My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A fantastic book. Totally enchanting look at the lives of a farming family in medieval England. Each chapter is a month in the year, giving the right level of information on the tasks to be done in the fields, the home and the hall.
I believe there is a sequel…
Who are we talking about?
Brakes is a food wholesaler which aims to be the food partner for many businesses such as pubs, clubs and hotels, and the favoured supplier for chefs.
What are they selling?
Their products range from raw materials to ‘ready for the oven’ meals, like toad in the hole. Their products are not individual items, as you would find in your local supermarket, but instead offers its customers small quantities of products – just the right amount to keep your café stocked.
What do they want their customers to do?
Judging by their website, Brakes encourages their customers to sign-up for online ordering. I imagine that once registered, the experience of making a purchase will be similar to that of ordering from Ocado, or Tesco Food Shop.
What is the copy like?
Much of the copy on the site is literal, with only subtle hints of writing flair. It seems obvious that their customers are not looking for benefits and features, but want to know quickly what a product is. For example, ‘Milk chocolate brownie made with a dash of espresso (individually wrapped)’. Other products are simply announced by their title (like ‘Corona Extra’, Promotional Price: £21.99, £0.92 bottle), counting on the brand name and the price to win the sale.
To suit the audience, copy such as ‘Bite into these Honeybun Amondi biscuits for a satisfying crunch. Individually wrapped, they’re a sweet, nutty treat for your lunchbox’ would not be appropriate, as this text is appealing to the end consumer, rather than the customer, who will be wanting good food in large quantities for the right price.
Is all the copy that short?
After hunting through their website, I did find some longer copy. In this case, the longer text is likely due to the competition between products in this category, and the need to explain to buyers why this product is more expensive than the competition. Where there is quality, a quantity of words often follows.
‘Sundried tomato and basil flavour pork meatballs in a smokey Spanish style sauce with oregano, basil and smoked paprika, ideal for tapas. Serve hot or cold in flatbreads. Quick and easy to use, reheat 100g in microwave for 45 seconds. Once opened has 72 hours shelf life.’
What would you do?
It’s clear that brevity is key to Brake’s webcopy. So that presents more of a challenge to a copywriter. I’ve had a go at creating some copy that might just work for Brake’s website.
|
Brakes Multi-Use Tomato Sauce |
DaVinci Summer Fruits Smoothie |
Brakes Select Port, Cranberry & Orange Stuffing Log |
 |
 |
 |
|
My suggested copy |
||
| A versatile chunky sauce, great for pastas, pizza, and paninis. This sauce contains all the ingredients of a classic Italian staple; onions, seasoning and herbs. | A litre of cool berry smoothie with no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives. | A tangy alternative for your Sunday Roast, this stuffing log contains 16 portions. |
| Despite highlighting the versatility of this product in its title, the copy was originally ‘Chunky tomato sauce with onion, seasoning & herbs’. Let’s spice it up. I’ve had a bit of fun with alliteration, and kept in the details about ingredients, but this copy is definitely ‘selling’ harder. | I’ve kept this description simple, but as I can’t think of any smoothies which are served warm, I’ve highlighted the ‘coolness’ of this drink. This is an assumption, but one that I hope will evoke the sensation of cold fruity drinks for the reader. | Second person pronouns (you and your) are often used in advertisement. This is not a feature which Brakes seem to use, but could be employed to help chefs consider adding this item to their Sunday menu. |
Is there any other copy on their website?
Aside from their ‘About Us’ page, which really sells its service to customers, Brakes have also attempted to provide some inspiration for their audience. They’ve created an extra series of categories for their products, and taglines for them.
The ‘breakfast’ category hosts a range of Brakes products. ‘Eggs’, for example, has the tagline ‘How do you like yours?’, but ‘Continental’ breakfast foods use the tagline ‘sweet & savoury’. As a UK citizen, for me, European and foreign breakfast foods are often meat or cheese based. So, I’d prefer to read something like ‘Try something different’, or ‘Taste like you’re on holiday’. But that’s just me.
So that’s how you do it.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this little window into my process, and I will be doing some more case studies in future, to practise writing product copy, dissect webcopy, and how it works.
“Learning to be a young lady has never seemed so dangerous.”
– Mary Robinette Kowal, Hugo Award winner
Upon opening the beautifully illustrated red cover, I knew I was in for a treat. Emma Newman’s first novel with Angry Robot Books Between Two Thorns. It’s a story of Cathy’s coming of age, and the politics between the Fae and the groups of magicians and arbiters in Bath- and the Fae mirror City Aquae Sulis.
Layered, like every fae promise, with conditions and tangles, until the fates of the main characters are bound up together. So neat, so cunning. Two chapters in, and it was turning out to be exactly my kind of book.
The Main Characters
Although we spend most time with Cathy, there is a number of characters, and between chapters we switch between viewpoints. Each time this happens, the plot thickens.
Cathy- the fae who wants to be human. Unfortunately for her, she’s been born to a rich noble family, and is expected to make a good marriage. She’s a rebel. For her coming of age she requested to go to University. After getting her wish, she runs away, in order to stay. She is betrayed (and not for the first or last time) by her boss, a shop keeper. Against her will she is brought back to her home by Lord Poppy. He seems to act simply for his own amusement – especially when it makes Cathy’s life harder.
Sam- just a guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s an innocent, witness to something beyond his understanding. He likes a beer at the end of the day, and struggles with his marriage. He doesn’t want to ruin what he has… but it hasn’t helped that he took a leak at his wedding day, illuminated on the side of the marquee.
Max- an arbiter (who police the acts of the Fae.) He’s a down-to-earth kind of guy with a strong moral compass… without a soul. All arbiter’s have their souls kept in jars at their headquarters. But when the Bath HQ blows up, he’s the only one left to deal with the current crisis. Max’s life now focuses on Gargoyles, pain-killers and a mad librarian.
The Plot- WARNING: spoilers ahead
We begin with Sam the hapless human. Drunk, he stumbles from the pub and goes into an alleyway to relieve himself. He continues walking onto an old estate and witnesses two men, oddly tall, impossibly strange carrying something through the garden. A something large enough to be a body. He waits, trying to be stealthy. They find him, but don’t kill him, deciding instead to place him under a magical contract. He will be unable to talk about what he saw.
Then we meet Cathy. It’s her last day at work, and she is betrayed to Lord Poppy by her boss. Hidden from her family and all Fae, her boss protected her, even cast the simple charm to keep her safe. Despite her wishes she must become the fae lady she was born to be.
True to the crazy-paving nature of the chapters, we jump to another character- Max, the arbiter. The only a arbiter left in Bath after a freak accident, the Fae of Bath take advantage. They let their magic run riot, and there is no one but Max and a few allies to protect humans, fae or arbiters.
A volley of questions are thrown into the reader’s mind, and the plot matches the complexity of a fae’s lying tongue. The ‘uncorruptable’ Arbiters have been corrupted. Who is kidnapping mortal blondes, and what does this have to do with Max?
Meanwhile, Cathy has been ‘gifted’ with 3 wishes, which must impress the fae lord Poppy and be given before the first ball of the season- which, did I mention, is only a few days away? Or she’ll be turned into a walking puppet for eternity. Now that the spell hiding her has been removed, Tom catches up with her. He’s Cathy’s brother, and has been hunting for her for years. She doesn’t run. She’s calm, collected, and makes a cup of tea.
Then at chapter eleven the writing slumps. Another main player in the plot is introduced, a man from the Rosa family. He demands that he be repaid for Cathy’s first misspent wish. Causing him to lose out on a beautiful mortal lady. It seemed a little contrived, and just an attempt to make the first ball of the season a little more interesting. I was not convinced about these character’s motivations. It was farcial, and didn’t keep with the serious magical atmosphere of the rest of the book.
At the ball, Lord Poppy hurries Cathy along with her final wish and is reunited with her parents and her fiancee. (I think they’ll actually be a good for each other.)
Sam ‘the loveable drunk human’ is cornered by Max and the librarian, and asked to talk about what happened – but all his words turn into nonsense fiddle-de-dee. They use Cathy to break the spell on Sam and all converge at the party to solve the mysteries they are faced with.
At this point the worries of Max and Sam weren’t really getting to me. I wanted more reasons to care about them, but as a recently non-teen girl, I must suppose I sympathise with Cathy, who begins to re-learn the tricks of the Fae and kick ass.
What happens then? I’m trying not to spoil the ending, but I can assure you that it was a firework display of plot lines, criss crossing, finishing and beginning anew.
The next book in the series is out now. I must get my hands on a copy.
My Rating
I’m going to give this book four out of five. The ending felt a little rushed (perhaps that was just my reading speed), and in places the plot didn’t really seem logical. I like a plot that I don’t expect, but makes me sit up and say ‘Of course, yes, that is exactly how it should go.’
If you’d like to know more about the series or find a copy, go to:
http://angryrobotbooks.com/our-authors/emma-newman/
Originally published on Heart Of Glass online
Hello all,
How are you? Long time no see – my fault I’m afraid. To my dismay I haven’t felt much of a writing bug for a while, but have been feeling an itch growing lately. I do hope this is a positive sign. It was National Poetry day last week, and I wanted to share one of my favourite poems ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ by Keates. It might seem like an odd choice for a 22-year old, but there’s something about its sadness, the fantasy and the structure I find pleasing. I discovered it during my university course, and it reminds me of the good times spent on the Jubilee Campus.
I have more news. No longer will I be living and working out in the sticks of Nottingham. As of yesterday, I no longer work at True Story Design Ltd as a ‘Quality Assurance Assistant’, but will be beginning shortly at BYG Systems as a Scriptwriter, writing copy for their educational software. There’s elements of research and copywriting which appeal to me, and I have always wanted to be a writer. The wonderful staff at True Story have been very welcoming, and the year I spent with them has been a good one. Now it’s time to start a new chapter in my life, returning to the streets of Beeston, which I considered my home for two years during my degree.
I have a lot of writerly plans, such as a possible column about my copywriting experiences with NWS, and a publishing idea I’d like to see take flight. Right now a lot of my thoughts are spent on moving and getting better (as I seem to have poisoned myself last week, and am still recovering.) I would also like to partake in NaNoWriMo, as I haven’t ‘won’ since my first attempt at secondary school. Shocking.
Without further ado, La Belle Dame Sans Merci
Oh what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
Alone and palely loitering?
The sedge has withered from the lake,
And no birds sing.
Oh what can ail thee, knight-at-arms,
So haggard and so woe-begone?
The squirrel’s granary is full,
And the harvest’s done.
I see a lily on thy brow,
With anguish moist and fever-dew,
And on thy cheeks a fading rose
Fast withereth too.
I met a lady in the meads,
Full beautiful – a faery’s child,
Her hair was long, her foot was light,
And her eyes were wild.
I made a garland for her head,
And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;
She looked at me as she did love,
And made sweet moan.
I set her on my pacing steed,
And nothing else saw all day long,
For sidelong would she bend, and sing
A faery’s song.
She found me roots of relish sweet,
And honey wild, and manna-dew,
And sure in language strange she said –
‘I love thee true’.
She took me to her elfin grot,
And there she wept and sighed full sore,
And there I shut her wild wild eyes
With kisses four.
And there she lulled me asleep
And there I dreamed – Ah! woe betide! –
The latest dream I ever dreamt
On the cold hill side.
I saw pale kings and princes too,
Pale warriors, death-pale were they all;
They cried – ‘La Belle Dame sans Merci
Hath thee in thrall!’
I saw their starved lips in the gloam,
With horrid warning gaped wide,
And I awoke and found me here,
On the cold hill’s side.
And this is why I sojourn here
Alone and palely loitering,
Though the sedge is withered from the lake,
And no birds sing.
You’d like printed, physical copies of your book, leaflet, postcard or wedding invites… and you know you need to find a printer. But where do you start?
Who are you going to use?
I’d suggest searching for printers in your area. The closer they are to you, the quicker you’ll receive the product and the smaller the postage fee (hopefully.) A small local printer may offer to cast a glance over your work before pressing print. It’s an extra pair of eyes looking out for spelling and grammatical errors – it’s worth it.
Quote me
The next question is ‘how much is this going to cost me?’ and to work this out you need to tell the printers exactly what you want. Quotes are usually free and will be emailed to you. So shop around. Read it through, make sure it’s exactly what you want.
You can see the tiny image of Shakespeare? That is because it is smaller. Images with less than 300 PPI may be okay to use, because they are small.
A note on book binding
The two most common bindings are:
Perfect bound – The book is printed, folded and glued together at the spine. This is the cheapest option of binding, commonly known as ‘paperbacks’ as opposed to ‘Hardback’ thick cardboard covered books.
For perfect bound books, you will need a spine allowance for the cover. How deep your spine is depends on how many pages your book has, and which thickness of paper you choose. Often, typesetters and designers will put off designing a cover until they know this measurement, as it may mean fiddling around with their designs.
Spiral bound – A series of holes is punched into the inner margin of all printed pages and threaded together with a column of wire. It is particularly useful for working textbooks, as the covered can be folded back on themselves to allow the reader to hold to book with one hand.
Ready to phone up?
Remember, don’t be nervous. Printers do this all the time, and even if your job feels unique to you, chances are they’ve printed several like it in the past week.
No question is a stupid question. Queries will affect the final product, ask anything you like to make your they are finishing your product as you wanted.
What you need from them:
So, I’ve rung them and asked for a quote, what can I expect to turn up in my inbox? Here’s an example of a quote for a book I had printed. Names and numbers have been removed (except the prices, correct as 2013).
Dear Ms. XXXX
Revised price
Referance number:1234
Anthology XXXX – 4pp+204pp text
We thank you for your enquiry for the above and have pleasure in submitting our quotation as follows:
From pdf supplied submit soft proof.
Print 4pp cover in 4 colour process to 1 side only.
Matt laminate outer cover.
Print 204pp text in 1 colour throughout.
Fold & gather text, draw on cover and perfect bind to finished size
230 x 155 mm.
Pack to suit and deliver to 1 UK address.
Material: Cover 300gsm Condat Digital Silk
Text 100gsm Premium Smooth Offset
300 – £2,120.00
Prices do not include VAT.
Authors corrections will be charged extra. Please note our terms and conditions which are available at: ….XXX…url.com
We hope you will find this quotation acceptable.
Yours sincerely
X Smith
I hope this article has explained this process in a way you can understand. If you still have questions, and you’d like to ask me, feel free to leave a comment in the box below, and I’ll get back to you.
Fantasy books explore the impossible. Different races, places and magic. Despite the literary worth, and my love of, such books as The Lord of the Rings, it’s science fiction I want to talk about. Sci-fi is the stage of what could be.
It is difficult to dispute that our future will be influenced (if not decided) by scientists. We don’t know what science is capable of. Its limits are only limited by our intelligence and research. There was a time when electricity was a myth. Now it is akin to a human right. Space elevators are no longer an idea, but has become a future building project. Time machines and transporters don’t seem far off, do they?
So, what is Sci-fi?
Sci-fi is not fantasy… but the line between fiction, fact and sci-fi can bend. After all, it’s possible that we just haven’t invented [insert mad computer thingamabob] yet.
Sci-fi offers a debating panel for writers and readers to discuss difficult situations or decisions.
What will happen when we run out of coal and oil?
What should we do if we do meet other life forms?
Without gravity, how would we grow food?
Being a similar genre to fantasy, we suspend our disbelief. I think this is why science fiction is so popular with scientists and academics. Not only because it’s about spaceships and alternative life-forms, but because they are theories, ideas. You have to put aside what your logical mind tells you ‘This is not, cannot be real’, because there is always the glimmer of hope that all this could be. And so, readers are happier to debate about the issues. The problems. The terrible things that can happen in these books without people being hurt, and go on to inform our lives.
When Utopias of the future are just a page-turn away, we dream. Often those utopias turn out to have a seedy underbelly, studded with scheming politicians – reflecting our own dissatisfaction with our representatives. Apocalypse, Dystopias and environmental wastelands are often the fallout of Global warming and how seriously our ancestors took the crisis. It’s a chance for us to consider what we are doing now.
The popularity of Sci-fi is linked to current issues
Different genres of Sci-fi rise and fall depending on what is happening to the reader. Stories set in possible futures are actually stories of today, but with added climates of conflict, different characters, with technology pushed a little further along.
This is the great difficulty with Sci-fi. Authors will find it hard to distance themselves from their present, because it is all they know. This could be dangerous for writers who live in countries where they are not free to write what they like. Sci-fi gives us an excuse for allegory, but how far can you separate yourself from your own memories and opinions?
England is blessed. We have a free press. Theoretically. Lawsuits and public opinion may restrict us… but with the new ‘market place of ideas’ that is the internet (my favourite sci-fi invention made real) countries can merge. But. Should the limits of our freedom be dictated by where we log on? Harder to police, there are plans to limit what we can access on the internet. I have no problem with the suggested search engine algorithms, but rather than stopping internet users from accessing data (which could instead be policed), I would prefer that people were re-directed to help or advice. It’s all a little 1984 for me. (You were expecting me to mention George Orwell, weren’t you? And yes, I’m going to continue.) Combining speculative fiction and horror, Orwell created ‘Govspeak’ which removes words from use, to breed out dangerous concepts and ideas from the population.
Can we breed out pedophilia from a population by removing it from the internet? What is to stop people going out and making more? Harming others? Will we be able understand and control the dark parts of ourselves without safe expression? Here is where sci-fi steps in. It can discuss difficult situations, but because it is not happening on earth, but a planet ‘far, far away’ we are able to have significant distance from it, to discuss it.
In Saga, a (very good, and I’d recommend) sci-fi comic, a freelance assassin visits a brothel planet, and is persuaded by a pimp to view a prostitute. When it turns out that this is a small girl, I was worried. What will he do? Spoiler alert. Disgusted, he tells the girl to close her eyes. He blows out the pimp’s brains. But what if he had slept with her? What if his morals were different? One of the questions I find myself asking when I read is ‘What are we capable of?’
Humans are capable of expressing emotions and using abstract concepts (such as justice) to govern their lives. They are part of society (another abstract concept.) We are taught these things, they are not innate. And stories, no matter what form, help us to express ourselves and learn.
What use is Sci-fi to me?
Are you feeling restricted? Read. Oppressed? Read. Weak? Unheroic? Read, or write, it sounds like you have a story you need to tell. And after that, talk. Acknowledge your fears and desires before we create a culture of shame. Don’t be in the dark.
Having taken a year in Political Philosophy, I cannot help but see the similarities between my coursebooks and sci-fi novels. Rights, racism, civil disobedience and violence were discussed, and the examples in my lessons were much less interesting and poorly written compared to the fiction I devoured later. Philosophy needs sci-fi. Would you stick around for this film?
‘Attack of Democracy over Dictatorship’
Politicians plot to take control in a squabble over shipping routes and taxation.
The monarchy work with a group of rebels, to bomb a trash shoot.
Sound familiar? I don’t think Star Wars could have survived all 6 parts without the added interest of the characters and their unfamiliar world.
Sci-fi means we do not have to talk about ourselves in terms of black and white, without absolutes. Even in racism. Think of Star Wars’ alien species existing together, preying on one another for resources, for political gain. Sci-fi teaches, and offers a bearable way to interest the young in politics, psychology and philosophy. Books aimed at teenage readers don’t just get people reading, they make them question their own lives. The Hunger Games is a sci-fi story of dystopia and rebellion – have you noticed that english speaking countries are dissatisfied with their governments lately? Could that possibly be a reason for its popularity?
Fiction encourages us to think, not mindlessly absorb. To ask questions, join forums. Read classics and new work. There is so much now available. You don’t have to read ‘heavy’ prose if you don’t want to. Sci-fi (or any genre really) is available for all reading strengths. Here’s a list of a few sci-fi novels I would recommend. Stretch your mind. Talk to your friends (and fellow readers) about how the characters react to situations. Question everything.
1984 by George Orwell
More than Human by Theodore Sturgeon
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Time Machine by H G Wells
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick
Wool by Hugh Howey
Writing is meant to be fun. Writing is not a struggle, at least, it didn’t used to be. And I think I’ve worked out why. I’ve become a perfectionist. I want something publishable to come out on the first draft. I don’t want to re-draft, I don’t want to have to check for spelling and I don’t want to rewrite a word. Already I have corrected three spellings in this paragraph because I’m getting used to my keyboard.
Childish or innovative?
I’m not allowing myself to enjoy the creative struggle. And I’m certainly not relaxing. I’ve become guilty, telling myself I should be writing, but feeling worried about it, because I know that what I will write is not going to be great at the first try. The ironic thing? I’m not employed full-time as a proof-reader and editor. I’m a really good editor, really. No modesty needed. And I don’t want to edit my own work.
I read somewhere that there were two artists. One created fine pottery and agonized over the details. He produced very little, and found life painful. The other worked with paper plates, and created often, threw a lot away, made master pieces, had a great portfolio AND THREW A LOT AWAY. He re-learnt what we are allowed to do as children. Resources are put in front of us to use, glitter, funny scissors, card, paper and glue. We are allowed to experiment. We learn to draw.
But… as soon as we get older and use materials of a higher quality, our work is expected to be of a higher quality too. At some point my sister decided that she ‘couldn’t draw’ and over the years, I’ve helped her with several assignments. Because I’m not scared to approach a piece of paper with a crayon or a brush. So why am I worried about approaching a keyboard? When words are free? When I don’t even have to use up paper.
I need to set the words free. And it feels good to get this out, even onto my computer. We writers need to be kind, especially to ourselves. Writing can be lonely, and when we see the successes of others, it is easy to be envious. Forgive your spelling mistakes, angers and little passions. This is a promise to myself. To have fun writing. To swap to another project when I need to. To be kind.
Thank you for reading.
I am ridiculously behind on my word count, but I still expect to succeed this year’s Nanowrimo challenge. This maybe because I define success differently, but the purpose this year was to get me writing on a daily basis, to shake myself up a bit and get back to writing (even a little) every day.
I had some fantastic news today, and I’d like to share a project idea with the internet. It is called ‘Ancient Crafts for Modern Times’. It is a book (or rather, an ebook… with a possible print run.) It would be a series of interviews, articles, patterns, a brief bit of history, and ‘how to’s from bloggers, re-enacters, larpers, tailors and wardrobe Mistresses about their crafts, the materials and how we use them today. I am determined that the book would also include patterns and instructions for several craft projects.
I will need to get better at marketing, I know that, but I think the best way to learn is to ‘do’. (And read a large amount of books on the subject.) Well, the bit of news, is that one of the bloggers I have contacted is interested. This may not seem like a large step forward to some, but believe me- it is. I co-managed a student anthology, and creating a project, helping it to ‘live’ and grow in people’s hearts is all important.
I am looking for specialists in ancient crafts. I have contacted several people already. Perhaps I shouldn’t be taking on ‘another’ project, but I think that this one needs to be out in the world. I am certain of it.
Edit: I forgot to mention, a new independant bookshop has opened in Nottingham. If you live around that area, I’d recommend it. Not only do I know the fine people running it, but I went in this weekend (as it opened its doors.) The Five Leaves bookshop has a variety of books published by small presses (including five leaves) and ‘big’ books such as Neil Gaiman’s latest work ‘Ocean at the End of the Lane’. Such a mix of fantastic books in one place, books I don’t think I could find anywhere else, not even Waterstones. The variety and quality of the books is testament to the various talents of the Five Leaves staff. Here’s their blog: http://fiveleavespublications.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/five-leaves-is-opening-bookshop-in.html
Happy reading 🙂
It’s that time of year again, and I’m going to attempt the impossible. Working full-time and completing NaNoWriMo. For those who don’t know what it is, Nanowrimo is a writing challenge which encourages writers to produce a 50k manuscript in a month. Their website and forums have more information, and pep-talks to cheer you on (nanowrimo.org) I’m rebelling a little though (which is completely acceptable within their rules.)
My aim is simply to write the daily 1600 words. Whether this is blogs, articles, short stories, non-fiction or my long-abandoned novel (which I’ve re-planned.) I’ve been neglecting my blog, but there is so much I need to catch up on, and resources I want to share. The first being OneWord.com – it’s a site created to ease writer’s block. It gives you one word and a minute to write anything. At the end of the minute it lets you finish you sentence, and then you can choose to publish your writing, or not. I’m going to try to publish the paragraph every day, so that I’ll have a stack of ‘jumping off’ points for stories. I’m hoping it will add a little oil to the writing cogs in the morning.
I’d like to share a motivational image with you. 
Those of you who have experienced the publishing world will know just how good a rejection letter this is. First I did my homework, I found out that this publisher produces highly-illustrated non-fiction books (often on craft subjects) and that they had, in the past, published books on photography. I also found out that they were accepting unsolicited manuscripts.
then I waited for a letter, email or phone call. Eventually, this letter came. I am lucky to have had a letter at all, owing to the amount of work publishers have to do. So that’s lucky thing number one.
Two, they addressed the letter to me directly and clearly wrote this letter to be about my work. They took time to read my proposal and consider it. They know what I’m about.
Three, they offer to look at my work in the future. they clearly didn’t have a problem with my style of writing, or the depth of my proposal. So I know I can write something capable of getting an editor’s attention.
This really is the best ‘no’ I have had from a publishing house. And just to have a little more of a ‘boost’ because it’s November 1stand I have 50k ahead of me, here are some more kind words I received from an online magazine:
Emily, I do believe that I have now become a great fan of yours. Sorry for the delay in response. Although I did not choose this poem for publication, I found your voice very soothing, more specifically, I found the darkness in your poem very comforting. In another life, I bet we are close friends. I hope you submit again in a couple of months.
The first year I attempted Nanowrimo I ‘won’, I got to the end of the 50k and the end of my book. Since then I have tried and failed to do this again. I think my success was due to a highly structured day. I got up early and cleared half my word count before going to school, wrote more at break time and was often finished by lunch, which allowed me to spend time with my friends. Having social time is very important when you are a writer, as it is such a lonely profession.
Thank you for reading,
And good luck with your own Nanowrimo this year,
Emily
Last night I wrote a poem while weeping. The poem was about my family, and I could not tell if I was happy or sad. It is the worst poem I have ever written- technically. It is the best poem I have ever written- because I put so much of myself into it. And like tasting the first spoonful of a dessert, I want more, and I do not want it to finish when my plate is empty.
-A comment on facebook after writing.
A few days ago I wrote a poem for my Nan for her birthday. After struggling to write for a while I learnt so much. It is not the best poem I have ever written. It’s a little soppy, and won’t make sense to a lot of people, but as I wrote I could not stop crying. I wasn’t sad, nor happy. I was simply re-living moments that I value very much.
I don’t think enough about my characters and how they feel about others, I don’t give them their own memories or feelings. Most of the time they are hollow aspects of myself. Yet writing that poem I wanted to write more. We don’t notice how we affect others by spending time with them. I need to think on that.
I have also been attempting to write a poem called ‘Since Narnia’ for a long time, about leaving children’s fantasy books behind, but longing for my own adventure. I realised that it wasn’t working, because I was only listing things I remembered, but nothing to relate to, nothing affecting.
I need to write more, considering all this. I would also like to thank the writer of ‘Writing Down the Bones’ Natalie Goldberg, whose book I reach for when I want to write, but do not feel ready. Her advice, kind words of wisdom and relationship with Zen make her book THE MOST IMPORTANT reference book on my shelf. More than an any dictionary, or the Writer’s and Artist’s Yearbook.
I urge all writers to write about their family, about their teenage years, about what affects them. Natalie suggests writing about your first sexual experiences- which would certainly be a conversation starter- and will definately get a pen moving across a page.
Without further ago, I’d like to share my poem with you. It’s still in a rough form, but it is not meant to be for others. It is for my Nan and I. And it doesn’t matter, we’re a little rough around the edges. It’s soppy- I say that again.
A Birthday Gift
You have opened the envelope,
Smiled at the card,
Slipped your fingers between folded, crisp, white paper.
I have to tell you something.
I struggled to find a gift for you this year.
What does a woman want? What could my grandmother,
with great-grandchildren, a husband and a life-time of adventure-
Possibly want for her birthday?
I have forgone scented soaps and candles,
to give you this poem.
Something only understood by the two of us.
So please sit down, and find a box of tissues.
This page may contain a storm.
I want to give you my memories.
There is no receipt for the hours we have spent together,
No invoice for the next.
The memory of a sweet summer afternoon
on the grass of Corisande, drawing,
of running down to the gooseberry bushes
only to be stung by their bristles,
and have you kiss their prickles away.
Another, in that same sunshine, twisting twisted yarn between my fingers
Which began my skills and a passion
To create, with nothing but ideas and thread,
Gifts to make loved ones smile.
Now I call myself a writer, and my gift to you is this poem.
It doesn’t rhyme, it has no rhythm.
But it comes from where you are,
It comes from my heart.
I remember when I was afraid of the dark,
You found a night-light which made the shadows creep away,
But when my fears were too much, you did not scold me
When I crept downstairs and sat a while,
Curled up in blankets, surrounded by your conversation,
So warm, so very loved
It is my definition of home and comfort.
I always reach for a glass of fruity blackcurrant squash after a long journey,
But it’s not the drink which refreshes me.
It is your smile,
And while I write this I am crying. But I don’t know if I am happy or sad.
Forgive me for not writing this by hand,
I do not think the paper would have survived the flood.
For the many times I have climbed into your embrace,
For the times we have made each other laugh,
For the hours we have spent together, which will never be enough,
I wanted to say ‘I love you’.
Happy birthday.
rusticwriter 