Paul Jennings's Blog
April 14, 2013
Abandonment Marketing.
Until very recently I haven't done much more than worry about how I might sell my writing. That is to say, I have known that eventually I would have to actually make an effort, but I have instead indulged in dispiriting half-hearted attempts to both reach a wider audience and make a little bit of money.
From this style of abandonment marketing arise two problems. Firstly, I sell very little writing; secondly, I don't actually find out if my writing is good enough for a wide audience or to make any money.
So I am trying to turn over a new leaf. There is a website under construction. The site will have a blog; free short fiction as often as I come up with something to give away; links to places where other stuff of mine can be bought and to writing resources that I use and like, and perhaps there will even be a shop.
Incredibly, I am also starting to use twitter to publicise this blog and other bits and bobs; I am considering a dedicated facebook page for my writing and, of course, I am going to keep on blogging here until my number of reads tails away to single figures.
In a final somewhat terrifying development, I have approached a local café-bar about getting a reading gig which I hope might turn into an opportunity to sell some books. The owner seemed very keen when I spoke to him on Friday, so now I need to sort out the short story collection and get booked for a date.
At the very least it will be interesting to see how this all goes.
Meanwhile I lost two stories, found the notes for them again and have now re-written one, a story called 'Our Friend Dave'. The morning after the re-write I sent it straight off to a daily on-line publisher of short fiction!
I think that my habit of listening to my Welsh lessons on my laptop whilst I am doing the washing up is taking a toll on the keyboard....... I keep getting double letters when I type..... soapy water in the machine!
Oh, please, if you think this blog isn't too dull, could you share the link around? I don't really want my number of reads to fade away to single figures. Also, please do comment and tell me about your experiences of trying to market writing or art of any sort...... or indeed about soapy water under your keyboard.
From this style of abandonment marketing arise two problems. Firstly, I sell very little writing; secondly, I don't actually find out if my writing is good enough for a wide audience or to make any money.
So I am trying to turn over a new leaf. There is a website under construction. The site will have a blog; free short fiction as often as I come up with something to give away; links to places where other stuff of mine can be bought and to writing resources that I use and like, and perhaps there will even be a shop.
Incredibly, I am also starting to use twitter to publicise this blog and other bits and bobs; I am considering a dedicated facebook page for my writing and, of course, I am going to keep on blogging here until my number of reads tails away to single figures.
In a final somewhat terrifying development, I have approached a local café-bar about getting a reading gig which I hope might turn into an opportunity to sell some books. The owner seemed very keen when I spoke to him on Friday, so now I need to sort out the short story collection and get booked for a date.
At the very least it will be interesting to see how this all goes.
Meanwhile I lost two stories, found the notes for them again and have now re-written one, a story called 'Our Friend Dave'. The morning after the re-write I sent it straight off to a daily on-line publisher of short fiction!
I think that my habit of listening to my Welsh lessons on my laptop whilst I am doing the washing up is taking a toll on the keyboard....... I keep getting double letters when I type..... soapy water in the machine!
Oh, please, if you think this blog isn't too dull, could you share the link around? I don't really want my number of reads to fade away to single figures. Also, please do comment and tell me about your experiences of trying to market writing or art of any sort...... or indeed about soapy water under your keyboard.
April 4, 2013
Stage 2
I was reading a very nice essay about writer's block yesterday. It's not that I feel blocked, but a combination of frustration and schadenfraude got me reading about writers' problems anyway.
The theory behind the essay was that more or less all of us have our creativity suppressed by the society we grow up in. I subscribe quite strongly to this idea , and also to the notion that everyone should try to do something creative, to find their passion or passions. After all we're going to need to fill this world with art in every aspect of our lives once we get rid of capitalism.
According to this essay, which, by the way, you can find here:
http://www.flash-fiction-world.com/wr...
stage 2 is that point at which you take your ideas and clothe them in your own unique perspective. You see, it's a given that your ideas aren't original, but the way you manifest them will or at least could be.
It is whilst you are busy thinking about how to manifest your ideas that you are worn down by all of the anxieties that beset your creativity, largely that you should really be doing something more useful instead. Of course this is linked to your reasons for writing, and whether you are able to find the pleasure you should in the process, or if you are busy hoping that this is your ticket out of the fix that more or less all of us find ourselves in.
Well I don't know. I don't really like pop psychology. Nevertheless, this essay chimes with a lot of things that have happened to me recently, and a lot of other talks and writings I've stumbled across. It comes down to this I suppose: you need to give yourself a chance, you need to create the art that's inside you and not worry about whether it is objectively great art, whatever that might be.
I have a stack of ideas at the moment. To be honest I have had them for a long time. So, considering that my problem was once whether I could find ideas to fill a novel at all, it is somewhat ironic that I now find myself dancing around my big ideas, writing short or very short stories, or writing nothing at all, and wondering how I will take the first steps towards getting these projects down on paper.
It comes down to, as a Canadian economist whose TED talk I watched the other night argued, fear. And nothing has left so many hopes and dreams unfulfilled as fear...... well except perhaps the nature of class society........ but that's another story.
The theory behind the essay was that more or less all of us have our creativity suppressed by the society we grow up in. I subscribe quite strongly to this idea , and also to the notion that everyone should try to do something creative, to find their passion or passions. After all we're going to need to fill this world with art in every aspect of our lives once we get rid of capitalism.
According to this essay, which, by the way, you can find here:
http://www.flash-fiction-world.com/wr...
stage 2 is that point at which you take your ideas and clothe them in your own unique perspective. You see, it's a given that your ideas aren't original, but the way you manifest them will or at least could be.
It is whilst you are busy thinking about how to manifest your ideas that you are worn down by all of the anxieties that beset your creativity, largely that you should really be doing something more useful instead. Of course this is linked to your reasons for writing, and whether you are able to find the pleasure you should in the process, or if you are busy hoping that this is your ticket out of the fix that more or less all of us find ourselves in.
Well I don't know. I don't really like pop psychology. Nevertheless, this essay chimes with a lot of things that have happened to me recently, and a lot of other talks and writings I've stumbled across. It comes down to this I suppose: you need to give yourself a chance, you need to create the art that's inside you and not worry about whether it is objectively great art, whatever that might be.
I have a stack of ideas at the moment. To be honest I have had them for a long time. So, considering that my problem was once whether I could find ideas to fill a novel at all, it is somewhat ironic that I now find myself dancing around my big ideas, writing short or very short stories, or writing nothing at all, and wondering how I will take the first steps towards getting these projects down on paper.
It comes down to, as a Canadian economist whose TED talk I watched the other night argued, fear. And nothing has left so many hopes and dreams unfulfilled as fear...... well except perhaps the nature of class society........ but that's another story.
March 27, 2013
Flash!!
The Crow's Regard
I am rather pleased about this. I will take small victories when and where I can get them.
Of course, anyone who writes anything has to be prepared to take the rough with the smooth. Writing has that much in common with all creative endeavours.
It might almost be said that in order to succeed - to whatever modest degree - one has to fail. As Master Cheng said "invest in loss"...... not that everything in life can be reduced to tai chi....... just most things.
I am rather pleased about this. I will take small victories when and where I can get them.
Of course, anyone who writes anything has to be prepared to take the rough with the smooth. Writing has that much in common with all creative endeavours.
It might almost be said that in order to succeed - to whatever modest degree - one has to fail. As Master Cheng said "invest in loss"...... not that everything in life can be reduced to tai chi....... just most things.
February 28, 2013
A Paid Download
Ether Books has taken a second story and this one, when it becomes available, will be a paid download.
So, now all I need to do is reach out to the Smartphone-using community and encourage them to read my stories....... I'm not entirely sure how to manage that.
The good thing is that I am writing a lot at the moment. I finished the first draft of a Viking-Horror cross-over last night. Needless to say I must acknowledge the influence that HPL has had on all my stories of this ilk, but my imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
This one came in at just over 4,000 words; quite a long one. I have a stack of ideas waiting to be worked on. All-in-all I am one nice acceptance letter away from being a very happy writer at the moment..... that's a bit shallow isn't it? I am a happy writer at the moment.
So, now all I need to do is reach out to the Smartphone-using community and encourage them to read my stories....... I'm not entirely sure how to manage that.
The good thing is that I am writing a lot at the moment. I finished the first draft of a Viking-Horror cross-over last night. Needless to say I must acknowledge the influence that HPL has had on all my stories of this ilk, but my imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
This one came in at just over 4,000 words; quite a long one. I have a stack of ideas waiting to be worked on. All-in-all I am one nice acceptance letter away from being a very happy writer at the moment..... that's a bit shallow isn't it? I am a happy writer at the moment.
February 14, 2013
Ether Books
Ether Books have accepted one of my short stories.
I don't think that this is such a big deal, but it does mean that I have a showcase for some of my stuff, and it is a way to make writing short stories pay.
Ether is a mobile social reading platform which puts quick reads on to smart phones via an app for that purpose. I am now an Ether writer and I hope that this might go somewhere; I believe that short fiction is making something of a comeback.
The story is called 'The Warrior's Wife', but I think you can search for me by name; it is a free download, although you do need a device and the Ether app. I shall be putting a few more stories on in the near future....... and hopefully some of them won't be free.
Well, it seems to me that this is modest progress. I might have a beer and then submit another story I have just finished.
I don't think that this is such a big deal, but it does mean that I have a showcase for some of my stuff, and it is a way to make writing short stories pay.
Ether is a mobile social reading platform which puts quick reads on to smart phones via an app for that purpose. I am now an Ether writer and I hope that this might go somewhere; I believe that short fiction is making something of a comeback.
The story is called 'The Warrior's Wife', but I think you can search for me by name; it is a free download, although you do need a device and the Ether app. I shall be putting a few more stories on in the near future....... and hopefully some of them won't be free.
Well, it seems to me that this is modest progress. I might have a beer and then submit another story I have just finished.
February 12, 2013
Shorts and very shorts
I have written four short stories since we arrived in Whitland. Well two of them were very short for a flash fiction competition.
I have finally got out a couple of stories that have been lurking for a long while on the edges of my imagination. The first is about an Anglo-Saxon warrior with a mysterious wife; the second is about a painter and his apprentice, it's set in a great city and has a fantasy twist in the tail.
I enjoyed writing the flash fiction; two hundred and fifty words is a very challenging limit. One of these was inspired by very sad recent news, the other just by my long-standing admiration for crows.
I'd recommend writing 250 word stories to anyone, it doesn't take too long and can only be good for creativity. Here's a link to a site that might help get you going:
http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashf...
I have finally got out a couple of stories that have been lurking for a long while on the edges of my imagination. The first is about an Anglo-Saxon warrior with a mysterious wife; the second is about a painter and his apprentice, it's set in a great city and has a fantasy twist in the tail.
I enjoyed writing the flash fiction; two hundred and fifty words is a very challenging limit. One of these was inspired by very sad recent news, the other just by my long-standing admiration for crows.
I'd recommend writing 250 word stories to anyone, it doesn't take too long and can only be good for creativity. Here's a link to a site that might help get you going:
http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashf...
January 31, 2013
Writing again.
No desk, no chair, writing again.
I finally got down again to turning out a short story. It's based on a tiny fragment of Eleventh Century history I came across whilst looking for something else.
It helps to think that I might, at last, have found a promising outlet for short stories; I read that the form is making a come back. We'll see.
I have also spoken to the man who runs the MA in Creative Writing at Trinity St Davids; I'm off up to Lampeter to see him next week. I am still asking myself whether this will be at all worthwhile; hopefully I'll get some answers when I visit the department.
A swift glance at the results of writing competitions or the biographies of new published writers seems to confirm the growing influence of courses like the one I am considering. It seems an odd phenomenon and makes me wish that I had had a clearer view of my hopes and ambitions twenty odd years ago, but on one level I think I understand it.
It isn't the writing so much, that really determines whether one succeeds or fails, it is whether one knows how to write for the market, and then how to market oneself and ones writing. How terrible. What it comes down to is having contacts and playing the game; professionally speaking I have never managed that in any line of work. Maybe it's time to get serious.
I finally got down again to turning out a short story. It's based on a tiny fragment of Eleventh Century history I came across whilst looking for something else.
It helps to think that I might, at last, have found a promising outlet for short stories; I read that the form is making a come back. We'll see.
I have also spoken to the man who runs the MA in Creative Writing at Trinity St Davids; I'm off up to Lampeter to see him next week. I am still asking myself whether this will be at all worthwhile; hopefully I'll get some answers when I visit the department.
A swift glance at the results of writing competitions or the biographies of new published writers seems to confirm the growing influence of courses like the one I am considering. It seems an odd phenomenon and makes me wish that I had had a clearer view of my hopes and ambitions twenty odd years ago, but on one level I think I understand it.
It isn't the writing so much, that really determines whether one succeeds or fails, it is whether one knows how to write for the market, and then how to market oneself and ones writing. How terrible. What it comes down to is having contacts and playing the game; professionally speaking I have never managed that in any line of work. Maybe it's time to get serious.
November 4, 2012
Letting lessons sink in.......
I have been rather stuck recently, busy for sure, but frustrated and not writing for other reasons as well.
One of the problems has definitely been that I really didn't like the first draft of a chapter for the sequel to The Golden Banner; I tore it out, rolled it up and burned it tonight. That felt good.
So, what was the problem? Well, some weeks ago I read an interesting blog by a writer in which he talked about writing at the top of each manuscript page RUA: resist the urge to explain. I realised that I had spent the whole of this awful ten page chapter trying to explain stuff. It was dreadful. Anyway, it took me weeks to realise that I was guilty of this and, as I said, to tear the pages out and dispose of them.
Hopefully this will kickstart the project again. Although having said that I am not so sure that I want to just plough on with it. Recently I also came across an interesting methodology for planning and writing novels, so it might be that I go back to basics and actually plan the whole sequel better than I have so far.
I have been imagining trying to make writing my main activity. It is hopelessly unrealistic of course, and so, somehow, I am just going to have to discover hitherto untapped reserves of self-discipline.
This reminds me of other aspects of my life. I find that rather disturbing. Hmmmmmm.
One of the problems has definitely been that I really didn't like the first draft of a chapter for the sequel to The Golden Banner; I tore it out, rolled it up and burned it tonight. That felt good.
So, what was the problem? Well, some weeks ago I read an interesting blog by a writer in which he talked about writing at the top of each manuscript page RUA: resist the urge to explain. I realised that I had spent the whole of this awful ten page chapter trying to explain stuff. It was dreadful. Anyway, it took me weeks to realise that I was guilty of this and, as I said, to tear the pages out and dispose of them.
Hopefully this will kickstart the project again. Although having said that I am not so sure that I want to just plough on with it. Recently I also came across an interesting methodology for planning and writing novels, so it might be that I go back to basics and actually plan the whole sequel better than I have so far.
I have been imagining trying to make writing my main activity. It is hopelessly unrealistic of course, and so, somehow, I am just going to have to discover hitherto untapped reserves of self-discipline.
This reminds me of other aspects of my life. I find that rather disturbing. Hmmmmmm.
October 15, 2012
Hmmmmm, not writing
Not writing has, to date, been quite a large part of my journey as a writer. At the moment I am not writing. In the past this situation has arisen when I have had no idea what to write about, but this time I certainly can't use that excuse.
I have a part written novel waiting for my attention, and several other big project ideas lined up behind along with a stack of short story starts.
The other day I decided to look back at the last bit of writing I did. It was most of a chapter for the sequel to The Golden Banner, and I had it in mind that it was pretty awful; that perhaps it was that that was stalling my writing.
Well, it turned out that it wasn't bad at all, at least by the normal standard of my scribblings. So I was quite encouraged by that. It's just that everytime I think about picking up my pen I feel exhausted.
I'm not sure if this problem will just sort itself out naturally, maybe one morning after a night undisturbed by cats or a certain little boy.
Anyway, on the horizon we have our move back to the UK, and I happened across a very interesting MA in Creative Writing at a university near where we will be living. I am toying with the idea of a part-time go at it if we sell the house here for a reasonable amount. I suppose the thing is that I wonder if it might not just sharpen up my writing and give me an edge in my attempt to get something published..... other than by me and Sarah that is!
Part of my struggle with writing is not wanting to go on wondering whether I might be able to become a half-decent writer or not. As with most challenges in life, the problem is, that this quest is very likely to demand time and commitment..... precious commodities indeed.
I have a part written novel waiting for my attention, and several other big project ideas lined up behind along with a stack of short story starts.
The other day I decided to look back at the last bit of writing I did. It was most of a chapter for the sequel to The Golden Banner, and I had it in mind that it was pretty awful; that perhaps it was that that was stalling my writing.
Well, it turned out that it wasn't bad at all, at least by the normal standard of my scribblings. So I was quite encouraged by that. It's just that everytime I think about picking up my pen I feel exhausted.
I'm not sure if this problem will just sort itself out naturally, maybe one morning after a night undisturbed by cats or a certain little boy.
Anyway, on the horizon we have our move back to the UK, and I happened across a very interesting MA in Creative Writing at a university near where we will be living. I am toying with the idea of a part-time go at it if we sell the house here for a reasonable amount. I suppose the thing is that I wonder if it might not just sharpen up my writing and give me an edge in my attempt to get something published..... other than by me and Sarah that is!
Part of my struggle with writing is not wanting to go on wondering whether I might be able to become a half-decent writer or not. As with most challenges in life, the problem is, that this quest is very likely to demand time and commitment..... precious commodities indeed.
September 20, 2012
Writing eh?
So, we are moving back to the UK. I have to ask myself if it is worth taking my writing seriously.
I freely admit that to-date I have taken very little seriously in my life, at least as far as work is concerned.
I always had the ability to ease through exams, but I didn't have the dedication, or the calling to become a real scholar or historian. I breezed a doctorate, but I never had the makings of an academic.
I'm a pretty good gardener, but could never apply myself to working for other people, and have never had the drive or the bottle to really set myself up in business.
I can teach, and I can talk for ages on a range of subjects, but the truth is that I struggle with the didactic model; either I end up doubting myself, or I resent the idea that other people might, quite rightly, question what I'm telling them.
I can build. Well, I build like a farmer and I've never really seen anything through terribly well.
Oh, and of course, I can write. Well, I write like I do everything else, pretty well for someone who doesn't do it for a living. I entertain a few people with my stories and I wonder whether I have it in me to do more.
So, it's no good wondering. I hope to use the time and extra energy I'll have once we move to the UK, and before we find some land, to get serious about my writing, to work on my craft and maybe produce something that might get published and marketed by a publishing house. I am advancing slowly on one novel at the moment and have two more at the idea stage, so there is lots to work on. I just need to apply all I have learned so far.
On a really nice note, I saw the first few pages of The Golden Banner in French translation yesterday. I am hoping that I will soon hae three or four chapters ready to send off to "une maison d'edition". It would be great to see if the novel might be considered for publication in French..... well we'll see.
I freely admit that to-date I have taken very little seriously in my life, at least as far as work is concerned.
I always had the ability to ease through exams, but I didn't have the dedication, or the calling to become a real scholar or historian. I breezed a doctorate, but I never had the makings of an academic.
I'm a pretty good gardener, but could never apply myself to working for other people, and have never had the drive or the bottle to really set myself up in business.
I can teach, and I can talk for ages on a range of subjects, but the truth is that I struggle with the didactic model; either I end up doubting myself, or I resent the idea that other people might, quite rightly, question what I'm telling them.
I can build. Well, I build like a farmer and I've never really seen anything through terribly well.
Oh, and of course, I can write. Well, I write like I do everything else, pretty well for someone who doesn't do it for a living. I entertain a few people with my stories and I wonder whether I have it in me to do more.
So, it's no good wondering. I hope to use the time and extra energy I'll have once we move to the UK, and before we find some land, to get serious about my writing, to work on my craft and maybe produce something that might get published and marketed by a publishing house. I am advancing slowly on one novel at the moment and have two more at the idea stage, so there is lots to work on. I just need to apply all I have learned so far.
On a really nice note, I saw the first few pages of The Golden Banner in French translation yesterday. I am hoping that I will soon hae three or four chapters ready to send off to "une maison d'edition". It would be great to see if the novel might be considered for publication in French..... well we'll see.
