@libby
Active 5 days, 13 hours ago-
Libby posted a new activity comment 1 year, 10 months ago
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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Libby posted a new activity comment 1 year, 10 months ago
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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Libby started the topic Substack in the forum Coffee Shop 1 year, 10 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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Libby replied to the topic Thirty Days in the forum
Beta Reading 1 year, 10 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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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]
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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.
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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!!
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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]
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Libby posted a new activity comment 1 year, 11 months ago
I’m late to the conversation but I think it’s fine to have a character with an out-of-era name. The only problem I could see with a story is if all the names were old-fashioned or unusual in some way without the author giving any explanation.
Seeing Carol and Angela now, I’m struck how pretty these names are. When they were in commoner currency I…[Read more]-
As a matter of interest (or not…) my character isn’t usually referred to as Angela. It’s part of an authorial joke. I gave her that name so that she could have the nickname Jelly, with the excuse that that was how she said her name when she was learning to talk and it stuck. The girl is a head-turner, and ‘jellyroll’ (as in Jellyroll Morton,…[Read more]
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Libby replied to the topic Richard's Literary Byways: Fragment 31, by Sappho in the forum Blogs 1 year, 11 months ago
Thanks, Richard! This becomes quite compulsive doesn’t it, a new thread of literature (new to me anyway) to follow and think about.
I’m off now for a few days and will read your post fully when I return.
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Libby replied to the topic Richard's Literary Byways: Fragment 31, by Sappho in the forum Blogs 1 year, 11 months ago
I replied in a comments box earlier where it may get lost – so I’ve copied my comment here.
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Definitely good going, Richard. Thank you for this post.
Of these various translations I prefer the ones with shorter lines. They feel more immediate, less worked. That seems to be the magic of Sappho’s lines – the way they leap almost three mil…[Read more]
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Libby posted a new activity comment 1 year, 11 months ago
Definitely good going, Richard. Thank you for this post.
Of these various translations I prefer the ones with shorter lines. They feel more immediate, less worked. That seems to be the magic of Sappho’s lines – the way they leap almost three millennia with apparent simplicity to show that little has changed. It’s a cliche to say that, I know, but…[Read more]
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Libby replied to the topic Richard's Literary Byways: Fragment 31, by Sappho in the forum Blogs 1 year, 11 months ago
I’m looking forward to reading this, Richard. I became more aware of Sappho when I read Selby Wynn Schwartz’s novel After Sappho, which I enjoyed a lot. Before that I’d hardly known who Sappho was.
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Libby posted a new activity comment 1 year, 11 months ago
One of your blog posts is just as welcome as a comp story, Richard.
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Libby posted a new activity comment 1 year, 11 months ago
Thank you, Sandra. I enjoyed the exercise. It was fun to give it a go.
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Libby started the topic August 2024 monthly competition in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 11 months ago
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 person, animal or something inanimate. Max 500 words, deadline midnight on 31<sup>st</sup> August.
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Libby replied to the topic Monthly Competition July 2024 in the forum Monthly Competition 1 year, 11 months ago
Thank you, Terrie! This is lovely surprise, and I’m pleased you liked my story.
I really enjoyed Sandra’s and Ath’s stories too. So lifelike. Thank you both of you for being such excellent competitors.
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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]