Ever since I finished writing 'Travels in Xanadu-du', 15 months ago, there's been a bit of a hole in my life. I'm grateful to those of you who actually bought it, but clearly it hasn't reached the market it's intended for (and it is a bit wierd, and not without its problems, I'd be the first to admit).
A little over a month ago, publishers HarperCollins launched a website called Authonomy. This is a website where aspiring authors can showcase their wares and get valuable feedback on it. And if they are insanely lucky, can have it reviewed by HC editors and ermm, maybe, just maybe, published.
I've been hanging out there quite a lot, and so has my buddy Alexander McNabb (well, I say he's my buddy, for some bizarre reason we never actually met while I was in Dubai, but, you know). Alexander's excellent book 'Space' is currently at number 9 in the Authonomy chart. Which is just incredible because I'm pretty sure it's being supported by real people, not just his nearest and dearest.
I digress.
I've been wanting to write more since my first book, but suffering from an ideas drought. I've also been pretty busy with the real work.
Yesterday, I sat down with the deliberate intention of thinking up an idea for a novel. I closed my eyes, relaxed a bit, and bang! There it was. I scribbled down a plot outline and then began to write. Yesterday I produced 1432 words, and today I gave it a full day and produced 3902 (a full-length novel is between 80,00 and 120,000 words). And I am still laughing my socks off.
Here's the thing that thrilled me, the thing that I had almost forgotten. Once you start writing a piece of fiction, there is almost nothing you can do to stop your characters from making it up as they go along. They just do stupid stuff, follow the path that they want to follow, and all you have have do is write down what they do and what they say. It's exhilarating!
But I think I've learned a few things from the previous book and certainly learned stuff from the Authonomy website, so I reckon the new book is gonna be a corker!
I'll be boring you rigid with this, you mark my words.
7 comments:
"I'll be boring you rigid with this, you mark my words."
Too late! ;-)
Thanks Duffy. Good to know you're still watching.
Great news! I'm not really a comedy specialist so I passed on the first novel. But I totally agree that writing is just such a joy, spending time with 'novel inhabiting people' as some writer chooses to call his fictional 'characters'.
As for Authonomy, I'll be trying it out later in the month.
All the best!
that's really good news Keefie! Good luck with the book2... any chance of a topic? sneak peek?
Mac, Buj: I expect I'll be posting the first 10,000 words on Authonomy after the weekend. It's still comedy though, Mac, I just can't help myself.
Good luck, Keith.
You go, honey. I've had my sneak peek and I LOVE this one. More please - more!
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