Novel Racers

The Speakeasy

2011-06-05T17:29:00.000+01:00

The Speakeasy - Extraordinary Night of Monologues

including

one of my monologues: 'Black Lace Curtains'

Three nights only!

Monday, June 27, 2011 to Wednesday 29th at 8:00pm

Upstairs at The Nell of old Drury, London, United Kingdom

Facebook Page

2011-05-27T16:11:00.001+01:00

To complement this blog, I've set up a facebook page called Novel Racers. It's a bit of an experiment, so let me know if anything isn't as it should be, or if you have any ideas for it.

As well as the usual "wall", the page has a discussions area where we can talk about things and categorise them by topic.

Here's the link:

www.facebook.com/pages/Novel-Racers/229486030401001

So, why not head over there and take a look.

Friday Coffee - Writing for Children

2011-05-20T09:19:00.000+01:00

Morning Racers!! It Friday, Friday!! Another lovely weekend to look forward to.
In light of my post I have some coco pops, rice crispies (hear them snap crackle and pop) and some S.M.A. Actually I still eat coco pops anyway so its quite the norm for me!!

I have a half day at work today. In my borough the library are running a series of talks and workshops, 2 of which are aimed at writers. Last week I attended a How to Get Published talk which was excellent. The lady from Random House was just lovely and very very patient. The audience were a little aggressive I felt and it just showed how the world of a writer can be a frustrating and exciting one all the same.

This afternoon will be a bit different for me as I have always put my efforts into writing for the older market – solely womens fiction. Today I am attending a Writing fiction for Children workshop. I have no idea what to expect so there’s nervous excitement working my fingertips this morning.

My desire is to write something for when my neice Lola is older and hey, perhaps even spark a new interest within my writing. I know there are many avenues my writing can take and this one is new to me. I also have a very good friend who’s illustrations inspire me no end so I would like to work on a project with her.

So, tell me racers – are you exploring any new avenues with your writing, have you ever written for children – and do you know what I can expect later?

Friday Coffee – Progress reports

2011-05-13T19:52:00.000+01:00

Morning Racers!! Or it was when I wrote this!! I couldn’t get on blogger this morning so apologies for the delay. I’m feeling spirited this morning, perhaps it’s the weather, perhaps it’s the promise of the weekend fast approaching, perhaps it’s the coffee – who knows but its good.
Help yourselves to fresh fruit salad and orange juice. There’s coffee brewing and the aroma is delightful so please join me in a cuppa.

Its almost half way through the year (I know where has it gone??) and the novel isn’t really coming along at all. I had given myself until this month to finish the reread/rewrite/repair but it’s just not happening. I blame Mandy and the gang at Womag2Weekly (of course not they are all lovely). I'm just very much enjoying churching out short stories and last week I was lucky enough to sell my first story which has spurred me on that bit more. I’m also booked to go on another How to Get Published seminar tomorrow, and then there’s the all important keeping fit, socialising, sleeping, eating, drinking, breathing, shopping, day jobbing. I plan to do some novel editing this weekend though.

So, tell me, how’s your WIP coming along? As expected or have you managed to let the procrastination/distraction gremlins knock you off kilter?

Wanna Meet Up (6)?

2011-05-12T16:48:00.000+01:00

A group of people calling ourselves the "wannabes" are meeting for a social lunch, to discuss writing, the universe and everything. This will be the sixth occasion we've done this and they've all been great fun. Wanna join in?

It will be on the 10^th June at the Portobello Gold pub in Notting Hill. Full details are on the Wannabe a Writer web site. If you want to come along, then please let me know by leaving a comment here or on the web site, so I can reserve enough space.

It would be great to see you there!

Thin Reflections - a bit of puffery

2011-04-15T15:28:00.001+01:00

To be found here.

Have We Overdosed on Coffee?

2011-04-15T11:08:00.002+01:00

I could be mistaken but it seems the enthusiasm for Friday coffee breaks is fizzling out. If it's true, then I'm not all that surprised. By my reckoning, we've had no less than 188 of these fine interludes, covering a massive range of writing-related subjects. Perhaps we've done them all to death and nobody can think of anything new.

Perhaps not. Does anybody have any bright ideas about how to take this blog and its community forward? There were one or two things discussed here a while back, so maybe that could be food for thought.

Technique

2011-04-08T00:01:00.000+01:00

Tea, coffee, ginger beer (lashing of), shortbread. Help yourself.

Last night, in bed, surrounded by pads, notebooks, scraps of paper, a clipboard and pad, pencil in hand, scribbling away and arranging, I wondered how others work.

I embraced computers (metaphorically, you understand) back in 1987 when I first started work in museums. Not long after, I bought my own – also an Amstrad PCW.

Much as I loved my first computer (and still remember it with great fondness – my first published book was written on my 9512), my writing habits had long been set and I still feel comfortable with them.

My ideas, notes, rough drafts, all go into notebooks (A5, wire-bound, with perforated pages). As books fill up and ideas develop and merge, I tear out relevant pages and clip them together and keep them in folders or boxes. I also go through my notebooks on a regular basis to see if there is other material I have forgotten about which now has a home.

From there, I generally start my first draft by hand, transferring it the computer on a daily basis (I write mostly at night and type in the day). Once I have a draft on the computer, I print it up and work from the typescript using a fountain pen with red ink.

Each draft has a new file on the computer, but I have to print up. I simply cannot create on screen. So, apart from using Word for storing and making edits, I don’t use the computer much for writing.

So, how about you – are you a dyed-in-the-wool scribble it down and type it up sort like me, or do you like to use the computer and all the latest software?

Close Encounters...

2011-04-01T00:01:00.000+01:00

Nothing UFO related (apart from those saucers over there with the tea cups, the ones disgorging tiny aliens who are trying to steal the biscuits). I digress. There’s all the usual at the bar, he says, sliding the absinthe out of sight. Tea, coffee, soya milk shakes, ginger beer, biscuits… ah, biscuits are off. Fruit cake instead.

The encounters I had in mind are those in which it becomes known to others that you write. How has that gone? Or do you not tell?

I keep quiet about it these days unless in the company of other writers. It saves a lot of explaining. Because there does seem to be a lot of ignorance about what writing involves and a considerable number of assumptions seem to be made. There are all the usual questions about what you’ve written and who your publisher is, and so on, as well as the assumptions that lie behind questions like those (for example, that you are not a writer unless you’ve been published). There are others as well. Someone I once had a conversation with could not understand why a published writer would be living in a Council flat. I’m not sure they believed me when I gave a few statistics about the earning power of authors and the conditions under which they work (a couple of years on a project with no guarantee it will even be sold, let alone anything else).

So, have you encountered this at all? Do people give you funny looks and sidle out of the room? Are you fêted? Do people really understand what it’s all about?

Morning Coffee Break

2011-03-25T13:06:00.002Z

Darn! Apologies for tardiness. I thought it was still Thursday!

I'm pinching one from Musemuggers (an online writing /critique group) today:

If your life were a book, how would the back cover blurb read? Is this book a novel, memoir, erotic graphic novel, autobiography, unauthorized biography, etc.?

Morning Coffee Break

2011-03-18T08:47:00.003Z

I got into a discussion about the method of writing the other day and found that I'm really quite archaic. It came about when a fellow writer on livejournal (I say 'fellow' though he's far more successful than me) lost a few thousand words to a crash or a virus or somesuch. In the old days when the internet was clockwork I began writing by having a 'master copy' of the WIP and writing in a seperate file (chapter one, chapter two and so on), adding chapters to the master copy as they were copleted and backing them onto a floppy disk (remember those?).

I still do this now -- write in seperate chapter files, I mean, not back onto floppy discs. Soes anyone else do that, or do you write into one master copy. Perhaps you use Scrivener or a similar writing program (Does anyone use Scrivener for windows? I tried the trial version and fould it didn't save my files properly).

These days my files are backed up online using the free applications Dropbox which lets you share folders over different computers or with friends and acts as a permanent backup accessable from the internet and sugarsync which keeps a live copy of your documents online.

I'm about until lunchtime -- after that I'm down in London (ugh) for the weekend.

Avoiding the chair

2011-03-11T06:00:00.000Z

This feels like a frivolous Friday, so today I'm asking what are your favourite writing procrastinations? For me these are the things that feel like I'm doing something towards my novel, when really I should be sitting down and getting on with it. For example:

Notebooks - I have a bit of a notebook addiction and they are the perfect place to list out character attributes, re-write my major plot points for the nth time or even devote one to each character where I can list their every detail. Going over old notebooks to see if I've failed to incorporate any of the ideas also happens more than it should!

Research - A degree of research is necessary, but when I find myself wandering around Windsor just to check the layout of roads I already know well...

Writing room organisation - tidying my desk / room is never high on my list of to-do's but when I'm really in the mood to avoid sitting in that chair it seems endlessly fascinating.

Of course there are much simpler avoidance techniques like reading a book or slumping in front of the tv, but my favourites are definitely the ones where I can convince myself I'm at least doing something. How about you? (This is where I discover you're all a lot more dedicated than me...)

An update and a free book if anyone is interested

2011-03-10T13:46:00.000Z

Hi All,

Just an update to say I am about 18k into the 79k novel rewrite. I had a very productive Sunday as I took part in Mad Action Day with author Jurgen Wolff between 9am till 3pm. I can highly recommend them if you need a bit of a kick start. There will be another one next month (3rd April I think).

Also I was chosen as a founding member of World Book Night 2011 and spent Saturday giving out free copies of Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes. I have 2 copies left to give away on my blog so if you are interested leave a 'pick me' comment over at mine by 8pm Sunday and you could win a special edition copy of the book.

That's all

Thanks

LilyS

The editing maze

2011-03-04T06:00:00.002Z

So there are cream cakes, chocolate cookies and crumbly shortbread. Sadly they're all still at the supermarket, really must go shopping! Decaf instant anyone?

I'm currently adrift in the ocean that is editing my novel. All structure and method seems to have been abandoned as I jump from sorting out plot holes, to cutting adverbs and trying to remove dodgy bits of hyperbole (see above). Discussions on editing seem to focus on the things you're trying to improve and remove, but not on how you go about it. Do you tend to comb your manuscript for one element at a time, or blitz a chapter for everything at once? I must confess the thought of reading the whole thing, only concentrating on culling those pesky ly's makes me want to reach for the gin...

So how do you approach your editing?

Blog Tour

2011-03-03T13:06:00.002Z

Afternoon all! As some of you may know, 'The Beauty Chorus' is being published on 1st April. It's incredibly exciting, and I'd love to involve all the Racers.

There's a new blog at 'Ask Evie' http://thebeautychorus.blogspot.com/ where the characters will be 'writing' the posts. Everything from Make Do and Mend to mending broken hearts, silk stockings to Spitfires will be covered - just ask Evie in the comments box! If you'd like to follow or subscribe, it would be great to have you on board.

I'm planning a virtual 'blog tour' for April, so if any of you would like a guest post for your blogs about writing, debut fiction (or anything else for that matter!) please get in touch. I'd be glad to reciprocate at WKDN in the future when your books are out.

Thanks! K

Running out of coffee morning posters!

2011-03-01T12:33:00.002Z

I'm happy to do the next 2 Fridays (I'm sure I'll have thought of something by Friday...) but then we're looking into the abyss again. Anyone fancy signing up?

E-Readers

2011-02-25T10:30:00.002Z

Good morning Novel Racers. I'd love to say I've been to La Baguette Chaude (a wonderful patisserie in St Helier) and bought you plates of delicious temptations, but all I can offer you is a very unexciting choice of chocolate digestives and Rich Tea biscuits to go with the instant coffee and tea that I have on offer.

A few months ago - maybe only four/five - my husband asked if I'd like him to buy me an e-reader. I shook my head, without giving it any thought at all and told him that I couldn't imagine ever reading anything other than a paper book. Hark at me! Now, though, I'm the proud owner of a Kindle and not only can I not imagine ever being without the little treasure again, but I'm also going to visit my step-mother and sister this afternoon and will be showing both of them how convenient it is, not to mention easy to use.

I still have a passion for paper books - you only have to see my teetering tbr pile/s and the receipts from this weeks visit to town to know that - but I'm a definite convert to the e-reader and love to have the choice.

So, my question today, Novel Racers, is do you have an e-reader, or are you strictly a paper book reader? Also, would you submit your manuscript to a publisher that only publishes e-books, or would you prefer to have your book published in paper form? Personally, being a tad greedy, I'd like both...

Straplines

2011-02-18T08:01:00.003Z

Good morning Novel Racers. I'm posting this before racing off to the hairdressers, so I'm afraid I can only offer you the basics, instant coffee, tea (in various forms, fruit, Earl Grey, PG, etc). I do have a tin of Scottish shortbread to share though and they do look appetising.

I subscribe to Sarah Duncan's blog posts, which are updated daily and the other day she posted about Straplines and why to use a strapline to pitch your novel. Here's the link. What fun, thought I, immediately settling down to try and work out straplines for my own books. It's not as easy as it seems.

High Heels & Scandals (a jilted shoe designer enjoys a holiday romance with a man she discovers is the one person capable of ruining everything she's worked so hard to build up) - Devil Wears Prada meets The Tudors

Truth & Other Lies - (An Artist falls pregnant at the beginning of WW2 believing that the man she expected to marry has deserted her). Enigma meets Erin Brockovich.

Okay, so these may not be brilliant, but I'm having to hurry (8.27 and my appointment is at 9am). So, can you think of straplines that may sum up your novel? I'm going to try and improve on my wretched examples and look forward to seeing what you come up with when I get back.

Coffee Morning - Getting to know myself

2011-02-11T09:48:00.000Z

Morning Racers!
I’m feeling a little sleepy and useless this morning so please bear with me. I got my final assignment back for my Start Writing Fiction course with the OU and scored a surprising 83%. I celebrated with a few bottles of Magners and a late night watching Bridget Jones Diary so the only thing I have brought to the table is soluble aspirin, water and coffee, yes mustn’t forget the coffee!

I must admit I am struggling to find a unique topic here so I have used an old topic in a unique way. As I turned 30 this year I find myself reflecting and looking forward to an important year ahead – watch my blog space. A lot has changed since I joined the Novel Racers and a lot of time has passed since my introductory post. So I thought I would tell you all a little more about me.

As you know I have just successfully completed my first creative writing course with the OU. It was a level one course which I found really helpful and was vital in cementing that confidence in myself as a writer. I now know that the writing I do isn’t just for my own pleasure – it’s for others as well. Since joining this blog in August 2009 I have finally finished the first draft of my chick-lit novel. I haven’t gotten bored of it, just exploring other avenues of story telling in the form of short stories which I have been subbing to the women’s weekly market. The novel rewrite starts this weekend and I cannot wait – heck I might even start tonight!!

Through my blogging and short story writing I believe I have discovered my niche. Historical literary fiction. On my blog I include film reviews and one film I wrote about recently really struck a chord with me – The Kings' Speech. Not only did it give me an unhealthy obsession with Colin Firth but it gave me a thirst for knowledge and a fascination with history. Also, my final assignment with the OU called for a 1500 word story which used time shift. I wrote about my parents and their story which has always intrigued me from a young age – when my Dad was serving in the Royal Navy and my mothers journey to raise three (quite wonderful I might add) children. I want to develop this into a novel and tell their story in the best way I know how – because it is quite a remarkable tale and one that I can’t wait to hear more about from them.

So that was a bit more about me. I invite you all to tell a little about you.

Coffee Morning - Giving up

2011-02-04T09:19:00.000Z

Morning fellow racers – boy do I have a treat for you this morning. It’s my 30th today so please help yourselves to birthday cake, krispy kremes and some fresh coffee (I am working today after all – proper drinks later!!)
So being 30 today means I have reach rather a significant milestone and it’s got me thinking. Where am I going, what is this all for? I haven’t had huge success (if any) with my writing and I sometimes wonder whether I should put my efforts into doing other things. For instance I’d really love to play the keyboard that is hiding under a pile of dust under my bed. I’d like to learn another language, travel, watch more films, read more books. The list is endless. But I love to write and I am feeling very inspired by my shelf of inspiration here:

This keeps me going, keeps that pen in my hand. What if anything keeps you going? Family, friends, other writers. Please share with us because we all need that inspiration to keep us going.

Happy Friday Everyone!!!

Writing Partners

2011-01-14T08:57:00.001Z

Racers - Please read and comment on the post on Writing Partners, before the Hijacked Coffee Morning. I am in a Committee Administrator's timewarp at the moment and don't know what day it is!

Coffee Morning Hijack

2011-01-14T08:35:00.002Z

Good morning, everyone!

I see no-one has volunteered for the coffee morning, so I wondered if you would all like to come to mine? I'm afraid there's slippy, sloppy muddy Spaniel and Labrador footprints all over the kitchen floor from the early morning walkies, but you are welcome to tea, coffee, biscuits and toast - just don't take your shoes off!

I have an idea. Over the last few months, my life of work and home has yielded some brilliant ideas for short story plots, but there is no way I can use them because (a) I might get the sack, and (b) I don't think my husband would be too pleased if I made up a story about a numpty who managed to poke himself in the eye with the tip of a pool cue and gouge a piece out of his eyeball (tee hee!!!!). Neither would my youngest son like it to be widely known that he embarrassingly ended up in A & E at 2.30 am on New Year's Day, after being collected by his mum from a shrubbery in London Road.

I also have some eyebrow-raising stories involving people I know. I can't use them, but other novel racers can!

We ought to use our Private Place to swap plot ideas that we couldn't use ourselves, because of breaches of confidentiality etc, but that someone else could make use of.

What do you all think?

Writing partners

2011-01-14T08:19:00.003Z

Morning all! I did my weekly shopping this morning, put all the food away and had a big breakfast. So now I'm ready to discuss today's topic. We have plenty of biscuits, teas, coffees and borekas - pastry with different fillings. Today I bought some with cheese and olives (called Greek) and some with Bulgarian cheese. Help yourselves before the boys scoff them up. (Sorry - I mean men.)

My question today is: how can I find one person or a small online group with whom I can exchange writing and discuss/critique it? I do belong to such a group that usually meets (face-to-face) every fortnight. I love attending this group, but I'm now writing a new version of a work that they have read, and the group's rules prevent me from submitting the new version to the group. Also, I feel that sometimes all the members share an opinion that a new person, especially someone elsewhere in the world, might not agree with.

I don't think I want to join one of those large groups, in which anonymous people send out and read excerpts. I would want to get to know the people with whom I shared writing.

Post on our private blog

2011-01-09T12:02:00.003Z

Hi there - just to let you know that I've added a post on our private blog.

Can you be too close?

2011-01-07T08:07:00.003Z

Welcome to Jerusalem! I bet you're glad to be away from the snow for a bit. We do get snow here occasionally because we're so high up, but haven't had any real settled-on-the-ground snow for a few years. And our cold winter spells are always interspersed with warmer, sunny days. We never have enough rain, so if you could bring some with you....

Coffee. I prefer instant, but we also have filter coffee. What I expect you don't want is what they call botz - mud. Black coffee, sugar, water, no milk. It's what the people who come to do work in our house generally ask for. They leave the mud - the dregs - at the bottom of the cup.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (can one still use that simile?), I have to mention that I really want to write about social anxiety - to explain what it's like and why people get stuck in it. So far, I feel that none of the stories in which I've attempted to do this has hit the mark. I haven't given up. I'm learning more and more about writing and I'm still just as determined to do what I set out to do. But the question I want to put to you is this: Can a writer be too close to a topic to be able to write about it effectively? Does there have to be some distance between the writer and the topic? Does the writer always have to be on the outside?

~Miriam

Coffee Break: Spotlights

2010-12-17T06:50:00.002Z

I forgot to put the coffee pot on last week, so to make up for it, I'm offering some festive mulled wine this week. How about a mince pie to go with it? Yes, for breakfast!

Meanwhile...

"I wonder if we could do a member spotlight or something along those lines, so all the new members can get to know the older ones and vice versa? I'm new member and sometimes I feel a bit lost here... not quite sure who everyone is and all! Just a thought."

The above paragraph is a good idea from Talli. I'm up for it. What do you think of it? We could do this either on this blog, or if people wanted a bit more privacy, on the private place.

Note that this is the last coffee break before the Xmas and New Year break.

A Fond Farewell

2010-12-14T09:46:00.002Z

Dear Racers

I feel the time has come for me to say goodbye as an official racer. I haven't really had the time in the past months to contribute very much and I know that next year is going to be just as pressing.

Thank you so much for your support over the last couple of years, I've really enjoyed being a part of this incredibly talented, creative and caring group. I hope I will be allowed to drop by from time to time to say hello and I wish you all the best of luck with your writing.

Rowanxxx

Coffee Break: Show Case

2010-12-10T06:56:00.004Z

Many authors, both published and unpublished, make some of their work available on the internet for anyone to read. This can range from short excerpts, selected chapters or even full works. This week I would like to discuss the pros and cons of doing this. To get us started, here are a few things to consider.

Does it bring positive or negative publicity?
Does it count as being published, or perhaps self-published?
What are the copyright implications?
How much have you showcased? e.g. teaser, extract, chapter(s) or full work?
What feedback, if any, did you receive? Was it constructive?
Has this been discussed elsewhere? Please provide links if so.

Perhaps at the end of the discussion, we can tot things up and then get an idea of whether showcasing our work is a good or a bad idea.

This topic was prompted by a discussion on facebook.

2010-12-05T15:11:00.000Z

Hey chaps, new post over at the Private Place...

Ellie

Alternative History

2010-12-02T21:51:00.007Z

Good morning, Racers. I have a day off work today, so we can sit around all morning, drinking coffee, if we like. Help yourselves to anything you fancy. Please eat the chocolate biscuits. I am trying to stick to my diet before the Christmas binge and the dark, smooth-talking, irresistible objects of temptation are chuckling at me from the biscuit barrel.

Remember the film 'Sliding Doors'? If anyone hasn't seen it the plot is split into two alternative histories depending on whether the main character catches a train, or not. Human beings are masters of each other's destinies, whether unwittingly or not and every single day we change someone's life. The 'what if' question is one we, as writers, ponder all the time when we are constructing our plots and sub-plots.

On Remembrance Sunday, I took my grandson to the wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial, and told him all about my grandad, who had fought in the first world war. As we were looking at all the names of the fallen, my grandson asked 'what if your grandad had been killed in the war'. I didn't know how to convey to him the enormity of what he had just said. At five years old he is too young to understand the concept of his entire family's non-existence in the world, let alone his own, had his great, great grandfather, George, been killed in the trenches.

The most recent addition to the Kettering War Memorial is Aiden Howell who was killed in action in Afghanistan. I felt very humbled and small as I stood before his name, engraved forever in stone on the wall of the nearby Art Gallery. At that very moment as the wreath-layers gathered, the Mayor and the MP prepared to lay their wreaths and the deeply moving notes of 'the Last Post' drifted through the still, cold, air I mourned Aiden Howell's lost family - the people who will not exist in this world because of a split second of 'what if'. I was very conscious of a void space in time that should be occupied by his family in the future - his non existent granddaughter, standing before the war memorial with his non-existent five year old great, great grandson.

That moment on Sunday, 14th November has stuck in my mind. I can't stop thinking about it, imagining Rifleman Aiden Howell's lost family, their life stories, their successes and failures, triumphs and disappointments.

It is just so incredibly sad.

So I'm just asking you all to think about all our young men and women, in the prime of their lives, who are giving not only their own lives for our country, but the lives of their future families, too. We are all hugely indebted to them. We owe it to them to make a success of our lives, so theirs were not taken in vain. We have to fight to put the 'Great' back in 'Britain'. We have to make it all worthwhile.

This is not the usual type of post for Novel Racers, but it's one that I feel passionately about. I suspect I shall never forget that moment in my life.

Rest in Peace, Rifleman Howell. I didn't know you, but you are a true hero, just like my grandad was a hundred years ago. The only difference is that you died and Grandad lived. We shall never know your 'what if'.

Touchy Subjects

2010-11-26T07:29:00.002Z

Welcome to my living room. It is apparently minus four degrees outside, but the central heating's bubbling away, the fire is glowing and I'd like nothing more than to sit around for the entire morning chatting with you all about various touchy sujects. I've made a huge pot of porridge oats and there's coffee and tea. Help yourselves.

The other day I overheard a conversation between someone who was dyslexic and a superior. The dyslexic person was nervous and agitated, having been told 'I don't bloody well care about your literary skills, just get it down on paper, spelling mistakes and all.' There were other things said, but for the purposes of this post I won't go into them. I could tell the dyslexic person was very upset and felt sorry for them.

Now, I'd really like to speak to this person. In my current novel, one of my secondary characters is dyslexic. But I can't just go up to them and ask them, can I?

It's the same with divorce, death, the loss of a baby, the loss of a child, living life in a wheelchair, deafness ... the list of touchy subjects is endless.

How do you get into the heads of your characters when they are dealing with a touchy subject? Do you just go ahead and ask someone you know (and risk offending them) or do you carry out your research in more subtle ways?

A stitch in time saves nine?

2010-11-19T18:44:00.002Z

Vomiting kids, that's all I've got say on the terrible lateness.

WELL I've been re-organising my book this week. I decided that my reveal came to soon at 50,000 words, that I needed to rebalance the light and dark and that one character came in too late.

On the whole I quite like this process of first draft wrangling although I get mired in the details quite often, finding it hard to see the big picture - that's when I have to call in re-enforcements to give me an impartial over view. I don't always agree with them, sometimes i think they are wrong. But seeing what they don't see helps me realise what's missing and when they are right its usually about something blatantly obvious.

I've cut twenty thousand words but ended up a thousand words up - I'm still not finished but now at least I feel poised to be able to race to the finish line knowing this book inside out.

I am always in two minds about this process. I never can decide which is best. Complete the first draft and then fix it, or fix as you go along. I've done both in the past - but my question is - should anyone be bothered to come back here and comment at this ungodly hour - is which option is your preference and do you ever lose sight of your WIP.

Very, very, very sorry for lateness.

2010-11-12T11:48:00.003Z

Bloody hell, just spent ages drafting a post and then accidentally deleted it - and there is no undo button!!! Argh!

Anyway, very sorry for the late post, i have been at my daughters school assembly.

I have been absent for the Novel Racers a good deal of late. There are various reasons for this, firstly I got married (yippee!) it was fun, but mainly because I have been engaged in a fight with the most difficult and challenging novel that I have attempted to date. A lot of people assume that if you are writing commercial, women's even 'chick-lit' fiction that you don't have to try very hard, after all its just a load of women chatting, shopping and having sex, right?

Wrong! Writing women's fiction now is perhaps harder than its ever been. Publishers and readers want more from their books, boy meet girl, boy doesn't like girl, girl secretly likes boy but doesn't say anything, boy secretly like girl but thinks girl hates him, they realise their mistake and get it on, doesn't really cut the mustard. There has to be more to it. And so with each book I try to take myself out of my comfort zone and challenge myself as a writer.

Will I succeed with book? I'll let you know once I've wrangled the mother funner to a conclusion. But I have tried, boy have I tried.

So my question to you is - how do you challenge yourself as a writer?

p.s sorry right now for typos and mistakes - don't have time to all the checking that my dyslexia requires!

Where are we?

2010-11-05T06:58:00.003Z

Good morning everyone, this is posted early as I am off to Carcassonne this morning. I still have time to offer fresh boiled eggs and freshly baked bread along with freshly brewed coffee. As you can see I feel fresh this morning, the 'facadiers' have gone and we have a fabulous 'fresh' house.
Anyway back to todays subjects. Firstly a question, has anyone tried Dragon Speech Recognition software. I am looking for a reasonably priced product which will allow me to get my wip onto my computer rather faster than my inadequate typing. But I am wary of this as it seems cheap compared to other software I have looked at.
My second question is 'where are we' by that I mean where is this group heading? I have been a Novel Racer just about since it was started and I think the Coffee morning was as much for all Racers to have a chat as it was to discuss 'writerly' topics. I try to pop by most weeks and leave a comment even if its fairly banal because I don't have any expertise in the topic being discussed. Recently the number of comments has been around the 10 mark that is only about a third of Racers, so where are the rest of you? I realise people are busy and can't always stop by but if you don't come along for Coffee mornings then what else is this group about?
I realise that I am poor at visiting all the blogs of the Racers on a regular basis but think that this blog should be the bridge that joins us all. S what does everyone think?
Where are we going?

Planet Blog

2010-10-29T06:29:00.005+01:00

Good morning everyone, I'm afraid there is only tea or coffee and fresh croissants this morning, the 'facadiers' have been here for the past two weeks re-renderering the entire house and it's absolute chaos.
I have two questions for you this week, firstly can someone explain to me in words of one syllable where all these blogs are stored. I know this is not entirely a writerly question but it is relevant considering how much blogging and the internet impinges on our writer's lives. I find it very difficult to imagine the storage facilities required for the thousands no millions of blog posts. Is there a planet BLOG with a Grand Blog Master and thousands of clerical Bloggers filing all these words of wisdom???? Are there millions of filing cabinets stretching across the landscape? Now that sounds like an idea for a Fantasy novel - I think! Which leads me to my second question ----- the matter of Genre.
You will probably think this an unbelievably simple question but I'm not at all sure about all the different genres and sub-genres and what they encompass. If/when I try to find an agent and or publisher for my wip it would be useful no imperative that I know what genre my work falls into!!!
So perhaps you can all tell me what genre[s] you write in and what they cover, and any others that you know about. It will help me and let us all know what depth of work we Racers encompass. In the meantime I must brace myself for another day of total disruption, ah well it will be good when it's done.

Answers on a postcard please

2010-10-21T19:56:00.004+01:00

I'm posting this early, as I have to take my daughter to the starting point for her school walk. I could collect some pastries on the way home if you like, but help yourselves to tea and coffee, oh and there's some orange juice in the fridge.

It's hard to think what to write for these Novel Racer posts, especially as we've probably covered pretty much everything related to writing, that I can think of anyway.

So I had a bit of a think (it does happen occasionally) and thought I'd ask about something that baffles me. When it comes to submissions, how long are your synopses? I know that writing the dreaded synopsis seems to be somehow more daunting to some writers than the thought of writing an entire novel, or is that just me? Do you try to keep your synopsis to one page, two, or more?

I also find it difficult to precis 80-100k words down to a two-page synopsis and still make it grab the reader. How do you cover everything in so few words, whilst still keeping the feel of the book you're submitting?

New Member

2010-10-15T20:48:00.005+01:00

Well, it looks as if I have to wait until I've published this post to know what Google decided to call me. It's probably me being stupid as usual, but it wasn't helped by the fact that I couldn't get it to ask the questions in English. Perhaps what it 's really trying to say is that I don't know who I am, and there's a lot of truth in that, although I know myself better than I did in the past.

I began writing because there were things I wanted to tell the world. A novel and several short stories later, I'm still looking for the best way to write about those things. But I have written other short stories and even had two published in an online journal.

Many thanks for inviting me to join Novel Racers. I look forward to meeting and getting to know all of you.

EDIT: As Google made me anonymous, I should mention that I have a real name: Miriam.

NaNoWriMo 2010 - Entering Anyone?

2010-10-15T12:52:00.002+01:00

Sorry for my tardiness. I was going to post this first thing this morning, but then remembered I was supposed to be somewhere (hairdressers) and had to get a move on.

I can't believe it's 1pm and I've only managed one cup of tea today so far, so I'll pop the kettle on and take your orders, although the only choices are white, green Earl Grey or Builders' teas and instant coffee. Not very exciting, I'm afraid.

Last year I entered NaNoWriMo for the very first time and although some evenings I would have rather do almost anything than press on with my WiP, I did get on with it and ended up finishing a day or two before the 30th. It felt good to have another novel written, although to say it was a dirty draft would be an extreme understatement. It was a YA novel and I have to admit that I haven't done much with it since.

I wasn't sure if I'd enter again this year, but I am going to (call me mad) and although I'm fairly sure I know what I want to write, I still need to give it some thought. If nothing else, I think it's a good way (for me, at least) to try out a different genre. I enjoy giving myself one month to work on something new and see where it takes me, and if it's a book that I then want to work on again at a later stage, or not.

I have to admit that about two thirds of the way through the month, my daughter started to recognize the wide-eyed, staring, bordering-on-the-instanity expression I took on if anyone even considered disturbing me until I'd completed the requisite number of words each evening to ensure I didn't fall behind. However, I did feel a huge sense of satisfaction, if not near blindness, by the end of the month and would encourage anyone who feels remotely tempted to give it a try. You can always stop at any time.

My question to you today is: How do you fancy joining me and taking part in NaNo this year? I know some of you are already doing it and have probably completed the challenge many more times than I have. Here's the link. It's a well organised site and each day you download your word count and can see by your own individual graph how well you're doing. So, what do you think?

Screaming Yellow

2010-10-13T19:00:00.001+01:00

How splendid! An interview with me!
Nerine Dorman: This is My World: Screaming Yellow with Rachel Green

and of course the book is here:
Screaming Yellow [Rachel Green] - $5.50 : Lyrical Press, Inc.

New Writing Blog

2010-10-11T19:32:00.002+01:00

I know I am still on sabbatical from Novel Racers but I wanted to stop by to let you know that I have today created a new writing blog. It is called Words in Write order and can be found here. There is only one post but if you would like to stop by and say hello I would appreciate it. No expat stuff will be posted there!

2010-10-10T11:57:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone!

I've been thinking about this for months now and I've decided its time for me to leave the Novel Racers. I've loved being part of the group and feel honoured that I've been here from near enough the start. The advice I've received and friendships I've made mean a lot and I'm pretty sure I would have given up writing by now if it hadn't been for the people I've met through this group.

However, lately I've felt out the loop and not part of the group. I feel the group isn't as close as it used to be which is a shame. The Novel Racers doesn't seem so important to people as it did 'back in the day' and I don't know why that is, maybe people are too busy to comment/post here and that's completely understandable. So I think I should maybe leave and let someone else take my place.

Thank you for everything and I promise to pop in from time to time. And if there's ever a Novel Racers Meet arranged again, I'd love to be able to come.

I haven't given up writing. I will continue to write and try to be published. I still have my blog http://writing-to-reach-you-blog.blogspot.com/ so please keep in contact!

Rebecca x

Coffee break: Change

2010-10-01T12:26:00.003+01:00

When the first frosts start to creep up on us (or at least those of us in the UK!) and the leaves begin to populate the pavements, I always feel like I should be starting something new. Luckily, this year, I've just started a new job, so that works out nicely! Everything is a bit different, from my daily commute, the people I spend my days with, what I'm working on, even down to what I wear. In the midst of all this, I'm trying to carry on working on the same WIP I've had on the go for (ahem) getting on for 2 years...

When I started writing it, I was in a completely different position - practically nothing in my life is the same now! But I'm trying to keep a consistent voice, and to remember why I made particular decisions about characters and plot points way back when 'The End' was a mere glimmer in my imagination. How do you keep things moving in the same direction when everything around you is changing? Planning and keeping notes is part of it, sure, but how do you maintain a character's voice when you can feel your own changing?

Coffee Break: Truth

2010-09-24T08:31:00.000+01:00

Welcome, welcome - who would like an iced coffee? It's still sweltering out there, so why not have a cool off in the aircon and a long cold drink?

Last week we were thinking about consquences, so for this break maybe it would be interesting to think about truth in our writing. Maybe like me you subscribe to the daily email from Garrison Keillor's 'Writer's Almanac'? It's a brilliant start to the day, and a way to read poetry by writers you've never come across. Poets leave me in awe - the way they can deftly cut to the truth in a few words, where it takes me an entire novel.

Do you write across genres, or stick only to fiction/poetry? Beyond the predictable Hendrix inspired teenage poetry (which mercifully is lost in the annals of time ...), I hadn't written any poetry for years. Then someone suggested writing haikus. A haiku consists roughly of three lines - 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables. Like this one by Basho:

'The butterfly is
perfuming its wings in the
scent of the orchid'

Haikus celebrate the beauty of everyday life. To kick start your writing it's a great way to start the day, and the confines of the form really force you to think about choosing the best words you can.

Another poetry exercise I like and use a lot are 'Bantus'. These are inspired by the oral traditions of the nomadic African tribe. In a Bantu, it's all about contrast and similarity. For example: 'White plate laid in a dark dining room. Full moon in the sky.' It's a way of generating some great similes and metaphors for your writing.

In poetry there's no room for faffing around - you have one shot to find the right words, and put them in the right order. Maybe by experimenting with some of the forms, we can make our fiction better? Why don't you have a go today ...

Screaming Yellow

2010-09-21T08:16:00.000+01:00

Out Now!
Screaming Yellow by Rachel Green

available as e-book in all formats

Coffee Break: Consequences

2010-09-18T07:54:00.003+01:00

This week's coffee break is late - I'm sorry. To make up for it, I can offer you extra strong, bitter Arabic coffee laced with cardamom, sweet, succulent Eid pastries and a plate of almondy Baklava. The cafes have only just reopened here after Ramadan, and it's still a novelty to be able to go out and meet friends, eat and drink during daylight hours. As anyone with small children knows, cafe visits are not so much about the coffee as reminding yourself there is an adult world out there beyond finger-painting and Charlie and Lola (as much as we love them). The last month has been ... challenging, the city like a ghost town, and the kids bouncing off the walls unable to go outside in the 55 degree heat. But, schools go back tomorrow, and I've been thinking about ways to kick start your writing.

Do you remember playing the game Consequences when you were younger? You draw something at the head of a sheet of paper, and fold it over leaving a couple of connecting lines for the next person to pick up their drawing from. The drawing is passed round the group, and at the end you unfold the concertina to see what surreal or wonderful thing you've made. A couple of years back, I set up a blog project called 'Burning Lines' - over the course of a month a group of us created the fiction equivalent of consequences, writing an entire story online. As we took it in turns to add a chapter or scene, the story often took incredible twists. By the end of the month it had transformed from 'Brief Encounter' to something resembling 'Lesbian Vampire Killers' :)

I wondered if we couldn't try something similar to Consequences today with the comments box and take it in turns to add a line or two - a quick Coffee Break Flash Fiction? Don't know about you, but my brain cells could do with a limber up after the summer holidays ... Let's begin:

'What is that?' Alice screwed up her eyes, peered into the dark attic. 'I think it's ...

Coffee Break: materials management

2010-09-10T03:51:00.000+01:00

Good morning all. I've got PG Tips, different green teas, real coffee, instant coffee and soft drinks in the fridge… please help yourselves. There’s also some wheat free cake – it’s delicious, honest – that I baked myself. (Ha! You can tell this is a virtual coffee, can’t you? What are the chances of me baking?)

It’s a dreary Bangkok sky today; the rainy season is still with us and I should stay inside and finish sorting out my papers after our apartment move. I’m not even sure which pile contains the most recent manuscript: the one with all the vital pencil markings on that I hadn’t yet put onto the computer version. I’m hoping I’ll know it when I see it but that’s not very systematic, is it?

I have bags of stuff that I save; maps of places I’ve visited, freebie guides to towns and cities, ticket stubs. I keep them because I think I might set a book there or sell an article about my trip. I’m from a long line of ‘it might be useful’ collectoholics but I fight a constant battle with those genes. I usually fail… While we’ve space I can keep it all but how should I store this stuff? Sometimes I capitulate to the retailers and I buy a ‘storage solution’ but it doesn’t really solve anything and takes up more space that it claims to save. Usually, it ends up in a paper bag optimistically labeled ‘research’ but it could equally say ‘rubbish you’re never going to use; get real and get rid.’

I can’t be the only person struggling with the organizational side of writing, can I? Not just the research material but which manuscript is the most up to date. Please tell me I’m not. My question then, is how do you arrange your writing related material? For your wip and projects to come? Is there order in your admin life or chaos like mine?

Coffee Break: Time Management

2010-09-03T00:45:00.001+01:00

Good morning Racers! How are we all today!? Good I hope. I’m in a bit of a rush today so please feel free to grab something quickly for breakfast and join me in a very quick Coffee Break.

I’m very busy at the moment. I’m writing my second novel, editing my first in the hopes to get it ready for self publishing, working my part time job and preparing to start my first OU course next month. This course will hopefully be the first in many which will lead to my degree in English Language and Literature. I’m very excited about it but I’m fearful too. You see I have a problem with Time Management. I have the best intentions of sitting down and doing some work - be it writing the second novel, editing the first or doing some studying but I get distracted and one thing leads to another and boom! I’ve wasted hours doing very little instead of doing lots and lots. I often wonder why I don’t get things done. I mean, I don’t work full time and I don’t have any family. Basically I should get lots done when I don’t.

So my question is, how do you manage your time? How do you cope doing everything when you have a family/job/studies demanding your attention all the time? I need advice!

Coffee Break: The Internet - Good, Bad or Ugly?

2010-08-27T01:45:00.001+01:00

Good morning Racers! How are we all this fine Friday morning? I hope it finds you well and raring to go! I’ve got a selection of teas, coffees, water and other beverages plus different snacks so please help yourself as we settle down for another coffee break.

For those who might be a little confused. I’m Rebecca Stonebridge - although most of you will probably know me better under the host of pen names I’ve had through my years as a Novel Racer; A. Writer, Paige, The Secret Writer, Emily Tootsweet… I’m staying as Rebecca Stonebridge for now ;o)

The Internet. For me it’s both a devil and a godsend.

When I started writing many many moons ago, I wasn’t connected to the internet. Writing really was a solitary thing for me. I had my ideas for my novels and my laptop - that was it. I didn’t even have a desk. I just sat on my bed and wrote. Then I got the internet connected to my laptop. I started my first writing blog, which didn’t get many hits so I started a new one and slowly I started to mingle with other writers. I also joined the Novel Racers. If it wasn’t for the Novel Racers and the other writers I talked to online, I doubt I would still be writing. I don’t know any writers in ‘real life’ so meeting writers online has given me confidence to keep writing. The advice and support I’ve found online has helped me massively. And that is why I say the Internet is a godsend.

But there is also a downside. The internet is a devil because it just holds far too many distractions. If it’s not Facebook, it’s writing my blog, reading blogs or twittering on Twitter. I know for a fact that I faff about far too much on the internet for my own good. I need to learn to switch off the damn thing so I can get some work done.

Recently I’ve witnessed the bad side to the internet with people being bullied and spammed and it made me think about how much we use the internet and do we really need it? Could you live without the internet? Could you gladly smash up your modem and live a happy life or would your world fall apart without Facebook/Twitter/Blogs?

So my question today is: The Internet. Is it a godsend, a devil or a bit of both for you??

P.S. Can I just remind Racers that the idea of a NR meet has been mentioned? And if you pop on the ‘other blog’ we can discuss the when’s, the where’s and the who’s…

Getting to know your characters

2010-08-20T09:27:00.000+01:00

OK so there is no milk in the fridge this morning and all I have is 2 bananas and a glass of water. But hey I'm feeling a bit flush so if anyone's up for going to starbucks then I'm paying!!

Currently I am researching the characters for my dusty novel. I have 2 female leads, 1 female supporting baddie, 2 male love interests and 1 male brother/best friend (not sure which yet). No two characters are alike so it's difficult to get them right in my head. I had visualised 4 out of the 6 but am currently struggling with the other 2, probably because they didn’t always exist in the novel. They kind of joined late and while I feel they are quite important they just don’t appear real to me. If I imagine my novel to be made into a film then its definitely a brit flick. Kind of like a Richard Curtis Rom Com but the actors have never appeared in his films. Some of the people I imagine to play the characters aren’t actors or even famous for that matter. Some are real people some are made up faces in my head. I’ve employed techniques to get to know my characters. I’ve had imaginary conversations with them, written up character bios and now I am having a lot of fun flicking through old magazines where the characters jump out at me. At the moment female lead no 1 is a cross between Natalie Portman and Keira Knightly and the other I imagine as a cross between Agnes Dene and Sarah Harding. These images have never wavoured in my head and I find this technique bring them to life a whole lot more. I have even made a scrap book with all my characters different looks and traits. This has been my favourite technique so far but I am sure there are more out there.

So my question today is: What techniques do you employ to get to know your characters and which has been your favourite?

So those are my tricks for the time being. How do you get to know your characters?

Projects and keeping your mind off things

2010-08-13T09:52:00.001+01:00

Good Morning Racers,

Please help yourself to some almond croissants and a bacon and egg mcmuffin while I begin this morning's topic.

So its been a pretty rubbish month or so for me but I've been far to busy to dwell on things. At present I have a stagnant novel gathering dust in my desk drawer begging for my attention. A few short stories ‘out there’ gasping to make a permanent escape from the confines of the ‘unpublished stories’ folder on my computer. I have just finished and passed a Learn It Creative writing course and am about to embark on an OU course in Creating Writing at the end of October. When I find time I’m entering competitions, blogging and reading whenever I can.

I think it’s important to keep ourselves busy while waiting to hear feedback from agents or editors.

So lets discuss:

1. What projects do you have on the go – are you studying, working on shorties, novels, articles?

2. How do you distract yourself from waiting on feedback from agents/editors/critiques (doesn’t have to be writing related activities)?

Dance Your Way To Psychic Sex

2010-08-08T10:53:00.004+01:00

If you haven't already heard about this book, please pop over to the dedicated website here to find out more. It's a great book and the story of how it came to be published is fascinating as well. This book was written by a former novel racer. Those of you that know her will recognise her story, but she has asked that we respect her anonymity in public.

You can read my review of 'Dance Your Way To Psychic Sex' on Bookersatz and there are links to many more reviews on the website.

Changing Hats

2010-08-06T09:22:00.002+01:00

Welcome to rainy Chesterfield ladies and gentleman (Good to see you back Cap'n). I'm skint, so there's tap or rainwater as you wish, and dirt or some raw herbs from the garden to nibble on. Mind the berries -- they're belladonna.

We had a post a week or two ago about writing for different genres and whether you should use a pen name. (I don't as it happens). My question today is similar. How easy do you find it to switch genres? Not having made any sort of impact on the writing world, I generally write for competitions and have poetry, horror, erotica, paranormal, humour and crime fiction storied published, plus a few non-fiction pieces on BDSM and polyamorory. How easy do you chaps find it to switch genre? This week, for instance, I write zombie humour in the mornings, poetry over lunch and horror in the afternoons. Does anyone else do that? How do you switch genres, if you do?

Our Next Meeting...

2010-08-04T20:03:00.001+01:00

...needs to happen!

I've posted at the other place so we can discuss it. Please head over there and join the discussion and planning. You'll need to be logged in to Blogger.

If you don't have access to the private place but think you should (official NR members, sabbaticals and alumni), then please contact myself or JJ and we'll set you up.

Hello

2010-08-04T12:42:00.000+01:00

Thank you so much for the invite.
Guess I should introduce myself....I've been writing seriously for about three years now. I started off by getting a very lucky break after winning a competition in the now defunct London Paper, to write the anonymous weekly City Girl column. After two years I gave it up to concentrate on writing my first novel, which again gave me a very lucky break as my agent took me on after reading it. It's now out on submission and I've almost finished my second novel, just the last few chapters and a damn good edit, which I hope to start next week after having a break from writing as we've just adopted a beautiful baby girl.
Really looking forword to being part of Novel Racers and getting to know you all.
Best Wishes
Alex x

Volunteers Needed

2010-07-31T13:21:00.001+01:00

Apologies for the lack of coffee break yesterday. Blame me for putting Ellie on the rota but not confirming it with her.

We need some volunteers for next week and also for 10th September. Who's up for it?

Writing again..sort of

2010-07-29T01:25:00.001+01:00

I know I am not currently a member of Novel Racers but I wanted to drop by to share a little bit of news with you all as the Racers have given me a lot of inspiration and a little shove when I needed it. I am not currently writing a novel but I still have the desire to write. Recently my life has been all consumed by being an Expat. I decided that I needed to do something to keep myself busy when my kids start school in 2 weeks as I am not allowed to do any paid work. So I wrote to the local community newspaper and asked them if I could write a column for them about being an Expat in the town. I gave them the link to my blog so they could see my style of writing and also give them a chance to get to know a bit about me. I have just received an email back saying they are interested in me writing for them and could I send them a sample column! They've sent me guidelines to adhere to and are looking forward to me submitting something. Hopefully they will like it and I will have a regular column in the newspaper. If I do get to write for them I will be sure to keep any clippings as you never know, it could lead to more writing opportunities.

Coffee Break: Names & Pigeon-holes

2010-07-23T07:03:00.003+01:00

In protest against the local coffee shop which has now apparently been designated as a crèche, I've decided to set up my own writer's café. So please form an orderly queue and get it while it's hot.

First things first. In case you haven't seen it, may I please draw your attention to the new feedback page. Thank you. Now on with today's chin-wag.

I'm reliably informed that publishers like to build a marketable brand from an author and their books. This means that their name will become associated with that brand and hopefully sell more copies. This is fine; this is business and it's what happens in many other areas of commerce.

But what about authors who want to write in more than one genre? The publishers are not going to like it when their best-selling romantic novelist suddenly produces a three volume epic Sci-Fi space opera, it would compromise the branding. So what to do?

I'll answer that question, but first let's have a look at the results from last week's blogstorming session.

Probortunity

A widower is left a fortune by his wife. She never told him about the money. Why?

Results

She was a professional fraudster.
It was her 'running away money'.
She was Lord Lucan's secret daughter.
She was a jewel thief.
He might spend it all.
She was a Russian spy.
She was a *gasp* secret writer and he didn't know.
She invented 'Marmite' but her husband hated it and she didn't like to upset him.
Money was not a subject ever to be mentioned, too vulgar and a construct of the capitalist west. She was a very screwed-up old-fashioned liberal but counted Marx as her best friend. From childhood she would only suck the thumb of her left hand. Her mother wore a Maggie Thatcher hair helmet and constantly beat her in order to spare her while goading her to recite, "There is no such thing as family". It proved too much and she became a serial killer whose hallmark was to mutilate the right hands of her victims. Eventually she ended up as the subject for a Midsomer Murders special and so was finally committed to a special hospital.
She never told him because she never told him anything, they never had a proper conversation, not once in thirty years and now she's dead he's going to Cuba with a lingerie model called Ginger.
She wrote (very successful) erotica under a pseudonym.
She was saving up to pay a hit-man to kill him.
He would want to know where she got it from.
She was worried it would spoil their relationship.
She was a bigamist and the money is her inheritance from her 'other' husband.
She visited Haiti in her youth, a witch doctor cast a voodoo spell over her, she turned into a zombie and had actually lived for 400 years secretly selling the spell to the rich and famous before the spell ran out and she finally copped it.
She knew he would have a problem knowing his wife had more money than he did.
She was the secret lover of a member of the royal family.
It was left her by his mother who hated him, to give her a fresh start alone.
It was none of his business anyway (she was a feminist).
She printed 20 pound notes in the garden shed in her spare time.
She was a bank robber and had a sawn off shot-gun hidden in her knickers drawer.
She was an escort or a high-class prostitute in her spare time.
She stole it, or won the lottery and didn't tell him.
She was paid to marry him, and to stay married because of his position in an internet security firm.
Not her money, screw up by solicitor, and then the people turn up that want their money back.

Many many thanks to you all for your excellent contributions. I will eventually reveal which one I choose for my story. In the mean time, feel free to add more.

Now we return to the question of breaking out of your branded genre. If you didn't already know then you've probably guessed by now that the answer is to use one or more pen-names. There are plenty of famous examples of this, including our own Sue Mongredien who writes children's book under her own name but romantic fiction as Lucy Diamond.

So my question to you is: what genres would you like to write and what pen-names would you use?

Feedback post

2010-07-22T22:25:00.002+01:00

In case you missed Kevin's link, the feedback page for ideas on a revamp is here.

Coffee Break: Blogstorming

2010-07-16T07:03:00.002+01:00

Much time has passed since I last had an excuse to fire up my coffee and tea making equipment. I hope it all still works. On the coffee front, I have rich Italian roast, espresso and cappuccino (can you spot the national bias here). I also have Assam, Darjeeling and Earl Grey teas. Not much in the way of breakfast, as I'm in training for a special event, so it's fruit salad and toast on the menu.

I was wracking my brains about something the other day and thinking: I wish someone else was here to bounce ideas off. Then I realised that there are a whole load of people who are "here" with me, albeit in a virtual sense. Why not get them to help me? Why not indeed, but first a digression...

Who's heard of brainstorming? It's something I used to do in a previous job from time to time. I have to say it's proved to be very beneficial and even good fun. There's a whole web site dedicated to the art of brainstorming, but for now, here are the basic six rules:

[Optionally] begin with a probortunity statement. It's both a problem to solve and an opportunity to generate ideas.
Withhold judgement, particularly negative thoughts.
Encourage wild and exaggerated ideas.
Go for quantity over quality.
Build on ideas put forward by others.
Each person and each idea are equally important.

So, for the purposes of this coffee break, I would like to hijack it and have a blogstorming session, whereby we all take part. Here is the probortunity statement:

A widower is left a fortune by his wife.
She never told him about the money.
Why?

On your marks, get set, GO!

Edit 23/07/10: The results can be found here.

Time for a Revamp?

2010-07-15T13:53:00.003+01:00

We seem to be getting a bit quiet in our old age. I think the time has come for a new lease of life for the Novel Racers blog. Ideas please! Here's a few things to kick off...

We need coffee break volunteers. First come, first served. I have a couple of good subjects for tomorrow and next week, if nobody else minds.
Where are we all with our race entries. I've probably got behind with the gadgets' database, but then you lot haven't been updating me either.
Shall we give the blog a facelift? There's lots of nice new templates available.
When and where shall we meet IRL again?
Everyone please remind me who is and who isn't a current member. If not, are you on sabbatical or retired as alumni?
The accomplishments page probably needs updating. Information please.
What else shall we talk about here? Competitions? Writing techniques? Successes? Failures? Gossip (I'm way behind)? Politics? Religion? Gardening?...

I hope you don't mind me posting this as a bit of a kick-up-the-you-know-what for us all.

In other top secret news, I've fairly recently started writing again. Therefore please may I rejoin the group?

Edit, 20/07/10: Please see the new feedback page, where we can discuss things.

Hanging Up My Novel Racers' Hat

2010-07-15T12:44:00.000+01:00

First let me apologize for the lack of admin regarding the Novel Racers. I have been too busy and let it slip. I have added the two new members that I am aware of - they should have their invites and will introduce themselves soon.

I am hanging up my NR hat. I haven't had time to go around a chivy everyone to the coffee let alone visit everyone blogs. Over half the racers are inactive and I do hope this means they are writing. JJ, Kev and Cally have admin writes to the blog but do make sure that work gets shared out.

I wish all you of happy writing and will look forward to reading the Friday coffees and hearing news of your successes.

All the best,

Liz

The Comfort Zone

2010-07-09T10:04:00.003+01:00

Good morning, how are you? I am on a carb free diet, so please have a handleful of nuts and some yoghurt (there's secret bread in the toaster).

The book I'm writing at the moment is the most complex, complicated work that I have ever attempted. It deals with some pretty dark issues, and requires carefully thought out characterisation, and yet it still must have romance, humour, and a pacy plot that entertains and engages the reader.

The point is someone said to be a few months ago that she thought I could push my boundries, test my self and try and see what happens when I move out of my comfort zone. As a person, never mind a writer, that's a scary thought, and a gamble that you might lose.

So my question to you today is what, if anything, do you think you could do to move out of your comfort zone.

Interesting Times

2010-07-02T12:12:00.004+01:00

Ok, I could say that I waited to post this to Chris time and space to revel in the joy of her publication day. But I'll be honest I plain forgot. There I was smugly scrolling down the rota to see what disorganised person had neglected to post a coffee morning and all the time it was me. Of course it was.

I am going to blame the Harper Collins Summer party last night, which was a lot of fun and gave me a chance to say hello in person to two of my favourite novel racing people Caroline Smailes and Mel Sherrat. Yes, I am a little bit tired today.

So have a strong black coffee and keep your shades on indoors.

I don't think any of us can fail to notice that the publishing industry is in turmoil at the moment. Goodness it was even on BBC news! Life is tough. Its damn tough to get a new contract and even established writers are finding themselves with contracts cancelled. Shops only want to stock books who stand up well on last years EPOS systems, instead of stocking a wide range of fiction, only a narrow few lucky titles get on the shelves. I've been in publishing one way or another for fifteen years and this is about as bad as I can remember it for writers ever.

But before we slit out wrists and take a bottle of mogadon with a large Gin lets think of all the good things that have happened to remind ourselves its not all doom and gloom.

Of course its Chris's publication day - proof that new writers are getting into print! Hurrah!

Yesterday I heard that Patricia Scanlan and Polly Williams had given really brilliant quotes for my new book The Happy Home for Broken Hearts. What lovely ladies with excellent taste and proof that there is a community of writers willing to support each other - heartwarming (like my novel, according to Polly)

So - what other cheerful news can you bring to the table to lift all of our heavy hearts?
p.s there will be typos galore in this - never get a hung over dyslexic to do anything.

Publication Day!

2010-06-30T10:32:00.007+01:00

Well, this is it; the day that I sometimes doubted would ever come. It's Turning the Tide's official publication day today. It's actually been out since 3rd June, which was fitting too since it marked the fifth anniversary of my dad's death in a good way, but books, it seems, like Her Maj, can have two birthdays.

Just when I was beginning to think I would have to wait as long as
this dear lady who, at 82, has just been published by Honno, the long apprenticeship paid off when Choc Lit signed me up. So, really this is to say to anyone who's waiting and hoping, keep writing, keep sending work out and one day you'll get there.

Huge thanks to you all for all your support, and an extra big thank you to lovely Kate Harrison who gave me such a stonking cover quote.

Memories of Michael

2010-06-25T08:24:00.002+01:00

Good morning, Novel Racers. I'm serving tea, coffee and fruit juice in my garden this morning. Please help yourselves. The bacon is sizzling under the grill ready for bacon rolls all round.

It's one year today since Michael Jackson died and it's only right that this week's Novel Racers' coffee morning should be dedicated to him and our collective memories of his music. His music will live on, but how sad it is that what was to come is lost forever, and we will never hear the songs he would have released in the future, had he not died at fifty.

My favourite song is 'Ben' because it makes me smile when I think of my lovely, gentle, black labrador called Ben (1984-1998). He loved children and I used to take him to the school every day. He lapped up all the attention, but I lost count of how many ice-creams he stole from unsuspecting toddlers! I was forever having to queue up at the ice-cream van outside the school to replace them. Every time I hear the song, I remember my Ben and the deadly efficient way he used to look completely innocent before deftly turning his head to claim yet another tasty prize!

I think I have to say that my most vivid memory of Michael Jackson is the first glimpse of his new nose. I remember my hubby saying that he ought to ask for his money back!

What is your favourite Michael Jackson song and why? What picture or video of Michael Jackson stands out in your mind?

Places and Faces

2010-06-18T08:54:00.003+01:00

Good morning, everyone. Isn't it a glorious day today?

The last time I hosted a coffee morning for the Novel Racers I was on holiday in Ibiza. Guess what? I'm on holiday again, in Challaborough Bay in Devon, visiting my brother, Steve, who works here and has a very nice little flat above the surf shop. Steve is waving from his rooftop terrace and says hi to everyone.

There's no mobile phone signal for miles - BLISS! There's just a lonely little wif-fi connection in the waterfront bar, which is where I'm sitting now. If you want coffee and biscuits you'll have to fetch them from Steve's flat because the bar isn't open yet.

When we arrived here last Sunday I sat outside the waterfront bar, sipping a welcome cold drink after a seat-gripping ride from Northamptonshire in an Audi TT - 253 miles in just under three and a half hours. (I don't think I need to do the maths - but it was fast!) Nature went a bit crazy with its canvass in this little valley - there's too much green, blue and beige-yellow. It shouts a bit loud too - it gave its gulls hearty lungs and ear-piercing screeches; its cows low, rumbling moos and its sheep incessant whining bleats. It also daubed its canvass with a bit of eccentricity as an afterthought - Burgh Island. The huge expanse of sand that separates the island from the mainland is tidal. There is a white-walled timewarp hotel on the island and a pub. Loads of people get caught out, apparently, and unfortunately have to spend six hours in the pub until the tide goes out again. What - with no mobile phone signal and cut off by the tide I can only imagine how annoyed they must be!

Anyway, I've wittered on enough about the scene before me, but it does provide a brilliant setting for the new novel that is swirling around in my head. Burgh Island has just acquired new owners, too .... mmmm - interesting!

This is very clearly a scenario where a novel forms and dovetails quite nicely around a real place. But what do you do when you have a story, you have your characters and nowhere for them to act out their little dramas, bodice-ripping squidgy scenes and toe-curling scandals. Do you drive around until you find the right place (like Sue Moorcroft recently told me she did with Honeybun Cottage in 'Starting Over') or do you invent a place, too. If you invent a place, do you draw a little map of it?

Where to start?

2010-06-11T06:00:00.001+01:00

Help yourself to a mug of something, or the zingy grapefruit juice and we’ll go back to the beginning. The problem I have with them is that the opening lines of your novel might determine whether your book gets read by an agent, publisher, or bought by a customer, so no pressure… I love books that have a hook in the opening line, but I’ve written mine into dialogue. I’ve been reading Noah Lukeman’s “The first five pages” and he thinks this is a bad idea, because you can’t set the scene or introduce your characters. It’s a fair point, but I like the idea of being able to dive straight into the middle of a conversation.

So how do you like to write your first few lines? Do you want to set the scene, introduce your main character or jump into the main action of the book? Maybe you’re doing all of those and more. Do you find your first opening is the one you stick with, or do you move your starting point later on? I’m a bit of a sucker for that killer opening line, though I’ll usually read the first page of any book I pick up in a shop. But if it’s got that line…

Cartoon courtesy of Inkygirl (and Fia for having one of her cartoons a few ago!)

No conferring please?

2010-06-04T06:00:00.003+01:00

Morning. I’m not much of a cook at breakfast, but I have just got back from the Champagne region, so help yourself to some fizz if you’re feeling decadent! I think my liver would rather I stuck to the coffee this morning…

I’ve spent the last few days disassembling and fighting my first two chapters, to send to the agents I have appointments with at the Winchester writers’ conference at the end of June. I’ve been going to this for the last five years, though only summoned the courage to make appointments for the last two! The advice I’ve received has varied, but some of it has been incredibly useful. Although the agents there don’t tend to be looking for science fiction I can usually find some that don’t refuse it completely, and it’s always ~~terrifying~~ good to hear what they think. I’m still mulling the advice from an editor there last year, who told me I had a much better chance of publication with a crime book…

Places like Winchester are also a great opportunity to meet other writers, but I wonder if going to lets of events becomes a displacement activity to avoid writing? I’ve attended a few different ones in the past, and now tend to only go to Winchester.

So my question is - have you attended courses, conferences, masterclasses etc and what did you think of them?

Coffee morning

2010-05-28T07:19:00.006+01:00

Good morning everyone, yes I've remembered this week. To make up for last week as well as the usual teas and coffees there are fresh croissants and home made strawberry jam and freshly laid boiled eggs from our recently aquired hens. So put in your orders and I will put the kettle on.

Last week Caroline Smailes came up with an amazing idea for the launch of her latest novel, Like Bees to Honey. One of each of the 32 chapters was available to read in book format on 32 host bloggers sites worldwide. I know that many of the Racers were hosts. My immediate reaction was wow how amazing! I shall get to read the book even before it's been published I was really excited as I had been eagerly awaiting her next book. I have a laptop so I sat myself down comfortably and started reading. After the initial problem in realising that I had to click the open publishing button I soon got started. I have to say here that the subject matter is rather difficult for me but Caroline's use of language is phenomenal, however I realised after the first three or four chapters that I couldn't continue. Not because of the suject matter but because reading from my impersonal laptop was just not 'doing it' for me. I wanted no needed to be holding the book in my hands. I needed the intimacy of a book to get the feeling of every word, I wanted to 'feel' the words not see them on a screen. So I stopped reading and am now waiting to receive my copy.

Now I know that atleast some [how many?] of you have e-readers so my topic for today is what do you think of them. I understand their convenience but I cannot see how you can ever experience the same relationship with an e-reader, however sophisticated, as you can with a book. I think of the feelings I get when I look at my TBR pile, I like to stroke some of the beautiful covers, have you seen The Childrens Book by AS Byatt the cover is exquisite. The book is excellent as well. I shudder to think that 'real' books might one day be consigned to Museums where you can go and look but not touch. And what about the chance discoveries that are possible from browsing in Bookshops, browsing a list of titles just wouldn't do anything for me.

I hope I am not a luddite but I just can't imagine a world where books are only to be read on e-readers. Do you have the same feelings towards books as I do or is any format okay for you aslong as you get to read the book?

So let me know what you think and I'll go and get out some more egg cups and put the pan on to boil.

Just to let you know...

2010-05-24T12:35:00.000+01:00

... there is a new post in the other place.

So sorry

2010-05-22T08:10:00.003+01:00

I thought I posted this here but it appears to have gone to the other place. So I will repeat my apologies for missing my coffee morning yesterday. It has been chaotic here recently and yesterday I had a bad day and completely forgot.
I promise to be here next week so hope you will all join me then.

Timelines

2010-05-14T07:46:00.002+01:00

To make up for my tardiness last week, I thought I should offer a selection of pastries as well as various teas and coffees for your consumption, so please help yourself.

I'm typing up my final edits and will resubmit my novel in the next couple of days, however, as soon as that's done, I'm going to go straight back to the wip I was working on a few weeks ago. The book I'm editing is a chick lit novel and the time frame covers several months, which hasn't been too much of a problem to follow. However my wip is a longer book with events taking place over several years, I'm also writing it from four (at the moment) points of view. So I need a well organized timeline.

With each book, I have a character list, a chapter summary and chapter index cards, as well as notes, etc, but for this longer book I'm having to do a lot of research and need to ensure that I have every event in the correct place for each character.

I was wondering if you do use a timeline, how you plan it? Do you have any advice on how to start setting up a timeline that shows where everything is quickly, without getting bogged down with too much information at every time point?

I'm probably making this far harder than it needs to be, but despite trying different ways of doing it, I can't seem to get it right and was wondering what works for other people.

Improvements & Editing

2010-05-07T11:51:00.004+01:00

Good morning (by four minutes only) and sorry for the tardy post. I'll dash off and make the teas and coffees as you're reading through this post. Every Friday I drop my daughter off at the bus stop and then come straight home, turn on the computer and look at Novel Racers. Today, which of course had to be the day I'd forgotten it was my turn to do the Coffee Morning, I didn't. So typical. I'd overslept and then had an appointment with my hairdresser to make me blonde once more. So apologies from me.

Recently I've had wonderful feedback from a publisher about my manuscript, however they said that although they thought the story, setting and hero ticked all the right boxes, my heroine's reactions were not as believable as they could be and she needed to be a little more likeable. They went on to say that if I tweaked my heroine, I was welcome to resubmit my MS.

Naturally I was disappointed, but immediately set about editing my MS. As soon as I started I could see how my heroine could be improved and definately made more likeable, and now I've finished covering my pages in red ink I've begun amending the novel on the computer and will resubmit it in the next few days.

Whilst, I appreciate this doesn't automatically mean they will want to publish my book, at least I now know that I've had another chance to improve it substantially and nothing has been lost by spending time doing so.

I think the hardest part about writing novels is that unlike an exam where as long as you learn the subject thoroughly you can pretty much ensure you'll pass, with writing I know that I could keep working at it until I'm 110 and still possibly never be published.

So, my question to you is, how do you take rejection and what keeps you going?

Status Short Story Friday.

2010-05-07T10:20:00.003+01:00

If you fancy a bit of writing fun come and join in Status Short Story Friday on facebook. Its simple, all you have is write a short story in 420 characters or less and post it on your profile and my 'like page' the link for which is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rowan-Coleman/218459815465?ref=mf

xxx

I don't know why I can't make links go live here, KEV?
(It should work now — CB)

Emily's Second Coffee Break: Writer's Bottom

2010-04-30T00:10:00.000+01:00

Hello fellow Novel Racers! Hope you’re all well this fine Friday! Last week it was all croissants and coffee, not this week. I’ve got sugar free flavoured bottled water and a range of fruit for you to choose between. I think this is apt for my topic this week and again I apologise if this topic has been talked about before but its good to talk about it again.

I’m a writer. Well, I like to think of myself as one and that means quite a bit of time sitting at my desk - I’m sure you can all relate to that in some degree or another - and the unfortunate consequences, as I’m finding out, are the dreaded Writer’s Bottom, Writer’s Tummy and Writer’s big fat podgy bits! I admit, that personally, it’s probably a combination of lack of exercise, eating too much junk food and sitting at my laptop too much that’s causing me to be aware of my Writer’s bottom and it’s starting to annoying me slightly. I’ve started going to kickboxing and I go for a walk when I can. Plus I’ve started to eat more fresh fruit and less junk food. For crying out loud, I haven’t had chocolate in ages!! But I’m always on the look out for some advice.

So this week I’m asking everyone how do you stop it? What is your exercise routine to stop the dreaded Writer’s Bottom? Or are you a lucky devil who doesn’t get bothered by Writer’s Bottom?

Just share what you’re comfortable with. :o)

Adieu, but not goodbye

2010-04-27T21:59:00.003+01:00

Much as I hate to leave such a lovely group, I'm afraid I must. Those of you who visit my blog would have noticed that I've cut back drastically on my own blogging over the past six months or so, and I'm cutting back on other online commitments in an effort to retrieve the writing focus which I seem to have misplaced somewhere along the way. I've enjoyed the two and half years that I've been a Novel Racer immensely, and have met some wonderful people whose path I might never have crossed otherwise. I'll continue to drop in on the coffee mornings now and then and to visit as many blogs as I can.

I wish all of you the very best on the writing journey. I've read some of your lovely books, and there are quite a few more on my wish list. I know I'll be adding more as time passes. Remember, anytime you decide to have a Novel Racers meet in the Caribbean, I'd be delighted to be your host. Let the photo above be your inspiration to make it happen!

Liane Spicer (Wordtryst)

Rowan Coleman's Short Story Competition.

2010-04-23T12:55:00.007+01:00

Dear Racers

I am really excited to be launching my very own Short Story competition, which some great prizes for aspiring, unpublished writers, including online creative writing mentoring for me, Tea and Cakes at Random House with me and Arrow Publishing Director Kate Elton, and a letter of introduction and agent feedback from David Higham Associates.

Here's the link to my blog where you can find details of the competition:
http://rowancoleman.blogspot.com

It would be brilliant if you could help me spread the word by publishing the link on your own blog and anywhere else you can think of, and help spread the word.

thanks ever so!
Rowan

Emily's First Coffee Break

2010-04-23T00:10:00.000+01:00

Hi! Welcome to my first Coffee Break post! Please help yourself to some croissants (I’ve got plain and chocolate) and I’ve got various different types of tea and coffee on the go so please grab whatever you like, get comfy and I’ll begin!

Let me introduce myself first because there are so many new Novel Racers now, I don’t think I know many of you! I’m Emily Tootsweet. I’ve been Emily Tootsweet for a few months now. She’s my fourth ‘identity’ in the blog world. Before Emily there was ‘Awriter’, ‘Paige’ and the short lived ‘Secret Writer’ you’ve maybe seen me floating about in the blog world under one or two of those names. Well, I’m sticking to Emily Tootsweet for now. :o)

Right, onto my topic (and I apologise now if it’s been talked about before!)

I have been an absent member of the Novel Racers lately and I must apologise for not welcoming any new racers that have joined. It’s all my fault that I haven’t got to know any of you and writing this post is making me feel very much like the new girl in the class at school, standing up, introducing herself and hoping she makes some new friends!

I like being in contact with other writers as it’s lovely to get support from people who understand when the wibbles come a-calling or another rejection pops through your letterbox. Friends and family are lovely at picking me up when I’m down but there’s nothing like getting a kick up the backside from a fellow writer who has been there, done that and got so many t-shirts their wardrobe is over flowing!

So on the theme of not knowing many of you, I’d like the chance to rectify that a bit. I’d like to ask everyone what genres do you read? What genres do you write? Are they the same? Do you like to keep the genres you read separate from those you write? Do you like reading different genres or do you stick to the one genre you love most?

Me? I’m a chick lit girl. I love the romance and laughter that comes when you read about a character’s failed attempts at getting the man of her dreams, the job she’s wanted since forever and the things she gets up to with her friends. I sometimes read thrillers but not very often.

As for my writing, I try to write Chick lit but I think I’m probably better under the title of Women’s Fiction. I can’t seem to get the humour needed to make my writing ‘Chick lit-y’ enough. I would never manage to write a thriller as I don’t think I’m clever enough to make it twisty to keep readers reading.

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday!

Yours
Emily Tootsweet :o)

We interrupt this broadcast...

2010-04-16T09:03:00.002+01:00

Do scroll down to 'Softly Softly' - this week's coffee break from Rachel, but I just wanted to let you know I'm doing Shine in Manchester tomorrow night. It is a night-time walking marathon in aid of Cancer Research, and I would be very grateful if any of you would like to sponsor me! It's going to be a challenge, so if you're interested please sponsor me to Shine!

Thank you!

Softly Softly

2010-04-16T07:53:00.000+01:00

I have tea, coffee, instant chai latte (please help yourself -- I think it's disgusting) and de-caff tea and coffee and some rather wonderful thyme tea. Also chocolate. The local shop were selling four easter eggs for a pound. No wonder I'm overweight!

In one of the comments last week I touched on 'notecards' as a way of keeping track of characters (and confessed it was something I should do but didn't). What I do, though, is use a variety of noteboarding tools to help me keep track of the plot and subplots.

I regularly use Write It Now and have just started trying Text Block Writer and I've tried a few others in the past.

How about everyone else? Do you use paper? cards? software? or do you keep it all in your head?

Starting the re-write

2010-04-14T20:25:00.000+01:00

I've been a bit quiet of late but I can assure you that the writing is still going. I'm still waiting for things to settle down a bit at work before I start my writing course with The Writers' Bureau. I just wanted to say that after finishing the first draft of my first novel in October I am now ready to start the rewrite. It's a long time coming and I'm not going to rush it but the file has been re-opened and it doesn't seem so scary anymore.

Hello I'm back

2010-04-12T17:09:00.003+01:00

Hi all, I just wanted to pop by and say I am back! Apologies for my long silence but many of you know that I have been having treatment for breast cancer for the past 8 months. I am going to start blogging and writing again which is very exciting and also a little scary. My life has been very structured around medical treatment for so long that I feel institutionalised but it's time for me to join the wider world again...so here I am. I have missed being a part of this group and really look forward to being active again. There are a lot of words/thoughts bubbling around and it's time to try and make some sense of them all! I hope I can remember how to do all the technical bits with blogging!

Recurring Characters

2010-04-09T09:01:00.000+01:00

Tea ? Do help yourself. There's milk or lemon. Left-over easter egg, too.

As a writer I often re-use characters. Even if I'm not writing Harold and Jasfoup I regularly use a character over and over, particularly when I write erotica (of which I've placed a novel, a novella and three short stories this year already). It's because I know the characters; I know how they'll react in a given situation.

When I do have a new character I have to write flashes and drabbles for them. Most recently is Madame du Pardo, a psychic with the unfortunate ability of answering questions with the absolute truth. Does the questioner really want to know the man they love will, in six years, cash in their daughters insurance and college fund to pay for his cocaine habit?

What about you? Do you have recurring characters?

And they all Lived Happily Ever After

2010-04-02T08:00:00.001+01:00

Please help yourself to an egg before I scoff the lot - I'll stick with coffee this morning.

Yesterday I read a post at The Rejector which happened to mention that their agency rejects a lot of requested manuscripts because they don’t like the endings. They state “it’s surprisingly hard to bring a book to a good ending,” which surprised me as personally I loved writing mine!

When I started my novel I had a very clear idea of how it would finish and found it really exciting to work towards, even though I wasn’t sure what would happen on the way. Once I'd got into in my stride I enjoyed writing the middle bit too - the filling.

For me it was the beginning I struggled with. I felt like I couldn’t get the tone quite right and kept going back and fiddling with it endlessly, but it was important to me to stick with it this time instead of giving up like I have in the past.

Someone wise once told me that writers who give up on their works-in-progress will have lots of practice at writing beginnings (and maybe middles) but not much at writing endings, and that advice really stuck with me.

So maybe it was relief at finally getting there that made me relish being able to bring everything to a satisfying conclusion, but it made me wonder …

what are your weaknesses – beginnings, middles or endings?

Oh and Happy Easter!

The Day Job

2010-03-26T08:00:00.003Z

I'm on the Lemsip and Benylin today (not at the same time) as I'm full of cold. You can have all the chocolate brownies, because I won't be able to taste them anyway. Sniff ...

Now someone at work recently said to me, "Ooh if you get published you'll be able to give up work, how brilliant," and for a brief moment I envisaged myself swanning round the house all day every day in silky jim-jams, scoffing cake and staring into the middle distance, eyes narrowed, dreaming up scenes for my next masterpiece.

Then I remembered I do that anyway (only the jim-jams aren't silky) and actually no - I wouldn't like to give up working; probably couldn't afford to anyway. I rather like my job at the library and much as I love writing, and don't in any way see it as a chore, it can be a lonely business.

I do enjoy my own company (somebody has to) but I'm terrible at motivating myself to get on with it. Left to my own devices for months on end I suspect I'd think about writing a lot, but never actually do any.

I also like interatcting with 'real' people and often come home brimming with ideas. Bizarrely, I find that the less time I have to write, the more I do. Make sense? I thought not.

Mind you, I only work part-time. Maybe if I was full-time I'd feel differently.

How about you? Do you long to chuck in the day job?

(Oh, and why is there still no cure for the common cold??)

Two things

2010-03-22T03:36:00.000Z

I see (below left) we've run out of hosts for Friday coffee mornings. Can we have a show of hands for the upcoming weeks please?

Also, on a personal note, I'm thinking of booking Caerleon in July and wondered of those of you that had done it - what did you think? Useful? Please let me know.

This is Your Life

2010-03-19T05:51:00.005Z

The nicest thing about writers is that we come from all walks of life and it's really of no consequence what we do in our day job. When I was in Caerleon, Ray Allen (the writer of Some Mothers Do 'ave 'Em) said he was cleaning toilets at the BBC when he finally cracked it and was signed up for the series. Who cares? It's a bit like singing - take Susan Boyle, for example, or in my home town, Faryl Smith. Very ordinary people with extraordinary talent.

In the garden that represents my life there are a few lush, fertile patches which yield the best pickings for ideas. By far the richest one is meetings, especially the 15 minutes or so beforehand when people are arriving and chatting over coffee. Another good idea generator is the body language, or the things people don't say, rather than what they do say. I'll give you a little example from this week's crop of meetings (names changed to protect the innocent). This was just before the start of the meeting at the coffee machine.

'How did it go, Wilfred?'
'I tell you, mate, it was like playing snakes and bloody ladders. That's the worst thing about Pat, she has an answer for everything. It's so frustrating at times.'

I didn't have a clue what the two people were talking about, but I didn't need to, because the analogy of a game of snakes and ladders with having a difficult conversation was all I needed. That was the first idea that night. Another example was when one of the people at a daytime meeting kept glancing up at the clock, and then there was the distinct buzz of a vibrating mobile phone in her pocket, which she then took out and scrolled down a lengthy text message. While she was reading it she was obviously completely distracted from the meeting because someone mentioned something she should have answered, and didn't. All eyes were on her, but she was reading her text, completely oblivious. Hmmmm ... interesting, or what?

I also like the school playground in the mornings, watching the yummy mummies and the slummy mummies and wondering why one bloke in particular ALWAYS parks his car just a couple of feet over the zig zags near the zebra crossing, even when there's plenty of room for him to park outside the forbidden zone. That says a lot about him, don't you think? And also revs up a writer's imagination into overdrive.

So, if I have rich pickings, idea-wise, in my life, then other Novel Racers must too.

What situations in your life are the best idea generators?

Author Blog Awards

2010-03-12T19:22:00.000Z

Author Blog Awards

Hello All

Have you heard about this?

http://www.completelynovel.com/author-blog-awards

I don't know how to post a link so I hope it works! I'm going to nominate the Novel Racers Blog but if you want to either nominate yourself or a friend, the criteria is that the blog is updated and the writer - published or unpublished - had written at least one book!

Head Hopping and Heavy Rain

2010-03-12T03:54:00.005Z

Good morning everyone. I'm afraid I'm at work today, but I've managed to give myself an hour or so off and I've booked the Mayor's Parlour for our coffee morning. There are expensive M & S goodies and proper coffee, as well as a variety of posh teas. Please help yourselves (to tea, coffee and biscuits – not the silver!)

A few months ago my friend decided to conduct a little experiment and I was the subject of the hypothesis. It went something like this:-

'Can a writer identify why a particular novel is not such a good read as others published by the same author.'

She handed me a second-hand paperback which she had covered with brown paper to hide the author and title and told me I mustn't 'cheat' and try and find out who had written it. She had torn out the acknowledgement pages etc.

I have to say it was a mediocre novel. It wasn't memorable, and yet it wasn't that bad either. I wasn't able to identify the author from the work and I hadn't read the book before. There was a proliferation of various speech tags, for example 'he growled', 'she boasted', 'she sighed' and 'he said menacingly'. There were also quite a few splatterings of adverbs, but I honestly couldn't see any of this detracted from the enjoyment of the reading in any way.

I decided to mark the sections of the book that flowed well, and where I wanted to gallop to the end of the chapter, and then mark in a different colour the parts that didn't seem to work.

And then, eureka, I had it! It was head hopping that slowed the pace and made me lose interest. In several places the author had head hopped within a particular sub-section and in a couple of chapters there were three or more points of view batted back and forth within a couple of pages. Where the author had stuck to one point of view, either for an entire chapter or sub-section of a chapter, the story flowed much better.

It was a useful exercise and made me realise how important it is to tell the story from the right character's viewpoint for a particular scene, and to keep to that viewpoint for the entire section. If not, it will slow the pace and the reader will lose interest.

Now to Heavy Rain (there's a review on this website for those of you who might be interested) This computer game isn't 'played' in the traditional sense - it's like writing a story on screen as you go along, and it reminded me of the brown paper covered novel experiment. You can choose whose point of view you want to use and there are, I think, four choices. Within those four choices, you can decide what actions the character will take. It's like drawing a mind map or a decision tree and just like planning a novel. The story itself is a compelling and gritty murder mystery. There are different storylines, sub-plots and endings depending on the point of view you choose and the decisions you make as the game progresses. I didn't play it myself, but was completely absorbed when my son was playing it the other day.

Have any other Novel Racers analysed a published novel to find out what works and what doesn't? If so, what did you discover? Also, what do you think of the concept of computer games like Heavy Rain?

Notice

2010-03-10T10:52:00.000Z

I've posted over at the other blog. I've got myself in a situation and any advice would be much appreciated.

JJx

Music and Lyrics

2010-03-04T11:02:00.002Z

Good morning everyone! Come in, today I am organised and have real coffee and Pain au chocolat...oh wait. Had pain of chocolat, the eight year old found then first. Still, please do sit down while I pour you a cup.

Long ago I was the manager of a lovely little bookshop in London Bridge. There were two good things about that job, the big launch parties the publishers used to throw before money got tight - going to those parties was the only way I didn't starve to death living in London on slave wages - and getting to see proofs of new book long before they were published, which always made me feel ever special.

One morning I got something rather different, It was a novel by Isabelle Allende. I'll be honest I can't remember the title anymore, but what was different about it was that it had a CD inside the cover. Music was a central theme in the book and Isabelle had decided that a CD of the relevant pieces of classic and operatic music should be included so that the reader could listen as they read. Sort of early multimedia if you like.

A few years later when I was studying for an MA in creative writing, our tutor Sue Gee brought in a writer friend of hers to talk to us. Now I am ashamed to say I can't remember his name either, remembering things is not my best thing you will have gathered by now. He was a man who love musicals, and he had written his book in the form of a musical, complete with brass bands and dance numbers, hoping to create a score in his readers head. If you know the name of this book and author you get ten bonus points. He liked, I seem to remember, the idea that each reader would create a different musical.

And when I was eighteen I remember reading Howard's End for the first time and that wonderful passage where Foster describes the images and visions inspired by Beethoven's fifth and the profound effect it has on the impulsive and impressionable character of Helen. Panic and Emptiness, Panic and Emptiness! I think that was the first time I understood that a book be about more than simply telling a story.

And of course there a book like Nick Hornby's brilliant High Fidelity which make music an integral part of the prose.

For me, music is often present in my writing, all though often in a much more oblique way. The most obvious example I can think if is at the end of my first novel Growing Up Twice, the main character takes to the stage to sing 'Aretha Franklin's Respect! Sometimes I will find myself writing song lyrics into dialogue which on the whole is not really allowed, most notably there is a line from a Gershwin tune, set deep in the prose of my fourth novel, The Baby Group which simply would not go away, it was the perfect description for that particular moment and I couldn't bring myself to take it out. I like the fact that I know its there and wonder how many other people, if any, have ever spotted it. For my Ruby Parker books I created a whole fictional musical called 'Spotlight!' and wrote and recorded two songs from it which can still be heard on MySpace if you look very carefully! Often as I write I hear a sound track in my head - music that influences what I'm writing but in no way makes an appearance on the page.

So my question to you, dear racers is in two parts. Do you have a favourite 'musical' novel? And do you write music into your prose?

Great Expectations

2010-02-25T18:32:00.005Z

Good morning, come in. Its chaos here, I'm trying to get my eight year old to eat something not chocolate based before school and the baby has discovered the joy of throwing his breakfast. There is coffee, but it's only instant and I think there's a stale croissant at the back of the bread bin, but you'll have to fight over it. Still, move a pile of laundry off of a chair, take a seat and relax. Do you take sugar, only I've run out and the thing is the only milk I've got is formula milk.....

So wow, what can I post about I wonder, so many brilliant and original subjects have been covered here over the last few months. And then here on the eve (ok I cheated I'm writing this while baby cat naps on Thursday evening) ....on the eve of publication of Tamsyn's first novel MY SO CALLED AFTER LIFE, I realised that part of the joy of being part of the racers over the last two years has been seeing my friends achieve so much - Calistro, Tam, Caroline to name just a few of us have found all the hard work, dedication and belief they've put in finally paying off.

I've been in print now for the best part of a decade. I've had a great career so far, never quite edging it into the top ten (top fifteen three times!) but I've made the New York Times bestseller once (for about five minutes) and seen my book published in several countries with some modest success. I even get royalties now, got a cheque for £18.97 last week. And to have a writing career over so many years is in itself an achievement. But is it what I expected when I started out? No, not really. I expected to sell a million copies of every book, to see some Hollywood starlet star in the film adaptation (s) and to finally get the chance to air my booker prize winning speech that I have been practicing since the age of nine. Almost ten years in and I know how lucky I've been to have come this far, but if I'm honest and prepared to risk some ridicule I still practice that speech in the bath, even though I know that I haven't ever really been eligible to for that particular prize since I discovered that I am the kind of writer that writes the kind of books that people read for fun. But, for me at least, part of being a writer is that you never stop dreaming or hoping or believing that dreams can come true, not matter how improbable they might be. And who knows maybe one day someone will preface my name with the words 'And the winner is....' Even if it is only the lady calling out the raffle prize results at the Brownies Bring and Buy.

And so my post is short but sweet. We all write because we must, its part of us, it is what we are. But whether you are published or not, whether you write simply for the joy of it or to pay your bills - what are your great expectations? What do you secretly dream of for your writing life and do you believe that reality has or will match up to you dreams?

Still here - I think!

2010-02-25T10:56:00.000Z

Careful of what you wish for, eh? It is tres busy here. Anyway, dear hearts, just wanted to say that if you see a Chris Stovell lurking about the place it is me. ChrisH had to go because of the new Choc Lit Authors' Corner. Confused? I am. And I have a truly horrid cold so don't get too close.

thinking, thinking

2010-02-23T15:50:00.002Z

Luckily I checked the rota and realised I have to think of something witty and clever to write about for coffee morning by Friday.....no mean task with all the brilliant post recently - but in the mean time I blogged over on my page if you happen to be passing.

Secret Lives

2010-02-19T09:17:00.004Z

I have a mixed selection of biscuits, some plain, most with chocolate and one or two custard creams, so please help yourself. I've given up biscuits for Lent - as well as chocolate, cake and crisps - in an attempt to loose one or two (thousand) pounds, so I'll only join you for a cup of strong tea this morning.

A couple of years ago at an RNA conference, I think it was my first, I was eating lunch with a small group of women and probably was listening more than taking part in the conversation. They were asking each other the usual questions: what is your book about; how many have you written; have you had anything published, etc.

One of them started asking my about my writing, courses I'd attended, what I had planned to do next, and so on. At the end of the lunch she told me that I was living so far in my comfort zone that if I wanted to build my confidence as a writer I had to push myself and 'get out there'.

People who know me generally find it amusing to think that I could ever consider myself to be remotely shy in any way, but back then the thought of self-promotion was worrying, to say the least. That's when I decided to be brave and start a blog. I attended more conferences, the excellent London Bookfair Masterclass, a week at Caerleon and thought of myself more of a writer, rather than someone pretending to be one.

However, it was only when I had a piece in My Weekly about writing in my shed that anyone other than my family realized my secret. One of the PA's emailed literally everyone in the company - 180 or so people - showing them. So now they all know that I'm the barmy one who spends hours each week writing books in a shed. Even when attending a course about Trust & Company Law - oh, the excitement that is my life - the organizer told the lawyer who was tutoring us, as well as the rest of the class that I write 'books about passion and romance'. You can imagine how colourful my face was at that point.

So, my question to you this morning is: how much of a secret is your writing? Is it common knowledge to those around you that you write? Or is it only close family members who notice you disappearing for hours at a time and who understand why you've suddenly tuned out of what they were saying whilst out to dinner, so that you can listen to the fascinating conversation on the next table?

Book three - first draft - in the bag

2010-02-18T20:16:00.001Z

Well, I finished it.

It was supposed to have been around 100k but it kept on growing.

Finally I stopped at 112,192 words.

Now to live my life again...

Not totally gone

2010-02-16T19:10:00.000Z

Hello, remember me? I know I left Novel Racers last year as I was doing b****r all writing and was busy moving abroad. I just wanted to stop by to say hello and let you all know that I still read this blog and visit everyone on the blog roll. Even though I haven't been commenting. *slaps wrist*
A few days ago an idea sparkled its way into my mind just as I was falling to sleep. I was very tired. Then I wasn't very tired. My mind was buzzing with ideas. I haven't felt this way for a long time about writing. It is exciting. Scary, but exciting. I am not allowed to work here in the US. Immigration won't allow it. I have time. Time to write. I can do it. I will do it. Oh yes I will.
I am not thinking about trying to find an agent/publisher here in America.
I am thinking about writing. I had a bit of a 'woe is me' moment when I got a bit depressed. I was expecting it as I am thousands of miles away from everyone and everything I know. Even though I was expecting it, it wasn't much fun.
I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and it is getting brighter. I am sure the little idea sparkle fairy helped.
Hopefully I will drop by at bit more to the blogs and comment. I don't want to be totally forgotten.
My main blog will be getting deleted soon but my expat blog is up and running if you would like to visit it.

Spread Sheets & Making Time

2010-02-12T10:54:00.003Z

This morning I took my daughter to the bus stop, came home, updated my blog, put on a wash, took the dog to be clipped, typed up my husbands Profit/Loss Accounts, then checked to see if the Novel Racer Coffee Morning post was up. As it wasn't I made a cup of tea, then had a nagging feeling (second one today - the other one is mentioned in my blog post), so decided to check who was actually hosting todays Coffee Morning. Me.

So, by way of an apology at my disorganization, please feel free to help yourself to a cake. There's another plateful when these run out, so don't hold back.

Talking about being disorganized, I was wondering how everyone else keeps up with all their writing commitments.

I have a diary where I write in everything I've submitted, when and whether by post or email. I also have two spreadsheets. One for short stories, competitions, reviews and other pieces I may have submitted, and another for my novels stating who I've submitted them to, when and what the outcome was. Needless to say the novel one is a tiny list, as I haven't really submitted much at all.

I find these lists also help me keep up with deadlines of competitions, my writing course assignments, stories I need to write, or anything else I want to remember. Obviously, I didn't include todays Coffee Break post.

As we're all so busy with various aspects of our lives, such as being chauffeurs to family members, work commitments, and of course our writing ambitions, I was wondering how you manage to keep track of everything and manage your time.

Well Done the Novel Racers

2010-02-11T19:42:00.002Z

Just a quick thank you for your company at my coffee post. Sorry not to have replied to all your great comments, but flipping hand is still playing up.

Congrats to Rowan and Tam for their amazing sucesses. Maybe we could have another amazon link thingy for the NR's books? Trying not to look at Captain who is so good at the tricky stuff.

Over and out.

Hello from a Stranger

2010-02-11T19:07:00.002Z

Hi Everyone!!

I feel like such a fraud posting on this blog since I've been so quiet recently. But I am still a member here, I hope!

Just letting you know I've posted a little blog at the private place.

I'm still around even though I haven't commented on blogs, coffee breaks etc etc. I'm hoping this will change from now.