UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion
Agony Aunt
>
Today I mostly wrote ... the word count thread.
Will wrote: "I spent a year going round the local open mic spots with poetry and stories until I knew how to do the pieces in front of a microphone without having to use notes or read from a script. That's great fun, too.The added bonus is that it killed any residual fear of public speaking. ..."
Having worked with Will in the dealer rooms of a couple of conventions I think his residual fear of public speaking died a year or two back :-)
I think that if you want to make a success selling books in person, not only must you not know fear, shame ought to be something you have only the most fleeting acquaintance with as well :-)
Jim wrote: "well I did just over 500 wordsI'm doing another Port Naain Intelligencer story and as usual, I know how it starts. Now I'm at the stage of trying to work out what on earth is going on and why exa..."
That's the best place. Or even three quarters of the way through.
yes, if the author is surprised by the plot twists, the reader has no chance :-)
I can second what Jim and Will say about embarrassment and shame. I love selling my books in public but then, I used to do stand up so clearly I'm desperate for attention. Did a bit more on my long.Even with this one plotted at lot of the important details are happening as it goes along but I'm really enjoying writing it and I don't seem to get stuck in the same way. I'm writing a really hard scene at the moment but it is definitely easier - might have to switch one of the characters but otherwise it's going well and there are still new characters and twists popping up they're just easier to control.
Did a bit of today's blog post yesterday and should finish that this morning. Then there'll be a gap until Monday.
Cheers
MTM
two blogs and tidied up a scene in current work in progress so feeling modestly chuffed :-)
A solid 1500 words yesterday, which would've been more if I hadn't got mired in researching 14th-century geography.
Nice going folks! I have to put it aside this week and do the parish magazine. Have got step one of that finished though so that's a good thing. May get 20 mins writing in after I've offered my poor flue-ridden husband lunch.
Just under 1200 words on the latest sci fi last night. (There seemed to be an awful long transmission time of TV Soaps, so I wrote while K indulged herself)Incidentally if anyone is interested, Coronation Street are looking for some new script writers
unfortunately the last time I watched Coronation Street Enid Sharples was still part of it
Fear not guys, for I am acquainted with the lead script writer on Eastenders, and so I know what a truly terrible job it is being one of the hacks - trust me you are not missing out on a great writing opportunity!
Did 20 minutes yesterday and 20 minutes on Sunday. Not great but not bad either. Unfortunately, I feel McOther's evil cold creeping up on me today. He had a temperature yesterday, for about two hours ... that means I'm looking at one for at least three days. Spawny git that he is. Then again, he languishes with the Noro and the like forever, whereas I can do the Noro in 48 hours. Swings and roundabouts I suppose.Cheers
MTM
Will wrote: "Fear not guys, for I am acquainted with the lead script writer on Eastenders, and so I know what a truly terrible job it is being one of the hacks - trust me you are not missing out on a great writ..."I feel strangely reassured
I confess that I rather tend to discount the BBC as a source of income. Their attitude is 'well you want to appear on Telly so we won't even cover your expenses.'
I was once asked to travel down to Manchester for an interview on a late evening show. I pointed out, fair enough, but could the pay for my my return ticket and could they book me in somewhere for the night because after the interview I'd be left shivering on Manchester station all night because I couldn't get a train home.
Frankly they were horrified, Oliver Twist asking for more couldn't have produced a more shocked reaction
There again they're so busy grossly overpaying their own staff they probably haven't the money left to treat anybody else fairly
Jim wrote: "Will wrote: "Fear not guys, for I am acquainted with the lead script writer on Eastenders, and so I know what a truly terrible job it is being one of the hacks - trust me you are not missing out on..."That's a bit off of them if you ask me. I'd do it on the phone or tell them to sling their hook!
M.T. wrote: "That's a bit off of them if you ask me. I'd do it on the phone or tell them to sling their hook!..."radio do phone interviews perfectly happily
But for TV there has to be a picture, or there's no story.
Alicia wrote: "Skype!"picture quality not good enough for TV
Facetime? Much better picture quality on my iPhone.
Alicia wrote: "Facetime? Much better picture quality on my iPhone."TV people seem to want you live in front of their cameras
Some minor issues reported by the recording studios from their editing process:'We are having difficulty eliminating the sound of your tummy rumbling on two tracks..' (Should have broken for lunch earlier)
On the track -The Golden Harp you said -
'Come inside,' Tomos said to the travellers, 'and take off your clothes'. (The producer is trying to replace 'clothes' with a copy of the word 'coats' from a different story...
Sigh
Jim wrote: "Alicia wrote: "Facetime? Much better picture quality on my iPhone."TV people seem to want you live in front of their cameras"
They do it all the time. Of course they may be putting you in front of their cameras - somewhere else. For some of us, the hurdle would be getting to the studio and surviving being there.
'Come inside,' Tomos said to the travellers, 'and take off your clothes'. (The producer is trying to replace 'clothes' with a copy of the word 'coats' from a different story...Well that WOULD make it a different story!
Mwagahaaaaargh! Rumbling tummy! Sorry. Feeling smug. Did 480 words yesterday plus finishing a tricky scene. Also did some of the stuff I'm supposed to be doing. Have finally recognised that my day is not long enough to concentrate on one thing and knock it on the head. Doing timed sessions of an hour, or half an hour, on everything keeps the whole lot moving and feels more like progress.
Weird, isn't it?
Cheers
MTM
I have to set up a schedule, and work between naps, to get anything done.Today it was tax returns; tomorrow I return to writing!
Alicia wrote: "I have to set up a schedule, and work between naps, to get anything done.Today it was tax returns; tomorrow I return to writing!"
Minus the naps I'm the same. Set up the schedule and then stick to it. It drags the boring admin out for longer but I do something worthwhile each day too.
Cheers
MTM
Finished my tax returns earlier than expected, and spent a happy hour making things explode in space.
Will wrote: "Finished my tax returns earlier than expected, and spent a happy hour making things explode in space."I'm playing a lot of Minecraft at the moment. Its very therapeutic creating a load of zombies and skeletons and then hitting them with my diamond sword until they die.
Gingerlily - The other Stroopwafel Sister! wrote: "Will wrote: "Finished my tax returns earlier than expected, and spent a happy hour making things explode in space."I'm playing a lot of Minecraft at the moment. Its very therapeutic creating a lo..."
You would get on well with McMini.
Has either of you read A Boy Made of Blocks? It's about an autistic boy who's a whiz at Minecraft. Excellent story.
Too busy playing it at the moment to read about it....Seriously, it does sound intriguing. I have added it to my wishlist.
I've now been told that I will get the first audio file of 'The Tinker's Tales' recordings on Tuesday.So I'm looking for some BETA listeners for feedback and advice on track running order before a final tweak and heading off to audiobook land.
Any offers?
This flu has torpedoed my writing, and my first deadline's the end of the month. I really need to catch up tomorrow.
Benjamin, that's grim, hope you feel better soon.Will, if I'm honest, I wouldn't have time to do it quickly enough.
Cheers all
MTM
Sorry Will. Cant listen to audio books. I completely zone out and don't hear a word.
Me too. I fall asleep. I blame being read to at night as a child. One was expected to go to sleep.
never mind...The next sci fi is now at almost 4K already
And while it is on free for the weekend, The Showing is in the top 30 free occult on both sides of the Atlantic, which is nice.
Top job on The Showing. Well done. Wrote another 400 words yesterday so it's trundling along, I now have 42k rearranged into something approaching a storyline with another 50k to jig about and realign. Then I have to write any missing bits and bob's my uncle, I'll have a first draft! Woot.Cheers
MTM
Gosh everyone's been so busy. Have been slogging through the read through, making more changes - groan - and now reformatted and uploaded again to KDP and got a copy down to go through again on my Kindle - this time hoping there will be nothing that jumps out demanding to be changed!
Another 2.5K down on the last of the Mister JOnes books.
Go Pam and Will. Did some primping yesterday - not many words but progress. Did about 600 on the non fiction today.
I know have the rough mixes of the audio tracks here on CDExciting!
That's brilliant Will. I'm dead impressed. It's my Dad's birthday today so no writing will get done as I'm on the Sussex run.
Plugging away here at a few hundred words a night, but at least it looks like progress.My deadline is far closer than I'd like.
I don't do deadlines. I'm a deadleg, as my dad used to say!I've written a few drabbles as I wait on another book back from the editor.
I only do deadlines because they pay me to, Kath!
UK Amazon Kindle Forum
Books mentioned in this topic
The Reluctant Hero (other topics)The Reluctant Hero (other topics)
The Reluctant Hero (other topics)
The Reluctant Hero (other topics)
Sometimes I sits and thinks (other topics)
More...
I'm doing another Port Naain Intelligencer story and as usual, I know how it starts. Now I'm at the stage of trying to work out what on earth is going on and why exactly the body was washed up in the first place.
So much for careful planning a story in advance !
I do my planning in the middle :-)