Barry Walsh

Yes. Excellent point, Squidge. When monkeying around with someone else’s work, it’s important to always remember that your ideas and the author’s ideas may not mesh. Any rewriting should be done sparingly, strictly as an example (unless the author requests otherwise) and the power should always be returned to the author when you’ve finished.

Can I add something extra to this list, Jules?

By all means, give examples of how differently something could be written when you give feedback – sometimes seeing the work written differently helps you as the author to understand what difference that kind of change could make to your story. But don’t be tempted to completely rewrite the whole…[Read more]

My agent experience is somewhat limited, but I’d add that it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get one.

Although I worked with an agent for two/three years, when she decided not to work with me any further (bearing in mind that nothing was signed between us in all that time) it gave me the freedom to strike out on my own. Course, I…[Read more]

There’s this topic and a sticky FAQ page which is closed to comments, Barny. Otherwise it looks fine in my browser.

Hi Laure. please forgive me if I sound silly aking this question, but should I know you from the Word Cloud?

I feel like ýou’re talking from personal experience here, Ath 😁

“Mosquito? Nope.” What about a mosquito with a really bad attitude that’s sitting there on the wall hardly able to stay put because of the weight of blood it’s just scoffed out of your cheek just exactly where EVERYBODY will think it’s a spot, and planning just how to make its saliva more proteiny and anti-coagulanty and generally irritating. But…[Read more]

Hahahaha! I got that, don’t worry 😀

” I literally wouldn’t kill a fly. Even a tiny one.” What about a mosquito?

Oops! But the good thing is that making mistakes isn’t the end of the world – which you have proved! And I’ve had plenty of mistakes along the way too…

Yes, welcome, Laure.

We’ve only been going a few days, but things are already warming up nicely, so stick around.

Yes, agree with that Philippa. I’ve not got anything else to add yet, except to agree with comments already made – and thank you for setting this up!

Edit: and like the edit button!