Blurb writing -v- Synposis

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 Writing a synopsis is the hardest thing for any writer. We agonise over it and sometimes if feels as if it would be easier to write another book than pen a synopsis. But if you are sending your work out on submission to an agent or publisher, you need to write one.

It has been suggested that it might be useful to write one before you start writing your novel. In some respects for a plotter that might work, but not for me. But you need to know where your story is leading, and so it makes sense doesn't it?

For a panster like me, this has always been something I've struggled with. I'm a random writer starting things without thought as to whether it is a piece of flash, a short story or something longer. This isn't the best way to work, as it can be time consuming later on with re-write etc. Often I write to see where the piece is going and this can create a bit of a stop-start format until I get into something. Every time I write something I approach it differently. I've tried to be more methodical, but I find it squashes my creativity and I've had to accept that this is the way I work.

However, I have devised an in between way of coping. Once I begin something new and realise that it is going to be a longer piece, a potential novella say, I write a blurb. This helps me with direction and puts into place some sort of way forward. And, of course, it can always be changed!

For those who don't know (and I'm sure you do), a synopsis sets out the story with all the main characters and major plot scenes. It is the spoiler alert as it contains the ending. It runs to between 500-800 words. A blurb has to hook the reader in, often asks questions to keep the reader hanging, but never gives away the ending. It is also a lot shorter, typically 100-200 words. You also have to consider how much space there will be on the back of your book, so 250 words is about the limit.

Since publishing my book, How to Take a Lawnmower Home on the Tube, I have stepped back from writing for while. It's been so full on, and my Christmas book Tinsel Street will be coming out later this year (I am just about to approve the eBook version). However, I've been thinking about what I want to do next. I have various manuscripts that need editing, but I also began something new about a month or so ago which has formed the idea for this post today. I wasn't sure whether it had legs, but over the last few days, I've decided it does. I hand wrote some notes and put down ideas for scenes (gosh, a little foray into plotting!) and have borrowed a book from the library for a little research. And this morning I wrote a blurb having thought about the direction this story would take. Writing the way I was with no direction wasn't working. I needed, for once, a place to get to, and I've also 'sort of' seen in my head where it will end (and that's a bit new for me too!)

Everyone works differently, and that is okay as long as it works for you. Some people write their scenes randomly (not in order) and then piece it together at the end (horror!), some write an outline of every scene and chapter before they start, and some, like me, have no idea of the ending or even where the next chapter will take them! I do like my characters to develop and I take my lead from them. 

Here is a bit more about my writing::

• My writing is character led.
• I make a note of first names I like, especially when I hear a name that's not so common.
• Mornings are my best writing times. If I have to write at other times, I find it harder to get going and it's more of a chore. My brain seems to function better shortly after I've woken up.
• Dreams or parts of them sometimes feature in my work.
• I write to music (mainly non-vocal trance). Music with words stop me writing and I want to, and do, sing along! I have playlists, some specific for certain scenes, and some songs remind me of certain characters. One character in an unpublished novel will forever be in my mind when I hear Bon Jovi's 'It's My Life' and Faithless' 'Insomnia'.
• Food, music and art often feature in my writing, especially food. Don't ask me why, it just does. Wait until you read Tinsel Street!
• I love quirky characters.
• The dark and the light - those are my two extremes
• Humour features in everything I write somewhere, if only one line.
• I love playlists and maps in books.
• Writing across genres is my thing. I like to experiment and don't want to be pigeonholed into one genre. I'd soon get bored! 
• I read on average one book a week across genres, including non-fiction. I sometimes get ideas from something I read for either a poem or a story.

What do you most struggle with in your writing? What do you enjoy most? ? I'm always happy to read your comments. 

Flash collection now published!

 

I am pleased and excited to finally announce that my collection of flash stories has been published. How To Take A Lawnmower Home on the Tube and Other Absurd Acts of Everyday Survival deals with loss, desire and absurdity. 

I am really pleased with this little collection and to hold my copies in my hands was a real thrill when they arrived today. The book is available in paperback and ebook from Amazon, but will soon be available to order at bookshops. A direct link to the book on Amazon is https://mybook.to/HTTLH

Here is the back blurb:

This has been a long journey, and I am so excited to finally share this with you. If you like dark humour, or the weird, you'll enjoy this. The stories cross genres. Some are short 75 word flashes while others are longer. I wonder which story will be your favourite.

Two books coming soon!

My messy writing room with dog!

 I thought I'd update you on what's going on in my writing world. To say it's been hectic, is an understatement. Who would try and get two books published so close together? Ah, that would be me.

Tinsel Street is on track for publication at the end of August. I've just approved the amendments to the editorial edits and the book will now be going to the printers. I have seen and approved the front and back cover of the book, and I cannot wait to reveal this to you. I have put together a Spotify Playlist, but will add to it and will share the link here and on my author page on Troubador by publication date.

My goal for this year was to publish Tinsel Street and a collection of flash stories. These are stories previously published through print or ezines over many years, but I have added some new unpublished stories to the mix. I also have a cover for this one now and I just love it! I'm now waiting for the typeset version to approve or amend. This collection will hopefully be out in a few weeks and I cannot wait to share this with you.

The process of getting two books ready has been stressful (unless you have been through this, you have no idea what's involved), Even when you think all the typos have been found and changed, more stick out their ugly heads. Despite proofreading by me and others (many times), things are missed. So I apologise in advance for any that slip through. That's been my biggest worry. I go from being elated to feeling overwhelmed. My comfort zone is being stretched. Us anxiety-ridden introverts don't cope well, but I am also excited, and to see your name on a cover, well, it's the best thing in the world. And it's given me a confidence I never knew I had. Reading through my manuscripts was a positive thing as I sat back and thought, actually this is rather good. That might sound stupid, but no one bigs you up in the writing world. You have to push yourself forward and go for it.

I've spent years sitting on the edge thinking 'I'm not good enough' even though I've had a lot of work published in magazines. I once described writing like a video game. You desperately try to reach the next level, but to break through is hard. You get stuck at one level and never think you will move up. I've have finally started to move up.

I've always been honest about my writing journey, the highs and the lows. Of course, everyone will have a different story to tell, but one thing I will say is this. Do what you feel comfortable with, or rather do what works for you to get where you want to be. You might not make the bestseller list (and I have no illusions about that). Don't set impossible goals. I once told myself, if after five years I've not made it, I'll give up. Hah! What a comedown that was. Of course, some writers hit the big time with a first book. They are lucky ones. Your goal might be to get a story or poem published in a certain magazine. Mine were Popshot and Ink Sweat & Tears. I achieved those and oh, was I happy! I've never made it into Mslexia, but I can live with that. Whatever small success can be built on.

Don't let anyone put you off your goal, but do it in stages. If you aim high the comedown will be immense if you don't achieve it. I've been there.

Although I will have my books, I shall continue to send out submissions the way I always have. Every little success is another addition to your writer's CV. But now I have the flavour of seeing a cover with my name on it, it has urged me on to do it again!

Another thing, I'm not someone who is pushy about my work, but if you don't do it, who will? Marketing/publicity is not my strong point, but with the job of putting the book together myself in someone elses hands (someone who can do a far better job than me), I am now freed up to do some pushing. More and more publishers expect their writers to do it, traditionally published or not, so it has to be part of what you do. I'm learning a lot as the process of book publishing goes on. 

The cost? Yes, there is a cost to publishing in the hybrid world, but I've come round to this way of thinking. What do you spend on a hobby in a year? I've heard of people spending thousands on their racing bike and all the equipment. It's their passion and so the money doesn't matter. I don't keep an account of how much money I spend on books, which is just as well! In the past it was music and as a teenager I'd buy at least one single a week and probably an album, too. Then there are holidays. Writing is my passion (sorry about likening it to a hobby....I hate it when people tell me 'well, its just hobby'....arrh!), and I decided to think about the cost as what I spend on holidays. 

To have a professional book that can sit alongside other novels was my goal. I want readers to be able to order my book at Waterstones (and you will be able to), not just Amazon (though you can). Of course, I don't have copies in my hand yet, but I can't wait. Should I have done this years ago? Maybe, but sometimes it takes something to click before you can do it. For me it was my birthday. I'm going to seventy this week. I don't want to sound morbid, but how many years do I have to shunt my manuscripts around? It was now or never. That's how I felt. Yes, I do wish I'd done it sooner, but I'm not dwelling on that because I am enjoying the moment, and maybe I wouldn't have been ready for this back then. Things changed last year for me. Certain events spurred me on, and then I joined a writing group. Feedback was positive on what I read, and they encouraged me to write more.

With all this going on I've been unable to write new things. I have two potential books started, but abandoned. I have other things that need my attention when I have time. Stories that need more editing, things in various stages of not quite complete. But one thing I love about hybrid publishing is that I am not a genre branded writer. I am in control, and that is important to me. That extends to titles and book covers. I've heard of traditionally published writers complaining that their title has been changed and they are not happy with their covers. I love mine and I cannot wait to share them with you.

More to reveal soon.

Books, books books - My reading habits

 

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What are you reading right now? If you read the side bar of this blog I list my current read and the last five books I have read. There have been a lot of LJ Ross on there lately. This is because I do a swap with a friend. We are both reading the DCI Ryan series. I picked up four of her books in a charity shop and my friend bought some. I was the one who started it as I read LJ Ross' first book. The place it was set (Holy Island) interested me because I have visited the island. All the books are set in Northumbria, a place I love, but haven't been back to in ages.

The storylines can vary, but I love the characters and the humour between the detectives. I like it when I find an author with a series I can get into. How about you?

I read, on average, a book a week. Apart from swaps with friends, I buy in charity shops and bookshops. I always ask for book vouchers for my birthday and Christmas. In the past, I have been given Amazon vouchers too.

What do you do with your books when you've read them? Mine go to charity or for swaps. Do I keep any? Usually, only non-fiction, but that's getting out of hand! Recently I was going through my read books, the ones I had decided to keep. I thought maybe now was the time to pass some on. Oh, it was hard, and in the end I shut the door saying, 'I can't deal with this now!' I have far too many books that I can't seem to pass on. Some are reference books. I have several, okay, more than several, about London, including London in Victorian times. Then there are art books, mainly from exhibitions, and some I've not yet got round to reading. I have nature books, poetry, language books (yeah, like I'm ever going to master German, but there's always that sneaking feeling that I just might go back to it). What is a poor bookaholic to do?

In my writing room I have a shelf of books which include a huge Chambers Thesaurus, some magazines in which I have been published, art, a whole series of walking guides (Thames Path, Capital Ring, London Waterways, The Lea Valley Way, South Downs Way and Isle of Wight walks). I have more of these downstairs! Then there are my files and books on writing and lots of notebooks, though most of the notebooks are in a drawer. In this room is also most of my art materials. I have a big box under the chest of drawers with sketch books on top. I never seem to have time to draw, paint or whatever, and Rue the dog has chewed some of the edges of the sketch books (he was a puppy then).

My books are snuck under the bed in my writing room, in a cupboard in the bedroom and downstairs on various shelves. I really must make an effort to reduce my haul because I know I will add to them, however much I try not to buy another book on walking routes. My haul is getting out of hand.

I try not to let my fiction TBR pile build up these days and I've stuck to that....somehow! But oh, how I love bookshops. There's always another book I want to buy. I love touching books, and I love raised images or letters on covers, adore little maps inside books and the odd Spotify playlist to go with a book. I also love author interviews about how they got into writing/what made them write this book and so on. 

Because I read a varied mix of genres, I've found it hard to pinpoint my favourite genre, but I think I've found that I often crave for a crime/thriller or psychological thriller. I enjoy fast paced books with plenty of tension with those great chapter endings that make you want to read on. But I also enjoy a little humour (and I write a lot of it). Bob Mortimer's books are fun, and the classic Cold Comfort Farm is brilliant. Yet I will delve into the odd YA, literary and even a bit of sci-fi, though it has to be just the right thing. I quite like cli-fic and apocalyptic stories too. A little horror is okay as long as it isn't gory, and I like gothic.

At the moment I have two Ann Cleeves books waiting to be read (swaps), a Sarah Moss, a poetry book, a non-fiction book on the Thames Estuary and a huge book about the Thames (definitely a dip in and out of book) by Peter Ackroyd. Oh, and I still have an LJ Ross book (of course).

Now my book pile is so low, I hope to visit the library soon and start borrowing again, but passing a bookshop is a struggle. I want to go in and surround myself with books....my happy place. Even the writing group meets in Waterstones for its free-writing sessions, and I've already spotted a book I want!

What motivates you?

 

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What motivates you to write? What makes you get out your pen and pencil or open your laptop to write? Sometimes we go through spells of unproductiveness. I've tried to work out what causes this. Often when I finish something, I step away from writing for a bit and then can't seem to settle to any other project. I feel unsettled and I cannot work out why, and I've come to the conclusion that I am actually missing writing.

It's the starting that is the difficult bit. Like staring at the blank page, but as soon as I begin putting words on the page, I'm drawn in and I feel happier. Things like editing...I feel I can't get going. Maybe because it seems such an overwhelming task. Yet again, once I start, everything becomes easier.

New tasks or projects come in strange ways. I might read a book or a poem, a sentence, something I see or something that makes me stop, something that needs researching and then I am in writing. Those are my motivation drivers. I love it when that happens because the idea and writing are often instantaneous and the writing process isn't a slog, which it can be at other times when things aren't working. Then it's time for a walk. Leave the work for a while and do something else until the problem has been worked through.

But it doesn't end there. I am motivated by other writers when I meet them at open mic nights, a workshop or writing friends when we get together. Poetry readings, writing conferences, anywhere writers gather and work is read fires me up. I don't feel so alone and I want to go away and get stuck in.

It may be different for you and I'd love to hear about it, because we can all learn from one another. I have now (I hope) solved the problem of leaving comments. It was me 😏 and not Blogger, something that needed to be embedded. Give it a go. I won't know if it works until someone leaves a comment.

Blog re-vamp and finding submission windows

 

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Yesterday I re-vamped my blog. I do hope you like it. I realised that this was long overdue, and some things weren't working properly. I've fixed that now. However, I know some people have said they find it hard to leave comments. Not sure how to fix that as I think it's more a Blogger problem than mine. I will see if there is a way round that, but I'm not holding my breath. You can still re-blog and send my posts elsewhere!

I have checked all the links and taken out ones that no longer work and changed the theme, added a sub-heading and am pretty pleased with it.

As I said, I want to be more active on my blog. So today, I'm starting by talking about where to find submission windows for your poetry and stories.

Submission windows

I subscribe to Mslexia who list submission windows, as do Writing Magazine. However, I have found that these aren't always up to date. Do check the websites first as sometimes submission windows are only open two or three times a year. Writing Magazine has a lot of US websites listed. Quite a few of those charge a reading fee. I don't mind paying for a competition now and then, but reading fees? Maybe that's why it's mainly US publication that can afford to pay their contributors. I guess it's down to what you can afford and whether you feel it's worth it.

Another good source for finding open submission windows is, I hate to say it, X (formerly twitter). I've had some success in having my work published through several zines I've found there. They are all worth checking out to see if what they publish suits you.

Finally, Robin Houghton's list (see side panel of blog for link) is brilliant. Again, I use it quite a lot.

Do your research with any publication. Often I find they don't want the type of work I write, or are exclusive to certain groups of people. Check word counts, the total amount of submissions you can send, and please, please read all the rules for entry and the format they want them in. Ignoring these things will get your work dismissed straight away. After all the work you put into writing, you can't afford to ignore the rules. Each publication has its own style. Admittedly, some can get a bit picky, but it's their baby, often run by volunteers, so please respect them.

One other thing, please support one or two magazines/zines where you can. Subscriptions keep them running. You can support one for a year and then switch if you want, unless you get hooked by one. My current favourite is Streetcake. It is experimental, which kind of goes against what I write (though I did get one poem in there). It's interesting, different and gives me inspiration to occasionally write outside the box.

Happy submitting!

Sometimes the only advice you need is your own

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Websites v Blogs

 I thought I was doing well setting up a website. After Googling various ways to upload photos and using spacers, I was so pleased to get what I wanted. As I was doing so well, I decided to add social media buttons. It all looked straightforward, but could I get the damn things to work? More Googling, checking, putting my URL's in again, but no, they would not work. I read some things I didn't understand and was losing hope. Instead I looked to see how my layout looked to those visiting the site and the photo, which I had spent ages on inserting, was not there! It's in my edit window, but not visible to anyone. The social media logos were missing too.

At this point I thought, do I actually want this website? Writers are advised to have one, though I know several writers who don't have one. I've said all along that I've become attached to my blog which I have written since 2009. It's changed a bit from the early days, but I was beginning to wonder what I'd put on a website. Could I abandon my blog? After what I went through this morning, I've decided it is not worth the hassle. Yes, I've spent money buying a domain, but I can cancel the subscription so I'm not paying for something I'm clearly not going to use.

I cannot afford to pay anyone to build me a website, and no doubt there would be a monthly fee on top, so what this boils down to is a re-vamping of my blog. At present I only post about once a month. I think I need to be a little more active, but also to change the 'pages' around a bit. Although Blogger can be annoying at times, I can usually sort things out. I'm not very technically minded (I quit WordPress for the same reason). Blogger is more user friendly for me....better the devil you know!

So I am going to do some work on the blog which I hope people will enjoy.

Some time ago I spoke about Substack. I signed up a while back to follow a couple of people, and I now have a profile and a photo. That's as far as I've got, but I am considering using it in the future. I just need to figure out where I am going with it. I want to do something different to this blog, but link them. I think Substack could be a good substitute for a website as it has some of the same features.

News and an announcement

This afternoon I have been with my writing group. Just four of us today., I really wanted to be there as I can't make the next prose meeting, and maybe not the next writing session. We had a good chat about self-publishing as well as writing. I took along a sheet with three sections of five random words as prompts in case there weren't any prompts this time (sometimes there aren't). No one used them, but I brought them home and I may use them myself sometime.

I used the time to write my task for the course I am taking at the moment. Live Canon is running a four-week correspondence course in poetry 'Line breaks'. I'm in catch-up mode as I joined a few days late, but I'm really enjoying the first week. Feedback is given not only by the tutor but one can share their work with others on the course. So, today I was writing the piece for feedback. The task only took ten minutes (as per the task instruction), so I tried writing some poetry, but nothing was working. In the end I went back to something I started writing at the writing group before. I have done no plotting and this is the third part! I only write it when I'm there. I really must do some world building and work out what I'm aiming for. It's a sort of cli-fi story. I read out what I had written today and apologised if it didn't make sense, but the overall feedback was good. 

Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on
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The back end of April had a piece of flash fiction published by Ink Sweat & Tears called The Second Coming. It's funny and I loved writing it. If you read my bio at the end you see that I have stated that my first full length novella is due to be published later this year. So, now seems to be a good time to announce the exciting news that Tinsel Street, my Christmas feel-good short novel is to published by Troubador, hopefully at the end of August. The copy edits have been done and I have a front cover! The printing of the inside is being done now. I have an author page already and there is a link to this blog. I am still working on the content of the author page and will share this too in the future. There's not much on there yet. Oh, and I am going to compile a Tinsel Street playlist on Spotify to go with the book! This was a late thought and I might not get a link in the book, but I will share it here. More news to follow.

Meanwhile, I am still submitting and managed six submissions last month. And that's me for now. Thanks for reading and have a good week folks.