New Writing Dundee 2009

I'm very proud to say that I have had a short story published in New Writing Dundee. This is an annual anthology of local and international published and unpublished writers produced by Dundee University Press. The publication is in its 4th year now and is attracting some high profile authors such as Douglas Dunn, Meaghan Delahunt and Kirsty Gunn. I'm proud to be associated with such venerable writers.

My piece, entitled 'The Magic of Murder' is a metaphysical black comedy about a woman who sees herself through her husband's eyes moments after he bludgeons her with a waffle iron.

The publication is available for purchase from Amazon.co.uk so pick up a copy, if not to read my story but to sample some of the best of what Scotland and those associated with Scotland have to offer.

Why am I a claustrophic agoraphobe?

...for the simple reason that I'm afraid to go out when I know I should be in working on my manuscript or on the many new ideas for novels that are popping into my head at an alarming rate, but at the same time afraid to stay in when the sun is shining and I should be out enjoying what the world has to offer. I should compromise by working outside...

But enough about me, does your writer-self guilt-trip you?

Introverts need not apply

To be a writer, or should I say successful writer/author, do you need to have a fearless ability to sell yourself, a killer instinct? Is talent not enough to secure a book deal? Are those less inclined to be so brazen about themselves less likely to attract attention from agents and publishers? Are they less worthy of publication because they don't blog or have the time/skill/confidence/money* (*delete as applicable) to set up a website or because they don't harry unsuspecting agents at conferences with rehearsed pitches?

I'm starting to think that the answer to those questions is 'yes'.

I'm finding this hard to get my head around. It sits very uneasy with me not least because I got out of the marketing rat race to write. Now I find that if I'm to succeed in that I'm going to have to throw myself back to the wolves. But hey, I've done it before I can do it again.

I recently discovered a book on this very topic which I have just purchased from Amazon's marketplace called "Get known before the book deal", by Christina Katz. I've only read the few sample pages offered by Amazon but she talks a lot about developing a 'platform' (images of high divers flit through my mind when I read that word, and perhaps that is what it's all about, she says as the penny drops. It's about raising yourself up above others although 'stilts' might actually be a better noun to use. It certainly sounds higher). I suppose in these tight economic times, just as the average shopper is more cautious, searching for ways to maximise the contents of their purse, the same is true for publishers. They want to be sure that their pennies will yield pounds, and that I can understand. So as they say "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" which is the exact reason I have set up this blog.

Bye for now...

ICDL - International Children's Digital Library

I serendipitously happened across this website today, http://en.childrenslibrary.org/, the International Children's Digital Library.

ICDL is a collaboratively developed database of multi cultural work's of children's fiction that have been digitised and are available to read online. It's a fabulous and expanding resource for anyone wishing to sample the best of foreign language books or to simply expand their pool of reading material, and more importantly it's perfect for teachers or librarians to encourage children to read and learn outside their own cultures.

You can become a member of the ICDL, or sponsor, or even contribute books to the digitisation project to help develop the resource.

It's well worth a visit, I highly recommend you check it out, if not to contribute but to simply enjoy reading something completely different!

The merit of procrastination

"Procrastinate now, don't put it off!" said Ellen De Generes.

I'm a believer! After nine years, from the moment I came up with the bare bones of an idea, I finally finished my first book. Okay the last four were spent on the actual writing and editing part, but it has made me question the merits of protracted completion of such a mammoth project. I'm totally convinced that if I had tried to pitch my book to agents when I thought I'd finished it, some two years ago, it would never have seen the light of day and my dream of becoming a published writer would have been as pointless as a broken pencil. And though it still is very much a dream at this stage I'm 100% happier with the way the book has evolved over the last two years. I'm sure Darwin would have something to say on the subject if literature came under his theory of natural selection. How many other books might have been published if only they'd been nutured for a little bit longer? Are we in too much of a hurry? Do Darwin's laws of 'survival of the fittest' actually apply here too?

That's just one reason to procrastinate...for 101 other reasons check out this site, http://101excusesnottowrite.blogspot.com/ - my personal favourite excuse is "I'm attending another writer's retreat" - speaking of which, anyone attending the SCBWI conference in LA in August?

Meaning behind the name! (part 1)

In case anyone is curious as to the meaning of my blog url, here's the story.

When I lived in the richly multi-cultural enclave of North London, before they erected an 8 foot fence on the central reservation of the North Circular Road, I was a flamboyant, adventurous and fanciful child (sadly that diminished when I stepped out of Lewis's Wardrobe and into the 'real work-a-day world!'). As such I was fearless enough to perform in many school theatrical productions, one of which earned me the moniker of 'witch', owing to my memorable performance of the Wicked Witch in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (a performance my mother claimed was entirely natural and required no particular stretch of my acting ability). But the performance that sticks in my memory is when we did cabaret acts. I distinctly remember singing, with two of my fellow school friends, the song 'Side by Side' (a song written in the 20's and covered more times than 'Whiter Shade of Pale' - nobody quote me on that one!). One of the lyrics in the song is 'maybe we're ragged and funny'. Now I would of had 'raggedandfunny' but some other blogger beat me to the punch, so opted for 'araggedandfunny.blogspot'. As for the meaning behind my blog name, that's for another day...

No possible Plan B

So here's the thing...do aspiring writers ever think of having a plan B career?

It's a question that sadly is nagging the pragmatic part of my mind.

I work in a university library and have been since I graduated with my MLitt in Creative Writing at the same university. I don't have a formal library qualification (my undergraduate degree being in Marketing!) but am now being gently coerced to consider my future by my employers. They clearly have my best interests at heart and want to nuture someone they consider a valuable asset. That I can understand and appreciate, but it leaves me in somewhat of a quandary. In my heart I don't want a plan B and don't want to have to contemplate or invest time and money in developing it. Call me a dreamer but my plan A career is to be a published, professional, full time writer. I'm doing everything in my power to achieve that goal. I've completed my first novel, recently had a short story published, have performed some of my work at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and have even started this blog to get my name out there, so my dedication can't be called into question. But the fact remains that I'm not being paid to do what I love, I'm being paid to do something that in my heart will always take second place. Unfortunately the 'being paid' part is critical, especially in the current economic climate. So if it's a choice of fantasy or reality, which would you opt for?