Paul Jennings's Blog, page 2
September 13, 2012
Milestones
I should be outside working, but it is, at last, raining.
This morning at about seven o'clock I reached page 100 of the first draft of the sequel to The Golden Banner. I find it very satisfying to reach a milestone like that, and, although I am sure that it represents some kind of childish impatience with life, I notice that I regularly employ the same psychological tool in lots of the things I do.
I remember one summer when I was a student, calculating how many minutes I had left to work in the factory before I could take the money and go away on holiday; I divide tasks, even books that I am reading, into fractions, so that at any time I can say that I am this far from halfway through, or I have one fifth left to read. Even as I push wheelbarrows of muck around, I will be busy working out how many shovels make a bucket, how many buckets make a barrow, how many barrows make a pile, and how long it will take me to cover the beds in the garden!
So, the long and the short of it is, that I reckon I am about one third of the way through the first draft of the new novel. If I keep up this pace for a few years I could easily have more novels available than readers who read them.
That was a joke, just so you know..... many a true word said in jest!
This morning at about seven o'clock I reached page 100 of the first draft of the sequel to The Golden Banner. I find it very satisfying to reach a milestone like that, and, although I am sure that it represents some kind of childish impatience with life, I notice that I regularly employ the same psychological tool in lots of the things I do.
I remember one summer when I was a student, calculating how many minutes I had left to work in the factory before I could take the money and go away on holiday; I divide tasks, even books that I am reading, into fractions, so that at any time I can say that I am this far from halfway through, or I have one fifth left to read. Even as I push wheelbarrows of muck around, I will be busy working out how many shovels make a bucket, how many buckets make a barrow, how many barrows make a pile, and how long it will take me to cover the beds in the garden!
So, the long and the short of it is, that I reckon I am about one third of the way through the first draft of the new novel. If I keep up this pace for a few years I could easily have more novels available than readers who read them.
That was a joke, just so you know..... many a true word said in jest!
September 9, 2012
Peer Review
Recently I've dipped my toe into an online forum for science fiction and fantasy writers, or should that be, for people who try to write science fiction and fantasy. I posted some reviews and, eventually, stuck a story of mine, a very short piece, on there for others to look at and to comment on.
So far I have had four reviews, two very nice and also helpful, in terms of reworking the story, one neutral and a little bit picky, and one more or less entirely negative. If you think a cold shower wakes you up in the morning, I can tell you, try one of this woman's short story reviews!
Anyway, I have sat down and written since then, so I can report that I am not a delicate flower unable to take it when someone hates my stuff. Clearly, the ninja I hired to kill her with extreme prejudice has turned her into a plate of delicately sliced sushi by now, so that eases the pain somewhat.
I am going to try a rewrite of the story based on the more constructive criticisms and then I shall try to find a flash fiction site that will publish it. By reputation, these forums are very good for sharpening up style and improving the chances of publication. Of course, they might just increase bitterness and the suicide rate amongst aspiring writers.
The other thing is that this is normally a paying forum. At the moment I am on my month's free trial....... I am not yet convinced that actually paying for this process is at all a good idea. I might change my mind if I get a piece published thanks for the reviews.
So far I have had four reviews, two very nice and also helpful, in terms of reworking the story, one neutral and a little bit picky, and one more or less entirely negative. If you think a cold shower wakes you up in the morning, I can tell you, try one of this woman's short story reviews!
Anyway, I have sat down and written since then, so I can report that I am not a delicate flower unable to take it when someone hates my stuff. Clearly, the ninja I hired to kill her with extreme prejudice has turned her into a plate of delicately sliced sushi by now, so that eases the pain somewhat.
I am going to try a rewrite of the story based on the more constructive criticisms and then I shall try to find a flash fiction site that will publish it. By reputation, these forums are very good for sharpening up style and improving the chances of publication. Of course, they might just increase bitterness and the suicide rate amongst aspiring writers.
The other thing is that this is normally a paying forum. At the moment I am on my month's free trial....... I am not yet convinced that actually paying for this process is at all a good idea. I might change my mind if I get a piece published thanks for the reviews.
September 3, 2012
Of Her Trolley........
I took a gamble that these stories could all fit under the rubric "fable"; hopefully anyone that reads them will enjoy them enough not to argue the toss.
This is the last of three collections of short stories that will be going on Kindle for a while; short collections for a few pennies, the idea being that they might just, should anyone read them, draw attention to my novel.
Well, please read them if you like simple tales of ordinary and not-so-ordinary folk, and then tell me what you think of them.
This is the last of three collections of short stories that will be going on Kindle for a while; short collections for a few pennies, the idea being that they might just, should anyone read them, draw attention to my novel.
Well, please read them if you like simple tales of ordinary and not-so-ordinary folk, and then tell me what you think of them.
August 31, 2012
The Triumph of Hope Over Reason
I have been making some headway with the sequel to 'The Golden Banner', and writing a few short stories as well. The idea is to try to get some stories published both to earn a little bit of cash and some publicity for the novel.
Well, I have had a few rejections and taken them on the chin. I even had a little bit of encouragement in one rejection from a magazine. Rejections come in droves for most writers, so being precious would be stupid.
Nonetheless, one odd thing came of the first few knock-backs. I asked for some feedback and one magazine recommended an online sci fi and fantasy writing forum. I took the advice and went to have a look. The writing there is really, really bad, I mean so bad that to date I have found nothing I could really write an honest review for.
On the one hand I am ridiculously encouraged by the fact that there are so many people out there writing rubbish - is that bad? On the other hand, no-one has bitten my hand off to publish any of my stories yet........ I am in some sort of limbo: I know I can write, but clearly not well enough, or fashionably enough yet to savour the modest success of publication in a sci fi magazine. I am a bit of a loss....... or maybe I'm just deluded.... don't answer that!
Right, this is the last navel-gazing blog for a while........ next time something about writing and not nagging self-doubt.
Well, I have had a few rejections and taken them on the chin. I even had a little bit of encouragement in one rejection from a magazine. Rejections come in droves for most writers, so being precious would be stupid.
Nonetheless, one odd thing came of the first few knock-backs. I asked for some feedback and one magazine recommended an online sci fi and fantasy writing forum. I took the advice and went to have a look. The writing there is really, really bad, I mean so bad that to date I have found nothing I could really write an honest review for.
On the one hand I am ridiculously encouraged by the fact that there are so many people out there writing rubbish - is that bad? On the other hand, no-one has bitten my hand off to publish any of my stories yet........ I am in some sort of limbo: I know I can write, but clearly not well enough, or fashionably enough yet to savour the modest success of publication in a sci fi magazine. I am a bit of a loss....... or maybe I'm just deluded.... don't answer that!
Right, this is the last navel-gazing blog for a while........ next time something about writing and not nagging self-doubt.
August 25, 2012
A Walrus and a Bath House
Largely thanks to the help of my partner, Sarah, I have now put two collections of short stories on Kindle.
The first, 'The Walrus and Other Tales' is a collection of horror and fantasy stories; the second, 'Wodan's Bath House...' is of science fiction stories.
I must say that I despair somewhat when faced with the task of marketing these books, and indeed the novel, as well as any others I will be coming up with.
The twin sources of this despair are fairly clear to me: I do not consider myself particularly good at selling things, and at the same time I suppose that I am rather afraid that however hard I try, I will not manage to convince anyone that any of my writing is really worth paying attention to.
I suspect that this second sentiment is quite natural, and not at all a reason to become neurotic. In any event, I intend to keep on writing. I dare say that recognition and praise are rather like wealth, that is to say that there is probably a quite human tendency to enjoy a little, and then go looking immediately for more. It could all get rather silly; better to concentrate on writing good stories and making sure I get my commas in the right places.
The first, 'The Walrus and Other Tales' is a collection of horror and fantasy stories; the second, 'Wodan's Bath House...' is of science fiction stories.
I must say that I despair somewhat when faced with the task of marketing these books, and indeed the novel, as well as any others I will be coming up with.
The twin sources of this despair are fairly clear to me: I do not consider myself particularly good at selling things, and at the same time I suppose that I am rather afraid that however hard I try, I will not manage to convince anyone that any of my writing is really worth paying attention to.
I suspect that this second sentiment is quite natural, and not at all a reason to become neurotic. In any event, I intend to keep on writing. I dare say that recognition and praise are rather like wealth, that is to say that there is probably a quite human tendency to enjoy a little, and then go looking immediately for more. It could all get rather silly; better to concentrate on writing good stories and making sure I get my commas in the right places.
August 7, 2012
Waiting a while....
I came back this morning to a story I wrote a couple of weeks ago, a tale about a cleaner and an ill-fated emperor.
I knew that the first three or four paragraphs of the story weren't right, they were convoluted and rambling.
Still, immediately after I had written it, I couldn't find another way to say everything I wanted to say; I couldn't work out how to change it.
Looking at it again, I managed a re-write in a few minutes, simpler and, I hope, easier on the reader.
It strikes me just how many things are like this in my life. Reflection and revision time is important. Now I have to try to learn the patience to finish a story and then put it aside for a while before submitting it to anyone.
I knew that the first three or four paragraphs of the story weren't right, they were convoluted and rambling.
Still, immediately after I had written it, I couldn't find another way to say everything I wanted to say; I couldn't work out how to change it.
Looking at it again, I managed a re-write in a few minutes, simpler and, I hope, easier on the reader.
It strikes me just how many things are like this in my life. Reflection and revision time is important. Now I have to try to learn the patience to finish a story and then put it aside for a while before submitting it to anyone.
August 1, 2012
The Last Bottle
I have been writing quite a lot of short stories recently. The idea is to try to sell them and drum up some interest in my writing. I suppose drumming up some money would be handy too.
The fourth short that I have written and submitted in the last couple of weeks is about a bottle of wine. I had trouble starting it, the story not the bottle of wine, and I'm not sure even now, if I like the way it came together.
The thing is that I wrote it and submitted it to a magazine that I would love to have some success with. I immediately regretted doing that with a story I wasn't sure about. This particular magazine publishes very few stories a year and is very quick to repond to submissions.
Oddly, though, when the rejection came through, I re-read the story and quite liked it, or at least liked it more than I had before. I think I'll just send it to someone else and see how it goes; eventually I might re-write it.
The trick, I am told, is to accept that very many stories will never find homes, let alone paying gigs; most of them will just end up gathering dust, forgotten and unloved. The effort isn't wasted though; I need to remember that 'The Golden Banner' was born in a short story for ABCtales. Inevitably I suppose, all ones writing is, to one extent or another, of a piece, the work of one imagination and therefore tied together.
The fourth short that I have written and submitted in the last couple of weeks is about a bottle of wine. I had trouble starting it, the story not the bottle of wine, and I'm not sure even now, if I like the way it came together.
The thing is that I wrote it and submitted it to a magazine that I would love to have some success with. I immediately regretted doing that with a story I wasn't sure about. This particular magazine publishes very few stories a year and is very quick to repond to submissions.
Oddly, though, when the rejection came through, I re-read the story and quite liked it, or at least liked it more than I had before. I think I'll just send it to someone else and see how it goes; eventually I might re-write it.
The trick, I am told, is to accept that very many stories will never find homes, let alone paying gigs; most of them will just end up gathering dust, forgotten and unloved. The effort isn't wasted though; I need to remember that 'The Golden Banner' was born in a short story for ABCtales. Inevitably I suppose, all ones writing is, to one extent or another, of a piece, the work of one imagination and therefore tied together.
July 26, 2012
Welcome
I feel as if I am speaking to a very large and empty room.
I have been writing stories for as long as I have been able to write; I am fairly convinced that ahead of all the other things I have done and still do with my life, writing is my vocation.
Of course, it is extraordinarily unlikely that the rest of the world will ever come to agree with me, but I don't suppose that that really matters.
I will, I hope, carry on writing and trying to find whatever audience I can for my stories. I will also carry on gardening, keeping chickens and doing the odd bit of eco-building; I don't expect ever to be renowned as a leading expert in any of these fields either, but I will nonetheless persevere.
So, at the moment, I am writing a sequel to my first novel, The Golden Banner. All of the storylines in the sequel come together twenty years or so after the end of New Thessaly's civil war; at that time it seems, there is little if any prospect of any effective challenge being mounted against the dominance of the Holy Court.
I am also writing quite a few new short stories, and working on collections of my older short stories to put out on Kindle. I wrote these stories over the last few years; in many ways they represent my early preparations for writing the novel.
There we are, a blog entry, my first ever, anywhere. I will endeavour to keep this up, but for now I have to try to get written a story about the last bottle of the finest wine ever made.
I have been writing stories for as long as I have been able to write; I am fairly convinced that ahead of all the other things I have done and still do with my life, writing is my vocation.
Of course, it is extraordinarily unlikely that the rest of the world will ever come to agree with me, but I don't suppose that that really matters.
I will, I hope, carry on writing and trying to find whatever audience I can for my stories. I will also carry on gardening, keeping chickens and doing the odd bit of eco-building; I don't expect ever to be renowned as a leading expert in any of these fields either, but I will nonetheless persevere.
So, at the moment, I am writing a sequel to my first novel, The Golden Banner. All of the storylines in the sequel come together twenty years or so after the end of New Thessaly's civil war; at that time it seems, there is little if any prospect of any effective challenge being mounted against the dominance of the Holy Court.
I am also writing quite a few new short stories, and working on collections of my older short stories to put out on Kindle. I wrote these stories over the last few years; in many ways they represent my early preparations for writing the novel.
There we are, a blog entry, my first ever, anywhere. I will endeavour to keep this up, but for now I have to try to get written a story about the last bottle of the finest wine ever made.
