A quick update!

Taking one step at a time

Photogarph by Annie Wicking

Though, this isn’t exciting news.... Well, in a way it is, in as much as I’ve gained a new friend, if I can call her a friend, in the world of publishing. Firstly, I need to explain how we met. About three or maybe four years ago, I went to a talk about ‘Getting your book published’. She was one of the guest speakers there and represented what the world of the literary agent and agency was looking forward in new writers.

After the talk, I was able to speak to her before she had to leave. She told me, at that time, the word count of my book was too big for a first time novel. A couple of years ago, I got my nerve up enough to phone her, after find her number in the ‘Writer’s Yearbook’, to ask her the odd question about the publishing world now and again. She didn’t mind answering, but didn’t seem at all chatty each time I phoned, which wasn't that often over a couple of years. I put it down to her being busy, though she did tell me she wasn’t taking on any new writers.

After speaking to Elizabeth Lord at Book Festival in March this year, her piece of advice to me, was to make contact with an agent and let them know that a publisher had asked to read my completed novel.

Therefore, the first person I thought of was my ‘new’ friend, so I phoned her and explained about the publisher being interested in my novel. I also mention the fact we had spoken, she said she did remember ‘me’.

;-)

Today, I phoned her and explained who I was and reminded her that she had asked me to phone her when I had some news.
For the first time since I met her she seemed more chatty, maybe she’s less busy, but I hope that it was because she’s more interested in both my work and hopefully me. She asked me many questions and I read out the email to her... She paused for the moment and asked how much of the book had I sent to them. I explained that they had asked to read the whole book.
She paused again, and I said that she knew far more about whether the email was a good sign or not as I could only go by what other publishers and agents had said in their letters after rejecting my work.

She said they hadn’t asked me to rewrite the whole book, which was a good sign. Her advice to me was to get it back to the publisher within two months and ask them to let me know within the shorten time possible to whether they are interested in taking on my novel as I have someone else interested in it.

Even though my ‘new’ friend hasn’t offered to look at my book herself, she was interested to hear about my struggle to get my work into print as I chatted to her about People’s Friend as well as my novel. By the end of the phone call, she said, “Please do let me know how you get on.”

My dear readers, you know me far better than my ‘new’ friend does to know I wouldn’t miss such an opportunity to let her know and to keep her update as who knows where it might lead me. I could possible wear her down with my determination, which would save me from nagging, begging, or even pestering her into looking at it. Hopefully she'll simply asks me if she could look at my work herself.

Now wouldn't that be a wonderful thing....lol

My book has Returned. Long Live my Novel

A new light at the end of an old tunnel

photograph by Annie

At last, I have some news about my novel. At first I was gutted, all I saw was a rejection, another rejection, after all the waiting and wondering a bloody rejection.

Then I read the email again, this wasn’t a straightforward rejection. This wasn’t thank you let us read your Ms, but unfortunately, we do not feel it is suitable for our list.

This email told me what I needed to know to make my book stronger.

We felt that although there was a strong beginning the story became weaker and was no longer a thriller/ mystery. Many of your characters are underdeveloped i.e. Hope in the library was irrelevant. Those sorts of thing weaken the storyline and lessen the tension, taking away the qualities, which make the story a thriller/ mystery. Your book reads more like a general fiction now. With the title it has, it instinctively promises a thriller or spiritual/religious setting, but doesn’t deliver strongly on that promise.

But, I would like to encourage you, as it is a charming idea. Should you choose to rework it I would be happy to look at it again.

Guess what I’m busy doing?

After sitting with my head in my hands wondering what to do next, I took out my red pen and deleted 29 thousand words and one main character. At first, I thought I was going crazy, I’d lost it, but then out of the haze a new stronger and more intense book has started to rise out of quagmire of my old book.

It’s early days yet, but one of my weak characters has stepped into the limelight and I now see he should have been telling my story all along.

If I’ve learn anything this week, it’s that rejection sometimes isn’t a bad thing.


Best wishes,

Annie

All Smiles This Week.

Commom blue Damselfly by Annie Wicking

This week my spirits has lifted as the photograph I took of a Common Blue Damselfly appeared in my local newspaper today.

I’ve also been busy reading my rejected short story and now feel I can see a way I can make some changes to improve the story. I’ve made the theme of the story stronger and given a bit-part character a larger part in the story by doing these simple things I found it easier to make changes to my story.

As some of you will already know, I like to hang out at The Essex Book Festival.
At the festival this year, I met Elizabeth Lord. Elizabeth writes historical novels and stories set in the East End of London.

To read more about Elizabeth and her writing go to http://www.elizabethlord.co.uk/

In the course of my chat with Elizabeth at the Book festival, she took an interest in my short writing career, even giving me the name of her agent, and asked me to keep in touch with her, as she would like to know how my book progresses with the publisher.

Last night I phoned her to let her know what has happened so far. We had a long chat about how writers have to learn how to play the waiting game, as we all have to wait to hear back from publishers. Elizabeth talked about how she had started by writing short stories after I had told her about my latest rejections.

It’s so lovely to think that someone who is as busy as Elizabeth is, found time to chat to me about her experiences to become the successful writer she is.

Losing sight of the end of the Tunnel....

You know when you reach a point in the day, week or maybe even the year when you feel you cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel anymore.

This week, I reached that point, I had a letter come back from ‘The People’s Friend’ magazine, which was a rejection of my story ‘The Magical Mystery Tour’.

This is the third letter I’ve had from them saying that although they enjoyed reading my story, it wasn’t suitable for the ‘Friend’.

This in itself is fine, hey, I can deal with straight out and out rejection, but and here comes the problem.

And I quote ‘There is a lot I like about this story, Annie. For example, the... then they go on to list what they liked and disliked about it.

I know what you are going to say, follow their advice and make the changes. This I have done on their last two rejections and still the stories have been returned to me with a rejection letter.

As you know, I’ve read the magazine and gone for up-lifting and light-heartedness in my stories and still I’m no closer to having them tell me yes.

This week has been tough on me as far as my writing is going. I know there’s a lot of people out in the big, bad world with far more on their plates to worry about than whether they’ve a story published or not.

But it’s the being so close and not quite knowing where I’m going wrong, which is driving me a little crazy as well as not hearing anything about my book. I know if I could just get one right, it would make all the difference to me.

Oh well, back to the highlighter and scribbling pad, who knows maybe I’ll get it right this time.

Who said being a writer is easy, was out of their tree.

Best wishes to my dear readers,

Annie

‘The writer must be universal in sympathy and an outcast by nature: only then can s/he see clearly.’ Julian Barnes 1984

Art of Patience

Annie's photograph, which was a runner up in a photographic competition.

The one thing I have learnt about becoming a writer is the art of patience, though I’m not very good at it at the moment.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been busy working on my second novel and sending out copies of my manuscript to publishers and agencies.

Impatience is what we writers seem to have a lot of, if nothing else. I know, by now, I should have learnt the rules of the waiting game, but day after day passes with no signs of any news from the publisher who has asked to read my complete manuscript, so as you can guess I’m running out of patience.

Even the two stories I sent off to the women’s magazines at the beginning of May hasn’t helped to relieve the impatience of waiting for news on my novel.

Since reposting my opening chapters back on YouWriteOn.com, I’ve had some very positive feedback about the rewriting I have done on it. So I feel very confident about my ability to write well, to hold a reader’s interest, and to create strong characters.

These are small crumbs of comfort to my diminishing nerves as I try hard to hang on to the last scrap of patience.

This mornings post brought news from an agent who in their kindness said they didn’t feel they could handle this project successfully on my behalf.

I’m sure this is a standard letter on their behalf and not just a personal one on mine as they went on to say they hoped I would find suitable representation soon, and wished me good luck with my writing in the future.

A few days ago, I had one of those special days we all have. When I have mine I like to take time off work and spend a few days writing or trying to.

My much beloved brought me the copy of the Writer’s Market UK for 2009. I’m surprised by just how many more places there were in the book, where you could send your manuscript than in ‘The Writer’s Handbook’ and ‘Writers & Artists’ Yearbook’. In the future, I am going only to update the Writer’s Market instead of buying the other two.

They do have an online site, go to http://www.writersmarket.co.uk/ and take a look yourself.

Best wishes and good luck

Annie

Both photographs are copyright of Annie Wicking.

Taking a closer look at things.

Beads of rain by Annie Wicking

Taking a few days off work has given me time to step back and take a closer look at my new novel. I have been working on build up my characters and taking a closer look at what makes them tick.
Knowing more about them makes you understand their motivation better giving you a better insight into why they would behave in such a way. This then help to build a character who is more true to life.

I have a copy of a book, which I have found very helpful ‘The writer’s guide to Character Traits by Linda N. Edelstein, Ph.D. ISBN 1-58297-246-X

Even though you don’t have to use all the information you create for your character in your novel, it does help you to make each one of your character the individuals in their own rights.

Well back to writing my next new character, now let me see, lets start with the hair colour...

Best wishes

Annie

Can't Wait to Read Annie's Novel...

This cover is of my own design.

Then click on the link listed below and read the opening chapters of my novel.

Please be aware it's an adult novel with strong language and storyline.

http://www.youwriteon.com/books/bookdetail.aspx?bookguid=2543516e-c2cc-42de-8305-ca2aadad6e3b

If you do, please let me know what you think of them... Please be honest.

Thank you for taking the time to read the opening chapters and I hope you enjoy them.

Best wishes to all my dear readers.

Annie