Tag: #amresearching

Progress Made and a Trilogy finished.

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Hello everyone,

I hope you’re all well, and your writing is moving along at whatever pace suits you.

Since my last post, I’ve progressed concerning potential markets that I could target for publication. Just a small amount, but it’s something. I have found a number of different websites that look like possibilities. The two I have looked into are https://moonflowerbooks.co.uk/ and Fantasy Magazine – From Modern Mythcraft to Magical Surrealism (http://www.fantasy-magazine.com)

Moonflowerbooks.

Fantasy-Magazine.

I’ve conducted some initial research into the types of stories they publish. Both publish short stories and novels. At present, Fantasy Magazine appears to be a better option. But, even if I don’t use either of them, I have enjoyed the research. I’ve been reading the stories available on their websites and getting to grips with their identity and how to submit to them.

I have found it interesting that they both have a different level of detail within their submission pages. Fantasy Magazine provides a lengthy description of what they want to see. It’s very honest, and I knew what they were after straight away. Moonflower, however, is simple and half the length but gets its message across. I’ll more than likely review both again to make sure they are still possible options.

After doing the research above, I have moved along with a goal of mine for 2022. To edit the stories I have written for my Short Story Course assignments and post them on this here blog for your kind eyes to read and review. I have seven stories in total, with each in a different genre. As they are short, the edits aren’t taking as long, which I’m grateful for. Although I know and embrace the editing part of the writing process, the shorter the story, the happier I am. I have many a novel that needs editing. I’m not looking forward to them. Well, I am just not as much. That’ll change when I actually get round to it. It always does.

However, editing these stories will give me a decent warm-up for the bigger challenges. Well, in theory anyway.

And with all this going on, I have managed to finish reading my current book and the third in the Embers of Wars Trilogy by Gareth L. Powell, Light of Impossible Stars.

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed this trilogy and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Sci-Fi and, in particular, Space Opera. My favourite is ‘Fleet of Knives. I always enjoy the second in any trilogy, or film for that matter, because I can get stuck in. No need for introductions. The first book took care of that. I can just get right into the story.

Before I started reading these fine books (Embers of War Trilogy- Books | Gareth L. Powell (garethlpowell.com)), I’d never heard of a space opera. Or knew what one was, really. Following this trilogy, I am definitely a fan. I’m on the lookout for more of the same.

With this in mind, I have a double-barrelled question for you.

If you were to recommend a space opera novel, what would it be and why?

Thanks for your time and happy writing!

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The Next Step in 2022

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Hello everyone,

Happy New Year!

As I move into another year, I wonder what my next step will be in my writing career.

It’s tricky trying to decide what to do next with your writing, isn’t it?

I’m coming to the end of my short story writing course, with the last area of study being In The Market, which focuses on how to approach becoming published. This, like the rest of the course, has provided me with a wealth of knowledge and tips going forward.

Now, it’s just a case of trying to putting my learnings into action.

That was easy enough to write. But planning and doing this is another thing.

I’ve read plenty of tweets and blog posts dedicated to the subject, and they have all helped me in some shape or form.

I’ll be honest, it’s nice to know others are going through the same thing I am, and for those who have already done this, their practical tips have been helpful. Such as providing a list of agents looking for submissions or how to write a query letter/email. It’s all information I’ve taken in, but I will go over it all again and again (and again) to prepare myself as much as possible.

My short story course has provided me with a questionnaire to use when researching potential markets for publication (with questions such as ‘what is the word count for the stories they publish?’, ‘what type of characters are in these stories?’, ‘who is the target audience?’ and so on.) This has helped me break down the subjects I’m looking into and shows if the subject is a viable option.

My research so far has found a lot of different competitions and online short story magazines. In particular, Neon Magazine, a small but long-running slipstream fiction, poetry, and word art online publication based in Edinburgh.

I’ve enjoyed researching and look forward to finding more magazines like this. Hopefully, closer to home (I’m based in Greater Manchester. Edinburgh is lovely, by the way)

This research has also shown me that it takes a lot of work, but I find it enjoyable. I did find it daunting initially, but I’m happy with it. Long may it continue.

So, this leads me to a question for you. How did you approach your research regarding potential markets you think you could get published in?

Thanks for reading and speak to you soon.

Another break. Another return.

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Would you look at that? Its been too long (12th August was my last post) and I again have no reason for it. This seems to be a bit of trend with me nowadays. So, lets see if I can break this down and find out why I haven’t posted in a while.

Most days I hear by blog crying and having a go at me. Why aren’t updating me? What did I do? I hate you! No wait, no I don’t hate you. You created me. My blogging existence was only possible because of you. I love you!!

And so on.

My last post was the first few pages of my last finished story. I posted this to get some feedback, which I did and it was very useful. Then, I remember wanting to wait a while (a few weeks) to see if any more feedback would come. Alas, none did.

Then, I wanted to post but I decided too…. too…write another story! That’s it! It’s all coming back to me now.

I decided to write a story and focus on this alone. The story is actually a side story to go along with my main WIP that I started to write 3 years ago. I’ve been thinking about and have wanted to complete my main WIP since I started writing oh so many more years ago. The side story concerns Steven (The hero of my main WIP) who has been chosen to be one of a select few who must guard and protect all the realms (Earth being one of them) from each other when needed. Reluctantly, he was recruited and trained by the previous protectors who had grown very old and weary and could not continue to do their jobs. In total, there are 6 main protectors who have been recruited. They must recruit others to help defend the realms alongside them. However, the new protectors have to contend with old, bitter ones who wish to cause chaos…

Dun Dun Dunnnn!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cphNpqKpKc4

So far, I have written 55,992 words of my main WIP. I only realised when I started to write it that 50,000 is only a small part of the story. A really small part. With this in mind, I have decided to write side stories that will accompany the main story or potentially will be mixed into the main WIP in due course.

My thinking behind this is to write a novella or maybe novel-length stories for each of my main 6 protagonists. Each story will take each one on an adventure away from the others and see how they get on and have their characters grow. The first side story involving Steven has him thrown into a medieval type realm and an adventure with a Princess. Strangely enough, I have had not the ending of this story in my head but rather the moment they see each other again 6 months after their adventure finishes. This plays out in my head every time a particular song, Katherine Jenkins version of Hallelujah, comes on my MP3 player. It always goes the same way but before I can write that, I need to write the story that sets it up.

I used NaNoWriMo 2018 to write most of and ultimately move along with this side story. As a result, I am almost finished having reached the 50,000 target and in total, I have written 55,992 so far. I am taking a break at the moment for Christmas to concentrate on my reading but will get back to it soon. But not before posting on this poor neglected blog of mine.

As I have now successfully completed NaNoWriMo for the 4th time I will endeavour to use it to kick start my writing again and in particular my blogging activity. Here’s hoping I stick to it. Or I will see in 3 months or so.

Have a good day! And here is a quote that I have only recently found and really like.

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson.

 

And the Edit goes on La de da de de, la de da de da

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Hello

 

So, as I’ve mentioned before I’m editing a story for the month of November and it’s moving along steadily. I have been doing NaNoWriMo for the past two years but I fancied a change.

As the edit has gone on I’ve picked up on a few things that will need researching and looking into in future. I’ve made a note of these things and they just so happen to be very important to the overall story. I’m considering doing an editing month for December more and more. Well, December through to January as December has a couple of birthday’s and Christmas parties that require my attendance. The research will cover my lead characters sister and her involvement in the whole thing and how the searcher general came to find the recipe for immortality. I’m about 2/3 of the way with the immortality back story and about half way with the sister back story. Hopefully by the end of the edit I’ll have a better idea of what I had planned for her.

I have also found that I may or may not have been trying to come up with my own language whilst writing the first draft of my human vs demon yarn, The Searcher’s Want. Some of the sentences, and paragraphs for that matter, just didn’t seem to make any sense. I’m being as ruthless as I can be and have deleted plenty of full sentences but I came across one paragraph and I could not stop frowning. What the hell is that? I found myself going back over the last paragraph or two to see what would make sense. It’s sorted now. Until the next edit anyway.

I also found that I had made one chapter 14 pages long. Now, that isn’t longer than any chapter I’ve ever read or written but when you’re editing a story that averages 8 pages per chapter, it’s a lot. I cut and chopped and changed some things round and it’s all evened out. Though my task is that little bit bigger than before. It’s all part of the fun I suppose. *groan

Anyway, I’m going to get back to it. Have a good week.

 

Cheers