Happy St David's Day!
I am in the library, with the primary aim of finishing a short story I'm working on.
I don't plan stories in great detail. I tend to work with an idea and see where the writing takes me.
The idea is that if the writer doesn't know where the words are taking him, the reader won't, either.
Now, this tends to work pretty well on the whole.
I say 'on the whole' of course, for a reason.
I'm stuck with my current story.
The basic idea is really good. There is mystery and intrigue in abundance. The premise is original. The pace is fast. I'm gripped.
But now I don't know where to take the story. I've been sitting here typing and deleting and typing and deleting and drinking coffee and...
Yeah, yeah, you get the idea, I know.
What I'm alluding to, though, is that I'm beginning to wonder whether this is a sign that if you 'fail to prepare, prepare to fail.'
Oh my days; what a cliché!
I'll update you with my thoughts in an hour or two, based on whether I've progressed with the story....!
Saturday, 1 March 2014
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Library visit and overdue books
I am pretty damn useless with some very basic things in life.
I won't go into everything that I am pretty damn useless with because I'm sure this thing has a word count, but one of those very basic things is the inability to return library books on or before their due date.
Today I went to the local library. I was an sitting target because I couldn't locate my library card, and so I needed to go to the front desk.
The librarian politely informed me that I have not one but two accounts with outstanding books on both. Three books on my one account amounting to £8.35 and two books on the old account going back to August. The librarian didn't tell me how much that amounted to; I don't think she wanted to give me two blows in one day.
This is one of the Sandwell libraries. I never attempt to take a book out of Birmingham library because I am pretty sure I have two accounts with them, too, with overdue books on them.
I got it all sorted pretty quick (I always find librarians are lovely with me).
Curiosity got the better of me then. I pulled Just a Bit Of Banter, Like from the shelf and asked if she could check how many people had taken out the book I had written.
The librarian was suitably shocked. She did her best to camouflage her expression, bless her, but it undoubtedly read 'how has this guy who has two library accounts and can't remember to take books back written a book himself?'
It did make me chuckle, but in a nice way.
The librarian promised she will read the book herself 'now that he has met the author.'
Oh, and people have been taking my book out, which is a bonus.
And hopefully returning it on time, of course.
I won't go into everything that I am pretty damn useless with because I'm sure this thing has a word count, but one of those very basic things is the inability to return library books on or before their due date.
Today I went to the local library. I was an sitting target because I couldn't locate my library card, and so I needed to go to the front desk.
The librarian politely informed me that I have not one but two accounts with outstanding books on both. Three books on my one account amounting to £8.35 and two books on the old account going back to August. The librarian didn't tell me how much that amounted to; I don't think she wanted to give me two blows in one day.
This is one of the Sandwell libraries. I never attempt to take a book out of Birmingham library because I am pretty sure I have two accounts with them, too, with overdue books on them.
I got it all sorted pretty quick (I always find librarians are lovely with me).
Curiosity got the better of me then. I pulled Just a Bit Of Banter, Like from the shelf and asked if she could check how many people had taken out the book I had written.
The librarian was suitably shocked. She did her best to camouflage her expression, bless her, but it undoubtedly read 'how has this guy who has two library accounts and can't remember to take books back written a book himself?'
It did make me chuckle, but in a nice way.
The librarian promised she will read the book herself 'now that he has met the author.'
Oh, and people have been taking my book out, which is a bonus.
And hopefully returning it on time, of course.
The Technical Stuff
This blogging side of things is amazingly simple.
You just type in a box, press delete a few times and then type in a box again, press 'save' and 'publish' and Bob's Your Uncle/Fanny's Your Aunt, it appears live on the website.
Editing the actual website is a different matter, though.
For a start, my laptop doesn't like the website facility. It hasn't got an unhealthy personal vendetta against it (you know, like in a Jason Statham movie) or anything like that; it just freezes and shows no interesting whatsoever in thawing.
And so, I have to put an extra jumper on and dust down the PC in the back bedroom.
And that is where the fun begins.
Things move where they have no right moving. Things become smaller when they should be getting bigger (sound familiar?) Everything I touch is a disaster. I start tearing my hair out, and to be frank, its doing a pretty good job falling out on its own, thank you.
The voice on one shoulder tells me I could do it on my own, that I'm a perfectly capable, productive member of society. The voice on the other shoulder tells me that I'm a no-good, useless technophobe. The same voices which appear when I attempt to assemble an IKEA wardrobe.
Anyway, I took the easy option. I contacted Martyn, who put together the website in the first place. I blamed my tools. Made excuses. Asked for help.
The guy is great at these things (I've said this before but check out his website at bloodguts.co.uk) and overnight things have started appearing at the right size and in the right place.
Martyn, thank you. You have put those pesky voices to sleep.
(I've just wondered whether it is normal to have these voices. Do other people have them? If not, this piece is a work of fiction, the characters portrayed to not reflect real life...)
You just type in a box, press delete a few times and then type in a box again, press 'save' and 'publish' and Bob's Your Uncle/Fanny's Your Aunt, it appears live on the website.
Editing the actual website is a different matter, though.
For a start, my laptop doesn't like the website facility. It hasn't got an unhealthy personal vendetta against it (you know, like in a Jason Statham movie) or anything like that; it just freezes and shows no interesting whatsoever in thawing.
And so, I have to put an extra jumper on and dust down the PC in the back bedroom.
And that is where the fun begins.
Things move where they have no right moving. Things become smaller when they should be getting bigger (sound familiar?) Everything I touch is a disaster. I start tearing my hair out, and to be frank, its doing a pretty good job falling out on its own, thank you.
The voice on one shoulder tells me I could do it on my own, that I'm a perfectly capable, productive member of society. The voice on the other shoulder tells me that I'm a no-good, useless technophobe. The same voices which appear when I attempt to assemble an IKEA wardrobe.
Anyway, I took the easy option. I contacted Martyn, who put together the website in the first place. I blamed my tools. Made excuses. Asked for help.
The guy is great at these things (I've said this before but check out his website at bloodguts.co.uk) and overnight things have started appearing at the right size and in the right place.
Martyn, thank you. You have put those pesky voices to sleep.
(I've just wondered whether it is normal to have these voices. Do other people have them? If not, this piece is a work of fiction, the characters portrayed to not reflect real life...)
Upcoming Interviews
This really is the quiet before the storm, because I've managed to secure interviews with Pamela Crane, John Dean, Jennifer Sage, Claudia Moss and Kenya Cagle; writers from all over the world covering an expanse of genres and writing styles.
I've no doubt at all that the interviews will be of interest to both writers and readers...and that's what it's all about, really.
Watch this space, because the first of the interviews will be coming to you on Sunday...
Tuesday, 18 February 2014
Balance
Balance is not something I'm very good at.
I don't mean that I keep falling over because I'm lopsided or anything, just I am a man of extremes.
How I envy people who contented with one sweet or one drink or one biscuit (you get the idea). They rarely get into trouble. I'm an all or nothing kind of guy, and often get into trouble.
Where am I heading with this....?
Okay, unless you are Stephen King or JK Rowling, you need not only to write your books but to promote them, too. It is a necessary part of getting your book read. In simple terms, there are 6,000,000 books on Amazon (or so I'm told). If you don't promote your book, it will just sit there; unread and lonely.
I've done pretty well with the marketing - I've appeared I the Glamorgan Gazette, the HASSRA West Midlands magazine and various web sites. But that's the easy part. You need to be visible on the social media sites, too.
I've mixed and mingled with many authors. Now, I do have a concern. I fear that some authors much prefer mixing and mingling and chatting on social media sites than actually writing. It can be so much cosier...so much easier, than actually struggling with plots and character traits and word counts.
At the moment - unlike with the biscuits and the sweets and all those other things - I think I'm doing pretty well with the balance.
But I have my eye on it, don't worry...
I don't mean that I keep falling over because I'm lopsided or anything, just I am a man of extremes.
How I envy people who contented with one sweet or one drink or one biscuit (you get the idea). They rarely get into trouble. I'm an all or nothing kind of guy, and often get into trouble.
Where am I heading with this....?
Okay, unless you are Stephen King or JK Rowling, you need not only to write your books but to promote them, too. It is a necessary part of getting your book read. In simple terms, there are 6,000,000 books on Amazon (or so I'm told). If you don't promote your book, it will just sit there; unread and lonely.
I've done pretty well with the marketing - I've appeared I the Glamorgan Gazette, the HASSRA West Midlands magazine and various web sites. But that's the easy part. You need to be visible on the social media sites, too.
I've mixed and mingled with many authors. Now, I do have a concern. I fear that some authors much prefer mixing and mingling and chatting on social media sites than actually writing. It can be so much cosier...so much easier, than actually struggling with plots and character traits and word counts.
At the moment - unlike with the biscuits and the sweets and all those other things - I think I'm doing pretty well with the balance.
But I have my eye on it, don't worry...
Author Interviews
Happy Tuesday evening to you.
There's been a great reaction to the Christoph Fischer interview. Christoph is not only a fantastic writer but a very popular guy.
Writing can be a very solitary pursuit. It is great to link with other people with similar goals and frustrations. You can learn so much.
The good news is that I have already been in contact with some other authors and I will be conducting regular interviews moving forward.
There's been a great reaction to the Christoph Fischer interview. Christoph is not only a fantastic writer but a very popular guy.
Writing can be a very solitary pursuit. It is great to link with other people with similar goals and frustrations. You can learn so much.
The good news is that I have already been in contact with some other authors and I will be conducting regular interviews moving forward.
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