@annechamberlain
Active 4 years, 4 months ago-
Libby replied to the topic Monthly competition, September 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
Thanks, Sandra. I’ve started a story – it probably works better with the After the Funeral theme. I doubt I’ll manage two stories. September is a busy month 🙂 I like it, the busyness and back to school feeling.
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Sandra replied to the topic Monthly competition, September 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
UPDATE/ALTERNATIVE TO SEPTMBER COMP.
In view of lack of response so far, I wonder whether Tessa Hadley’s new collection, ‘After the funeral’ might be more inspiring? If so, give it a go – give them both a go if you feel so inspired – you’ve still a couple of weeks.
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Athelstone replied to the topic Substack in the forum Coffee Shop 1 year, 7 months ago
Well that’s excellent. I don’t think she’s the kind of person who makes that stuff up!
If it’s any help (it won’t be) I had good vibes from a couple of book doctor people, followed by disasters with agents. I think I picked badly.
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I think it’s hard to know how to pick well. As with Richard’s experience of agents, it seems the unadmitted part of their job description is to have narrow vision. We know they will want MSs that are often versions of what already sells but they don’t add that this discrimination can be taken to a fine degree.
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Which isn’t to deny the pressured commercial environment they work it, just that authors can be turned down for seemingly odd or circular reasons, the ‘nobody reads stories about [insert topic of novel]’ type of response.
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I think you’re right on all points. I know that it’s probably more a tendency of agents from the larger, more commercial agencies, and that it isn’t a hard and fast rule, but it’s clearly a factor. We live in a world where many shops and stores no longer choose what to stock; the algorithms determine what is or is not delivered to the shelves. So…[Read more]
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RichardB replied to the topic Substack in the forum Coffee Shop 1 year, 7 months ago
A bit off-topic, but hey, this is the coffee shop, right?
I too have a huge amount of respect for Emma Darwin. And she gave me the happiest moment of my writing career.
The only time I went to the York Festival I (naturally, considering what I’ve just said) booked a book doctor slot with her. Mine was the first slot of the day, and as we sat…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic Substack in the forum Coffee Shop 1 year, 7 months ago
Emma’s writing is just marvellous.
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Libby started the topic Substack in the forum Coffee Shop 1 year, 7 months ago
Substack has settled in my life. I don’t publish posts and I rarely comment on or even record a like on other people’s posts. But for me it’s a useful and interesting resource on ‘how to write better’ – the nuts and bolts stuff of the craft – and a reinforcement of the impetus to write in the first place. The latter is the exciting part, though…[Read more]
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Athelstone replied to the topic Thirty Days in the forum
Beta Reading 1 year, 7 months agoBrilliant. Thanks Seagreen.
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Seagreen replied to the topic Thirty Days in the forum
Beta Reading 1 year, 7 months agoMe, please ☺️
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Athelstone replied to the topic Thirty Days in the forum
Beta Reading 1 year, 7 months agoHah! That’s an interesting comparison, and thank you for it. If I assign a strangeness value (SV) of 5 to Sunken Land and, say, 8 or 9 to Viriconium, then Thirty days is mainly a 4 with the occasional 6. I am doing very different things. Thank you very much for the offer. I hope I can appeal to a wide range of readers.
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Seagreen replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
Well done, Sandra, and thanks Libby for inspiring a rather fun-to-explore effort ☺️
For a variety of reasons, I never studied Shakespeare at school and had to go off and read a sonnet (or two!) to gauge the appropriate level of thees, thines and thous.
Ath and Terrie – both delicious reads!
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Libby replied to the topic Thirty Days in the forum
Beta Reading 1 year, 7 months agoHi Ath, I’d be pleased to read Thirty Days if I’m the kind of reader you’re looking for. My experience of speculative fiction is limited. For instance I loved M John Harrison’s The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again but soon gave up the first novel in his Viriconium series. That tipped too far into fantasy for me.
Feel free to see what other offers…[Read more]
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Athelstone posted an update 1 year, 7 months ago
Phew, after a bit of panic and faffing about with the Beta Reading group, I’ve posted a request for reading.
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Athelstone posted an update 1 year, 7 months ago
OK, I had a try at the Beta Reading group. Soon after I posted, I felt that it was too public. I didn’t want my synopsis etc on show. Temporarily I’ve made the group private while I have a think. Apologies for the confusion. Ideas welcome!
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Also, now I think about it, apologies to anybody who might have liked to try the beta reading option, but couldn’t opt to make it private like I can
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Do you actually need to provide a synopsis in a beta reading request? I would have thought a brief outline of what sort of novel it is – genre, style etc – might suffice. Then there wouldn’t be such a need for privacy.
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I think you’re right. I put the guidelines together based on a variety of sources, and a brief synopsis was a common suggestion. However, it ought to be part of the private correspondence between author and reader, not out there on the web.
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Athelstone replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
Another great competition. Thanks so much Libby. Congratulations to all, especially Sandra. Very well deserved.
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Sandra posted an update 1 year, 7 months ago
September monthly competition is up. If you were alive and kicking in the Sixties, even if (shame on you) you don’t usually bother, you might find inspiration here. Each month demonstrates the benefits of stepping outside one’s comfort zone and giving it a go.
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It occurs to me that I’ve already answered that question in the ‘All You Need’ challenge. I could always try for another answer though…
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Another answer, another character or two – yes please Richard, go for it!
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Sandra started the topic Monthly competition, September 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
Each of the dozen short stories in A L Kennedy’s 2009 collection, entitled ‘What becomes,’ attempts to answer the question hauntingly posed by Jimmy Ruffin in 1967. I’d like to know how successfully (or otherwise) your character(s) deal with their particular situation, preferably in no more than 600 words, and no later than midnight on…[Read more]
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Sandra replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
Oh heck – I never saw that coming, not among so many superb entries – thank you, Libby, for comp and comments, and thank you all for much reading awe and entertainment. I’ll aim to post September’s competition before the end of the day. [but isn’t it odd how often a last minute, popped into one’s head, final sentence seems to make what seems a d…[Read more]
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Terrie replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 7 months ago
An enjoyable monthly challenge thank you, Libby.
Congratulations Sandra, I’m looking forward to where your monthly inspiration will lead us for September.
Well done Ath and Sea too.
It helps me to dip my toe into writing in genres outside my comfort zone when I see how diverse our entries are
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