Along The Write Lines

Read something. Read anything!

A while back I was reading about crowd-sourcing and the flak that the actor and writer Zach Braff received when he opted to use a crowd-sourcing site to get funding for a movie.

In a filmed reply he said that he had supported other creative projects as a funder, and that the main players in the industry were still reluctant to back one of his projects financially. Therefore, it made sense to try the same avenue.

Critics said he was sucking out funding from other projects because of his fame. His response was that, if you don't enjoy the things he does, don't fund them. However, he added, check out all the other great projects that need backing - and if you see one you like the look of, back that one instead.

Books, like the movies, are awesomely diverse. If my thrillers are not your bag (even after you've started reading), don't let that put you off thrillers, or Brit thrillers, or reading in general.

Reading is more than just words. It's about empowerment, connection, finding a voice that speaks to you and, perhaps, developing a creative voice of your own.

Here's a graphic from grammarly.com that paints an eye-opening picture.

Miracles of Kindness

There's a lot of information on the internet for writers. You can learn all about techniques and templates, how to craft your work, sales, marketing and how social media is your new best friend. There's also some - though notably less - information out there about how being a writer impacts on the rest of your life (and the lives of those closest to you), and even a little about how your writing can help others.

What struck me recently though was how often writers are the recipients of kindness from other writers. Even when they're embroiled and immersed and often submerged in their own work writers will give you an honest opinion. They'll also add a review or offer a blog interview or tell their friends about your book, or make a you a cake with your cover on it. (I'm told that happens...) If you write you are a part of a culturally rich and diverse community.

At A Word with You Press, time and again I have seen connections form over a love of words and stories, and the transformative and liberating power of language. More than that, I see kindness in action. A friendly word to a fledgling writer sharing their work for the very first time, or a question answered, or an insight offered. Each time seeking only to lighten someone else's literary load. (Yes, I do love alliteration.)

It's a cliche that all writers are competitive, frustration-filled adversaries, fuming at one another's successes. I have to tell you though that generally it's not my experience. Most of the writers I encounter understand one another's struggles to make sense of the stories in their heads and the all-consuming desire to spend chunks of their precious time in isolation, staring at the screen or the page.

Yes, we obsess about feedback, reviews and 'the numbers'. However, I have a theory about all that. I think, rather than yearning for fame and fortune, we are really looking for some indication that it's getting easier. A sign - from royalty sheets or online reviews or attendance at book signings - that we are making progress along the path we have chosen. We want to know it's getting easier because we also know, come what may, we will never stop writing.

If you're in need of a reminder that the glass is half-full, you might enjoy Miracles of Kindness - a collection of uplifting true stories, which includes my anecdote: Street Angel.

Miracles of Kindness

True Tales of Kindness in the Modern World

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

Miracles of Kindness is also available in a multimedia format on iTunes.

Miracles of Kindness is a collection of stories, submitted by participants from all over the world and rewritten for dramatic consistency, that tell of simple acts of kindness that have had a profound effect on people’s lives. The stories are told from the perspective of the recipient of the act, so that the impact of the miracle of the event, spelled with a small “m”, can be truly felt. There are also three “Profiles in Kindness” stories which tell of visionaries who helped thousands of people by simple but determined acts. The stories in Miracles of Kindness range greatly in subject matter, from simple acts like a well-timed hug or the return of a lost wallet to getting a wounded grandmother to a hospital or helping to find sobriety for a lost soul. Each story will inspire as you are reunited with humanity’s good side.

Hats off to writers

Nature's hatstand

I love a good back story. Now we've decided to shorten the third Thomas Bladen thriller I've been busy doing some pruning. Any cut scenes, flashbacks and dialogue will survive as background info for the series - for me.

One of my battle cries is: Context matters. If you're a fan of The Monkees, you'll know and love 'Pleasant Valley Sunday' but try the Carole King version (she write it with Gerry Goffin) and you get a completely different take on it. Or maybe you're a fan of Dylan's Tambourine Man but you don't really know Melanie's version, where the lyrics turn from rebellious to soulfully melancholic.

One song can be interpreted so many different ways. A scene, even one line of dialogue, can be rendered as comedy, tragedy, or high drama. Writing, like other art forms, can be nuanced and subtle. That's the case for artists too.

Writers can easily become pigeonholed. I've mentioned before (somewhere in this blog, I think) about the time someone read my magical fantasy, Covenant, and remarked that it was like a clown trying to write Shakespeare. The comment's kinder than it sounds, honest. I was a bit of a jokesmith at the time. Writers can buy into the belief that they may only wear one hat but it's just that - a belief.

Recently, I had a visit. Well, a remembrance really. Just a name - Stephen Heick - that popped into my head. He was a character from a book I wrote (and burned) in my teens. It was a brief visit and, in my imagination, he acknowledged me with a touch of his temple, and walked on through the scene. I haven't thought about him in a long time, although a character from his book did appear in Standpoint.

As the third Bladen novel draws to a close so my eager publisher can turn it into a book, I've had time to reflect on what an extraordinary journey it has been since the contract was signed in January 2015. Three novels available in a year has far exceeded my expectations. It's also happened at such a pace that my writing cupboard (we all have them, trust me) is getting bare. For fans of the Bladen series, Book 4 is being sketched out by the sleeping part of the my brain.

But those other hats...
1. My standalone transatlantic comedy drama, Scars & Stripes, is still in need of representation.
2. I keep my hand in with gag and sketch writing, which results in a nice little cheque from time to time.
3. There is talk of another edition of As Above So Below magazine. Possibly.
4. I have a new standalone novel in mind, involving time-travel and second chances.
5. A novella about a man whose dead brother rings him up for a chat from time to time.

Thriller writer, jokesmith, clown trying to write Shakespeare, fantasy author, magazine co-creator, comedy novelist. Guilty as charged, with another seven offences I'd like taken into consideration.

I'm a veritable hatstand - and so is every other writer.

What can you say apart from please buy my book? Pt 2

Sometimes you need to branch out.

For a novelist, being published presents a whole new set of challenges. You suddenly have to do other sorts of writing, including writing about writing. There are online blurbs, interviews (I'll mention in passing that I'm still available...), and the subtle - or not so subtle - art of promoting your novel.

The first hurdle is deciding what to say after 'please buy my book'. On your marks...get set...write!

Let's start with a little deconstructing.

What makes your novel distinctive?

1 - Genre.

2 - Characters.

3 - Themes.

4 - Plot.

5 - Setting.

6 - The way you use language and / or the use of slang.

That's six topics right away without breaking a sweat and here are four examples.

Place and presence in novels.

When characters come to life.

British slang in an international novel.

Profanity in fiction.

The next place to cast your net is in the direction of your own writing practice.

This may include:

7 - Where your ideas came from.

8 - First drafts.

9 - Editing.

10 - Submissions.

11 - Rejections.

12 - Tips you've picked up along the way.

Here's one of mine:

Five inspirational tips.

That's another six topics to stick in your quiver!

Further afield?

Why certainly!

13 - Your journey as an author.

14 - Things people might not know about you.

15 - Your other novels (because you can never have too many).

16 - Other forms of writing (short fiction, non-fiction, copywriting, etc.).

17 - Feedback - the good, the bad and the ouch.

18 - Writers / artists / musicians / films that inspire you, and why. (Four for the price of one.)

Some of the above:

The origins of a book and its author.

Six secrets.

Writing a series.

A novel approach to copywriting.

Reader feedback.

Those 18 topics ought to keep you busy for a while. Try and find as many different places to host the posts and remember to include a little information about yourself and your book/s.

Speaking of which...

Standpoint

Line of Sight

Why not leave a comment to let people know how you blog about your book? (And where!)

What can you say apart from please buy my book? Pt 1

Time and tide...get your feet wet.

We're told that everyone has a book inside them* although many would-be writers are unable to commit themselves to the page. Who can blame them? It's hard work and when you finally reach 'the end' another adventure beckons. Then, when you've finally reached the final 'the end', it's the joy of submission. And then, finally, finally, your book is out there. (Please note: the whole process can take years, or lifetimes.)

Then rainbows follow you and royalty receipts are strewn at your feet by welcoming angels.

Well, not exactly. Now you have to switch off the artist side of your brain and think about marketing. Whether you're self-published or traditionally published, you will need to play your part. Most writers I've spoken to on the subject are not natural marketeers.

When it comes to promotional activity, they go through the author's give stages of promotional grief. If you'd care to follow me...

DENIAL - I don't have to promote my book. That's what agents, publishers, angels and my social media contacts are for. I just write the books. It can still sell if I don't promote it.

ANGER - Why isn't my bloody book selling? It's not fair. I bet JK didn't have to deal with this.

BARGAINING - If I just do a little, surely that will be enough? If I ask all my friends, and everyone in my writing group, and anyone I've ever met online, won't that do?

DEPRESSION - This book is never going to sell. I can't do it. It's too hard. (And even the classic: I'm not a good enough writer and people will see that.)

ACCEPTANCE - This is the book I've written. I want to reach readers. My literary child may not be the prettiest or the smartest or the most erudite but goddarn it I'm gonna love it all the same. I wrote it and now it's depending on me. Where's my pen?

The solution is writing about your book without simply creating a page with a sales URL. Do make sure you include one of those with every promotional post though. Art for art's sake; money for food.

On Friday I'll give you some suggestions. See you then.

* Not like Manny in Black Books.

Not a poet and I know it

I recently attended a couple of events at this year's Penzance Literary Festival. The first was a writing and mythology workshop, facilitated by poet and prose writer Angela Stoner. I mucked in as a steward for one event the following day and that turned out to be Angela's as well. I hope to interview her soon either on this blog or the sister blog www.strictlywriting.blogspot.co.uk

Like many writers I found expression through poetry in my teens, although no one dug my doggerel at the time. Maybe I was channelling my inner William McGonagall.

The session Angela gave on myth took me in an unusual direction when I got home. I started to think about those elements of my storywriting that come from other people, often without their knowledge. Those precious slivers of overheard conversations that I skewered on my notebook pages, the borrowed memories, and the brutal cannibalisation of other people's experiences.

Graham Greene is said to have said: "There is a splinter of ice in the heart of a writer." Some say it's jagged glass, but I prefer the idea of ice as it suggests the possibiity of a thaw.

Anyway, taking all of the above as inspiration, here's a poem.

I Confess - More or Less

I stole your pet's name

And I took your cousin's too.

I ripped your life into ribboned strips

And sewed them up anew.

I altered crucial details

To hide my heinous crimes.

I changed the date you met your fate

I lied about those times.

I painted myself in the picture

When I wasn't even there.

I made a heroine out of you

And pretended that she cared.

I moved you to a country

Where I know you've never been.

I gave our lines to others

And reordered all the scenes.

I wrote you out of context

With a wild and wicked pen.

I plunged an ice shard in my heart

To serve the story's ends.

I'll never share the secrets

Of a thousand personal worlds.

But I'll scatter fragments liberally

To turn them into pearls.

The Romance of Radio

Do you remember Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles? There's wisdom in them thar lyrics. Technology's fab and groovy, but sometimes it lacks romance. When I was a lad we would sometimes go to a caravan park in Essex (a trailer park for the weekend, for our transatlantic cousins).

I used to lie awake in the dark, a transistor radio wedged against my face, listening to faraway lands. Sometimes I'd catch French programmes or lose myself in the magic of big band music. I didn't know Glenn Miller by name but I recognised his music the first time I was formally introduced to it. The signal would ebb and flow like the tide on the nearby River Blackwater. It's also where I first heard the haunting and poetically beautiful Shipping Forecast. (Made more beautiful now that I know Dogger hides a hidden land.)

I've had minor flirtations with radio over the years. I wrote some gags for the late, lamented (by me because the money was okay!) Channel 4 Radio, plus a couple of gags that made it on to BBC Radio.

My most enduring association with a radio station was as a foreign correspondent for KBRW, Alaska. My buddy, Earl Finkler, would ring me from Barrow in Alaska every month or so and we'd chat on air about European news, plus anything topical in the US. The show reached part of the USA, Canada and Russia.

In the UK I was interviewed on The Source FM about writing fiction and shared a microphone on BBC Radio Cornwall, a few years back, to talk about comedy writing.

Yesterday I renewed my romance with local radio by joining Tiffany Truscott on BBC Radio Cornwall, talking about the joy ebooks, blogging and my thrillers, Standpoint and Line of Sight. We also touched upon writing groups and the fine art of receiving difficult feedback.

Maybe, like the great humorist Fred Allen, I do have a face for radio.

Standpoint - amazon.co.uk http://amzn.to/1JlndoY

Standpoint - amazon.com http://amzn.to/1H0zhKx

Line of Sight - amazon.co.uk http://amzn.to/1BKyWFF

Line of Sight amazon.com http://amzn.to/1EWvFmE

Crit Lit

Mountains and snow - they go together like books and critics.

Writers love feedback. It's like getting free samples on a visit to a sweet factory - first and foremost we're glad to be there at all and then there are extra goodies. What's not to like? Funny you should ask that!

Does anyone remember acid drops? The sweets, not the psychedelic experience! Sweet and sharp, and surprisingly moreish (and yes, that does look a strange word). Is anyone else thinking: book reviews? We feverishly check Amazon and Goodreads, and are often drawn to the negative reviews more than the positive ones. I'd like to think we're looking for valuable pointers, in order to improve for our next book, but maybe it's simply hard to fathom why readers didn't appreciate the sweeping emotional landscape and the troubled yet finely drawn characters. Or, to quote a book review I received recently, they might just think your protagonist was way too sissified.

Now, I'm fortunate in having a psychological quirk that means 'bad news' is often amusing to me. My own, I mean. So while I genuinely appreciate the fact that anyone thinks enough about one of my books to take the time and trouble to write a review, I'm also amused when I know I'm reading something that will make my ego bristle a little.

Goodreads has a sage view of the whole business.

As I often say, context is everything. One person loathing your heroine or hero is one thing; 20 people loathing her / him for the same reason is more of a cause for concern. Well, unless your character is called Mr Ripley or Hannibal and that's your intention.

So, by way of entertainment - for both of us - I thought I'd share some of the feedback I received about Standpoint before it was published. These are from agents, publishers and a reader. Enjoy, as I do!

OK: I liked your new spin on the thriller genre, with a hero who is a civil servant, but I found the plot a little too convoluted and far-fetched at times.

We felt that your novel was an old take in a genre that has been stale for a long time.

I've agonised over this. As the various reports that you've taken the trouble to commission say you write very well. My one reservation is that the book doesn't sufficiently stand out in what is a very crowded market. An agent with more experience of the current fiction market is a better bet for you but I'm sure you'll find a publisher and I'd love to know what happens.

We found the concept intriguing! In a thriller, we're looking for mystery, intense action and vivid descriptions to really show us what's going on and make us unable to stop turning pages right from the opening.

I found Standpoint to be a little too 'laddish' for my tastes.

Just finished your book tonight. Really enjoyed it and thought the story was excellent. I don't do much reading but for what its worth I thought this was really good. I found it easy to read and follow which is a good sign it’s accessible to the masses. Thanks for the read.

The idea of a thriller based around a government special surveillance unit is quite interesting and the writing is competent but the characters do not stand out, excite or intrigue enough I am afraid.

While we enjoyed reading your submission, which stood out from the many we receive, we couldn't find an agent here who felt strongly enough to take it further and therefore we are afraid we are not able to offer you representation for this project.

We like the beginning very much, the writing is good with a humorous tone. But for a thriller it feels too little thriller-ish, and we feel it’s too long, so I’m afraid we’ll give it a pass.

What's the context I talked about? Early indications are that Standpoint has sold over 5000 copies since it launched at the tail end of March. My point being that one critical swallow needn't ruin your summer. And if the book you write is, according to popular opinion, a bit of a stinker...write a better one.

Perhaps...you're a writer?

With all due respects to Mr Kipling's exceedingly good prose.

If you can keep your word count when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on 'responsibilities',

If you can trust your plot when your inner critic doubts you,

But make allowance for some valid observations too;

If you can wait for months and not be tired by submissions,

Or being ignored, don’t deal in ignorance,

Or being bad mouthed, don’t give way to badmouthing,

And yet don’t look too pleased with yourself, or use the terms LOL and LMAO;

If you can dream—and not make dreams an excuse for not adding pages;

If you can think—and not use cliches for the umpteenth time;

If you can meet with a request for a full or an outright rejection

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to read the words you’ve written

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools in online reviews,

Or watch the stories you gave your heart to, trampled on,

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out pens:

If you can make one heap of all your scribblings

And risk another full edit,

And fail, and start again from that chapter everyone liked

And never breathe a word about your pain, except on your blog, and Twitter and Facebook;

If you can force your brain and soul and fingers

To add to a first draft long after you've fallen out of love with the concept,

And so hold on when there is no evidence it will work

Except the vague notion that there's a good book in there somewhere;

If you can talk with beginners and keep your humility and sense of humour,

Or, meeting agents and publishers, not come across as desperate or arrogant (or weird),

If neither deadlines nor interruptions can hurt you,

If loved ones and friends count with you, but none too much, at times, when compared with the lives of your fictional friends;

If you can fill the uninspiring minute

With sixty seconds’ writing without fear,

Yours is the text and everything that’s in it,

And—which is more—you’ll be a Writer, my dear!