Tuesday 29 July 2014

Why A Collection of Short Stories?

Many writers are meant for writing short stories.  It is their forte.  But can it be for everybody?

When I started out, back in the day, I joined a writing group and that is all I did, (short story writing), or even thought about doing.  If I managed to create a piece that I actually liked, and didn't apologise for profusely prior to reading it to the group, then I was happy.  Oh, the apology thing?  The explanation, the excuse about lack of time to proof read, the apologies for any language that might offend - I still do that.

Somewhere along the way, several groups and anthologies later, and having listened to hundreds of excellently crafted short stories, I suddenly stopped writing.  It was as if my characters refused to be constrained.  There was so much they wanted to say, and I just didn't have the experience or the confidence to let them.  One could say, that perhaps my power over them, was the only bit of control I had.  However, when you are meant to write, no amount of impediments, or life constraints, will stop it happening.

For me, it was when I came through the tunnel of further education, and held those pieces of paper (because that's all those certificates are) that I felt I could venture forth.  How does it go in A Knight's Tale?  'You have been judged...'  Except that I had not been found wanting, and I had the seal of approval, or perhaps the armour of protection; to write.

Monday 14 July 2014

The Proof Is In The Eating

This post is linked to my last one.  Which means it is more to do with my recent writing experience than other references, tales, analogies, what have you, I may or may not have previously posted.  In even more words, this is being directly typed from my heart, to my head, along my arms, to my fingers...okay, you probably get the picture and I'm procrastinating again. :)

A few days ago, I completed my collection of short stories.  I was happy with them.  Had gone through searching for repetitive words (I hate seeing the same ones in the same sentence or paragraph - sometimes it is unavoidable but it is rare).  The plot too was defined, enough clues to allow the reader to see what was coming and yet (hopefully) an alternative there too, to mislead.  After that I went through changing some of the names of the characters.  Somehow, from conception to finalising, many

Wednesday 9 July 2014

How Many Times Do You Edit/Proof Read?

I've realised the reason why I don't blog all that often (yes, procrastination is one of them), is because there are a thousand and one things to do, and who knows, but that might not be an exaggeration!

Okay, this mini write up is to justify why even the most conscientious writers, of which I am definitely one, end up with mistakes in the 'final' versions of their work.  Recently I took almost a day out from normal routine stuff and that includes editing, to catch up with reviews of items that I have purchased over a very long period of time and not reviewed.  Reviewing anything takes time.  Reviews of books, even longer.  Are reviews important?  I think so.  I use them; to me they're as useful as verbal recommendations.  During those hours that I slogged away, I came to understand that every book I've recently read, bar one, had typos.  And it was the plots, the characters, the dialogue, the writing style, and the good grammar,