Alan Rain

Hi @alanr

I think this definitely sounds clearer and more focused, well done. You sound like you understand your own book, because you have described it clearly in para 1.

Couple of thoughts for the blurb bit (the bit we want to “zing”) – given that the book centres around the manananggal, I am curious to know how Galina becomes possessed……[Read more]

Hi @alanr,

Ooo, thanks for sharing! I like the sound of these supernatural elements, and the interplay between your three main characters. I was just thinking today about then book “Ice” by Anna Kavan. I think yours has similarities to this too.

Okay, I’ve dived straight in and edited, as I see fit. Feel free to disagree with any or all of my…[Read more]

Hi @alanr,

Nice typo spot! Man, there’s always one (or 12).

Yes, this is the novel I’ve now rewritten in dual POV. The original version I was peddling here was too much of a coming-of-age story and (in Sarah’s words) “not twisty enough”. Cue complete rewrite!

Though, as I’ve mentioned before, the suggested changes simply helped me get it…[Read more]

@Daedalus – that’s exactly what I am getting at. It’s often about a mismatch. And there can often be luck involved, too, though also we can all create some of our own luck. A lot of writing that does not get taken is not picked up because it’s not yet at a professional standard in terms of craft and technique, or because it’s simply unlikely to…[Read more]

@alanr, commiseration on the “failures”, but it’s never a failure to put your work out there and to try. Glad you got some useful feedback at your one–to-one and you’ve found a way to implement it

@bellam I am excited about the new computer. I do agree that we remain writers even when not physically writing. It’s nice that you can see that your…[Read more]

Hi @alanr. My hair IS kind of chestnut, but I wouldn’t call it vivid! So don’t think that was me…. Hope we will cross paths another time.

Yes @daedalus – I suspect there is a US / UK split. The writer I knew who kept putting “c”s on things was from the States.

I think I recall @Debi weighing in on the discussion previously to say no “c”…[Read more]

Gosh, no @alanr! That seems fairly ott and kind of paranoid. Plus a lot of hassle, right? Spending time and money to copyright something on the small chance that an agent will like it, and even smaller chance that they can be bothered stealing a promising idea rather than just requesting a full ms.

Who was the published author? I’m intrigued…[Read more]

I find Twitter really useful. Keeping track of publishing news was the reason I finally succumbed and joined it! I guess the closest we can do to a centralised MSWL is just to search the hashtag. Other than that, it’s the slow business of googling each agent for recent interviews as well as their agency page.

I’m like Ath – I don’t really notice…[Read more]

@philippaeast Lovely to see you too! Was Cynthia the one I was chatting to with you? I’m pleased to have inspired her 🙂

@alanr Ha! Thank you very much, kind sir 😀

@squidge Indeed we do!! 😀

Ugh, toothache is awful @alanr. Hope it eases. I know that guilty feeling for not writing, but sometimes its good to step away for a while too. Or at least that’s what I tell myself when school hols make time to write a rare commodity!

@alanr It’s definitely v tricky to find a balance between not selling yourself enough, and being horribly ott, isn’t it? Factual seems to work best. Actually ‘tidy’ isn’t bad! Means you havent waffled on too long or included unnecessary info which can both be fatal.

Hope the 1:1s gave you some direction for what could be changed, even the…[Read more]

Good luck @alanr! If you want a hand with cover letters etc, then post in the Forum & I (and others) will be happy to throw some advice at you! 🙂

Thank you, lovely people! Are you all trying to make me cry?!
@athelstone wish you’d been there too but we’ll certainly catch up another time and you’re not half bad at the encouragement yourself
@janette I laughed about the train once I was safely home! And thank you for not setting me off from the front row!
@johnt3 same fears as me but it was…[Read more]

Big step @alanr – best of luck with the subs, keep us posted with your progress