Mad Iguana

To explain my changes:

Para 1: what kind of book
You sound a bit waffly on genre. I’ve tried to make it more specific, avoid the term ‘borderline literary’, and simply give your nice elevator pitch upfront. I think your setting is a real USP so I’ve got that in upfront too.

I fear an agent will freak at your word count! Books above 100k words…[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]

Ah, the difference is the crash / crush. The story I read was def. the former and it was long before 2015, so certainly not yours.

My novel is about a manananggal possession.

This is my current cover letter:

Dear xxxxx xxxxxx,
I’m pleased to submit the opening 50 pages of my completed first novel, AnGal, a supernatural of 137,500 words, which I…[Read more]

Nice one! What is your book about?? Don’t think you’ve told me yet.

Not sure it was mine you read. No tube crash in mine (just a tube crush). only started it in 2015 too. I wonder whose story it was!

You know, since I read that cover letter earlier this afternoon, a memory has resurfaced, and it’s of familiarity with your work. I think, quite some time ago, I read an opening chapter about a Tube crash and a young girl that could have been Jess or Nancy.
I can’t remember when, or the circumstances, or the writing site. It might have been in the…[Read more]

Thanks for flagging this, @sandradavies

Incidentally, despite the call to arms for subs from female writers, @pinkbelt75 I wonder if you’ve considered these guys for your crime novel(s)?

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]

Hi @philippaeast
I’m sure it hasn’t done any harm, and you’ve probably corrected it now, but it’s ‘elusive’, not ellusive’.

Is this the novel Sarah asked to be dual pov?

@andrew – I loved your para about us imagining ourselves in the new job. I must confess that on that basis I have consistently failed to win the lottery. Off to read your blog now.

@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]

Interesting perspective, Andrew. It seems to me that an awful lot of ‘failure’ is not necessarily a failure in the writing, but a failure to direct the writing to the best audience – whether it be a competition, a magazine, an anthology (in short story terms), or an agent, a publisher or competition etc in novel terms. And a lot of that is down to…[Read more]

@hilary No, I didn’t expect to win, (but still had dreams.) Before I entered I knew I’d be delighted with a shortlisting, and more than happy with a longlist. I hope my posts now don’t sound defeatist – I’m a long, long way from that, and don’t see a time in the near or distant future when I would be down and out.
Well done for your successes at…[Read more]

Sure! You are welcome to email the MS over to me (do you have my email?)

Let me know if you have any specific questions and / or any specific bits you are concerned about.