March 2010
5 posts
Richard: Attending Conventions
I write within a genre (well, two actually… horror and fantasy) and that brings with it a number of advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantages tend to be the way people look at me when I tell them I write horror, and start to shuffle backwards and check for hairs on my palms or the bloody axe half-hidden behind my back, and the reaction from many “mainstream” publishers and agents who look at...
Richard: Pitching a novel
At the beginning of the World Horror Convention I had the opportunity to make a pitch to a number of publishers and agents working within the genre.
Having never made a pitch before I did my research; I read up on all the participants, made notes on their interests and read and re-read this on the train down to Brighton.
I entered the room; a small, awkwardly shaped bar where they sat behind...
Richard: Reading aloud
In my last post I discussed the common advice of “reading like a writer” and my discovery of audiobooks that help me to “listen as a writer”. Well, tied in nicely with that is my topic this week: reading (aloud) as a writer!
At the end of this week I shall be attending the World Horror Convention 2010. As part of that I will be reading the first two chapters of my novel...
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>Jamie Extract 4
So, I’m nearing the end of my mentoring process.
I’ve sent Tim 4 extracts and each time he has come back to me with something that has made me think about my writing, most of the time has taught me something and on 2 occasions has caused a major rewrite.
This extract was a piece from the centre of the book. In this extract Maximilian has locked Grace in a room and is trying to piece...
Richard: Reading as a writer
As an aspiring writer you’re often exposed to regular aphorisms intended to help you improve your craft: write what you know about, show don’t tell, etc One that I have always struggled with is the instruction to “read like a writer” with the warning that once you become “ a writer” the way you read a book will alter so that you will never be able to enjoy a book as you did before.
I understand...