Authors Electric

This is a well-worn topic, but then I’m a well-worn writer. I have spasms of sending ‘stuff’ out. Sometimes new stuff, sometimes stuff that’s been the rounds before – on the little flickering wings of hope that this time, this time, it would find a home. Here, dear Editor, is my precious child, a drop of my heart’s blood, a small shining piece of my soul. Take it and cherish it. What?? It doesn’t fit your publishing needs? Thanks but no thanks? Not even that, but silence? I look again and see, now, the taint in my heart’s blood, the deformity in my precious child, the smear across the piece of my soul. How could I have thought anyone would want it, let alone love and cherish it? I am a deluded fool. I will slink off into outer darkness and never show my sorry head again. Thought I could write, did I? Hah!  Black hole of despair (Fingal's Cave, really) Or...what was the matter with the idiot who failed to see the worth of my precious child, the life-pulse of my ...

There’s a watery feeling in my stomach. My head feels as if it’s not properly joined to my body and I keep forgetting where I’ve put things. All classic signs of stress, but I’m not taking an exam, or going for a difficult interview, or an unwanted visit to the doctor. I am just embarking on my marketing schedule for my new novel, “Shadows on the Grass.” I know that this is an intrinsic part of being a writer, especially so, if you are Indie published. It’s what I signed up for, so why is it causing me all this angst? There are, I think, a number of reasons. The first is the fear of getting it wrong. Marketing now is such a big thing and there are is so much to organise that, if you are like me and like to do things properly, the scope for not doing so is huge. When should I send out the review copies? When should I ask people to host my blog tour? Whom should I choose? Which of course leads nicely into the second fear. It’s not always easy to ask. People are busy, I...

It's not looking good for your latest submission... OW. It hurts. Someone, some stupid, bigoted, illiterate, stuck-up barsteward, has rejected your writing. HOW VERY DARE THEY! Quick, get onto facebook, get some lurve from fellow-writers who will understand your agony. ‘Just had a rejection from ‘Crappy Ezine’, so upset! Doubting my entire life’s work. About to set fire to my pile of typescripts. ☹’ Friends zoom in with verbal chicken soup for your infected soul. ‘Ignore them, they are jealous of your genius!’ ‘Never heard of it!’ ‘Editor probs only publishes their mates! Sod them!’ ‘I think you’re brilliant, strong, talented, you don’t need them!’ All hoping you'll not have to say the same to them. Yeah, right.  Yes it does hurt to have the outpourings of your inner being, carefully crafted into art by hours of self-scarification, sent back, regardless of how many famous authors we are told were also rejected numerous times . In fact it’s harder to be rejected now ...

Recently I've been reading a lot of other people's work – stories by school children that I'd met on school visits who are hugely keen to be writers; another is a friend who's written a short novel about his travels; then there are 101 other pieces – yes 101 exactly, which are entries for a competition I'm judging – all requiring critiques. I get a fee for the competition, but whether you're getting paid to provide help with writing skills or not, there's nothing better than seeing someone's writing coming on in leaps and bounds - particularly after following your advice. I love doing workshops in schools and I'm often massively impressed by the standard of writing that can be achieved by youngsters as young as eight and nine with a little extra support and help. As for adults, I hope my courses have helped people, even if only to get them making time to write. The satisfaction of giving others a helping hand on their writing path pr...