-
Libby replied to the topic The latest in vanity publishing in the forum Marketplace 1 year, 7 months ago
If you haven’t seen it before this report from April 2022 on paid-for publishing is interesting and depressing. I can’t remember if it mentions AI. A questionnaire was sent to authors who’d paid for an all-in editorial and publishing package. These weren’t indie authors paying for their own editors, cover designers etc and doing the hard work of…[Read more]
-
Libby started the topic The latest in vanity publishing in the forum Marketplace 1 year, 7 months ago
It was only a question of time. I’m surprised it’s taken this long. Perhaps there are other ‘offers’ that haven’t hit the newspapers.
Writers condemn startup’s plans to publish 8,000 books next year using AI | Books | The Guardian
-
I share your sentiments, Libby, as I do the statement from Bluesky (in the body of the report). This is wholly about money, bypassing the love of writing and reading altogether. Sadly, I feel it could also have a knock-on effect on self-publishing, causing increased distrust in the quality you can find there. I hope I am wrong, but I’m becoming…[Read more]
-
-
Libby started the topic New BBC Radio 4 book programme in the forum Blogs 1 year, 7 months ago
Take Four Books starts today. Looks interesting. An author will talk about the influence of three different writers on their own writing. First up is Graeme Macrae Burnet discussing his Gorski trilogy.
-
Libby started the topic 20% discount for Emma Darwin's Itch of Writing on Substack in the forum Marketplace 1 year, 7 months ago
https://emmadarwin.substack.com/9f42c2c1
To celebrate the Itch’s first birthday on Substack and help spread the word Emma is offering 20% off all new annual or monthly subscriptions. Click the link before 6th December:
-
Libby replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 8 months ago
Congratulations, Seagreen! Thank you, Knicks, for a great prompt and your judge’s insights.
-
Libby replied to the topic Monthly Comp – October 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 8 months ago
What’s Brought to the Table
796 words
Grace was sitting on the floor of Lily’s bedroom, leaning against Lily’s wardrobe. She looked at Lily, who was lying on her single bed with her arms spread wide like an act of supplication.
Lily had just said she was aiming for paradoxy. Grace wondered what psychodrama had produced this.…[Read more]
-
Daedalus replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
A Different Time 1 year, 8 months agoRe absence of choices and surprises. I’m not sure really. Sometimes they’ve helped me push myself to do something dramatically different, or have at least significantly shaped what I’ve written. Other times they just made slight complications to writing the story I would have written anyway. Generally it’s the overall theme I have the biggest…[Read more]
-
Gosh, I had to read that last sentence twice! I’m astounded that only one of your excellent challenge stories has been accepted. Really sorry to hear that.
-
Thanks Thea. In part I’m sure it’s my own fault for not being persistent enough. That said, I can’t help worrying that there’s something indefinably dated or just offputting in my writing. I should add that since I wrote the above, another story based on one of the Den challenge pieces was accepted for an anthology, but for various reasons that…[Read more]
-
Congratulations on having another story accepted. You say the anthology might be “up in the air”, so I really hope it all goes through alright.
I honestly don’t think there’s anything “dated” or “off-putting” in your stories. I’ve read several in the challenges over the years and they have all been excellent. I’m sure that if you look back at the…[Read more]
-
-
-
-
-
Daedalus replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
A Different Time 1 year, 9 months agoHope so!!
-
Daedalus replied to the topic Chit Chat in the forum
A Different Time 1 year, 9 months agoI’ve an idea. Whether it’s a workable idea or not is another matter. Recently my life has taken a slight turn reminiscent of the film Stand By Me, and it’s kind of demanding to be written about. On the other hand, it doesn’t have an obvious narrative shape or all the checkbox things you’re supposed to include to make a story these days, and…[Read more]
-
-
-
-
Libby replied to the topic Monthly competition, September 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 9 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.
-
Libby started the topic Substack in the forum Coffee Shop 1 year, 9 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]
-
Libby replied to the topic Thirty Days in the forum
Beta Reading 1 year, 9 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]
-
Libby replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 10 months ago
There’s a fabulous selection of entries in the August comp, and again it’s hard to pick one winner!
@Seagreen: This very enjoyable story reveals the rich history of a relationship, shown with a clever use of Elizabeth English and rhythm. There’s a satisfyingly wide range of emotion, including the delicious LOL comedy of “Thine exuberance I shall…[Read more]
-
Libby replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 10 months ago
A terrific set of comp entries. I’ll be along tomorrow morning to reveal the winner.
-
Libby replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 10 months ago
Hi Sandra, I was thinking that too!!
-
Libby replied to the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 10 months ago
Reminder! The monthly competition closes at midnight on Saturday, 31st August.
Anyone can enter.
Here’s the task:
Our summer weather so far has been an ever-changing experience, almost one extreme to another. For the August comp please write a story about changeability titled ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’ Thee can refer to a perso…[Read more]
- Load More
Skip to content
