CLOG - Comedy Literature Only Group discussion
Introductions
Thanks for the welcome, folks. It's good (if slightly disturbing) to discover that there are other writers like me! As it's now nearly half past wine, I'll have a proper look round the group tomorrow, and will send my email address to Rob to pass on.Looking forward to reading everyone's work.
Hello. I am J. Skeeter Hawthorne and I'm glad I found this group. It is refreshing to see posts from folks who find challenges categorizing their work. My first foray into self-publishing is a comedy/fantasy that plays through with the zany, surrealism of an Adult Swim cartoon. Simply put, a bunny slipper gets pissed at its pervy, middle-aged owner and bites itself off of the man's leg. After that things get weird. It is dark, violent, and, I hope, funny. I saw some posts about marketing within the forum. I've been playing with social media, but I am finding it to be a slow process... Wordpress and Twitter seem to be doing more for me so far than my FB page. Still, I'm having some fun interactions and have actually found Twitter to be entertaining and, occasionally, even informative.
I've made two versions of the trailer and have been creating a multitude of short videos which I'm posting via social media to try to market the eBook. I only released the book and trailer a couple of months ago, so it's still early. My plan is to design an illustrated, print (CreateSpace) version, but that will not be in the near future. I wonder - has anyone in this forum used CreateSpace to offer print versions of their book - and if so, does it help with sales?
Anywho, I'm looking forward to meeting folks in this forum and hope to learn more about works you create.
Cheers!
JSH
J. wrote: " I wonder - has anyone in this forum used CreateSpace to offer print versions of their book - and if so, does it help with sales?.."Hi, and welcome to the forum. Yes, several of us have used Createspace, including four of my novels. Not sure it helps sales that much, although I seem to have a fan in Germany who buys paper copies of my stuff. I've a whole fifteen Euros in royalties awaiting me. I think the worlds of ebook and paper are quite separate and there is no substitute for publicising and canvassing. Sadly the world is awash with written words and few of us have illusions of fame and fortune.
It's nice to have a paper copy on one's own bookshelf. Also, going to Createspace first focuses the mind and makes sure that the formatting is spot on. After that, CS offer to publish it to Kindle as part of the process. This makes sure that print and ebook are linked, without you having to go to Kindle support and get them to do it manually.Also, there are agencies that won't take you seriously if you haven't got a print version to send them as a sample, and libraries and bookshops that will take one on approval, sale or return etc.
James wrote: "J. wrote: " I wonder - has anyone in this forum used CreateSpace to offer print versions of their book - and if so, does it help with sales?.."Hi, and welcome to the forum. Yes, several of us have..."
Cool. Thanks for responding, James. Do you format your own CreateSpace documents? And if so, have you used any illustrations? I'm looking into using Adobe InDesign to format mine. I'm pretty skilled with several other Adobe products, but my knowledge of InDesign is less robust. I've been looking over tutorials and trying to understand how to set the formatting up per CS's requirements.
Rob wrote: "It's nice to have a paper copy on one's own bookshelf. Also, going to Createspace first focuses the mind and makes sure that the formatting is spot on. After that, CS offer to publish it to Kindle ..."Thanks Rob. Your point about agencies is not something I'd considered. Have you gotten agency interest using CreateSpace print versions of your work? Thanks again for the info!
J. wrote: "Do you format your own CreateSpace documents? And if so, have you used any illustrations? ."I used a 6x9 format provided by incaproject.co.uk and yes I have illustrated my comic novels, with about 25 half page drawings per book. A few of the illustrations are on our Photos page, which you can get to from the link on the top right of this page. leave me a message on my facebook page 'The Peckham Novels' and I'll send you a copy.
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Andy Paine has now started up a review thread for Dumb Luck so please stop by and ask him for a copy.
Just as a reminder of the usual approach, you aren't expected to read the whole thing, necessarily, but please do try to get through a decent chunk of it so that you can offer some helpful feedback. We've got until the end of October to do that.
For reviews in general, as and when you've herded some thoughts together, please post your comments on the relevant review thread. That's as opposed to emailing them privately. The reasons for that public approach are: a) it helps to ensure we don't all pick up on exactly the same issues, b) it gives other reviewers a chance to disagree with earlier comments - i.e. so the writer gets a more balanced view - and c) it's helpful to show that the threads are still active.
That said, if your reaction to any particular book is so negative that you feel your comments would be more damaging than constructive, then a private email is probably a better bet for all concerned.
That's it from me. Now go get in touch with Andy...
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Hi GoodreadersI have 10 free copies of The Miracle Adjuster to exchange for honest reviews. Message me if you’re interested.
Goodreads book page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Goodreads preview: https://www.goodreads.com/ebooks/down...
Goodreads excerpt: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
Dear Yule CloggersWell, snow is on the ground, the sprouts are bubbling, Michael Buble is insisting on doing another 'special', British people are wondering what the hell 'egg nog' is, and there are pools of vomit all over the place as a direct result of the John Lewis advert. It must be 'that' time of year again. Unfortunately, this means that all writing and reading is put on hold for another year and I am contractually obliged to wish you all a, (grits teeth), 'Merry Christmas', (makes annoying finger air quote gesture).
May the yuletide spirit fill your heart and home with an abundance of mercy, contentment, laughter and nuts
Sav x
My sentiments exactly SC, but why not pack a notebook and phone with a camera as you make the compulsory round of ritual visits. Over intelligent four year olds, wooden legged aunts and dyspeptic uncles make great studies for minor characters in future volumes.And do enjoy yourself while you are at it, for next year might indeed be the golden year we have always dreamed of.
Now, Bah Humbug, where did I put that nightcap.
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'Tis indeed the season to be jolly. Henceforth, we can expect the airwaves to be dominated not by the peddling of Yuletide tat but by the peddling of cheap package holidays instead. Now come the myriad delights of sun-filled holiday advertisements with their long, sweeping shots of exotic beaches and weirdly gleeful couples poncing about in the surf wearing three-quarter length linen trousers. As a (self-diagnosed) sufferer of seasonal affective disorder, I crave such rich televisual fare; it's sometimes the only source of vitamin D I can get.
So I for one say let's dispense with all the bahs and humbuggery and get into the proper seasonal spirit.
Happy Xmas, Cloggers all.
* To non-UK residents, to whom such ranting will mean very little, I apologise. In my defence, it's been a hard year.
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Happy Christmas & a Merry New Year to all my CLOG buddies.Regards,
The Dook
Dearest Clogpersons new and old, Excuse me if I whisper, but I’m hiding in what Mrs Cushions refers to as the ‘utility room’. It’s rather cold, having a concrete floor, several broken windows and a huge block of ice at one end, (which Mrs C is planning to sculpt into a representation of Perimetre, the Greek God of hyacinths). On the plus side, I can’t hear Harry Potter and the Casserole Dish of Secrets from here, or any other festive offerings from the BBC, so the discomfort is a small price.
Now, the main reason for this missive was to relate the fun of larks that will, henceforth, become known as, ‘the giblet incident’, in years to come. No wait!.... that’s not right – I was going to tell Uncle Furgus about that…… give me a minute.
.
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Right…sorry, Mrs C has given me a slap and that seems to have cleared my head on the proposed subject of this communication. Now, you know I was agonising over the need to develop an all-round, three-dimensional character for Primrose Pynching, (the queen of the grunt), well…. the small people in the house have told me about this wonderful site on the world wide difference engine called ‘Amazon. co. uk’! It allowed me to purchase, (at the most gentlemanly price of £2.49), a volume called ‘Creating Characters – How to build Story People’, by a Mr Dwight V. Swain. I’ve read a few pages and I have to say – it’s an absolute corker, and definitely worth passing on… (as is ‘Building Fiction – How to Develop Plot and Structure’ by Jesse Lee Kercheval), another offering from these splendid River people.
Right, I’m going to have to take my leave – Mrs C is banging on the door and wants me to make some pigs in bread-sauce-blanket sandwiches for the homeless, poor buggers.
Laters
Sav x
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Greetings. As an incurable humor writer, it is indeed good to be able to share experiences with others who can undoubtedly relate to those experiences. I have self published superhero and vampire humor novels. That is when my sales started to plummet. Yet, I think they are my better works. So I guess I am undeniably on a humorous path of self destruction.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and any other salutations that work for you.Have a good one.
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Hi Den,
I think a lot of us would identify with that. Some of us write comedy just because we can't help ourselves. Speaking personally, I find it virtually impossible to write 'serious' stuff; the comedy always starts creeping in at the edges.
In committing to it, we certainly make life difficult for ourselves; surprisingly few publishers recognise humour as a genre at all. It tends to marginalise us - edges us out to a quiet corner of the literary world - but, despite the challenges, it's still a fun place to hang out.
Welcome to CLOG. If you have any works in progress, feel free to post something for review.
Oh bloody hell I hate this site. So anyway the following is a message to Mr Corben, author of The Worst Man on Mars. Yes, I expect I should be posting this elsewhere but hey, who gives a stained vestment?Mr C.... Let's put aside your disgusting liaison with Mrs Cushions and talk books ok?
Thank you for forwarding your humorous tome to me, I am currently on chapter 34, that's 'A severe case of RAMnesia', otherwise known as chapter 4 of Part 2......why???
Anyway, let's not argue about the need to divide a book in sub-sections, we all know it's a matter of perverse self- importance, so lets agree to disagree and disagree to part, as 10CC put in in their minor hit 'The things we do for love', a truly awful song that proved that they would never be the same after Godley and Creme went their separate ways.
Now where was I..... ah yes, that awful Teresa Nay woman, really someone should insert a live squirrel up her......oh I see. Mrs Cushions has just reminded me that I was writing about your book.
Two weeks ago, I began working for the esteemed and grotesquely underfunded NHS. I work in an acute respiratory ward and, to be blunt, there are a lot of deaths. Fortunately, I get a luncheon break during which I consume what passes for sandwiches and read your book. It really helps. Zac and Dugdale are wonderful characters, but I am actually finding the robots the most entertaining guys. It's crude and it's slapstick, it's great fun. I should point out that I'm a dreadful snob and hate the use of the f... and c..... words in modern writing. To date, I don't think I've come across either. 'Chuffin' doesn't count.
How did you end you end up writing the book as a duo? How did that work? I've always thought that the only way I would ever actually finish The Flatpack Observer is if I found a collaborator.
Anyway, I believe my jellied minnows are boiled to perfection, so thanks. Just wanted you to know I'm really enjoying TWMOM.
All good wishes
Sav
Dear Mr Sausage Curtains,This job of yours on the respiratory ward worries me. I have a mental picture of you sitting on a plastic chair on the edge of the ward, scoffing your corned beef & Branston pickle sandwiches and slurping tepid tea from a thermos flask. All about you are wheezy people, hocking and spocking. Please tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you're Dr Curtains MD, the world’s leading pulmonologist, and you have your lunch with all the other top healthcare professionals in the executive restaurant.
You’ve done well to reach chapter 34 of TWMOM. A notable achievement since there isn’t a chapter 34. And you’ve chosen the right book to read on a critical care ward. Any other CLOG book would have had you laughing out loud while grim-faced patients suffer. No chance of that happening with TWMOM.
I’m pleased that you’re siding with the robots. In the future robots will be much nicer than humans.
I hope you’re making progress with Flatpack. How’s Primrose shaping up? If I’d tried to write TWMOM on my own I wouldn’t have reached chapter 2 let alone chapter 34. Mark and I started writing TWMOM after a chance meeting on the old Authonomy site. I’ve never actually met the geezer.
Keep up the good work and wear a mask.
Regards,
The Dook
As always Mr Corben is concise and economical with his use of words, so perhaps I can add a little to his advice about masks. Having spent a short period in hospital just before Christmas I can see that his advice needs qualifying. Ski masks and Mrs Cushions old stocking would not be suitable in these circumstances.However I am pleased to see that you have gained useful employment. Perhaps you might care to make your fellow authors privy to the establishment in question, so we can set out satnavs to avoid risk of unfortunate medical treatment in the area.
Oh yes, now I remember why I logged on. A very Happy New Year to you all.
Hi everbody,I'm not an author, hell, not even an english speaking person, but I enjoy comic books. In Dutch I didn't found much books I liked so I started reading the English ones. By reading the posts here, there is some hope. I would like to read some of your works and give my humble opinion. That's all I wanted to say. Have fun writing the books I like and I will enjoy reading them.
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Rob
Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum, I smell the blood of a Dutch reader-man. Hello Nico. I got here as soon as I heard that a reader had stumbled into our CLOG thread. The last reader caught in our web was torn to shreds as we fought for a handful of the action. I still use the sleeve of his shirt to clean my paint brushes.
You'll find many funny books here. Fill your boots (Dutch translation = Vul je laarzen ... according to Google)
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Welcome Nico, we are glad to have you here.
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The rest of you, look out for a new email from me with some updated details.
And Andy, where did you get all this American 'whiskey' that you keep drinking? Did you bring it back after your epic road trip across the States? You really should try the Scottish stuff some time, you know; it's very good.
Mod
The rest of you, look out for a new email from me with some updated details.
And Andy, where did you get all this American 'whiskey' that you keep drinking? Did you ..."
I keep on making that whiskey/whisky mistake. It's become my pet mistake. When will I learn?
Mod
Andrew wrote: "Look a reader! How did he get in here? Some one check with the security team. Corben, security is your job! I drink the whiskey, you keep the doors locked, and Rob does, well, Rob does everything. ..."Oi, bog off, AndyChap. I saw him first. Not strictly true, Rob was first out of the blocks but he's far too much of a gent to claim Nico Meerkat for his own. Whereas you and I, AndyChap, will happily have a bare knuckle fist fight if there's half a chance we could flog a book.
Anyway, where is Nico? Has anyone seen him? You don't think we've scared him off do you? We should have a policy in place so we're ready for the next reader who steps on a CLOGtrap. I suggest we invite them for afternoon tea at your place - the back of a transit van on the A35. From there we could drive somewhere nice and quiet and 'pitch' our stories.
Actually I got there first. Nico's now probably too busy laughing his socks off at my distortion of Belgian life in 'Strudwick's Successor' to browse Goodreads.
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Swift action. Impressive indeed!
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I think this is a marvelous idea. Kidnapping in the name of comedy is right down my street. 3 doors down to be precise. You get the biscuits and I'll rig up some kind of restraining mechanism in the back of the van.
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I'll bring it round personally. You can help me finish it off.
Actually I've got a quite expensive bottle of whisky that I'm not sure what to do with. You remember in The Accidental Scoundrel they steal a bottle of the Shackleton whisky? Well I bought a bottle in real life thinking I would crack it open if I ever get the book published. Problem is I've gone ahead and self published the book without much of trying to get it published traditionally. So now what do I do with the fancy bottle of booze? If the CLOG clan ever have a get-together maybe I'll crack it open then.
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I'll bring the vegemite.And some rum, marvellous stuff. Great for working up the courage to eat your vegemite.
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And some rum, marvellous stuff. Great for working up the courage to eat your vegemite."
Have you tried Marmite? We'll have to get you shipped over to England in a crate of some sort. Bring the Vegemite and we'll do a comprehensive taste test.
Mod
I'm not gone, just have been working, looking after the kids and reading the first chapter of some humorous novel i got. I like it so far, but I'm not a quick reader.This is rather cosy seeing some gathering of sorts. Rum, whisk(e)y (I got quite confused by the time I ended reading the posts here) May I suggest to put in Belgian wafels to the meeting. Sprouts would be inappropriate I guess.
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are there book awards for comic novel (not comic books!) writing? what is the correct genre title for humour writing? if you write a literary humour novel, what the hell do you call it? how do you describe it to a literary agent (genre again)?
Hi G.W., and welcome. Those are very good questions, and ones that we have asked ourselves many times. Comic is probably the best description. PG Wodehouse was often described as a writer of comedy, but so many publishers and libraries fail to categorise books as such.
Some have a humour genre, but this is often a bucket for shorter works.
Sadly members of the CLOG group also find great resistance amongst agents and publishers to even consider our works, despite Terry Pratchett being the largest selling author of the late 20th & early 21st centuries. These are the same agents who rush to print minor media figures ghost written autobiographies.
Ironically the most probably pigeon hole for our works is 'fantasy', although since all fiction is fantasy it's a misused title for a genre.
That said, welcome to a group of like minded individuals. Here you will get advice and honest reviews us, and encouragement when the rejection letters flood in.
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It seems that relatively few publishers have a humour genre/imprint, and those that do tend to specialise in books other than novels - Bunny Suicides, joke books, cartoon compilations, comedians' autobiographies and the like.
Comedy certainly isn't an easy sell for novelists, possibly because it's such a genre-spanning field, not limited even just to fiction. (Bill Bryson is one of my favourite comic writers, but at my house his books sit alongside books by people like Douglas Adams and Stephen Fry.) It's rare that you'd see them all sitting on one bookshop shelf rather than, say, the Travel, SciFi and Biography sections.
I think I'm going to present my next book as a 'light-hearted adventure' rather than a comedy. It is a comedy, because that's what I write, but the 'adventure' tag might be more palatable to those many timid souls for whom the word humour sets alarm bells ringing. If I were to return to promoting my last two books, I'd probably apply the same logic - calling them 'light hearted fantasies' rather than using that clunky 'fantasy-comedy' phrase.
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What do you think? Maybe plagiarise something very successful but do a few clever find&replace commands? Swap 'handcuffs' for 'duct tape' and 'stockings' for - oh, I don't know - 'waders' or 'wellingtons' or something?
Actually, maybe it's not that easy after all.
Good question from GW. I totally 'get' where Rob is coming from. the 'Humour' shelves in book stores is invariably filled with what I'd call 'stocking fillers' - cartoon / list types ... some of which aren't necessarily all that funny.
And, I'd never really thought of it before, but what a great point about the three authors. That just confirms to me that there IS no accepted, broad based generic title for what we write. ('We.' Get me - the one who's written 110 pages of memoir and redrafted the first 5,000 words of my first book that cannot be described.)
I have been thinking recently though, that I too would stop describing 'Evhen & Uurth'' as a comedy fantasy. For me to assume it, by definition of description, will make people laugh, or at least smile, may be a bit presumptuous. I'm sure many people won't.
Once again, the Robmeister is spot on.
(And I love how James is just as cynical as myself when it comes to minor, or indeed any, ''celebrities.')
:)
G.W. wrote: "are there book awards for comic novel (not comic books!) writing? "Yes ... the 'Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize'. Our very own Andrew Chapman would almost certainly have won this prize for the last two years but for the fact he couldn't find the drawer where he keeps his stamps ... or envelopes. So he couldn't post his manuscript. It's all very sad. Truth be told the pages are quite badly cockled where he's knocked over half full whisky glasses. And some pages are charred around the edges from lighting cigars. We're all hoping that 2017 will be the year he finally wins that Bollocking Wodehouse Prize.
Pleased to meet you, by the way.
CLOG - Comedy Literature Only Group
Books mentioned in this topic
Small Stories: A Perfectly Absurd Novel (other topics)The Sprouts of Wrath (other topics)
Pussy Planet and Other Endearing Tales (other topics)
Unreliable Histories (other topics)
The Endless Land (other topics)
We writers are like hermits, shutting ourselves away with our quills and parchment for the world to discover after our demise. But I see from your website that you've left a few clues for the world to find.
Welcome to our happy band. I look forward to reading your stuff and if you want anything from me then just shout.