A publisher, another novel, and waiting for inspiration to strike again
‘Timed Out’, my first novel, now has a publisher, Driven Press. And ‘Makeover‘, my second, has gone for a manuscript assessment with The Oxford Editors along with a list of issues that are bothering me. For example:
Are the two alternating points of view/’voices’ clearly differentiated or will I be accused of head-hopping? I have used two different fonts but have recently discovered that these do not transfer to Kindle or other online publications.
Are the minor characters fleshed out enough?
Is there too much or too little detail about people’s jobs? (the protagonists are a personal shopper and a history don).
Is there too much or too little professional/technical detail re e.g. group therapy, domestic violence, counselling?
With these two manuscripts out of my hands for the moment, I must turn my attention to Novel Number Three. Something to do with Love, Cornwall and Mermaids and Mermen. So far I’ve got the first two sentences plus a short story published two years ago by Ether Books which I hope will inspire a whole novel. I once heard an agent say she could never resist a story with mermaids in it. My story as it stands is sweet and has a nice twist.
They say a bit of living is a good idea while one awaits inspiration. Not sure that has worked so far, but I have been having a little more fun – or at least cultural education. A Blake event in the Sheldonian Theatre: I had no idea William Blake inspired so many different people in so many different ways. Then to the Blake Exhibition at the Ashmolean: loved some of his etchings but preferred the selection of work by later artists whom he influenced. Saw ‘Testament of Youth’ and was not as impressed as I had been by the book which I read many years ago and have never forgotten.
The prospect of getting a novel out within a year and a gentle prod from Driven Press have led me to have another go at Social Media activities. Daunted. Can anyone explain the point of Pinterest? Or LinkedIn if you are a writer and not a young business person? And what exactly is a tag?