Facebook – General – and Chandler’s Ford Today
Am a night early with my Chandler’s Ford Today post this week. Am away at an ACW conference so thought it best to schedule for this evening!
In writing my 101 Things to Put into Room 101, I came to a topic that deserves its own vault all by itself – the frustrations of publishing. There are few authors who can’t sympathise with this topic, though it has been great to share links to both the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors in this post. Writers need all the support they can get!
Will be back to the Room 101 series in a couple of weeks or so, as this post leads into a two-part interview with fellow Chapeltown author, Gail Aldwin, who will be talking about her own route to publication.
I have yet to interview a writer whose route to publication was straight forward or easy! Nature of the beast I suspect!
Facebook – From Light to Dark and Back Again
When stuck for an idea or two
Have a go at something brand new
Don’t say this is me being rash.
Doing this got me into flash!
Allison Symes 8th March 2019
I accept I’m never going to be offered the Poet Laureate’s post based on my doggerel above. Just as well too, I think. However, the verse is true! It really was my being open to the idea of having a go at Cafelit’s100-word challenge that meant I discovered the joys of flash fiction. Had it not been for that, I wouldn’t have a book to my name now.
One of the great joys of creative writing is to have fun with it and one great way of doing that is to mix up what you write. So go ahead, give flash fiction a go!
Fairytales with Bite – The Frustrations of Publishing
My Chandler’s Ford Today post looks at the frustrations of publishing. I expect you may have experienced most of them! However, there are two classic ways out of at least some of these. One is to self publish and the other is to seek publication via the small, independent press. I chose the latter route! More in the post…
The main frustration I feel is the Catch 22 one of people wanting you to have a track record before they will take you on, yet the only way to get that track record is to be published! It is also highly appropriate to use the phrase Catch 22 too given we’re talking about getting books out there…
Back to our fictional worlds though – what role does literature play in it? Who “controls” literature? Could your characters be published writers? What form of writing do they use? Do they have stories as we understand them? Who are the publishers in your setting(s)? Does the government exercise any control over what the public can read?
(I like the thought of there being an underground library for those not wanting to just read what is on a government’s approved list!).
This World and Others – Overcoming Frustrations
My Chandler’s Ford Today post this week looks at (some of) the frustrations of publishing.
How do your characters overcome the inevitable frustrations they will face? Do they handle them well or badly? What are the consequences of their reactions? Are there frustrations caused by government (too much bureaucracy etc?
How do your characters face the day to day frustrations and when it comes to being under continuing pressures, how do they handle that?
I’m not arguing with this one! Image via Pixabay.
The writer’s desk. What do you hope will emerge from yours this coming year? Image via Pixabay.
And prepare well!
Says it all really and applies to non-fiction equally as fiction. Image via Pixabay.
Flash – for light or dark fiction! Image via Pixabay
Fantasy may look at other worlds but often reflects on our own. Time is different too. Music can interpret worlds too. Think of classic film scores like that for The Lord of the Rings. Image via Pixabay.
Heaven on earth? Image via Pixabay (of the library at Leeds Castle)
Goodreads Author Programme – Blog
I’m a great fan of Agatha Christie. The first set of books I collected from Odhams (remember them?) were hers and I proudly own at least 30 red leather-bound hardbacks.
Each hardback contains two novels or a novel and a set of her short stories (such as The Labours of Hercules).
My favourite character is Jane Marple, though I do love Tommy and Tuppence in The Secret Adversary.
My favourite novel, though, is Murder on the Orient Express because it looks at whether murder is ever justified, even when the usual justice system fails.
It’s still a pertinent question. Even more pertinent is the fact the justice system shouldn’t fail but can do. Desperation and anger drive people to do desperate things and this is very much reflected in this book.
I also liked the David Suchet TV version of this. His Poirot was in angry anguish over what happened (and by implication what drove those events in the first place).
So what are your favourite Agatha books?
Allison Symes: Collected Works 
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