Literary a disaster awaiting?

[Swooperman]

Might as well leave myself well open to ridicule & attempt a blog-type thread of my attempts to get published in the literary world, seeing as its quiet at the moment in the close season....& I want to take my mind off the Villa

Just finished my 2nd completed novel, which is now at the 2nd draft stage. Have just emailed it off to the proof readers....you'll know 2 of them....so that should be interesting. Its actually my 4th book, the first one was written but not edited that well I realise now so I may return & rewrite it, possibly moving from 1st person to 3rd.
I sent it off to about 5 agents but got nowhere although I do think theres something in it so I wont give it up just yet. Book 2 was a sequel to book 1 which I started but then left although that was planned. Book 3 is a crime thriller which reached about the 30,000 words stage but I decided it didnt have enough to make a full novel so left it at that stage, planning to return.

This one is just under 82,000 & is a crime thriller based on a siege scenario, entitled 'Walk of the Navajo'. Its definitely tighter & stronger than the previous ones but whether its good enough remains to be seen. I'll wait for feedback before sending it anywhere I think (plenty of time, no hint)

I'm gonna use this thread for various ramblings, thoughts & requests for help, one of which is coming in the next post where I'm going to outline a character I'm thinking of for a new book, but I'm going to need help with.

This isnt as mad as it seems. i know we've only got about 15 regular members but 2 of them are published authors

[Swooperman]

Oh yeah, ODM read the first one & has just been emailed this one, as has Winrew as it appears he has plenty of time on his hands

[ONEDUNME]

Far be it from me to question a great author but shouldn't that be "A literary disaster awaiting"?

[ONEDUNME]

Originally Posted by Swooperman

Oh yeah, ODM read the first one & has just been emailed this one, as has Winrew as it appears he has plenty of time on his hands

Not according to his doctor.

Hope there isn't a sequel.



Funny how it hits you hard.

[traeth]

Originally Posted by ONEDUNME

Far be it from me to question a great author but shouldn't that be "A literary disaster awaiting"?

I was coming here to praise the thread title , cmon ODM give him some encouragement

[Winrew]

I shall start it this weekend pops ...
Ha F**king Ha OMD , although it did make me chuckle...

[Swooperman]

That was probably a wheeze or a fart, Wins

ODM is very encouraging in his own little ways traeth.......& I do mean little

Just read a book about the end of the world type scenario called 'Outpost'. Now i like the subject (gloomy i know) & it started out pretty well & has decent reviews. Anyway it ended very strange & I came out of it thinking 'I'm sure I'm better than that'......I did honest!
Found another review which stated that 'it was like reading a 17 year old. Short, sharp sentences'. Now I've often thought I might be guilty of that actually, & considered it a bit James Ellroy-ish....weird as I havent read anything by him for years, certainly since before the 'Cold Six Thousand'....& the blokes a fcuking fruitcake worrying that I compared myself to him actually

Where are we we anyway? Ah yes, new character.......be right back

[Swooperman]

Thinking of a debt collector/bailiff type character, around 92/93/94 type era, when the poll tax was at its height & debt collection companies weren't that choosy with the amount of work available (yup, you've guessed it, my era)
Be a bit of a music freak, & also on some low level drugs of the time (Punter ? ) Anybody got any nostalgia sites of around that time for the music, drugs, way of life etc.

Any ideas ?

[yorkieacermark2000]

Send me a copy i love reading Hope you get it published, I thought we had someone on here that got a book published or was that you? Im terrible with names on here.

[Seen]

Ah, brings back memories, this thread does The fame, the glory, the TV interviews, the book signings, the endless line of pretty girls throwing themselves at my feet, the dreams of stardom...


...the terrible sales, the dreadful reviews, the stacks of unsold copies, the bargain bins, the pulping, the eternal shame, the mocking by strangers in the street, the disowning by my friends and family, the suicide attempts...






IT'S A SHIT BUSINESS.

GLAD I'M OUT OF IT.

[Winrew]

[Pete89]

I know Seen has a book, its one f these to can't remember which, think its the first one.

BBC News - Row over Amazon sales of paedophile advice guide
Seconds into Winners by Peter Stavers

[Seen]

[Swooperman]

Problem was if I remember Seen's book got listed under 'fiction'

You didnt self publish did you Seen ? I only ask as how did you end up with piles of unsolds otherwise ?

[ThunderCelt]

Originally Posted by Swooperman

Thinking of a debt collector/bailiff type character, around 92/93/94 type era, when the poll tax was at its height & debt collection companies weren't that choosy with the amount of work available (yup, you've guessed it, my era)
Be a bit of a music freak, & also on some low level drugs of the time (Punter ? ) Anybody got any nostalgia sites of around that time for the music, drugs, way of life etc.

Any ideas ?

Good luck with the book

I wouldn't worry too much about 'only' having 30k words for yer crime thriller. With electronic publishing these days publishers seem to consider anything over about 10k for a stand alone.

As for the character, it'll take some work to make a tax collector or baliff sympathetic - but it'll be a bloody strong character if you pull it off.

And the footy season seems nearer with the fixtures out today