Books, Agents & Indie Publishers

It seems to me, as a writer and lover of chick lit novels, that most authors begin their writing experience with a dream of being signed up by one of the major publishers and going down the traditional route. However, thanks to the invention of e-books and the chance to be your own indie publisher, writers now have more choice about the route they take to publication than ever before. It seems that being an indie publisher can be lucrative, as well as fun. Well, that's what I'm hoping anyway.

Here are a couple of inspirational posts I've come across from bloggers who know a thing or two (or three...) about writing.

Kate Lord Brown, is a traditionally published author of two of my favourite books, The Perfume Garden and The Beauty Chorus. If you click on the link you can read her wonderful blog filled with useful and fun posts. You can also be in with a chance of winning an unabridged audio version of her latest book, The Perfume Garden.

Strictly Writing, an inspirational blog for writers. Their most recent post, Never Give Up, is certainly worth a read.

The Romaniacs, a group of writers giving useful advice and most recently posting about the Agent Hunter website.

The New Romantics, an inspirational and fun group of writers belonging to the Romantic Novelists' Association, New Writers' Scheme, who took their destiny into their own hands, published their own books and are going from strength to strength.

Just a few of the blogs I enjoy following.

Books, Popcorn & The Great Gatsby

I don't know about you, but when I'm writing and reach a bit of a blank, I usually turn to popcorn. It's supposed to be 'guilt free', so who am I to argue? Although, I think they probably don't mean four packets in one day.

There are only certain times in the day when I don't think about popcorn:

• Reading a great book - I'm in the middle of one right now
• Writing - when the muse is working overtime and my fingers are flying across the keyboard, hopefully connecting with the right letters.
• When I'm sleeping, of course. Then again...

If I'm absorbed by a good film then I don't need any popcorn and one of the films I'm buzzing with excitement for is The Great Gatsby, but I'll have to wait for another month until it's shown here. All those beautiful people, gorgeous clothes, shoes... Where's that popcorn?

Flash Fiction - Paragraph Planet

I'm very excited today because a second piece of my flash fiction has been published on the Paragraph Planet site. Here's the link.

The other day I was working on my latest WiP and reached a point where I couldn't think what to say next. I had a thought buzzing around my head that wouldn't leave me alone and knew that if I walked away from my laptop at that point that I'd probably end up finding all sorts of things to do instead of continuing with writing the first draft of this new novel. So, instead of letting the words continue to disturb my writing, I wrote them down and submitted the 75 words (exactly) to Paragraph Planet.

This is a great site - which is why I'm so happy to have my second submission published here - where well-known authors such as Judy Astley, Emlyn Rees, Gabrielle Kimm, Julie Cohen and Emma Lee-Potter have had their own pieces of flash fiction published. If you click on the link above you can find how to submit your own paragraph. You can also read previously published paragraphs.

Good luck.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter.

Tomorrow I'm going to eat one of these...

And one of these...

I'll also be taking a day off from writing my chick lit novel and will be catching up on Labyrinth and Foyle's War on tv and hopefully remembering to put my clocks forward.

What will you be doing?

Writing Essentials

I don't know about you, but the most important thing I need for writing in the winter - after the obvious laptop, of course - is a pair of fingerless gloves. By the time I've wrapped up in layers of fleeces, knitted paraphernalia and chunky slippers, I can barely move, so it's probably a good thing I only need my eyes, brain and fingers to do the work.

It's trying to snow here today. I shouldn't complain because it'll only be the second time this winter and it's not as if it looks like it's going to settle. What a relief!

 

Another essential I love to have are How To books and a recent purchase of mine was, Dummies Guide to Writing a Novel and Getting Published  by George Green and Lizzie Kramer. Lizzie Kramer is literary agent to some well known authors including Scarlett Bailey and Lucy Diamond, and this book is full of useful tips and explanations. I really enjoyed it and will keep it in my bookcase next to Stephen King's On Writing, Carole Blake's From Pitch to Publication and Jane Wenham-Jones' Wannabe A Writer? I suppose if I wannabe a writer I'd better get on and write.

What are your writing essentials?

Happy 2013

Happy New Year!

I love the beginning of each new year when I write down a (short) list of things I hope to achieve.

For 2013:

• Get published and (hopefully) sell many copies of my book.
• Write a follow-up (brilliant!) novel.

Well, there's no harm in being positive, is there?

So, apart from being healthy, happy, travelling a little and reading piles of good books, I'll be delighted to achieve the above. 

I hope 2013 is all that you would like it to be.

What are you aiming to achieve in 2013?

NaNoWriMo

I've succumbed and registered to take part in NaNoWriMo this month. I've no idea how I'll actually get on, but I'm going to do my best to achieve 50,000 words in the next 30 days. I must be mad.

So, without further ado, I'd better get on with it.

Are you taking part? If so, you'll find me under: SilverBee.