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See the Editor as a wise friend

/ hemmiemartin / Leave a comment
Coffee from Stepheye

That’s how I perceive my Editor, as I sit with a coffee at my laptop. However, working with an Editor is harder than I imagined. He scrutinises ever word and detail, and then asks me to re-word, re-write or remove it completely.

I always wondered how it would feel when an Editor would put lines through my work. Now I’m at that junction I find that it’s not as bad as I imagined. Yes, he may discard some prose I’m proud of, but I can view it from a reader’s point of view and see that it’s surplus to requirement. It doesn’t move the story along.
I don’t know whether this is normal, but after reading my novel six times so far, I’m almost tiring of it. I push through this and then I find something I’d forgotten about allowing it to carry me along like a feather in a storm. I’m suddenly revitalised.
Working with a Editor means I’m getting an honest view of my work. He makes me criticise and amend my words until it flows more readily for the reader. But he also energises me. His enthusiasm is like a cold hand on a fevered brow, and I welcome his emails with only a soupcon on trepidation.
Everyone has talent. What is rare is the courage to follow that talent to the dark place where it leads.
                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                              Erica Jong
Happy Word Flow One & All, and welcome to the new followers.

I’ve missed you

/ hemmiemartin / 2 Comments

 My daughter Rosie (in the blue top) playing football & closely marking her opponent (so closely that they look like they’re holding hands in this photo!)

My last few posts have been author interviews – which have been fun and informative – but I’ve missed having a chat with you all.

I’m still busy writing. I’ve started a new WIP whilst awaiting the next round of editing for The Divine Pumpkin. I’ve also sent the publisher two more novels to see if they are interested, so my writing life is jam packed, and I love it. Writing truly makes me excited, even if it’s hard going at times.

Rosie (daughter #2) trains every Saturday and plays a match every Sunday in the under 15yr girls’ team. We get very involved watching the team play, especially as they are really bonding as a team now. This is a passionate interest for Rosie, something I feel we all should have, whatever that may be. It keeps us sane.

I’m avidly reading, and joining Goodreads is a must for all writers. It’s a great way to connect with other readers and writers, and a way to share recommended books to read. This author lark takes up a lot of time!

Facebook is still a foe to me. I have fits and starts with it. I feel so much closer to people on Twitter, whereas FB seems to be like an alien planet to me but one I must persist with. Again, authors need a fan page on FB so it’s another must for us all.

The sunny weather has lightened my disposition so that I can inject a bit of humour in my writing – I’m trying not to be too dark in places, although the dark side will inevitably rear it’s ugly head from time to time.

Daughter #1 is going to a chemistry lecture tonight at Cambridge University, and daughter #2 is on her way home, so I must evolve into the mother role until I can tap away at the keys again later this evening.

Welcome to the new followers – I appreciate the support from you all.

Happy Word Flow One & All.

Meet Ina Schroders-Zeeders- writer & poet

/ hemmiemartin / 3 Comments

Name: Ina Schroders-Zeeders
Book title:  Veritas
Genre:Poetry
Publisher: Winter Goose Publishing
Date of publication:  2 March 2012
Book blurb:
Truth and virtue, astonishment and wonder. Real life can be exciting, depressing, and confusing, but it is certainly always fascinating. In Veritas, the new poetry volume by author Ina Schroders-Zeeders, you will feel every exposed emotion as it connects with you and ultimately leads to your own personal contemplation. Whether as limitless as the oceans or as confining as our surroundings, these authentically stimulating pieces will leave you in awe.
How long did it take you to write this book? 10 months (Nov. 2010-Sept 2011
How did you find a publisher? I came across Winter Goose on Internet via another blogger
How have you promoted your book? I have contacted the local paper, they will do an article on the book, and I put a free ad on the internet of a local site. Also FB and my wordpress blog.
How do you combat writer’s block, if you indeed experience it? I just write on and if it turns out to be not good, I can always delete.
What other writing do you do? I write light novels in Dutch for a living
What methods do you use to plan/write your book? For the novels, I make a synopsis first, about a page long, send it to the publisher, and if it is approved, I use that as a schedule. I write about 2000 – 4600 words a day, depending other activities.
How long have you been writing prior to getting published? Not sure! I have been writing for a Dutch publisher for 15 years now, before that I did contests and sometimes I got a story or poem in a book or magazine.
How do you cope with rejections?  I forget them I suppose (I don’t remember any! J  )
What piece of advice would you give to debut writers? Keep writing, no matter how hard it is to find a publisher, and always check spelling. See what publishers others have found. Google for “Submissions publisher”. Write for fun! Any publishing, is bonus!
Are you currently writing another book? Just starting a new light novel today. Maybe there will be another poetry book, not sure yet.  
Where can your book be purchased from? Veritas can be purchased from Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble. ISBN 978-09836764-6-1 and is also (going to be) sold as an eBook.


http://inaweblogisback.wordpress.com
fb: Ina Schroders-Zeeders
Thanks Ina for taking part in this interview, and good luck with your book!

Meet Natasha Head – Poet

/ hemmiemartin / 4 Comments

Name:  Natasha Head

Book title:  Nothing Left to Lose
Genre:  Poetry
Publisher:  Winter Goose Publishing
Date of publication:  March 2012
Book blurb:  How can we transform our hearts and minds into what we’ve always desired for ourselves, when our struggles in adversity make us feel like we have Nothing Left to Lose? Follow Nova Scotia poet, Natasha Head, as she navigates through the chaos of life’s travels, and finds the courage to document her search for meaning and purpose. This captivating collection of work will leave you with hope, and the necessary encouragement to break through the barriers of your world.
How long did it take you to write this book?  This particular collection evolved out of two-three very dark years in my journey…I wrote my way out, and the majority of this collection is a testament to those times, to what I have “survived” and to what I am able to handle as a lowly human.  There is no better surprise than when you manage to surprise yourself.
How did you find a publisher?  I watched Winter Goose come to life on line through the wonderful Jessica Kristie.  Following her journey and connecting with Heather Grace Stewart were two very important factors in my decision to submit. Those girls are amazing inspirations to me…and they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  When Jessica sent out the call for submissions for her project with Winter Goose and Art Platform, and I saw my words in print in the completed first volume of Inspiration Speaks…I knew I would eventually work up the nerve to make a submission to Winter Goose of my own work.  Their product is fantastic, the support amazing…and the group of writers they have assembled is just awe inspiring.  I count myself so very lucky to be included amongst them.
How have you promoted your book?  Primarily, my work has been online in regards to promotion.  The support group I have managed to foster for me has been amazing! Here at home, I have to admit, it’s been a bit more difficult. Luckily, my sister puts out a newsletter every month that targets the majority of homes in my locale, and she has been kind enough to let me steal some space for promotion.  I’ve lots of folks asking about NLTL now, release dates and how they can get a copy…so despite the fact I don’t know what I’m doing, the news has found some feet to run on the small town rumor mill.
How do you combat writer’s block, if you indeed experience it?  I write. And write. And write.  To me it’s a fascinating process to run up against a complete blank wall with my pen.  And it is a pen. I was literally the geek/freak in school that carried her little black book with her poems in it. (Pink Floyd fan too) Right now it’s a red notebook, and it’s filled with plenty of gibberish as the result of writing thru the block.
What other writing do you do?   Initially,  I jumped online to tackle article marketing for our real estate business.  When I discovered all the wonderful poets I could share with, that was quick to take a back seat! I was amazed at the amount of fantastic poetry that seemed to be flowing through the ether. The result was a very fast, and very public word addiction.  I still have to pay my dues with the odd article on home buying or selling, but with any luck, perhaps the day will come where I won’t.
What methods do you use to plan/write your book? I write what comes. The result could be a poem, a short story, or another manuscript for the top shelf! One day I would like to work up the nerve to share an actual completed novel with the world…but at this stage of the game, I am way too content baring my soul through poetry…I’ve got more secrets to share before I tackle the fiction addiction!
How long have you been writing prior to getting published?  I have written for as long as I can remember. I still have those little black books with my poems in them from my preteen years! (Along with the rejection letters from back in the day when you had to use a self -addressed stamped envelope to get them!)
How do you cope with rejections? Not well! Lol I’m a sensitive old soul.  BUT…I can take a deep breath and move on.
What piece of advice would you give to debut writers? What better advice than to never give up. I am a debut writer…so that tid bit is subject to change as my journey unfolds!
Are you currently writing another book?  I have a second collection ready to go. Totally different from Nothing Left to Lose…
Where can your book be purchased from?  Amazon, Barns&Noble, through me personally for autographed copies…and of course, if you want to visit Stewiacke, Nova Scotia, you can bet I’ll have copies available for purchase 😉 
www.tashtoo.com
Thanks for such a dynamic style of answering the questions – and good luck with your book which is available in March 2012.

The Next Idea

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Word Game Pics from Windygig.

I find myself in the position of editing one novel with an Editor, and having sent in two more synopsis to the publisher to see whether they like one or both novels. So where does that leave me now? Book one comes out in May and book two and three may or may not be liked, but they are already written, so the plots are already worked out.

I was contemplating waiting for the publisher to get back to me, but that leaves me with little focus. “Write a short story,” I hear you cry, but believe you me, my skill at short story writing is minimal, I’m far too verbose for such writing. I do dabble with them, but that’s not where my heart resides.

I have a leather-bound notebook with ideas for future novels, and a box which contains articles and paper cuttings to fuel inspiration. The thing is, I have a lot of ideas, so where to begin?

Some ideas may already be over used by other authors, and others may not hold enough power to last a whole novel.
Some ideas just don’t feel right for right now. When I jotted them down, I had a flutter in the heart, but today, they leave me cold.
Some ideas have been lurking around for so long without enticing me before now, so maybe they should be moved to the bottom of the pile to mature like a fine wine.
Some ideas need a fair amount of research as I know little about the topic, and perhaps I’m not ready to commit to such a mammoth task.

But some ideas keep yelling “pick me, pick me” and so I give them another look. They get my creative river flowing, but I only need one for now. One. That’s enough to start the journey into another fictional world.
And that is a very exciting prospect. I love creating characters and the world they live in, and I hope that readers will one day enjoy soaking up my words and worlds.

Happy Word Flow One & All.

Well-rounded Characters.

/ hemmiemartin / 1 Comment
Character Design ‘Robot Soda’ from VF5 Digital

As the writer and creator of a fictional world with fictional characters, it’s important to know each character well, otherwise they are less believable to the reader.
An ancient African proverb states that, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’. This means that every individual is influenced by the people around them; how they interact, how they view the world, how they view themselves – the list is endless.

In order to get to know my characters, I use large note cards to write down not only the physical aspects of each person, but also their personality traits and any common phrases or words they use, to distinguish each person to the reader. As I write, other personality traits may emerge, so I note them down as believing I will remember them all has failed me in the past. I also note their ages and birthdays – as a birthday party can be a great backdrop for gathering numerous characters together. I also note down what a character likes to drink and what hobbies they have. I may not use every detail I have noted down, but I do at least get to know my characters well – whether I like them or not!

If you would find it easier, you could make a list of questions to answer regarding each character. For example, what is the character’s weakness? who do they turn to when they have a problem? who or what makes them angry? what hurdle do they have to overcome in life? how do they relax? These are just suggestions and only a few at that, you’ll use many more to make your character well-rounded.

Welcome to the new followers & Happy Word Flow One & All.