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Thursday, July 5, 2012

The madness of the author


A great number of books and music are published each week. Among these are many first timers, all hoping to reach the public. It's easy for a new product to get lost in this vast ocean. Thrown into the foaming waves many of the newcomers drift off and soon toss on the seas of shattered dreams.

You have gone through the process of writing the material, recording or editing and revising. Only to find this was the easy bit. No matter how good your product is if the public don't get a change to learn about you then you're on a mission impossible.

You almost have to be delusional to keep pursuing your dreams. In 1911 Bleuler published ‘Dementia Praecox or the group of Schizophrenia's.' Inconvenient or different behavior like; homosexuality, laziness, rebellion and remembering too intensely were among the symptoms a patient could have. What do you think of this; 'Many Schizophrenics display lively affects at least in certain directions, among them are active writers, the word improvers, the health lunatics and the founders of new religions.'



Oscar Wild once said;
"We are all in the gutter, only some of us are looking at the stars."

The Internet contains many artist forums and blogs. Anyone can join and post a poem, photo or any other form of artwork. Some members on those sites have gathered a large fan base, however this doesn't mean they produce quality nor have their own voice.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Four sites for upcoming writers



This site is quite popular with younger writers and readers, but does have a wide range of genres. Becoming a member is easy and free. You can post your story and take part in discussions in different clubs and forums. An interesting aspect of Wattpad are the Watty awards
The Watty Awards is an annual celebration of the most loved stories by the Wattpad community. Over $20,000 will be given out in prizes!





Writersbeat  has a more serious tone and is therefore used by more mature writers.
People who wish to become a published author, there is an updated writer's market section, but you can get your feet wet right away with monthly writing contests, group writing exercises, and In Pencil - the official   online magazine.

 

Authonomy is a daughter of publishing house HarperCollins. Beside the usual forums, tips and excerpts, one has the opportunity to be picked by the editors and get an actual book deal. 
This site is far out the best option for the serious author who isn’t afraid of honest critique. An negative aspect of Authonomy is when your book is picked to be published, you receive only a 30% share of the total revenue. Not much considering you did all the work.

Writer’s Digest 

 ·         holds competitions
·         guide to literary agents
·         writing groups
·         writing levels
·         how to’s
·         and more

Bare in mind that getting fantastic comments on your work on any of these sites means your creation is really worth publishing. Many members of the Wattpad community give positive feedback in the hope to gain reads, fans and comments. I have seen high quality material which hardly got any reads and only a few comments. So don't be fooled or dis hearted.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Fresh from the Fantasy press


 Tristan v Sarah

Tristan v Sarah is a welcome, fresh take on the fantasy genre. There's a lightness of touch in the writing, which is a relief, after all those samey, weighty fantasy tomes that take themselves far too seriously. Yet Victor's and Stuarts use of vocabulary is wide ranged, but doesn't let the reader sink into a vacuum of over description.


Stuart and Victor understand, unlike many other writers in the genre, that characterizations need to be real-world and that the dialogue that the characters speak has to be realistic too.

The hilarity of a father who has taught his son essential life skills such as eskrima-fighting and knot-tying. Although fire-lighting and map-reading would be useful if you were having a barbecue and needed to find your nearest Sainsbury's, where Bruce has really let his son down is by neglecting to teach him to cook....

I really liked the scene in the kitchen where Bruce is dressed in his keikogi - and yet they're having to eat buttered toast for supper

Get your copy here