Thursday 23 December 2010

If there's a book you really want to read...

If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.  ~Toni Morrison


I have joined some writing forums. This was suggested to me by a couple of people and so that is what I have done. I have joined www.oneofus.co.uk and www.writingforums.com both of which are good but the latter is more responsive and more like facebook so you can really interact and get to know other writers. The good thing about these sites is that you can upload excerpts of your novel or just your writing in general and people can have a good read and critique your work.  I like the idea of this, yet it scares me as well. As you know I have ventured down the path of self publishing, signed the contract, and now had my manuscript edited. To post a chapter on a writing forum to have it critiqued is scary and if I did make changes –costly. I will hide behind my good old theory “Subjectivity”. Of course letting other people critique your work will make you a better writer and I will do this for novel number two, but I have come  too far with novel number one to let it be ripped to shreds in the final hour. 


It makes me reflect on Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s words in Love in the Time of Cholera “ To release a story into the world is to relinquish sole proprietorship. When you let other people into your business you allow them to have opinions about it.” That is what I am doing, if I am lucky enough to get some column inches and I get slated, I am sure I will still try and hide behind that word subjective but I will also accept the critique (I am being pessimistic here- the critique may be good) – perhaps it will improve my writing style- that was once described as heavy! – If anyone reading this knows what that means- by all means enlighten me please! 
I am enjoying these forums though, as the writers groups around where I live are bursting to the seams. They will provide  me with people to bounce my ideas off and  I will learn something for sure. If you are thinking about writing, join a writing forum, even if its just to look at discussions and not participate the information and ideas on there is worth it alone. 
Can you believe I haven’t started reading my final edited copy of my book as yet. I will start soon, once Christmas is out of the way. That way I can be totally absorbed in it- make sure it is perfect I will let you know how it goes. My plan is to have completed the final read by the second week in January so fingers crossed I can send it for publishing then!!!!! Fingers crossed 

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