Thursday 27 January 2011

The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought

The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium.  ~Norbet Platt

I am lame I have still not edited sent off my final edited version- but enough of that I am hoping to do that this week- I have just been so busy and ill- I hate the flu! Anyway what I have done is cut and pasted a very small approx 1300 word chapter of my forthcoming novel to the “critique” areas at the two writing forums I have signed up to!!! It was daunting doing this but then why not?! I am paying to have it published and then it will be out there. This thought gave me some comfort. It is also exciting to think people may read this and have some good points- although it is a little late to change things.

I have had one comment so far “very interesting but the use of the word ‘she’ far too often”  I smile at the first two words. I interested someone- a random unknown so this is good surely. The writing blood within me surging forward and I am in a bubble of happiness. The use of the word “she” yes  I get that after re-reading the chapter. But in a way that was what I was trying to create. The chapter in itself is about a character who is elusive  - there are only about three of four chapters that are based around this character “Mia” – She is very much a “She” because she is on the outside . However this could maybe just be my poor writing skills I don’t know. I will copy and paste the excerpt into this blog very soon so you too can have a nosey!

Another thing I have done this week was accept an invitation to a writing club. Don’t get me wrong- It wasn’t an invitation like you see at airport immigration fast track (by invitation only) – Basically I emailed the group members and a space came up so they are trialling me today. I have to read this 1000 words, I am going to use the same excerpt I was just waffling on about. I have in fact just re-read it and I like it. In fact on the  self publishing website I am going to use this excerpt as the “sneak peek” bit!!!

The daunting thing about this writers group is that they may not like me and accept me into their fold! Which will be a bit rubbish but I suppose I will live, it maybe that I don’t like them. Another of my worries is that they may be super intelligent and my writing- well it may well not be their thing- but I suppose that is what the trial is about!! Never the less I am excited to see how things turn out.  I would like to be part of a writers group- If anything I will learn from the others. When I thought about my book his morning- I thought at the least I will get out of this self publishing malarkey is the experience. Although I never thought it- I have learnt a million things about publishing etc etc and surely it is better to try and fail than never to try at all – like one author whose name escapes me said if you don’t fail how do you “find your parachute”- you know that thing that saves you in life. Writing is like that. I think Norbet Platt’s quote as above is very apt! writing does help us regain our equilibrium!

Thursday 20 January 2011

What I like in a good author...

What I like in a good author is not what he says, but what he whispers.  ~Logan Pearsall Smith, "All Trivia," Afterthoughts, 1931

I have not blogged in what seems an age as I have been busy with other things – This has annoyed me somewhat as I am now behind schedule in submitting my final copy to the publishers – blemish free.
I have done the hardest task and have been through the manuscript with a fine tooth comb- which for me in itself is a mammoth task – I hate proof reading which I suppose attributes to my lack of understanding when it comes to grammar. Any how I have done it and made some changes – the most glaringly obvious was the “tyres” “tires” word. Whether it is an American spelling or what I don’t know I have chosen the more correct tyres! i am talking wheels here.

That aside- I have only made the changes on a paper copy – I hate reading on screen (such large chunks) and I now need to make these changes to the electronic version before I email it off. I am impressed the publishing company emailed me to find out why I hadn’t contacted them after having my edited manuscript for two weeks. It was a standard email but when I did ask a few question as to what font sizes and line spacing etc they answered super speedily.

Another thing I haven’t mentioned is the dreaded front cover! I was racking my brains as to what to use - as you may have previously read– I have heard that the standard publishing (for self publishing at least) images are not very good at all so I took my camera out to India ready to get some good shots. Did I? No I didn’t – my photography skills are much like my grammar and I have not managed to find anything. I have however whilst perusing a friends photos found the perfect front cover.

It is a door, a big old door in a painted yellow house with a couple of stairs each side leading up to it. Damp has set into the corners of these stairs and a mossy substance has formed on each side of the door.

The picture instantaneously jumped out at me the same was I suppose my book amongst a million others will jump out at people browsing.

My friend whose photo it is very artsy and is working on it, in fact designing me a front cover as well. So I am nearly there- nearly about to publish my first novel.