Monday, March 28, 2005
Alison in Australia
Alison - you emailed me personally, thank you for that - but my reply to you has been returned as undeliverable.
Penny
Penny
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Ralph/widows/writers
On 'Being a Writer'
Woke up this morning to find a weblog comment from 'Ralph' criticising me for beginning, 'twelve consecutive paragraphs with the word widow'.
Mmmmmm where shall I start? Come on class. Hands up anyone who can explain why I did that?
For the benefit of any other 'Ralphs' out there, my repetitive use of the word 'widow' was a deliberate choice. Using a word repetitively in that way underlines its status (or in my case my status as a widow, because I was posting certain of my thoughts re widowhood.) It is often used to underline a derogatory attitude. Thus
Ralph unfortunately did not get the point.
Ralphs seldom do.
Ralphs could be the tunnel vision of the reading public.- its train spotters, and adenoidal heavy breathers.
etc etc.
However, if we wanted to turn Ralph (or indeed widows) into powerful figures commanding our respect, we could do so thus.
There's something about being a 'Ralph'; something that creates a subtle sense of respect and even awe in other people. I've seen it happen so many times. One day there they, are an ordinary human being just like the rest of us but then when they become 'Ralphed', suddenly everything changes. It starts slowly, almost imperceptibly, they begin receiving invitations from the high end friends of your friends, when you haven't, their lives shift up a gear, friends of yours who haven't so much as invited them to a barbeque before, suddenly starting asking you, both eagerly and anxiously, if you think that Ralph would like to join them at some high profile event.
etc etc.
This is a writing tool anyone can use to good effect - and not just in fiction. It works rather well in letters of complaint.
btw 'Ralph' I don't 'call' myself anything. My name is 'Penny' and I earn my living writing fiction. It is grammatically incorrect to use the phrase 'He is called' - It should be, 'his name is...' . If you were using the phrase 'call yourself a writer' as a form of 'slang', then, strictly speaking, you should have written 'call' yourself a writer?
Must go - my porridge will be getting cold.
Penny
Woke up this morning to find a weblog comment from 'Ralph' criticising me for beginning, 'twelve consecutive paragraphs with the word widow'.
Mmmmmm where shall I start? Come on class. Hands up anyone who can explain why I did that?
For the benefit of any other 'Ralphs' out there, my repetitive use of the word 'widow' was a deliberate choice. Using a word repetitively in that way underlines its status (or in my case my status as a widow, because I was posting certain of my thoughts re widowhood.) It is often used to underline a derogatory attitude. Thus
Ralph unfortunately did not get the point.
Ralphs seldom do.
Ralphs could be the tunnel vision of the reading public.- its train spotters, and adenoidal heavy breathers.
etc etc.
However, if we wanted to turn Ralph (or indeed widows) into powerful figures commanding our respect, we could do so thus.
There's something about being a 'Ralph'; something that creates a subtle sense of respect and even awe in other people. I've seen it happen so many times. One day there they, are an ordinary human being just like the rest of us but then when they become 'Ralphed', suddenly everything changes. It starts slowly, almost imperceptibly, they begin receiving invitations from the high end friends of your friends, when you haven't, their lives shift up a gear, friends of yours who haven't so much as invited them to a barbeque before, suddenly starting asking you, both eagerly and anxiously, if you think that Ralph would like to join them at some high profile event.
etc etc.
This is a writing tool anyone can use to good effect - and not just in fiction. It works rather well in letters of complaint.
btw 'Ralph' I don't 'call' myself anything. My name is 'Penny' and I earn my living writing fiction. It is grammatically incorrect to use the phrase 'He is called' - It should be, 'his name is...' . If you were using the phrase 'call yourself a writer' as a form of 'slang', then, strictly speaking, you should have written 'call' yourself a writer?
Must go - my porridge will be getting cold.
Penny
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Help for other writers - published and unpublished - my new venture
I'm launching a new venture - and myweblog readers are the first to know about it.
From next month I shall be providing an on line 'bespoke' writing service via which I shall offer, 'writing' teaching, mentoring, brainstorming, and coaching sessions tailored to meet people's individual needs, whether that need is 'learning how to write' from beginning to end, or simply a quick fix for a writing problem.
For instance a mentoring package will include reading either a full book or the opening chapters thereof, on which I shall provide a typed report, plus suggestions for working on any problems. A telephone brainstorming session (these work really well), and a re-read of the re-written work, plus advice on potential 'markets'
A coaching package could involve regular email and/or telephone calls to check on progress, discussions on motivation/setting targets - (and reaching them), brainstorming sessions, discussions on 'blockages and problems' advice on research problems, market trends etc. etc. - in other words, whatever is needed to get the book moving and finished.
Or simply help with a specific problem - 'my dialogue is flat - what can I do about it ?' 'I hate writing about sex' 'I'm stuck in the middle of my book'
'why won't this work?' Whatever 'hand-holding' you need to get you through you will get it (providing it's legal and decent!)
I've had 30 years of dealing with these problems (I've experienced them all and more - you name that black moment when you feel the book is dire and you hate it - I've been there going on for a couple of hundred times and survived).
My speciality is of course relationship books - and relationships are not limited to the one on one relationships of 'romance' books.
In my writers' group the are people (of both sexes) writing historical fiction, war fiction, sci fi and supernatural, modern younger women's fiction, short stories, and crime.
I cannot and do not guarantee to get unpublished writers published. - But I can and will do everything in my power to help them toward publication, via my own contacts. (I have already mentored one author to publication, plus publishers are currently reading work by two members of my writers group.
The fees for this service will be reasonable, (with discounts for RNA members)
I am still in the stages of setting up this venture - so any comments anyone has to make would be very welcome.
My mission statement is that I want to provide my 'students' with everything they need to reach publication - I can't provide 'talent', but I can and will help you to develop it.
Please email me privately at pennyhalsall@aol.com
From next month I shall be providing an on line 'bespoke' writing service via which I shall offer, 'writing' teaching, mentoring, brainstorming, and coaching sessions tailored to meet people's individual needs, whether that need is 'learning how to write' from beginning to end, or simply a quick fix for a writing problem.
For instance a mentoring package will include reading either a full book or the opening chapters thereof, on which I shall provide a typed report, plus suggestions for working on any problems. A telephone brainstorming session (these work really well), and a re-read of the re-written work, plus advice on potential 'markets'
A coaching package could involve regular email and/or telephone calls to check on progress, discussions on motivation/setting targets - (and reaching them), brainstorming sessions, discussions on 'blockages and problems' advice on research problems, market trends etc. etc. - in other words, whatever is needed to get the book moving and finished.
Or simply help with a specific problem - 'my dialogue is flat - what can I do about it ?' 'I hate writing about sex' 'I'm stuck in the middle of my book'
'why won't this work?' Whatever 'hand-holding' you need to get you through you will get it (providing it's legal and decent!)
I've had 30 years of dealing with these problems (I've experienced them all and more - you name that black moment when you feel the book is dire and you hate it - I've been there going on for a couple of hundred times and survived).
My speciality is of course relationship books - and relationships are not limited to the one on one relationships of 'romance' books.
In my writers' group the are people (of both sexes) writing historical fiction, war fiction, sci fi and supernatural, modern younger women's fiction, short stories, and crime.
I cannot and do not guarantee to get unpublished writers published. - But I can and will do everything in my power to help them toward publication, via my own contacts. (I have already mentored one author to publication, plus publishers are currently reading work by two members of my writers group.
The fees for this service will be reasonable, (with discounts for RNA members)
I am still in the stages of setting up this venture - so any comments anyone has to make would be very welcome.
My mission statement is that I want to provide my 'students' with everything they need to reach publication - I can't provide 'talent', but I can and will help you to develop it.
Please email me privately at pennyhalsall@aol.com
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
More good news
Hi everyone - I'm really excited to be able to post that a fellow member of the RNA has very generously donated the cost of a year's membership to the RNA to our comp so that now we have two RNA annual memberships to award. My friend wishes to remain anonymous - but you may be sure that I have thanked her for her wonderful generosity. I can't stress enough how valuable membeship of the RNA is - especially for as yet unpublished authors to whom membership gives the opportunity to enter the New Writers' Comp and have their work evaluated. So please do enter the comp.
My other exciting news is that a good friend of mine, and fellow member of the RNA has been asked to submit her synopses to HMB, PLUS one of the members of our Nantwich Writers Group has been asked to submit 3 chapters to HMB.
I was so impressed by the opening pages she sent to me to read that I read them over the phone to my editor - she was equally excited, so now I am keeping my fingers crossed that this really promising start leads on to publishing success.
Every single member of the Nantwich Writers Group can write - and write well, but as we all know reaching publication depends on more than being able to write - my goal is to advance my group as far along the road to publication as I can, and this is a truly wonderful start.
The RNA University Challenge team are through to the semi finals - they out scored the other teams in their 'block' by over one hundred points, and we celebrated here in Cheshire with a small party - members of the Cheshire Chapter of the RNA, members of the Nantwich Writers Group and Anita Burgh (a well known author who currently lives in the Cotswolds) and her husband Billy who had come up to Manchester to watch the University Challenge show being filmed and who stayed with me over the weekend.
Sheba - Sheba is in big trouble. i was on the phone to my sister the other night and Sheba was lying at my feet, crunching something. Crunching? She had stolen the ornamental butterfly from the hearth, carried it over to
where I was and was happily chewing it. Fortunately I managed to rescue it before either she or it suffered any damage.
Penny
My other exciting news is that a good friend of mine, and fellow member of the RNA has been asked to submit her synopses to HMB, PLUS one of the members of our Nantwich Writers Group has been asked to submit 3 chapters to HMB.
I was so impressed by the opening pages she sent to me to read that I read them over the phone to my editor - she was equally excited, so now I am keeping my fingers crossed that this really promising start leads on to publishing success.
Every single member of the Nantwich Writers Group can write - and write well, but as we all know reaching publication depends on more than being able to write - my goal is to advance my group as far along the road to publication as I can, and this is a truly wonderful start.
The RNA University Challenge team are through to the semi finals - they out scored the other teams in their 'block' by over one hundred points, and we celebrated here in Cheshire with a small party - members of the Cheshire Chapter of the RNA, members of the Nantwich Writers Group and Anita Burgh (a well known author who currently lives in the Cotswolds) and her husband Billy who had come up to Manchester to watch the University Challenge show being filmed and who stayed with me over the weekend.
Sheba - Sheba is in big trouble. i was on the phone to my sister the other night and Sheba was lying at my feet, crunching something. Crunching? She had stolen the ornamental butterfly from the hearth, carried it over to
where I was and was happily chewing it. Fortunately I managed to rescue it before either she or it suffered any damage.
Penny
