inherited her childhood family home 'Winters End'. With family squabbles, a ghost ancestress and two men to deal with, as well as trying to come up with a plan to make the stately home pay its way, she's going to be busy.

The book was fun to read, and kept me guessing until the end whether Sophy would get her happy ending. I'd recommend it if you want an entertaining feel-good read.

Immediately after I finished 'A Winter's Tale' I started reading Erica James's 'The Real Katie Lavender'. Another book that I downloaded a preview of and then decided to buy.

I'm enjoying the book, but it's a bit more intense on the family dynamics front. I think Erica James is an author I might read again, but not without downloading a preview of the story first.

30 year old Katie Lavender is made redundant. At the same time she receives a letter from a solicitor who has instructions to give Katie a letter. The letter is from her mother who died a year previously. The contents lead her on a journey that will change her future...

I haven't quite finished reading it yet, but it's a, must just read the next chapter before I go to bed, type of book.

I'm hoping for a happy ending for a few of the characters at least...

By the time I finish this book, I will have read about 8 books so far this year. Well I did say to writer friends last year, that I was going to try and read more books in 2013, and try authors I haven't read before...

Have you read any books so far this year that you'd recommend?

Some Research is Bonkers...

The research a writer does is never bonkers. It's often quite inspirational, in fact it can be downright distracting.

No, the research I'm talking about is the rubbish I read about today Chick-lit 'lowers women's self-esteem' in the Telegraph online - and in the Women's section too.

"The study, published by Virginia Tech (Virginia’s Polytechnic Institute and State University), found that chick-lit books, in which the main character worries about her weight, made female readers more uneasy about their own body image." (Telegraph)

Well when you read on and discover how the test was carried out- they used two books where the central characters were healthy body weights but had low self-esteem (don't we all at some time, especially in winter?) and passages "were selected and nine different versions of the respective texts were produced in which the protagonists’ perception of their body was distorted."

In other words they mucked around with the written words to prove their theories. I won't go on, you can read about it at the above link, but we all get the idea...

I think the researchers should be more worried about the effect of highly paid female celebrities and singers in gaudy barely there clinging outfits in music videos and at high profile events, rather than a book of fiction- the last word does give it away...

And I'm very glad to say that there is a insightful and amusing response from Katy Brand, who echoes the odd thought or two I'd agree with-except the badly written bit... :-)

"The idea that any ‘scholar’ or ‘health official’ should trouble themselves for more than a nanosecond about what some woman thinks about the size of her bottom as a result of reading some badly written piece of fiction they got free with a magazine is a joke. Read and let read, that’s what I say – no book can truly make you feel bad about yourself, and if it does, stop reading it." (Katy Brand )

Of course there are women and young girls who have issues with their bodies, there always have been; I had a school friend who developed anorexia and had to be hospitalised- that was nearly forty years ago- and there was no chick-lit around then.

So researchers, don't claim chick-lit, or women's fiction supports your theories, it doesn't...

One of Those Weeks...

All my plans for progressing with the novella are slipping back this week.

I've got a handful of urgent issues to get resolved or organised. It's not that I mind, but they always happen when it's a week short on free time due to appointments.

Any other week when it's quiet and there's time to deal with additional issues, nothing happens.

I will be writing, but it will be non-fiction, some short fillers needed urgently. But it will add to my weekly writing total...

In the novella I'm about to write a scene with lots of conflict going on, and as what happens in this scene has consequences later on in the story, I need to get it clear in my head first before my fingers touch the keyboard.

I think chapter six is going to be slightly longer than the others...

I haven't even had time to read about the latest happenings in the writing world this week. Hopefully I'll have found something interesting for the weekend blog post.

Well I better get on, I have a long to do list, and words to add.

The Hazards of Writing About the Past...

It's Monday so it must be catch-up day.

I really don't know where the weekend went to, but I didn't get my regular blog post done, or my word count totals for the week recorded.

Glad to say I managed to exceed my minimum word count again last week, but it was slightly down on the previous weeks totals- only 815 words this time.

I'm one of those writers who needs quiet, with the minimum of interruptions- if any, when I'm writing.

Sadly my first session last week came to an abrupt end when after two phone calls, I was disturbed by music so loud I could actually hear the lyrics clearly. It was permeating through the walls from my next-door neighbour, and that was enough to drag me out of 1802 completely...

Every writer has their personal writing routine. I need coffee- and often toast- to get me settled.

I keep a log of every writing session I do. So I have one just for the novella, another for short stories, and another for my novel. Before I start any writing I note down the session, date and time started, and the intended work.

Then I read through the previous chapter, make minor adjustment, and make a note of anything major that occurs to me as I go along. So by the time I get to where I left off, from the previous writing session, I'm 'in the zone'... :-)

The best way to describe it, is as if I'm an observer to the scene I'm writing. I can step back a little and decide that, say, a piece of dialogue or an action would be better done this way, rather than that way, but I'm still tied into the scene in my mind, aware that the 21st century world is still going on just over my shoulder, but in the scene in my mind I'm in 1802...

I can get up to look at a reference book to confirm something, or go and make another cup of coffee, but I don't lose that link, an invisible cord between my characters and myself.

Often I don't realise how much time has gone by, until I get to a stage where my concentration wavers, or I start to feel hungry- you can use a lot of energy without realising it. Once I reach that stage my characters start to slip away from me, and I know it's time to stop.

I save my work, and if I've completed a section then I'll print it out. I'll see how many words I've done in the session and make a note on my time sheet, and the time I've finished at.

Within 5-10 minutes all the modern sounds of the surrounding world start to consciously register again and I'm totally back in 2013...

But it really isn't a good idea for anyone to ask me a question about anything, or ring me, until I'm totally back in the present.

If you write about the past, have you found anything that helps you with any stage of the process?


Current Word Count 

Work In Progress
image courtest of Salvatore Vuono and http://freedigitalimages.net

 

Total for January: 3,084                          

Two New Short Story Competitions with Added Appeal...

This week there's been two new competitions brought to my attention, and both have appealing prizes.

First we have National Express who are highlighting a competition in association with Little Brown Book Group, and the author Jenny Colgan.

Here's the brief: "We're offering you the chance to become a published author. To enter, we would like you to write a short story no more than 2,000 words long with the premise of 'take us on a journey'. You can use your own creativity to elaborate your journey into a literary masterpiece."

The winner's story will be published in the back of the e-book edition of Jenny Colgan's next book, published in August 2013.

The Competition runs from 28th January until the 28th April 2013. For this competition you must be 18 and over, and a UK resident.

You'll find the terms and conditions here, along with a registration form. You fill in your details and submit the form, where you will then see the e-mail address and closing date for your entry, so don't forget to make a note of it and put it somewhere safe.

The Second comes from Kobo Writing Life  (via Talkback writer SusieM .) Enter the Jeffrey Archer Short Story Challenge!

Now this competition is for those who are writing a novel. " One lucky winner will be awarded the grand prize of free enrolment in an upcoming Curtis Brown online novel writing course. "

"Authors should submit a 100-word short. The short can consist of any genre of fiction, as long as it stays within the 100-word limit. "

The deadline for submissions is the 15th February 2013.

The 20 semi-finalists will have their 100 word story, name and photo in a free anthology from Kobo.

And 3 finalists will be chosen (from the 20) by Jefferey Archer, and announced at the London Book Fair. Those 3 will be asked to submit a 3,000 word excerpt of their novel in progress to Curtis Brown Creative who will judge them, and give written feedback.

The winner gets the free enrolment on the Curtis Brown course.

Read the terms and conditions for the competition here.

The good news is that you can enter (even if you are not in the UK) as long as you live in the areas specified.

"The Contest is open only to legal residents of the forty eight (48) contiguous United States, District of Columbia, the United Kingdom and Canada (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their respective jurisdiction at the time of entry (each entrant, an “Entrant”). Void in Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and where prohibited by law. The Prize consists of free enrolment in one (1) Curtis Brown writing course. The voucher is valid until December 31, 2013. "

Good luck. :-)

Do You Ever Look At Early Writing and Think ?!!!

More e-books were read over the weekend...

It actually got me thinking whether it is good or bad for authors (who have been published for a long time) to re-release their backlists as e-books.

Obviously they have their older published titles from pre-digital days, which are sitting there not earning them any money, so they will have the freedom to re-issue them as e-books now, and I can see why they would do it- writers need to eat and pay bills too.

We probably all have favourite authors, so when their latest book is released we're likely to buy it fairly quickly- we know we can be guaranteed a satisfying read.

But will that always apply to back-list books written much earlier in a writing career?

Or will we be slightly disappointed because they aren't what we've come to expect from our favourite author?

And of course the style of the time may no longer work now, or elements of the story be as morally, or socially acceptable ...

The heroes of 1980's historical romances were out and out Alpha males, and seduction with a little force thrown in was part of the character... Easy to see why the horrible term 'bodice rippers' became associated with historical romances.

I gave up on reading one download at the weekend because I was mentally red-penning it as I was reading, and if I'm doing that in the first chapter then I'm never going to finish the story...

Now I'm going to try and remember that it was written in an earlier stage, and it can actually be interesting to notice subtle changes as the story develops.

I know that looking back at my writing- even from five years ago I would write very differently now, so it's likely that published writers continue to develop their writing style too...

The advantages of old books being re-released?

Stories you always wanted to read, but couldn't because the book was out of print and you couldn't find a second-hand copy- I may just find that elusive third book that makes up a trilogy I enjoyed, but couldn't finish because no one had the one I needed anymore...

Lots more stories to enjoy...

And when it comes to the basics, enjoying the read is important...

Any thoughts on the subject? Then do leave a comment, I'd like to hear your views...

It's All In the Mind...

Well my characters and plots are in my mind. In fact there will always be one or two of them wanting attention to reveal a snippet of vital information, or a sentence of dialogue that tells me something important- but they are usually the characters who are in a different story to the one I'm currently writing!

(Jago, from my Dorset novel, popped in this morning and mentioned something that told me a little more about how his sister's death effected him, in a similar way to his step-brother- my hero, Marcus.)

Since I've started my minimum words a week target I've noticed a change in my mind-set with how I approach my writing.

Previously I tried to do longer writing sessions with the plan that I would do more of a chapter. But in fact it was the reverse, I actually got less done...

Now that I'm not worrying about it, I'm actually writing more. While I'm completing scenes in the current chapter, it's actually giving me time to think about the next bit for when I start writing again.

I looked at my chapter outlines the other day (written earlier last year) and realised that the scene I'm currently working on hadn't been mentioned in the outline.

It came about because I realised that I needed to bring Hugh and Sarah back into contact, after a short chapter apart, and there was an opportunity to do so just by developing the end of the planned scene.

As I see it, this is just my writing style developing a little further.

Twelve years ago, I would have said I didn't like planning. I needed a start and end point, then a few points I knew I needed along the way, so I'd make it up as I went along.

But now I couldn't work that way...

I know my story and my characters, and as before I have certain points that I need to include- but these are more detailed than previously; but now I see the elements that can be expanded upon to reinforce my plot, or my characters' development- a skill I didn't have before.

Also, I see where I need to concentrate on areas in Chapter 2 and 3 when I get to the revision process.

Basically I'm no longer looking at the story as a scary 50,000+ words that I need to get written, just the next 500 words of the scene, or linking scene- small bits at a time...

Now my mind says it can be done. I just have to do it.


This week's total: 1,007 words.

Progress and Viewpoint...

Just a quick post today.

The minimum wordage target seems to be working for me; Tuesday I added 518 words to the first draft of Chapter 4 and sorted out my propriety issue, which I discussed in an earlier post.

I prefer to write my longer length stories in third person viewpoint. Usually the story is being told from both my hero and heroine's perspective- the she/he; but there are chapters where it will start with one and then at an appropriate point resume with the other after a break.

For me, which method I use in the chapter is about the situation my character/s are in, or if it's interaction between my hero and heroine, what is happening between them, or their thoughts and reactions to that moment- an ideal time for internal conflicts to emerge.

Occasionally I do slot in a scene from a key secondary character's viewpoint, but only when there's no other way to get an important element or information over to the reader.

But I do make it clear that the viewpoint has changed within a scene/chapter by using line breaks.

I was reading an e-book preview of an historical romance a few days ago, by an author that I hadn't read before. It was fine and then suddenly the viewpoint switched in the next paragraph from hero to heroine and I was immediately pulled out of the story.

The head-hop may have been missed in the editing process, or perhaps it was just an issue with the formatting of the e-book and there should have been a break to show the change of viewpoint within the scene. It may even have been intended to be written that way...

Some writers have successfully incorporated head-hopping (as the scene progresses without a break) in their books- I've read a few Mills and Boons where this has been done without jarring; but it isn't something I like to see, or read.

Perhaps some readers wouldn't notice or be bothered by it, but sudden viewpoint switches do seem to jump out at writers...

Well I better get on, I have a few more words to add to my weekly total...

Snow Pictures for Research...

Woke up today to find last night's light snow had actually left a couple of centimetres around the place, so I decided to take some pictures before it thawed or got trampled.



Overnight snowfall

There's a stillness with undisturbed snow. You could imagine yourself in any time period at moments like that, as the everyday sounds are muffled and don't intrude on your awareness.




All's Quiet in the Garden

I suppose I really should be taking advantage of this snowy scene
to get on with the Christmas story that was intruding last
week.

I'll probably write out the couple of scenes that have developed
over the weekend with the snow getting my thoughts working.

I will be putting my weekly total on my blog somewhere, plus a
running total.

Visiting Blackbirds

We've been putting a variety of food out to cater to the
assorted birds, big and small that have been landing in the garden.

The two Blackbirds are regulars from early morning to late dusk.


So I'm off to get on with my Monday chores so I have time to start
on this week's word count.

Safe travels if you are out and about.