What I've been getting up to (for those of you who don't see my random facebook updates)

Almost a month has gone by and I haven’t blogged (slaps wrist). Sorry for my silence but I’ve not had much to report really. I got a certificate through the post for the mini creative writing course that I did. Thanks to all who sent messages of congratulation of Facebook. Twas very lovely you! Of course you might not have seen me announce such things if we are not buds so please let me know if you want my FB name or give me yours and I’ll add you.

I hosted the last 2 coffee mornings over on the novel racers blog. I had some great feedback so if you haven’t seen my posts or the comments please visit the site.

In non writing related news I’m still packing and the other night I watched ex boyf cram all his worldly goods into his mary poppins handbag type car boot. I thought that would be hard to watch, it was but only because I was trying to watch the BB final and he kept leaving the front door open letting the cold air and noise in. We’ve come out of things unscathed and I don’t feel any bitterness at all. I’m just glad we’ve stayed friends, I know some ex couples aren’t so lucky.

Monday night I saw a spiritualist. Before that night I felt so lost, not knowing what the hell to do with myself. I had become unable to trust my instincts and make my own decisions. I’d kind of become a bit poor me and what’s the point. I had questions about life, love and my career.  She told me I would have 5 children (eek) and meet someone soon.  More importantly she told me I would be successful with my writing but that I needed to stop holding back and be more colourful.  I know some people think its all rubbish but she helped me find my way, like a kind of therapy.  Best of all I didn't have to pay for her time, so there was nothing untoward going on there.

Inspire and Mentor with Marie Claire

A couple of week's back I made my way up to 'That London' and attended the super glam offices of Marie Claire for a 'How to get Published' Seminar.  I didn't think I'd be dissapoined and I wasn't in the slightest.

After the free champers and canape's on the balcany overlooking fab views of London we all congregated into a well air conditioned room.  There in our seats we were greeted by a very well received goody bag of beauty products, Harriet's new book I Remember You (which she so kindly signed after), Marie Claire mag and a Jaeger purse.  Once we'd gotten over the excitment of the free stuff we stopped talking and paid attention.  This is a little break down of how it went:


Talk by Harriet Evans – Author

Harriets top 10 tips for getting your novel published

1. Work for it. Be serious.
2. Treat it like a separate job.
3. Think about your pitch to agents. Be able to say what its about. Don’t waffle in your letter because they don’t always read them.
4. Peak interest. Look like a commodity
5. Don’t expect it to change your life
6. Be prepared to rewrite it all
7. Get people to read and comment on your work
8. Read loads and loads and loads
9. Find writers you like and aim your work towards their agents. Find out who they are.
10. Do it for yourself and others second.

Talk by Jonathan Lloyd – CEO, Curtis Brown

Why are literary agents essential?

The publishing world is a jungle and there are very few retailers left; WH Smiths, supermarkets, amazon. This caused independent retailers to suffer.

There used to be 20 publishers you could offer a book to but now they are all under one cheque book. There is comfort in being represented by a company with power.

Most publishers don’t take unsolicited manuscripts.

Publishers will take work more seriously if from an agent than direct from yourself.

How to get an agent

Do your homework, know where to address your letter to. Learn the differences between various agencies through their websites.

Personalize your approach to an agent rather than sending the same letter to each agency.

Talk by Kate Espiner – Publishing Director, Harper Collins (works in the fiction department)

There are 6 commissioning editors publishing new authors.

They don’t take unsolicited work hence the need for an agent

Different mediums:

1. Digital publishing
2. Online publishing
3. Self publishing

Remember!

• Read read read
• Write write write
• Edit edit edit

 Talk by Carla Bevan – Associate Editor, Marie Claire

• The Blogosphere is a great place to start.  “Blogging is a great way to hone your craft” says Carla.
• Send a link to your blog and she will visit
• Features editor – you should contact them to get articles published.
• Start at building a portfolio with local newspapers and online mags before you try more famous publications
• Tesco mag has a massive readership.

 Q & A

1. ‘The Help’ was rejected and is now doing well, discuss

Harriet admits as a publisher she rejected ‘Chocolat’, The Island and Labyrinth. She says she wasn’t the right publisher for those books at that time. "It happens but someone else will love your book and turn it into a best seller." says Harriet.

2. After 6 years Harriet became a full time writer. 'How did you make that transition from working at the day job to working as a writer full time?'

Once she was given a deal Harriet informed her boss and went to 4 days a week. She didn’t tell people the reason and noone even noticed. Holidays and weekends were spent working on the novel. This soon turned into a 3 day week in the office until eventually she was financially stable enough not to work. Harriet admits that she misses the office environment.

She puts a positive spin on the bad things in life like not having a boyfriend (a spin that was well needed!)

3. Do you agree that you need to be a celebrity to get published these days?

Harriet understands the celeb culture in writing these days but wholeheartedly believes that what it always comes down to is the quality.


Hope that was of some help to those of you (namely newbie writers) who need a bit of advice.  It really helped me and made me feel better about my work and those dreaded R's.

Down but most definitely not out

This is a hard post to write for me. It not something I have to write or that people would expect me to share but when I started this blog almost 3 years ago (eek) I wrote that it would be about life and love and when the worst is happening to write about it. So here I am. I thought July was going to be my month, work would have calmed down (which it did to a tedious level – but I’m not complaining there at all), I would start hearing back from the womags – not necessarily expecting them to beat my door down to buy stories but some feedback from real live editors would really spur me on. Life would just be better – or so I thought. This week I received not one, not two but three short story rejections – one of which was a silent rejection from That’s life Australia so not all bad but still a rejection nonetheless. I also received one two weeks ago today from The Weekly News. Quite possibly the nicest rejection ever but at quite possibly the worst time. That day my boyfriend and I broke up. I am of course sad to lose someone I’ve shared my life with for 6 years but also so much happier that the pressure of trying to make things work (from both sides) has disappeared and we can just get on being great friends. So now comes the stress of moving again in a month (we are still co habiting – which actually makes things easier as I don’t have the heartache of not seeing him so suddenly). So there you have it. Things got really crap for a while there but I have to look forward – it's time for a fresh start and to get more work out there. I only have one story out there with Yours and I can feel the rejection writing itself (sorry for the pessimism – I’ll try and rein it in a little). I also have great plans for next year – which I shall reveal should I get good news. I did get some fab news this week – that my brother and his girlfriend are going to have a little girl in December (hurrah I shall be an aunty finally!!). I couldn’t be more over the moon, a little baby in the family that I get to give back when she starts crying! So there you have it – sorry for not commenting/blogging for so long but I just had to feel sorry for myself for a bit and take time for myself. I am still writing of course – thanks to W2W, the only thing right now keeping me writing.

I also went to a How to Get Published Seminar which was brilliant and shall blog about this weekend.

Thanks for listening!

Lily
x

Film Review: Get him to the Greek

Stars: Russel Brand, Jonah Hill, P Diddy

A small cast but a stellar one and it didn’t just rely on sick humour to get you through the 120 minutes. I was quite peeved because the film times for Wednesday (orange Wednesday baby) are a bit rubbish and I feared I’d be pining for my bed after about an hour. It was not just funny but cleverly hilarious. For those of you who have seen Forgetting Sarah Marshall you will know that this is a spin off about the character Aldous Snow played by Russell Brand. Jonah Hill plays Aaron Green, a young record company exec who is entrusted by his manager (P Diddy) to fly to London and ensure Snow makes it in time for the 10 year anniversary concern at the Greek Theatre in LA. A move to make millions for the record company and revive Snow's flagging career. What ensues is a not so tedious but hilarious battle to get Aldous to where he needs to be whist enjoying a 'Jeffrey', some furry wall stroking, late night partying (including a cameo from a certain Harry Potter villain), plane hopping and even a few poignant moments where you see a bit more to the troubled rock star. It’s not a complicated plot and doesn’t require you to think very hard but that’s not the aim here. The film makes for a great night out and judging by the roars of laughter emanating from the audience it’s safe to say other people are of the same opinion.

Brand is excellent once again as the debauched character but is most defininately not the only reason to watch. Jonah Hill is as funny and awkward as ever and the two make a great double act as the straight and funny comedy act . P Diddy for me is shining star here, I wasn’t aware of his great comic timing and the script writers quite rightly gave him some stonking one liners which were delivered with gusto.

A definite must see!

Becoming a student

I have FINALLY bitten the bullet and booked a writing course.  This will be the first writing course I've signed up to (if you exclude the one day freelance course I did) and I am super excited.  I had originally planned to take a Novel and Short Story writing course with The Writers Bureau but then I decided to take a look at the OU.  Not sure why I hadn't looked on their site before really.  Anyways I am going to take the Start Writing Fiction course which is a three month course starting in October and it is with the aim to start writing short stories better than I do as I feel I tend not to have any discipline or follow any kind of structure.  My writing becomes quite confusing as a result and I know it could be a lot better given some more help and advice.  I will see how it progresses and then who knows, I may even study for a Diploma but right now I am itching to get started and can't wait until October.

Caroline Smailes - Like Bees to Honey new widget

OK so if you, like me, were totally addicted to Stray's Black Boxes widget (below right) then you will love the new one.  Stray has now created, to coincide with the launch of Caroline Smailes new fantastic book Like Bees to Honey, a fab new widget to the right of this blog post.  It works in a similar way to the Black Boxes widget where by answering questions you can makes lots of new bee friends.  I now have 10 which I think is pretty good (I have been playing for a while now).  You can ask questions too, mine being:

'To bee or not to bee'

Sorry, couldn't resist!

Another award!!

Yay me, the lovely Gaelikaa has awarded me ‘The Prolific Blogger award’. Gaelikaa is among a great new group of bloggers I have found through Womag2Weekly which I joined when it was set up in the new year. You can find her here and here.

There are a few rules that come attached to this award:


Every winner of the Prolific Blogger Award has to pass on this award to at least seven other deserving prolific bloggers.

Each Prolific Blogger must link to the blog from which he/she has received the award.

Every Prolific Blogger must link back to This Post, which explains the origins and motivation for the award.

Every Prolific Blogger must visit this post and add his/her name in the Mr. Linky so that we all can get to know the other.

I wish to pass on the award to the following seven bloggers:

Qwerty Queen
Spiral Skies
Writing at the Window
Get on with It
Debs - Daydreams in the Shed
Not Only in Thailand
Chez Aspie - DJ Kirkby's blog