C.J. Flood's Blog, page 9
October 25, 2011
Peer reviews, what's the point?
So many of my writer friends and colleagues have books out or coming out soon. It's an exciting time, but Spring 2013, when mine will probably appear, seems a long way away...
Vanessa Gebbie's novel 'The Cowards Tale' is published by Bloomsbury in early November; Tom Benn's novel 'The Doll Princess' is out in January and D.W. Wilson's 'Once You Break a Knuckle' collection of short stories is currently out to buy in Canada. Or on Amazon, of course.
So should writers review each other's work? And how about writers who know each other? Chris Cleave in The Guardian a couple of weeks ago thinks this is definitely problematic, which undoubtedly it is. But it's also a blurry area. Is it ethically dubious to review somebody's work if you have only exchanged friendly emails, met at a reading, had a drink together in a bar? On the subject of reviewing peers, he wrote: "The fear makes me honest about books I do like, and silent about books I don't."
David Maybury took the subject of whether writers should review other writers on his blog: "Personally, I believe that yes, they should, that it is part of a duty to literary engagement that every writer become involved." He believes that writers' generosity in this field has helped Childrens Books Ireland to thrive as well as the magazine that he co-edits, Inis , to grow a dedicated readership.
Perhaps I know D.W. and Tom too well to review their books and it mean anything. I did a year long MA with them and I drank, with Dave at least, in a year's worth of bars. Vanessa I have only met once, at a reading years ago, and she has been supportive of my writing since. She has also written a letter of recommendation for me (the one that helped me get into UEA in fact). Too close?
I like her and I like her writing, does that mean I struggle to be honest? And if so, do peer reviews have a point? I'm veering towards thinking so. Maybe they're not the most brutal reviews in the field, but the appreciation and respect for the writing and craft and work that's gone into books that they display counts for something. There's an understanding that makes the review worthwhile in a different way, I think.
Anyway, I plan to review Vanessa's here. I expect it to go places, this one. Vanessa is one of the most talented writers I've met, with or without the recommendation letter, and I expect to be blown away.
And I promise to be honest.
Vanessa Gebbie's novel 'The Cowards Tale' is published by Bloomsbury in early November; Tom Benn's novel 'The Doll Princess' is out in January and D.W. Wilson's 'Once You Break a Knuckle' collection of short stories is currently out to buy in Canada. Or on Amazon, of course.
So should writers review each other's work? And how about writers who know each other? Chris Cleave in The Guardian a couple of weeks ago thinks this is definitely problematic, which undoubtedly it is. But it's also a blurry area. Is it ethically dubious to review somebody's work if you have only exchanged friendly emails, met at a reading, had a drink together in a bar? On the subject of reviewing peers, he wrote: "The fear makes me honest about books I do like, and silent about books I don't."
David Maybury took the subject of whether writers should review other writers on his blog: "Personally, I believe that yes, they should, that it is part of a duty to literary engagement that every writer become involved." He believes that writers' generosity in this field has helped Childrens Books Ireland to thrive as well as the magazine that he co-edits, Inis , to grow a dedicated readership.
Perhaps I know D.W. and Tom too well to review their books and it mean anything. I did a year long MA with them and I drank, with Dave at least, in a year's worth of bars. Vanessa I have only met once, at a reading years ago, and she has been supportive of my writing since. She has also written a letter of recommendation for me (the one that helped me get into UEA in fact). Too close?
I like her and I like her writing, does that mean I struggle to be honest? And if so, do peer reviews have a point? I'm veering towards thinking so. Maybe they're not the most brutal reviews in the field, but the appreciation and respect for the writing and craft and work that's gone into books that they display counts for something. There's an understanding that makes the review worthwhile in a different way, I think.
Anyway, I plan to review Vanessa's here. I expect it to go places, this one. Vanessa is one of the most talented writers I've met, with or without the recommendation letter, and I expect to be blown away.
And I promise to be honest.
October 18, 2011
Silverweed needs a new title...
Wow, ten days has passed since I last wrote here. What have I been doing? Making soup, four batches of banana bread and maybe ten varieties of sauce to go with spaghetti. But what else? Where has the time gone? I've also got up to 8,000 words of new novel, though it's just character stuff really, and I'm not entirely sure where it's all going yet.
Nothing new written since Thursday when a so far quiet character started speaking to me. Her name is Sarah, I think, or something very ordinary like that, and she doesn't seem like much of a presence to the people who surround her, but I have a feeling she's going to be very important to the story. She has been sitting quietly, absorbing things for a while, and in the not too distant future I think she's going to act. Lovely sweet Sarah, I think she's got a violent streak...
Not much news on the book front. The excitement is over for a while, though I had an email from my editor, which was lovely and exciting seeing as it means I HAVE AN EDITOR now. I can't wait to start working on the book with her, and hear her ideas about how to make it the best it can be. I also need to start thinking of alternative titles for it. Silverweed is no more!
Nothing new written since Thursday when a so far quiet character started speaking to me. Her name is Sarah, I think, or something very ordinary like that, and she doesn't seem like much of a presence to the people who surround her, but I have a feeling she's going to be very important to the story. She has been sitting quietly, absorbing things for a while, and in the not too distant future I think she's going to act. Lovely sweet Sarah, I think she's got a violent streak...
Not much news on the book front. The excitement is over for a while, though I had an email from my editor, which was lovely and exciting seeing as it means I HAVE AN EDITOR now. I can't wait to start working on the book with her, and hear her ideas about how to make it the best it can be. I also need to start thinking of alternative titles for it. Silverweed is no more!
October 10, 2011
New novel is begun!
So, I didn't start when I said I would, but I did start, and now have 3,500 words-ish of something. It's only a handful of characters at the minute, and a cool old building, but I had no idea what I was writing about when I started Silverweed, and I made it to the end of that.
The auction in Germany is closed now too, and Arena, a lovely and prestigious children's publisher are going to publish my book over there. I'm almost happier about having a German auction than a UK one. Berlin is in Germany! I lived in Berlin! I think they could sense this when they read the book. This fact spoke to them.
My second novel is set in a capital city, though I'm not sure which one. Do publishers like it when you set your books in different countries? Is this something you have to consider? When you have a two book deal, I think it probably is...
The auction in Germany is closed now too, and Arena, a lovely and prestigious children's publisher are going to publish my book over there. I'm almost happier about having a German auction than a UK one. Berlin is in Germany! I lived in Berlin! I think they could sense this when they read the book. This fact spoke to them.
My second novel is set in a capital city, though I'm not sure which one. Do publishers like it when you set your books in different countries? Is this something you have to consider? When you have a two book deal, I think it probably is...
October 3, 2011
Decision made...
Simon and Schuster are going to publish Silverweed! (Though it may have a different title.) I was really impressed with the team when I met them in London last week, and can't wait to start working with them. I think what impressed me most was how much thought they had put into getting the book out there. Their offer stood out immediately as the most considered, and I really liked them for that.
So, I now have a publisher. How exciting! Still haven't done any real writing since I finished the final draft of the book, though I have an idea for a situation and some characters, and things are kind of starting to happen in my head. I'm a bit reluctant to start, I think, because I now really know how much work it is... It takes so long! But it's hardly going down the mines is it?
Okay, tomorrow, I begin.
So, I now have a publisher. How exciting! Still haven't done any real writing since I finished the final draft of the book, though I have an idea for a situation and some characters, and things are kind of starting to happen in my head. I'm a bit reluctant to start, I think, because I now really know how much work it is... It takes so long! But it's hardly going down the mines is it?
Okay, tomorrow, I begin.
