Wednesday 19 December 2007

Novel Racer Admin.....For the New Race and Year

Thanks for all the feedback on the last post about next year.

Now for all the admin. We are up to our full count with two pending newbies. I will do the rounds to all racers as quite a few as absent without leave if you will and just to see if the need to take some time out and be put on the reserve list so that any new eager racers may step in…..

Back a while ago we discussed the key points that made this group work:

1. being active fiction writers
2. keeping it small – 40
3. linking the novel racers blog plus if so desired to link all racers
4. periodically visiting all racers blogs ( I think as we begin a new race that this is important – the crows of doubt and their companions may start appearing and we all need support to keep them at bay. The second half of this year I have been one of the worst at checking on people so I promise to be good –that’s a New Year’s resolution for me)
5. attending the Friday coffee regularly
6. hosting a coffee or two if so inclined ( I feel this has worked really well)
7. using this blog as a means to communicate – all racers are welcome to post any time but try and keep Fridays clear for coffee

I think that about sums up the admin but no doubt my Christmas brain has missed something…….please let me know what I have forgotten!

So for the forthcoming Race we have four categories on which you will sign in blood (only kidding). They are:

complete first draft
complete rewrite
completing a partially written work
all other categories

Last year we were all in one race which was exhilarating and I had thought at the beginning that those who were well under way would win but Kate H blew us all out of the water with her professionalism and speed. All hail to Kate the Great. So this year we have categories and I thought it would be good to post each racer under their category. Is that alright? Please let me know if I am making this too onerous or boring or what ever………

Now as for prises….we have a few in the offing thanks to Zinnia, Rowan and moi so a winner will receive something aside from our admiration and their own satisfaction at reaching their goals!

2007 has been a stunning year for the Novel Racers. We have all achieved so much as we just kept writing and pushing each other on. Some of the racers have achieved things in the outside world which would be brilliant to list also on our sidebar………..so let’s have ‘em guys!!! Let’s toast our success this year and list how many books, articles, poems, short stories we have published. How many awards we have been nominated for, how many agents have said yes or asked for more and so on…….

On another note - one of our earlier Racers who didn’t take the leap from Kate H’s blog – Jane Henry aka Julia Williams is hosting a launch party for here first book here.

56 comments:

Flowerpot said...

well done for the admin, Liz. I am guilty of not visiting everyone's blogs as much as I'd like but will try better int he New year. Meanwhile, my word count is continuing to rise which is encouraging!

Lucy said...

thanks for taking the time to organize everyone, liz! (I sent you my email address--let me know if you didn't receive it for some reason).

i love the idea of everyone posting their accomplishments. the mix of published racers and those who are thisclose to getting an agent, etc. really makes me feel like getting published is possible

i'm really looking forward to racing in the New Year!

Lazy Perfectionista said...

Am very impressed with your pre-Christmas organisational skills, Liz! I was struggling a bit with visiting all the blogs until I discovered Google Reader - all the blogs you subscribe to on one handy webpage that automatically updates! Sorry if it's old news, but feel rather evangelical about how great it is.

As for the race next year, I'm in the 'completing a partially written work' category. I'm 14,088 words in (mainly due to NaNo, though I have done a bit since) and am determined that next year I'm going to finish it.

Unknown said...

K. I haven't received your email.... can you try again. it's emfenwickatgmail...thanks :-)

Lucy said...

Hi Liz--just emailed you. if you don't get it, my address is litkittyatgmail

for the new race, you can file me under complete rewrite

Merci!

Rowan Coleman said...

Liz I think you are the heartbeat and the engine room of the racers - what would we do with out you?

Lane Mathias said...

Liz you're a star. I get dazed just following you from country to country:-) Thanks for all your hard work.

The criteria list for Racers is spot on.

I'm signing my name in blood for the complete rewrite category. I may even seal it with a scab:-)

Well done to everyone who has found success this year (and the news seems to have been coming thick and fast recently). It's inspiring and the group spirit here is something to be proud of. Well done chaps:-)

Unknown said...

You guys are too kind! Nor roganized at all - this is displacement activity. i should be cleaning the kitchen and making beds!!!

Helen said...

Liz you are fabulous! Put me down for a complete rewrite please.

Unknown said...

Will do ;-)

Chris Stovell said...

Thanks Liz, this has been a really worthwhile group for me (as has Lane's 'Finishers' to get us to the post). It's very heartening to read about other's success and achievements so a big thank you to you for keeping us going. (I didn't know about google reader so will have a go at that too in the plan to visit more blogs.) Next year - have a bit of an overlap though I expect the rewrite to be finished soon but would definitely like to be included in the complete first draft category.
Best wishes to all, Chris

Unknown said...

You're down for first draft then :-) I have overlap too and not sure which one to punt for.....

Lucy Diamond said...

Liz, being an airhead, I'm not sure if I'm still officially a racer or not, but if possible, I'd love to join the 'completing a partially written work' group please... I need the Friday coffee to keep me going!
(don't worry if not, I will cheer on from the sidelines!)

Happy Christmas racers one and all, really enjoyed meeting so many writers in this community!
xx

Unknown said...

Lucy, you are still a full paid up member counted among the active 40 :-) You name is being put down. look forward to seeing you on Frdays!

B.E. Sanderson said...

Wow, Liz. And you say you're not organized. Great post.

I'm in editing mode right now, so put me down in the rewrite category.

And like flowerpot, I vow to make a concerted effort to visit others' blogs more often. (I think perhaps this is on account of beeing too active in the writing part. Oof.) Also, I'm up for another Friday hosting, so add me to the rota if you would.

=o)

Unknown said...

Will put you done in rewrite and add you to the coffee rota for the end of Feb beginning of March :-)

Unknown said...

Sorry B.E. that's the last two weeks in fEB :-)

Lucy Diamond said...

Yay! Cheers, Liz - looking forward to it!

Rachel Green said...

I'm in, of course :) Put me down for writing a first draft, though I have two in mind. I might write one publicly for the Dickens Challenge.

Lazy Perfectionista said...

I keep meaning to say - put me down on the coffee rota, I need the excuse to hoover the sitting room!

Unknown said...

Rachel - your in :-)

Lazy P - I've put you down for 7 &14 March. That should give you enought time to hoover :-) If the dates clash let me know......

Lazy Perfectionista said...

That's great, will put it in my diary when I get round to buying a new one...

Cathy said...

Liz, could you put me down for 'complete a previously started work' please.

Oh and feel free to add my name to the coffee rota!

Unknown said...

Done, Cathy. Coffee is all yours on the 21 & 28th march :-)

Did you wear the old hoover out Lazy p.?

Lazy Perfectionista said...

Either that or it keeled over from lack of use. It depends who you talk to...

Unknown said...

:-)

Hey guys....where are the accomplishments of 2007. i am wracking my brains (what there is left that is ) to remember our joys this year. Rachel you found a publisher for Ungodly Child....Kate H had The SElf Presevation Society our, Lucy had Anyway You want me plus all his kids books but I need to know details so I can add them to the bottom of the page....HELP!!

KeVin K. said...

Looking at the criteria, I'm thinking I need to be in the 'complete a previously started work' race. I have two original projects I want to finish in 2008, each already has a few thousand words and both will probably be completely redrafted from the ground up.

Notice I specified original work. I bat out articles and web content and short stories in write-for-hire markets throughout the year. For 2008 I'll be counting those projects as part of my day job. This will only be about original fiction.

Unknown said...

Kevin, i put you in that catagory but if you only have a 1000 words or so I would say you would go into the first draft......what do you think?

Anonymous said...

Hi Liz
Guilty as charged. I have been busy writing a synopsis for my first book which seems to be helping me to structure it better. I am determined to move forward with the first draft in the new year together with a few short stories.
As I haven't been such an active member of the site for a while I will understand should you wish to put me on the reserve list for a while. If this is the case, I will keep you posted with my progress and hopefully any good news I have re publications. Optimistic as I am !!!

Thank you for your hard work in keeping the site going, it's a great way to meet new and professional people.

Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
Crystal xx

Helen said...

In terms of accomplishments does the fact that I became a regular reviewer/writer on the website Trashionista count? It's not a published book but nevertheless is something I'm really pleased about.

KeVin K. said...

Liz, I cycle, otherwise called the rolling revision method, otherwise called too lazy to rewrite. I fix things as I write, including suddenly jumping back four chapters, trashing the lot and starting over. I never have a series of distinct drafts but rather a multi-track process that seems to be spinning madly until angular acceleration hurls a novel ms against the wall. I'll stick with completing project already in progress.

Chris Stovell said...

Liz, achievements; 'Strange Days, Indeed' autobiographical anthology published by Honno, March 2007 (think I peaked then!).

Rose Red Art said...

Hi, hope I'm not too late! I love the new look blog!

Liz- could you put me down for 'Complete rewrite' please? It all looks so organised now! Well done Liz!

I've kind of fallen by the way side lately but I'm hoping that the new year and the new race will spur me on!

CL Taylor said...

Well done for organising us all Liz. It's really appreciated! :o)

Put me down for a first draft (for novel#2) for 2008.

In terms of achievements in 2007. I've had 24 short story 'hits' (10 short stories in print, 9 competition placings, 3 online publications, one radio broadcast, one performance), wrote and edited novel #1 and an agent requested the full ms of it(and is still considering it).

Lane Mathias said...

Liz, I'd love to do a couple of coffee mornings too. Sorry for working you so hard today and thanks!

Sarah*G* said...

Wow Liz! Great you are so organized! Can i be added under rewrite please? I am so close to finishing my first draft I think next year will be the editing and so on. (Bet I do re-write loads though!)

Flowerpot said...

Liz put me down for complete first draft, sorry forgot to say. What does all other categories mean? One of them or all?

Unknown said...

Hi Crystal....it's up to you not me. We'd love to have you along for the race......give it some thought :-)

Unknown said...

helen your acheivement is listed!

Kevin - you can stay where you are:-)

Unknown said...

chrish - acheivement listed :-)

a.writer your in!

cally your in and accomplishments listed :-)

Lane you are coffee mistress the first two weeks in April.

sarah*g* you're down!

flowerpot your in!

Unknown said...

ooops flowerpot - that should read you're in.....more coffee needed!

Juliette M said...

Liz, great organisation! Fantastic stuff. Could you please put me down for Complete First Draft? I'd also be been to host a couple of coffee mornings if that's OK.

Thanks, Juliette

Lucy said...

Hi Liz,
If you need anyone else to host coffee, you can put me down too!
~K

CC Devine said...

Hi there Liz,

Great idea and fantastic planning even if it is a displacement activity :)

Please put me down for Complete Re-write.

Cheers,

CC

Unknown said...

Julliette abd CC you're in ;-)

K. your shout for coffee 18 & 25 April......

KeVin K. said...

Accomplishments 2007:
Wrote a really cool website for a contest that never happened connected to a movie that tanked. (But I got paid and the site's up.)

Pitched and wrote To Ride the Chimera (MechWarrior Dark Age #30) coming out in February of 2008.

Also had my first Doctor Who sale, "Men of the Earth" in Doctor Who Short Trips: Destination Prague.

Plus a handful of short stories published in media tie-in markets.

Zinnia Cyclamen said...

Hi everyone, sorry I'm late - ironically because I've been making a concerted effort to visit everyone's blogs this week! Can I go down for completing a partially written work, please? Also happy to do another couple of coffee hostings in May if that would be useful (am planning a hol in June, so if not May then probably July). Achievements, hmmm, not sure agent rejections count, even nice ones! I did have pieces selected for two blog-related charity fund-raising anthologies, Shaggy Blog Stories for Comic Relief (still available at http://www.lulu.com/content/739873) and Messages for Kids Company, so you might want to include those.

Kate Harrison said...

Hello all,
Sorry, it's been one of those weeks. Great idea to organise us all, Liz! And thanks for the nice words about the race 'n' all.

Yes, as well as having Self-Preservation out, I've written and edited two novels from scratch. In fact, I had the final OK from editor and agent for the Secret Shopper's Revenge yesterday. But that word count explains why I am so bloody tired I think...and why I haven't been blogging or updating my website much.

I intend to try to have a saner schedule next year, one that allows me much more time away from the laptop, but I AM beginning a new novel again in January. I'm devoting spare time at Xmas to planning and plotting, which is the bit I enjoy the most anyway, so it doesn't feel like 'proper' work. So I'd like to be in the new novel group. Might even do with Lucy and I did last year and begin on January 2nd. Deadline this year is a slightly more sensible June. Then I intend to relax...

Great to see how many others are still here. I don't think I can offer a critique by my agent for finishers simply cos I can't really commit for someone else, but like Rowan, I'd be happy to read if it's any help to the winner.

Merry wotsits one and all!

Kate Harrison said...

Oh, and also on achievements - I tried to work out how to post it directly, but couldn't - I signed a new two-book deal on a Top Secret Project, and also signed deals with publishers in Germany and Russia.

Also had a book (The Starter Marriage) published in Portuguese, and taught creative thinking/ideas development in China. That's only kinda half-writing related so it probably doesn't count but it's my strangest achievement!

Jenny Beattie said...

Hi all, Sorry I'm late and not really blogging at the moment, but I'm being kept very busy by Skyros. Julia Bell only turned up last night (half way through, but not her fault), which was disappointing, but she's giving us a talk tonight and then the classes will start with her.

Liz, you're doing a really fantastic job of keeping us organised (even though you stolen my 'taking stock of the year's acheivements for my upcoming coffee hosting!)

I guess I'm in 'Complete partially written work' but I'm still tempted to ignore all the advice and say I'm starting from the beginning and 'complete first draft' I should know better when I've had a session with Julia. I think most of my existing words will be cut because where I started my story is correct, but it needs a 3 month break before the story restarts - I've written loads of drivel that happens in the 3 months. Some I guess, may appear in flashback...

JJx

Caroline said...

I'm in for a complete first draft and I should be able to get you some book prizes. Can you email me Liz as I've lost your new email address?

My progress this year:

In Search of Adam (HB) sold out of first print run in a week and signd an Italian deal.
Black Boxes (Novel Racers novel) finished and signed for publication in June 2008.
Novel 3 signed (to be written from January 2008).
Finished a children's story and have submitted this month to 4 publishers.
One message in Your Messages (publication January 2008).

Thanks
Caroline
x

sheepish said...

Hi Liz you really are a brilliant organiser. Can you put me in the Complete a previously started work. I will leave a message on your blog aswell as I am late in reading this.

Unknown said...

OK all I think I have caught all the up dates......please please check.....

Caroline my email is emfenwickatgmail - brilliant to add more to the rewards :-)

Kate H......brilliant that you can add to the rerwards too :-)

Liane Spicer said...

I'm one of those category straddlers. Put me down for complete rewrite please. (I'm equally comfortable with the completing a partially written work category, but since I have to choose...)

And I'd be happy to host a coffe morning or two sometime.

Thanks, Liz, for the warm welcome, and for dropping by my blog. I haven't gotten around to half of the members' blogs yet, but I plan to do better next year when (hopefully) I'll be liberated from dial-up.

And thank you to the person who mentioned Google Reader. Sounds like just what I need.

Unknown said...

Wordtryst you're in. Will put you in for a coffee or two!

Happy to have stopped by yoiur blog. BTW what is your good news writing wise of 2007?

Liane Spicer said...

Thank you, Liz. I put my 2007 news in another comment trail, but I'll copy it here...

My first novel sold to Dorchester Publishing in April. I completed the editor-directed revisions a couple weeks ago.

I'm into the final edits of novel #2. I've completed three chapters and the proposal package for a gift book which my agent is now submitting, and the proposal for a second gift book is almost complete. I'm about 14,000 words into my first mainstream novel, and for the first time I'm writing without an outline. Exciting stuff.

I started my blog, had lots of fun, and met some wonderful people. I also joined a great community of writers. What's their name again? Oh yes, the Novel Racers.