Today I’ve been thinking about who you all are (and more on that soon!). Presumably you subscribed to this newsletter as you like reading. But are you also interested in the writing/publishing process? Or do you not really care how a story gets from the author’s head into yours? Let me know!
I signed up as a reader, but a lot of crazy stuff has happened in the meantime and I'm now heavy involved in the reader/writer community. I speak to a lot of authors, interview a lot, and love to know about them as people and their stories to getting published. As a result I've started to write and hope to have my own book out one day.
I started the Joined Up Writing podcast many years ago with the sole aim of chatting to like minded creatives, writers and people from the publishing industry to try to get a sense of what happens ‘behind the curtain’ of mainstream publishing and I’m still learning now, so things like your newsletter and other authors like you talking honestly about their experiences are always going to be interesting to me and others trying to forge a writing career. Keep up the good work.
I got back into reading years ago when I discovered Crime Fiction. Since then I have developed my previous writing skills into novel writing, and acquired skills in self-publishing. I haven't yet got a traditional publisher or agent, but to be honest, I don't put much effort into it. I pay for professional editing of my books, but not just for anyone to "approve" of my work, but because I want my work to be the best it can be.
I am dismayed by how poorly my books sell, and I know that is more about my lack of resources to get it mentioned wide enough to draw attention. Those who read my books generally rate them at 4* or 5* and review them very positively. My readers enjoy my stories, and that's what matters MORE to me than having to waits weeks upon weeks, months upon months, for someone to decided they can make money out of my book.
I'm not interested in waiting just to be the pawn of someone else's profit purse.
It's always fun to look inside other people's heads - where ideas come from - how they move from some small sparking incident to the plot, but also when other people (agents, publishers) get involved, how they shaped things. I'm interested in the why behind it all. Mainly out of sheer nosiness.
Same as Janet, an avid reader for my entire life. Consumed by creativity generally. Music has always been my hunting ground. I've written so much of it over the years. But music feels cheaper these days, less worthy. And books were always my first love anyway. They are far more rewarding. You get to say so much more.
Was inspired to write after my daughter was killed in a medical negligence case in the late 90's. That was a catalyst for a lot of change at that time. I never got a proper opportunity to write seriously as I started a software company at that time and, unfortunately, that went really well and took up all my attention for many years!
But that's all gone now, and I've been focused hard for two years getting this novel into shape. It feels right and above all, it feels good :) one day I hope to be properly published. I feel that if I self-publish, the thing isn't properly finished as a finished novel needs agents and editors to make it complete. or am I wrong?
I'd love to know more about the publishing process, especially the publisher's expectations of the author (as it's easy to pick up on contrasting information).
I subscribed to this newsletter because I am more interested in the writing/publishing process.
I subscribed to THIS newsletter because SJ Watson created it. Steve, your book, 'When I Go To Sleep' ... with it's shout-out to Faber, fell into my hands at the local library. The story impressed me as a fab, fab read. You kick-started my creative novel-writing journey.
I read voraciously, as a kid and beyond. These days, can't seem to concentrate. I used to frequent the local library on a regular basis, but the past two Covid years put a stop to that.
When I do finish a book, I have a trick of making v. short notes about it in an exercise book. Have Amazon-bought and read three books this year: a heart-breaker sci-fi, a disturbing crime thriller that had me questioning my hairdresser, and a quirky comedic number that appealed to my inner science nerd. I've got six more books gathering dust on my shelf, all recommended as top ten reads in 2021 by a past Faber tutor.
I prefer to hold a physical book in my hands, turn the pages, feel the texture of the paper. Old school. Not a fan of reading off my iPhone. Maybe I'll buy a Kobo.
Watching media's easier on the eye: movies, TV series, Anime, documentaries, Anime, the nature channel, music videos, Anime, history progs - all a nice substitute for picking up on plot ideas, action, character arcs, beginnings, endings, plot/pace balance, what works and what doesn't.
I'm not a couch potato. Life doesn't allow.
My novel's almost done, for the umpteenth time. Just when I think it's 'The End', it rebounds. For those of you going through edits/rewrites due to someone else's well-meant opinions on your story, I've found the experience heart-breaking, exhilarating and am left wondering why the heck I keep at it. This past couple of months, an editor's report suggested major structural edits. Unbelievably sad when I'd spent a fortune working with a previous editor to get my manuscript submission-worthy.
Ashamed to say I howled at the moon, did hamster impressions on the treadmill, danced to my playlist like no-one's watching, pounded at the piano. Slept. Zoomed with my writing buddies. One precious month later, cracked on with addressing perhaps 80% of the comments? Ignored the rest as they didn't 'sit' right, and made some new edits of my own. I'm grateful for the experience because my manuscript's heaps tighter. I'm very coachable.
I need this newsletter to stay in touch, get ideas, learn about others in the same boat as myself, learn about others who are not, for the community spirit, respect, warmth and kindness. Thanks Steve, and please keep it going.
I also provide support and services for fellow self-publishers, such as formatting and design. I recently wrote a blog post on some skills in using MS Word.
I've always been an avid reader but I have two WIP's but they are children's books, I'm a reader first and a writer second. I've read some brilliant books and I always think to myself "where did the author get these twists, plots from?" I would love to live in the head of my favourite authors so I could read the books as they are being written.
I know my limitations. I love to read, but cannot write creatively. Even if I had the best plot ever, I would have exhausted it in one paragraph 😂. “Pottery enthusiast Jane had had enough. One morning she put poison in her husband’s tea and shoved his body into the kiln in her workroom. A day later she swept the ash from the kiln, ground it to a fine powder, and made a glaze from it. The police who visited enjoyed their tea from hand made mugs with the attractive glaze, unaware that they had their hands wrapped around the missing man. The end”
I signed up as a reader, but a lot of crazy stuff has happened in the meantime and I'm now heavy involved in the reader/writer community. I speak to a lot of authors, interview a lot, and love to know about them as people and their stories to getting published. As a result I've started to write and hope to have my own book out one day.
I started the Joined Up Writing podcast many years ago with the sole aim of chatting to like minded creatives, writers and people from the publishing industry to try to get a sense of what happens ‘behind the curtain’ of mainstream publishing and I’m still learning now, so things like your newsletter and other authors like you talking honestly about their experiences are always going to be interesting to me and others trying to forge a writing career. Keep up the good work.
I got back into reading years ago when I discovered Crime Fiction. Since then I have developed my previous writing skills into novel writing, and acquired skills in self-publishing. I haven't yet got a traditional publisher or agent, but to be honest, I don't put much effort into it. I pay for professional editing of my books, but not just for anyone to "approve" of my work, but because I want my work to be the best it can be.
I am dismayed by how poorly my books sell, and I know that is more about my lack of resources to get it mentioned wide enough to draw attention. Those who read my books generally rate them at 4* or 5* and review them very positively. My readers enjoy my stories, and that's what matters MORE to me than having to waits weeks upon weeks, months upon months, for someone to decided they can make money out of my book.
I'm not interested in waiting just to be the pawn of someone else's profit purse.
It's always fun to look inside other people's heads - where ideas come from - how they move from some small sparking incident to the plot, but also when other people (agents, publishers) get involved, how they shaped things. I'm interested in the why behind it all. Mainly out of sheer nosiness.
Same as Janet, an avid reader for my entire life. Consumed by creativity generally. Music has always been my hunting ground. I've written so much of it over the years. But music feels cheaper these days, less worthy. And books were always my first love anyway. They are far more rewarding. You get to say so much more.
Was inspired to write after my daughter was killed in a medical negligence case in the late 90's. That was a catalyst for a lot of change at that time. I never got a proper opportunity to write seriously as I started a software company at that time and, unfortunately, that went really well and took up all my attention for many years!
But that's all gone now, and I've been focused hard for two years getting this novel into shape. It feels right and above all, it feels good :) one day I hope to be properly published. I feel that if I self-publish, the thing isn't properly finished as a finished novel needs agents and editors to make it complete. or am I wrong?
I'd love to know more about the publishing process, especially the publisher's expectations of the author (as it's easy to pick up on contrasting information).
I read. I write. I publish and I work with others to do the same.
I subscribed to this newsletter because I am more interested in the writing/publishing process.
I subscribed to THIS newsletter because SJ Watson created it. Steve, your book, 'When I Go To Sleep' ... with it's shout-out to Faber, fell into my hands at the local library. The story impressed me as a fab, fab read. You kick-started my creative novel-writing journey.
I read voraciously, as a kid and beyond. These days, can't seem to concentrate. I used to frequent the local library on a regular basis, but the past two Covid years put a stop to that.
When I do finish a book, I have a trick of making v. short notes about it in an exercise book. Have Amazon-bought and read three books this year: a heart-breaker sci-fi, a disturbing crime thriller that had me questioning my hairdresser, and a quirky comedic number that appealed to my inner science nerd. I've got six more books gathering dust on my shelf, all recommended as top ten reads in 2021 by a past Faber tutor.
I prefer to hold a physical book in my hands, turn the pages, feel the texture of the paper. Old school. Not a fan of reading off my iPhone. Maybe I'll buy a Kobo.
Watching media's easier on the eye: movies, TV series, Anime, documentaries, Anime, the nature channel, music videos, Anime, history progs - all a nice substitute for picking up on plot ideas, action, character arcs, beginnings, endings, plot/pace balance, what works and what doesn't.
I'm not a couch potato. Life doesn't allow.
My novel's almost done, for the umpteenth time. Just when I think it's 'The End', it rebounds. For those of you going through edits/rewrites due to someone else's well-meant opinions on your story, I've found the experience heart-breaking, exhilarating and am left wondering why the heck I keep at it. This past couple of months, an editor's report suggested major structural edits. Unbelievably sad when I'd spent a fortune working with a previous editor to get my manuscript submission-worthy.
Ashamed to say I howled at the moon, did hamster impressions on the treadmill, danced to my playlist like no-one's watching, pounded at the piano. Slept. Zoomed with my writing buddies. One precious month later, cracked on with addressing perhaps 80% of the comments? Ignored the rest as they didn't 'sit' right, and made some new edits of my own. I'm grateful for the experience because my manuscript's heaps tighter. I'm very coachable.
I need this newsletter to stay in touch, get ideas, learn about others in the same boat as myself, learn about others who are not, for the community spirit, respect, warmth and kindness. Thanks Steve, and please keep it going.
I also provide support and services for fellow self-publishers, such as formatting and design. I recently wrote a blog post on some skills in using MS Word.
I've always been an avid reader but I have two WIP's but they are children's books, I'm a reader first and a writer second. I've read some brilliant books and I always think to myself "where did the author get these twists, plots from?" I would love to live in the head of my favourite authors so I could read the books as they are being written.
I am an avid reader but not interested in writing and publishing.
I love reading the newsletter but not really interested in writing/publishing…
I know my limitations. I love to read, but cannot write creatively. Even if I had the best plot ever, I would have exhausted it in one paragraph 😂. “Pottery enthusiast Jane had had enough. One morning she put poison in her husband’s tea and shoved his body into the kiln in her workroom. A day later she swept the ash from the kiln, ground it to a fine powder, and made a glaze from it. The police who visited enjoyed their tea from hand made mugs with the attractive glaze, unaware that they had their hands wrapped around the missing man. The end”
Hi
I've always been an avid reader, happily devouring books since I was about 4 years old.
And if I'm honest, there's always been a desire to write, not really knowing if I could, nor if I should.