Compton Verney

Pauline and I attended a consultation / information gathering meeting at Compton Verney yesterday linked into the bureaucracy for their current application for Heritage Lottery Funding. Members of other writing, arts and photographic groups were present from Stratford, Warwick and Leamington. The people at Compton Verney want to grow their involvement in local arts activities.

I came away not completely clear about what future is envisaged but then perhaps that was the purpose of the meeting to gather thoughts and ideas. My underlying worry is any efforts on their part may dilute the work of existing  groups which are struggling to survive. The other issue is geographic and the effort required to go there for any regular activity. It is a lovely setting. Perhaps we can discuss at the next meeting and go back to them with our considered thoughts.

I met some people I had previously exchanged e mails with and spent last night reading a Kindle copy of "Urge to Kill" a first published book by  J J Franklin a local author from Stratford.

My first  visit to Compton Verney was in 1992 when the house was being looked at as a potential Heart of England Opera House and the stables were being converted to up market houses and flats. They have come a long way since then which is good to see.

For more details of existing activity - http://www.comptonverney.org.uk/default.aspx

Douglas

Russell Blake - Three years of Writing

The experiences of a successful self published author.

Worth a read especially his comments about readers.

http://russellblake.com/three-years-come-and-gone/

"I love what I’m doing for a living. I was doing it for free for my own pleasure, and I love it even more now that I’m doing it for readers. My final words of advice for budding authors is to always keep readers at the forefront of your thoughts, and to focus on improving your craft every day, like using a muscle. If you do that, you’ve got an advantage over most of your peers, who are in this for other reasons than to tell the best story they can as well as they can. Make that your priority and you can’t go wrong, whether or not you hit the sales lottery."

 

Thanks Russell

 

Douglas

Last and next meeting

The Inkplotters met on the 12 August and exchanged views on web site and future topics. Julia and Calvin are about to publish their new books. On the subject for reading – a death scene, members enjoyed hearing a variety of pieces from poisoning in the Roman Empire, through to revenge for WW2 acts, a dead parrot, an accidental death at Maple Court, natural death and an arranged death in Zurich. Next meeting Thursday 4 September 2014 with reading subject – An overheard conversation ...

 

Ian has given me a story - Ademu - on the death scene theme which I have added to the writing page.

 

Douglas

More good stuff from Joanna Penn

 

http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2014/07/17/writing-thrillerfest-2014/

More writing advice

• “Your ending should be unexpected, but inevitable.” Richard Krevolin, PowerStoryConsulting.com

• Your characters don’t have to be likeable, but they can’t be all bad. The trick is to have them love something e.g. Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs has a poodle. Or, make them express emotion e.g. Frankenstein’s monster says he didn’t ask to be created. From Peter James.

• There are no rules around how to get the book written. Lee Child won’t plot at all, doesn’t know the end and just writes until he’s done. “I don’t want to type out a story I already know the ending to.”Jeffrey Deaver writes a 350 page outline. Everyone else is somewhere on the spectrum.

• “You don’t commit to writing one book. You commit to being a writer.”John Lescroart. Most authors write at least 5 books before anyone wants to read more of their work. Even when you’ve ‘found your voice,’some people won’t get it.

• “A novel must be novel, or there’s no point in publishing it.” Mark Tavani, Editor. An editor is looking for something they can sell. The concept may have similar elements to other books but it must be fresh. Get the little details correct– in an age of Google Maps, there’s no excuse. Anything that jars the reader will end their experience of the book. The editor is thinking about whether this is the beginning: of a series, of a business relationship, of a new career for this author. “Start as close to the end as possible.” Stop flashing back – keep moving forward. Readers react to lag time negatively, so a book a year is recommended.

• “The fact is: authors die.” Peter James on why there’s always room for more authors! This made lots of us feel better. When faced with huge mega-famous names in the room, it can feel as if you’ll never make it – but many of them have been writing for 30+ years. I’ve been writing fiction for 4 years now and I’m 39. I have time!

Another post response from Russell Blake

Author: Russell Blake
Comment:

... but I'm too busy writing. What I can say is the man's a consummate storyteller, and keenly in tune with pacing. And he does love his twists. He views himself as an entertainer, not a high-faluting author, which is a similarity we share. If you keep the reader in mind at all times, and constantly question why they should give a s*** about every page of every chapter, you're on the right track. If the answer is, "they shouldn't - it's not important" then it should be cut. Pretty straightforward.

See all comments on this post here:http://russellblake.com/sad-state-of-affairs/#comments

Thanks Russell ... particularly relevant in my time of self editing ...

Douglas

Remember next meeting Tuesday 12th August 2014 19.00. My contribution starts .....

Writer’s group - Death Scenes

 

I did not sleep much last night after our argument. 

When I woke I moved nearer to her but she had flown. 

Today I felt sure I would find out what happened to my twin brother Eric. The historian of the family, the swot, the gentle academic. 

Confirmation came all too soon as I came out of the bathroom when the telephone trilled.

“Hello, room 21”

 

Come to the meeting and hear what happens next ...

 

Change in Meeting Date

Please note next meeting now on Tuesday 12 August at 19.00 at usual meeting place.

Contact Pauline  on pauline@leamingtonspawriters.org.uk  for further details.

New members welcome.

Douglas

Last and Next Meeting

The last meeting heard about strange goings on and abortive liaisons near Tesco in June and also from new member Ian Mathie about his writing experiences.

Next meeting on Thursday 7 August 19.00. 

* Contributions of up to 1000 words - a death scene.
* Discussion about future development of this web site.
* Participation in a project at Compton Verney ... and
* My deferred contribution of another episode of a sit-com under last month's topic.

Good writing and reading to you all ...

Douglas