Writers Forum #99 January 2010

AGONY PAGE
Want advice on writing and publishing?
The editor – and readers – are here to help
The pitfalls of using
a proofreading pal
Q

I was surprised to read your a shortlist compiled by Norah McGrath. The reader rather than draw them in? Far easier to
reply to Lesley Bonney stories all had decent writing and plots but it concentrate on turning the teleplay (which is
(issue #96) that she get an eagle- wasn’t always enough. Some weren’t different just a story in another format) into 50,000-odd
eyed friend or colleague to read her enough to previous stories or would clash with words that continue the book to a publishable
manuscript for mistakes. I paid to editorial content. Others got in with themes length and a satisfactory conclusion.
self-publish a book, on treehouses, that (by chance or design) echoed current
and had an ‘eagle-eyed’ friend events or trends in the magazine. Sometimes
proofread it. It was a disaster. I we chose a story because we could envisage a Q
For years I’ve written poetry,
short stories and so on. I’ve
have learned my lesson and send photo that would work well on the page. self-published four collections of
everything to my proofreader The point is, your stories may be perfectly poetry which I also perform at
ﬁ rst. I use Little Grey Bird (www. good enough in themselves, but they may not open mic events. I have successfully
littlegreybird.co.uk). They now run be right for that magazine or you’re just unlucky completed two OU courses in
an advert in Writers’ Forum, although with the timing. Try to get some honest feed- creative writing and as a result
they were a little harder to ﬁ nd back from other writers on your stories (or believe my ﬁ ction has more depth.
when I was scribbling my book. send one to our ﬁ ction workshop). Take the But it is hard to get published in the
Lesley may not be self-publishing, advice on board, carefully target your markets conventional ways, more so because
but I always understood that and send out at least one story a week. You’ll of the recession. What advice do
excellent presentation helps be too busy to be dejected for long. you have to writers like myself
when submitting manuscripts to about getting published, including on
publishers. I was very surprised with internet sites which claim to be able
the advice an editor gave her. Q
It’s a familiar tale: short story
grows into longer short story, to pay for work?
Gordon Brown, Glasgow then after the umpteenth edit it has Jerome Kiel, Doncaster
become a tome of 30,000 words of
A
Thanks for the recommendation, Gordon. prose. Not content with the ending
I’m sorry to hear about the trouble caused I have devised a second part which A
The recession is temporary but the internet
will only get bigger so it makes sense for
by your friend (who clearly wasn’t eagle-eyed is roughly one hour of teleplay, any writer to investigate how to ﬁ nd success
enough) and I hope it didn’t create problems which takes up the story where in this sphere. Traditional publishing models
between you. One good reason to avoid this the ﬁ rst part ended. Have I written are being replaced, the market is now global
route is it may cause arguments later. something that is unsellable or and even the most niche products can ﬁ nd
Still, many readers will know people who unpublishable? I have looked around consumers. But while anyone can publish their
have perfect English and there is a basic law in some literary agencies online, work, it’s even harder to attract attention.
proofreading that the more eyes that see the however I am not sure how best to You’ve done more than most, Jerome, and
copy the better. What you don’t want is to have sell it. Any ideas? have tried both self-publishing and marketing
too many friends appraising your work and Scott Crosby, Northwich, Cheshire your work. But your letter is rather vague and
suggesting rewrites. That way you end up with I think you ﬁ rst need to deﬁ ne your goals. You
long delays and a book written by committee.
A
There are of course many successful books want to get paid, but what do you have to sell?
that have complex structures: diary formats; There is no mention of a book or stories or
Q
I have sent a few short stories chapters that take the form of letters or secret articles. Many people like to think of them-
up to different magazines, which government documents; shifting viewpoints selves as ‘writers’ but to a professional, writing
months later resulted in rejection and timelines. But these narrative devices ﬁ t is just a means to an end. What speciﬁ c service
slips. It makes me feel dejected. the story and add something – a change of or product can you offer?
What advice can you give to help me pace, depth or a veneer of reality. They serve
keep a more positive attitude? a purpose. So the test is, does your teleplay
Gloria Wilding, Prescot, Merseyside serve a purpose? For example, your story may
Each month the most original
be about a TV scriptwriter and the second half
question or helpful reply wins
A
The best advice is don’t take it personally. is the result of his labours in the ﬁ rst, this inner a book from How To Books
An editor never considers the feelings of ﬁ ction revealing details that resolve conﬂ icts or
(www.howtobooks.co.uk). This
the writer in choosing a story. All he or she mysteries in his ‘real’ life.
month Gordon Brown wins a
cares about is the reader – otherwise there’d But from the sound of it, you’ve written it like
be no magazine to put stories in. this on a whim and have created something that
copy of Creative Writing by
One of my previous roles was choosing the is difﬁ cult to explain let alone sell. And even if it
Adèle Ramet, £9.99, available
ﬁ ction that would go into Take a Break, from does ﬁ t, will the gimmick annoy the publisher/ in bookshops or call 01476 541080.
22 Writers
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FORUM #99 Got a question – or advice for one of these readers? Email help@writers-forum.com
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