Monday 28 February 2011

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Interesting Agent Stuff...

Caroline over at Adevntures in Space is running a really interesting series of blog posts called 'After The Call' in which she talks about what happens after you get an offer of representation. So if you are a writer currently on an Agent hunt - you might be wise to check it out. There's some really interesting information on there.

And while I'm linking to useful stuff about agents - this one's a few months old but worth a look - it's an Agent's Christmas Wish List.

Happy hunting.

Monday 14 February 2011

Faces in Stone

We walked around the edge of the standing stones, and as I looked I saw a face.

"I know that face," I told my kids "I've seen him before, when he was a man," and they listened, wide eyed.



One midwinter’s day, as the sun was just struggling up over the horizon, I passed this way and saw something strange.

People had gathered amongst the standing stones. They raised their hands to the sky in rhythm with the pounding of their drums and the chanting of their voices, while the police, in their Day-Glo green, stood by.

As I watched another figure approached them across the heath. Tweed jacket and flat cap, his face blotched purple and red. This was a farmer who didn’t look pleased.

The police moved to block his path, but he pushed on through. At the time I thought it strange – they way he vanished into their midst, and the police shifted their gaze away from him, as if in an instant they had forgotten.

The chanting of the crowd and the beat of the drums never faltered. And after I’d watched for a while the sun rose higher and I headed on my way.

But the farmer? Well he learned the hard way – don’t mess with druids!

Tuesday 8 February 2011

Networking

Networking is so important in all walks of life. And networking for writers is no different – maybe more so because writing can be such an isolated pursuit.

I’ve heard people bemoaning the perception that you have to know someone in the industry to get an agent/publisher, or you have to live near a big city such as London where most of the agents/publishers are based.

This simply isn’t true.

I’m a good three hour train journey from London and the nearest city is in the next county. Yet I have managed to network. And if I can do it anyone can.

So here are my top suggestions for finding networking opportunities – wherever you may live!

1. Writers groups: Most people will live within striking distance of a writers group, maybe more than one. They offer an excellent opportunity to meet people who share your interest and if you find a good one will be able to offer helpful critique.

2. Book Groups: Often affiliated with book shops or libraries – an opportunity to attend talks by visiting authors and to meet other people with an interest in literature.

3. Writing workshops/courses: Again – a change to meet other aspiring writers and maybe even lean a little along the way.

4. Writing/literary festivals: There are big ones and small ones. Worth going along to. You never know what could happen.

5. Online writers groups/forums: There are loads of these – perhaps a subject for a separate blog post. Find the one that suits you, but don’t get so absorbed you start losing writing time!

6. Blogging. You’d be surprised the number of interesting blogs by fellow writers I’ve come across since I started this blog.

So how do you network? Anything I haven’t listed that might be worth a try?

Friday 4 February 2011

A Big Cheer for Emma!!

Today is Emma Shortt's big day - the launch of her e-book 'The Valentine's Fae'.


So join me in giving her a huge cheer and say Congratulations! I hope it sells many many copies.

Head over to Evernight Publishing and take a look, and while you're at it why not visit Emma's website and blog and let her know what you think.

Well done Emma!

Wednesday 2 February 2011

A Nice Surprise

I arrived home from work today to a nice surprise - my contributor's copy of Jupiter SF 31: Aitne waiting for me in the pile of post, among the bills and junk mail.

Now I've got some quality SF to read over the next few days.

Looking at it made me realise how much things have changed since I submitted this story - and in fact since I wrote my bio for inclusion in this issue.

I have one more SF short story scheduled for publication this autumn. But for now I've stopped sending them out. I doubt I'll stop writing them - they're far too much fun to do for that. Instead I'm going to concentrate on the kids novels and see where that leads.

Back to those revisions...