Path To Publication

May 24, 2016

Making Mistakes

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Okay, so who here enjoys making mistakes?  Anyone?  I expect to be greeted with a deafening silence on that one.  Stupid question?  Not really.

The ways in which we can be taken for a ride, hoodwinked and generally made a fool of seem to grow exponentially as the years pass, though I don’t think it has anything to do with growing older, necessarily.  Anyone who works alone or for themselves is constantly at risk of being pressured, emotionally pulled or socially expected to expend their energy or part with their hard-earned cash in the hope of gaining more.  Yes, we need to invest in our futures, but how much, and with whom?  And how can we justify spending our time and money on a dream, a grand idea that may procure nothing more than a few half-hearted endorsements, or a clearer idea of the mistakes we made that we will not make again…?

We try a dozen things, and nothing happens.  We try a hundred, two hundred, and somewhere, somehow, the bud that is our hopes begins to unfurl.  We keep trying, and then, one day and totally out of the blue, we may receive some un-qualifiedly brilliant news that is like a bright light, buoying up our hopes. It is that light we are looking for.  And, I don’t see any other way to get to it except by making mistakes.  Lots and lots and lots….. we cast our hopes high and some land on good soil.  The rest, well, they may show us other paths, which we can choose to follow, or leave for later.  Other patches of ground we till with our hopes may grow into thickets of thorns that we know to avoid.  That in itself is a good thing.

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But – we should be pleased with ourselves for even having the courage to try and maybe get it wrong; even to enjoy making mistakes.  To make mistakes is natural, normal and very necessary, (though it’s good to have a fall-back position so that we don’t end up feeling as if we lost the best years, or our families saw only our back views for too long).

As my friend might say, it’s all about balance. Which is tricky at the best of times.

Thanks for reading!

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April 28, 2016

I Am Writing Books

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I am writing books.  Not only my first three (a series of MBS – the next two in the series after ‘Trapped’ being publication ready) but now fiction, which, despite everything, is fictional, rather than invented.  It is about realistic women and men, their frailties and weaknesses, as well as their triumphs.  Though I often find myself taking shelter from harsh realities of life – and have often read to escape – I have always believed in portraying all my characters as convincingly as possible.  I hope they do sound and feel true to life.  I could not write about a pasha or a woman seduced by the Sheikh of Arabia, because, apart from empathising with the human condition I know little about life in a harem.

MartineauLastChapter

I have entered a very determined phase in the writing, in which I can see, and know I can write, three or four books in a series of books about women of a certain age who are having to navigate domestic responsibilities, work challenges, and caring duties that, a generation ago, would have been shouldered by a wider extended family, but these days, increasingly fall on the shoulders of one or two individuals.

And what have I learned in the last few months?  That we all try our best; that human lives are filled with broken dreams, with hopes that die in bud, with ideals that are warped by the pressures of the daily grind.  But, in the midst of the daily grind we have a responsibility to be gentle and forgiving with each other, to take on the responsibilities as well as the joys of love; and to live each day as a gift, which it is.  Above the clouds, the sun is always shining.  During each second that we breathe, we can take a stand for what we believe in.  We can declare for all the world to see, our right to be wrong, to be frail and sad, but also to be cheerful and pleased with life.  To regret is not weakness, but a chance to try again differently. To mourn is not to lose, but to love more completely.  To write about characters who are flawed, and lovable, is only to reflect the reality of life, even if we dismiss what we write as ‘women’s fiction’ or ‘chic lit’ which must, always, have a happy ending.  Of course it must.  All my fiction does.

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April 22, 2016

What did I learn from the London Book Fair?

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What did I learn from the London Book Fair?

The London Book Fair, and all book fairs like it, is a networking fair for industry insiders, which, for the most part, does not really mean authors and writers. You might think it does, but actually, it is about agents meeting publishers, distributors selling to publishers, publishers networking with agents and distributors, technologists selling e-book and anti-piracy software to publishers….you get the picture.

That said, my wander around Olympia over the course of three days was not wasted and taught me a great deal. Not the lessons I might have expected to learn, but these are often the best.

The London Book Fair is a networking fair for industry insiders which for the most part ……will be busy with industry insiders talking to each other. They will not have time for anything else unless it is by appointment

If I want to meet anyone who might be attending the Fair, I can try to make an appointment too, using the ‘set up a meeting’ function on the Book Fair website. (Buying a visitor ticket for the week of the LBF does not mean you have an account.) Visiting the LBF website, setting up an account – which I finally did – gives you more options, the most valuable of which might well be asking for an appointment with an industry professional, through the ‘set up a meeting’ link. It pays to do research first, though, checking out which of the exhibitors at the fair are a good match. If you can take rejection well, it is worth a try.…wallflowers need not apply

Wearing a bright jacket will get you noticed. Polite flamboyance is rewarded with a few more smiles.

It is lovely to listen to the authors who do speak, about their experiences with writing and getting published.

If I plan my itinerary and have a rough idea of the floor plan, wanderings are less aimless and exhausting. Note to self: Next time visit authors’ HQ on the first floor.

Pace yourself. I ran around like a rabbit with spring fever on day one, so that by day two, I was exhausted. By day three, I was more accustomed, and able to wander around peacefully, and productively.

Girl_reading_map_at_Trevi_Fountain_in_Rome

I may go next year.

Thanks for reading!

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April 18, 2016

At The London Book Fair

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I spent the first day at the London Book Fair gadding around like a woman twenty years my junior and feeling rather as if I had landed on a strange planet: So many new things to see and appreciate! The exhibitors’ stands, the crowds of people who all seemed to know each other, and were circulating, or meeting appointment times with a sense of mission and purpose.

In the morning I had the great good fortune to hear Jeffrey Archer, and in the afternoon, Marian Keyes, both interviewed at the English PEN literary salon. Archer and Keyes are two of my favourite authors, and I was pleased to hear their insights around the processes of writing, and to learn that an editing style that takes in dozens of edits is not at all unusual, thank goodness. I’m glad I’m not the only one who wakes in the middle of the night wondering about a single word in a book…..

In the vast space of the Olympia Centre, with its several large halls and wide expanses of flooring illuminated under glass ceilings reminiscent of railway stations or the glass-houses at very large botanical gardens, it was easy to get lost, and, in the event, I walked too far on the first day, and exhausted myself. Grateful of the balmy warmth of early evening, I took my time sauntering home to my digs around the corner.

Tuesday was a strange mix of sad messages from home and exhaustion; so I took the afternoon off. (It turns out there was a seminar happening then wanted to go to, but I doubt I would have known where to find it. The Olympia complex truly is vast.) Enjoying the weather and appreciating the tantalising glimpses of a private garden nearby, I pondered the necessity for hiding banks of flowers and tropical trees behind high hedges and locked gates. I can see why Londoners need private gardens, but how I longed to appreciate the beauty they contained! It seems odd to pay to keep beauty hidden. And if it is hidden, does it lose its value? Is the value of a blossom found in its being appreciated?

Apple-flowers-spring

I was grateful to eat a proper, sedate lunch at a nearby Persian restaurant, and to discover further along Kensington High Street, a lovely café serving delicious, fresh food.

As my energy returned on Wednesday, I enjoyed peaceful perambulations, got my bearings (at last!) and found what I was looking for, in the midst of the small presses and the writers’ hub. There I had the great good fortune to meet my friend and fellow author, Margaret Skea, who filled me in on what I hadn’t known, (and what I will know if I go to the Fair next year). It is set to be during March 14-16th inclusive, less than eleven months away.

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April 8, 2016

What about editing?

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What about editing?

When I write a book, I don’t leave it to an editor to do all the tidying up, the trawling and correcting. The chances are, for every time I write a phrase, I will edit it about four times, and even then, I regret the words that didn’t make it onto the page.

Writing, for me, is at best a compromise, rather like the one that faces a youngster deciding what to do with his or her life: the horizon is so wide, which way should they go? What subjects should they study, specialise in, care about and invest in? What will they do when they grow up?

And as with writing, the blank page is full of potential which somehow, mystically, never quite lives up to the dream. I would make the same suggestion as I would for work. Write what you are good at, write what you know and what you enjoy.

Edouard_Vuillard_-_Lucy_Hessel_Reading_(Lucy_Hessel_lisant)_-_Google_Art_Project

Editing – the second stage, third stage and nth stage tidy up – is so much a part of the craft of writing, that it is hard to know where the line between them is drawn. It is with editing that we discover newer, brighter, wittier ways of showing our thoughts at their best. Editing fills in the gaps between what we think we are writing, and what others take from our meaning: the two can come apart in startling ways. Editing is also polish that makes a work look effortless, and gives it slick clarity.

My sister, who edits, was telling me that a lot of people these days, they either don’t edit, or they expect that mythical editor to do it for them. Indeed, this seems to be a common assumption, based, understandably on the fact that there are those out there who call themselves editors. Writers write, and editors edit, right? In truth, not always, and I find it unwise to rely too much on others, or – even more deadly – to expect from them services which they don’t or can’t deliver. Yes, I get my work edited by professionals, especially when I need a shove down one particular avenue or towards a particular theme; but I always, always endeavour to edit my work as much as I can, before and afterwards, and to stay on the course, take responsibility for the final version of what I write about. That seems vital to me; or else, how can I put my name to it?

 

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March 22, 2016

Taking My Radio Play to the London Book Fair

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TAKING MY RADIO PLAY TO THE LONDON BOOK FAIR

Okay, I admit it. Most of what I do with my writing, I do on a hunch. I back a feeling, a whisper that suggests a path might be interesting to follow, might lead to something, though what that something might be, is open to question, and probably would not stand close, critical scrutiny. I act without concrete evidence of anything substantial, either to gain or to see; which, you may agree, is an odd way to do business, a strange way to procure results in this world of tangibles, projections and economic forecasts. Indeed, sometimes this method of doing things tests my faith almost to snapping point.

Nevertheless, though I would be hard pressed to explain why I doggedly continue to do so, I guard my hunches carefully and always try to honour them. I know that most of our best and most important decisions are not, in fact, the outcome of logic or common sense, but a response to a deeply felt desire or need. (When we buy a house, we care less about what is on our tick lists and more about how the hallway makes us feel.) That I may not yet see the outcome of a course of action does not mean I should not set my compass in that direction.

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So, in a spirit of hope and adventure, I sit here at night printing off my radio play. The printer is small and slow, but efficient and soothing, and, so long as I am careful, I can manage to multitask quite effectively, so I do not feel the paper, the ink or my time is wasted. I am going to have the completed work ring bound, and take it, with my book outlines, to the London Book Fair. Just because. The London Book Fair is an amazing opportunity, bringing together readers, authors, agents, publishers, promoters and industry specialists from across the world. Given that, why would I not take my radio play?

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March 17, 2016

A New Springtime

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A New Springtime

Writing goes through peaks and troughs; and it has to wait its turn amid the tasks of family life, and the unexpected – and predictable – shocks that flesh is heir to.

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My dad comes in for a bit of stick in my memoir. And yet, where he might have cause to be upset and to take me to task, he has responded with grace and kindness to everything I have written. He took issue with one outline of a situation, which was useful since he prompted me to re-think and re-write much more realistically. For the rest, I was writing what I remembered, and tried to do that as honestly as I could. Honesty, of course, if it is genuine, is a two edged sword, as cutting against the writer as against any of the other protagonists. That is my hope, that my honesty salvages what could be a maudlin reflection of what I should have done better, into something more worthwhile. And, these days, I like to take my gazillion mistakes and turn them into useful fodder for reflection and, of course, writing.

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Dad had given me so many gifts: a quirky sense of humour, an appreciation of classical music, a delight in bright colours, big skies, foreign places and hot climes, an awareness of different cultural approaches, a delight in travel and an awareness of my good fortune. All of these gifts have underpinned my days with the recognition of how beautiful life is, and can be, if we allow it to be.

I am travelling to Belgium next weekend, when I hope to see dad and tell him some of this. Even if I don’t have that opportunity, I hope he knows how much I love him.

Spring daffodils

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March 10, 2016

Going to the London Book Fair 2016

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I’ve got my train ticket, I’ve downloaded my pass for the week and I’ve booked and paid for my accommodation, which is a stone’s throw away from the venue.  I am definitely going to the London Book Fair 2016 , at Olympia Exhibition Centre, Hammersmith Road, from Tuesday 12 April to Thursday 14th April inclusive.  It’s the first week of the Summer term for Seline, who will be fine with her dad here to look after her.  This time last year, I would have been more hesitant, but in the last twelve months, Seline has grown and matured, and become taller than her mum, not only in stature, but also in confidence and wisdom too.  She will relish the freedom to be without my mumsy ways for a while.

What shall I take to the Fair?  Apart from my tickets and my hopes, what materials will I be taking with me?  Top of the list is the first in my series of books featuring Lisa, a Scots lawyer, and an assortment of her friends and clients.  It is a source of constant delight to me to discover that the more I write about Lisa, the more I discover to write.  To know that a series feeds naturally on itself is to surrender a major pre-occupation and so begin to really enjoy writing for pure pleasure.  As well as the first book in the series, I hope to take the first fifty pages of book two + synopses and/ or proposals for the series.

Street Photography in NYC

Since I will be in London, with its myriad opportunities, tucked under my arm, will be an abbreviate of my radio play. It seems a pity to be in London for the whole week and leave it behind. Who knows what might arise from a decision to remain open about that?

Who else is going to the London Book Fair 2016?

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March 8, 2016

Editing, the perspiration of writing

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Editing, the perspiration of writing.

The first draft of our first book may only take a few weeks or months to complete. Typically, the first real, honest project in our writing career will have been gestating for years. You may find that once released, the torrent of words just cannot be stopped, and you fill pages easily and fluently. This is a sign that you are indeed meant to write everything out, and that the time has come to follow through with that impulse. But before you print off your first draft and send it out to the publishers, pause for a moment and reflect.

Doyen,_Gabriel_Francois_-_La_Lecture_-_18th_century

My first book felt like a very exciting experiment: I loved the feeling of finally writing down all the ideas which had been swimming around in my head for years. Finally giving form to them felt immensely liberating. With a new project to occupy me, I felt more alive and awake than I had for many years. However, with my enthusiasm there was not a great deal of experience and I was acutely aware of my naiveté, which fed into my first efforts at to put together consistent, worthwhile material. After rewrites and overhauls through several years, I finally set that first major project to one side, and then – and this is the point – only then, did I start my magnum opus.

Getting the first two hundred thousand words out – only half of which may be worth saving and putting into some kind of order – we have well and truly launched our writing careers, but the refinement of that first enthusiasm can take years. Our first work, our first completed book – while presenting a good opportunity to be pleased – is just the beginning and may never transform itself into our best writing, no matter how enthusiastic it makes us feel personally. Many writers have launched successful careers with their second book, aware that it represents more fluent, polished writing.

(To be continued)

 

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March 4, 2016

Today I got a reply

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Today I got a reply from ‘Woman’s Weekly’ magazine, returning a short story contribution which they advise is not quite what the editor is looking for.

I am very heartened by this for three reasons.

First, I did not send a stamped self-addressed envelope with my letter. I know this because if and when I do, I use first class postage affixed to a standard business envelope, assuming that, if what I send is unsuitable for the current round of articles or features, which it almost always is, my contribution will be routinely binned and that I might, if I am very lucky, receive a single sheet form letter in reply. (I have long since left behind the desire to see my printouts returned, because they are rarely used twice, and the material will doubtless have been revised many times since it was submitted.) So, the fact that ‘Woman’s Weekly return anything in a large envelope with the proper second-class postage means that someone probably read it and decided it was good enough to merit a reply – result!

La-liseuse

Secondly, despite the fact that the form letter enclosed with my story says, ‘unfortunately we are unable to return manuscripts that are submitted without an sae’, someone clearly did return it, suggesting that they are reminding me of their submissions guidelines. Nudge, nudge!

Thirdly, that someone takes the trouble to remind me of their submission guidelines reinforces how important it is to follow these to the letter, and suggests that someone might want to hear from me again. I shall study the guidance carefully and write another short story which might be more suitable next time. I think I can do that. And, to make their lives easier, I shall enclose a second-class large letter postage stamp on a suitable envelope as routine.

I call that an excellent outcome. I am very grateful to Woman’s Weekly for taking the time to reply, and for returning my contribution with such useful feedback.

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