Do you remember the post a little while back where I was all like WAHEY I'M WRITING A NOVEL! No? Well, here it is, in case you forgot.
That project stalled, which is why you haven't heard much more about it. I couldn't make the idea work in a way that I wanted it to, if you know what I mean.
I'm having trouble with my writing at the minute. Yesterday I read through a few of my poems that I wrote last year, and they were (if you don't mind me saying) pretty damn good. And I very rarely feel that way about a piece of fiction that I write. Definitely not a piece of extended fiction. So: I feel like my poetry is of a better standard than my fiction. But the thing is, I don't want to write poetry.
There was a time when I really wanted to write poems. I wanted to publish a collection (only ever one collection, mind). I wanted to write poem after poem, and I did, for a while. Now though - by which I mean in the past six months or so - I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to write poems. None at all. And no poetic thoughts or inspiration. It's strange. But I'm happy this way.
What I really want to do is write a novel. So I'm trying again. The idea mentioned in that earlier post has been... re-worked, let's put it that way. There were mermaids in it, and now all the mermaids are gone and now it's just people. There has been vague planning and structuring, and I'm busy playing around with the narrative perspectives and such like. I have a prologue that I'm happy to work with for now. I just need to get my teeth into the main body of it all, don't I.
So, in the words of a certain sports brand: Just Do It.
Tuesday 26 July 2011
Saturday 16 July 2011
Unread books
I have this annoying habit where I buy books and then don't read them. Some of the time I don't even want the book in question, I just pick it up because it's on offer, or I need to complete an offer (Waterstone's 3 for 2, anyone?), so I just buy the book for the sake of it. And it sits there on my shelf, looking longingly at me every time I'm looking for a new book to read, saying "pick me! Pick me!" like we're on some sort of school sports team and I'm the captain. Anyway. I buy the books and they take up space on my shelves and I don't really want them but am never able to give them to charity or anything because I've not read them yet and I'd feel too cruel.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've put together a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days, and one of the items on that list is to read all the unread books on my shelf. I'm going to make a list of them here so I can keep track, and maybe you guys can recommend what I should read first? Or second, or third, or... twenty-fifth? Ha. I don't know how many there are, but let's get started:
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've put together a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days, and one of the items on that list is to read all the unread books on my shelf. I'm going to make a list of them here so I can keep track, and maybe you guys can recommend what I should read first? Or second, or third, or... twenty-fifth? Ha. I don't know how many there are, but let's get started:
- Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
- Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
- Persuasion - Jane Austen
- Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
- Babel Tower - A.S. Byatt
- Women - Charles Bukowski (half read, never finished)
- Life of Pi - Yann Martel (started, never finished)
- The Periodic Table - Primo Levi
- Complete Short Fiction - Oscar Wilde
- One Flew over the Cukoo's Nest - Ken Kesey
- Paradise Lost - John Milton
- The Divine Comedy - Dante (read 'Inferno', but not the other two parts)
- Marley and Me - John Grogan
- Just Kids - Patti Smith
- A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
- Three Men in a Boat - Jerome K. Jerome
- Modern Baptists - James Wilcox
- SCOOP - Evelyn Waugh
- Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman - E.W. Hornung
- The Diary of a Nobody - George and Weedon Grossmith
- Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
- Mapp and Lucia - E.F Benson
- Lucky Jim - Kingsley Amis
- One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
- Casino Royale - Ian Fleming
- The Master and Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov (started but never finished)
- Go Tell it on the Mountain - James Baldwin
- Peter Pan - J.M. Barrie
- Treasure Island - Daniel Defoe
- Robinson Crusoe - Robert Louis Stevenson
- Ulysses - James Joyce
- The Long Song - Andrea Levy
- Songs of the Humpback Whale - Jodi Picoult
Then there's a large selection of poetry books that I dip in and out of occasionally, so I won't list them. So in total I own 33 books (excluding poetry collections) that I've never read. Oops. At least they'll contribute to my reading goals etc...
Wow. Now I've made this list I feel bad about even considering buying new books. I would say I won't buy any more until I've read everything on this list, but I shouldn't make promises I won't keep!
Thursday 14 July 2011
Thoughts on getting into publishing
If you read this post from a few weeks ago, you'll already know that I had my first ever interview for a "real job" in the publishing industry. Unfortunately, nothing came from it; I was emailed about a week after the interview and told that I wouldn't be called back for a second interview. I was also told that they received over 400 applications, so on reflection I think I did pretty well to even get that first interview!
Since then I've applied for a few more jobs, and am waiting to hear back. It's giving me plenty of time to think about that interview and what I can learn from it. I've also been reading the recent Q&A hosted by the Guardian Careers website called 'Getting into Publishing' which you can read here, if you haven't already. What is clear both from that discussion, and my experience in the interview, is just how important it is to show enthusiasm and dedication to the industry. Basically, a degree is good, as is relevant work experience in the industry, but you need to go further than that.
In my interview they were very keen to ask me about the online magazine that I run. They'd even taken the time to have a quick look at the website, and told me that it was impressive to see the magazine still running after three years. Something that I initially set up as a hobby, almost, is now showing itself to be a real asset now that I'm looking for a job. It shows that I've got the enthusiasm and dedication to make something work.
I'm also thinking of taking a basic proofreading course, maybe through the PTC, if I can find the money. It's expensive, but I've got the time on my hands at the moment, and it's something else that will show willing, as it were.
If you're in a similar position, I'd love to hear from you. Or even better, if you've been in my position and since got a publishing job. Any extra information would be greatly appreciated!
Since then I've applied for a few more jobs, and am waiting to hear back. It's giving me plenty of time to think about that interview and what I can learn from it. I've also been reading the recent Q&A hosted by the Guardian Careers website called 'Getting into Publishing' which you can read here, if you haven't already. What is clear both from that discussion, and my experience in the interview, is just how important it is to show enthusiasm and dedication to the industry. Basically, a degree is good, as is relevant work experience in the industry, but you need to go further than that.
In my interview they were very keen to ask me about the online magazine that I run. They'd even taken the time to have a quick look at the website, and told me that it was impressive to see the magazine still running after three years. Something that I initially set up as a hobby, almost, is now showing itself to be a real asset now that I'm looking for a job. It shows that I've got the enthusiasm and dedication to make something work.
I'm also thinking of taking a basic proofreading course, maybe through the PTC, if I can find the money. It's expensive, but I've got the time on my hands at the moment, and it's something else that will show willing, as it were.
If you're in a similar position, I'd love to hear from you. Or even better, if you've been in my position and since got a publishing job. Any extra information would be greatly appreciated!
Wednesday 13 July 2011
Cleaning off the cyber-dust
Oh dear. I'm not very good at keeping track of things.
As you may already know, I run an online magazine called Sparkbright. It publishes every six months, in June and December. Since putting out our sixth issue back in June, I've done absolutely nothing towards the upkeep of the site (so, 650-odd spam comments to get rid of...), the twitter site, the blog... nothing. So I should probably get back on that!
I'm trying to be more organised in general, and actually keep track of what's going on with regards to my internet activity. That includes: this blog; the Sparkbright website; the Sparkbright blog (on the site); the Sparkbright twitter account; my personal twitter account; the Sparkbright facebook page; my facebook page and several email accounts.
I'm going to try and post here at least once a week, so you can look forward (er, maybe) to seeing a bit more of me round here. And I really do need to do some work for Sparkbright.
This 'trying to be organised' thing is all part of my day zero project: 101 goals in 1001 days. My list is here, if you're interested, but I'll be back soon enough to tell you more about it.
Ciao for now!
As you may already know, I run an online magazine called Sparkbright. It publishes every six months, in June and December. Since putting out our sixth issue back in June, I've done absolutely nothing towards the upkeep of the site (so, 650-odd spam comments to get rid of...), the twitter site, the blog... nothing. So I should probably get back on that!
I'm trying to be more organised in general, and actually keep track of what's going on with regards to my internet activity. That includes: this blog; the Sparkbright website; the Sparkbright blog (on the site); the Sparkbright twitter account; my personal twitter account; the Sparkbright facebook page; my facebook page and several email accounts.
I'm going to try and post here at least once a week, so you can look forward (er, maybe) to seeing a bit more of me round here. And I really do need to do some work for Sparkbright.
This 'trying to be organised' thing is all part of my day zero project: 101 goals in 1001 days. My list is here, if you're interested, but I'll be back soon enough to tell you more about it.
Ciao for now!
Tuesday 5 July 2011
Book habits
I'm sure everyone has some strange book-related habits, so I thought I'd share a few of mine.
I've recently started buying books second hand from charity shops. Normally I like my books to be new so I can make them mine. But there is a certain kind of pleasure from rescuing a book left on the shelf of a charity shop and giving it a new home. My most recent purchases (THE HISTORY OF LOVE and CAT'S EYE) were both charity shop buys, and cost me the grand total of £3.50 for both - two books for roughly half the full RRP of one. So that was also pretty satisfying, given my current lack of income...
But going back to books left on shelves. If I'm ever in a bookshop where I see one of my favourite books (or worse, a charity shop where someone has given away one of my favourite books), I always have to fight the urge to buy another copy and give it a good home. For example: when I was buying THE HISTORY OF LOVE and CAT'S EYE the other day, I also saw a copy of NORWEGIAN WOOD on the shelves (film cover, bleugh), which is one of my favourite books EVER, and I really wanted to buy this copy of N.W. just because it made me sad that it wasn't wanted. But I didn't buy it, and clearly I can't start doing so, because otherwise I'll end up with tens of copies of certain books that I really love.
I also have an annoying habit of buying books that I don't really want. I've got a couple of books that I've moved over to the flat as sort of 'back-up' reads. My books aren't over there yet because I've not moved in, so they're with me in my parents' house, but there's always the risk that I'll be over at the flat for a while on my own (daytime while boyfriend's at work) and I'll run out of something to read. So I have these books there because I know I won't actively choose to read them when faced with other options. I should just give them to charity, but who knows. Maybe one day.
And then, of course, there's those books you mean to read and don't get round to. For me at the minute it's ULYSSES. I got a cheap copy last summer and have been meaning to read it for ages (even before I bought it), but am put off by its length and difficulty. However, I have progressed to the stage where I've got it down from my shelves and it's now living by my bed, so maybe soon I'll take the plunge...
Also, I always fold down page corners rather than using bookmarks. Sorry.
What are your strange book habits? And should I bother reading ULYSSES, after all?
I've recently started buying books second hand from charity shops. Normally I like my books to be new so I can make them mine. But there is a certain kind of pleasure from rescuing a book left on the shelf of a charity shop and giving it a new home. My most recent purchases (THE HISTORY OF LOVE and CAT'S EYE) were both charity shop buys, and cost me the grand total of £3.50 for both - two books for roughly half the full RRP of one. So that was also pretty satisfying, given my current lack of income...
But going back to books left on shelves. If I'm ever in a bookshop where I see one of my favourite books (or worse, a charity shop where someone has given away one of my favourite books), I always have to fight the urge to buy another copy and give it a good home. For example: when I was buying THE HISTORY OF LOVE and CAT'S EYE the other day, I also saw a copy of NORWEGIAN WOOD on the shelves (film cover, bleugh), which is one of my favourite books EVER, and I really wanted to buy this copy of N.W. just because it made me sad that it wasn't wanted. But I didn't buy it, and clearly I can't start doing so, because otherwise I'll end up with tens of copies of certain books that I really love.
I also have an annoying habit of buying books that I don't really want. I've got a couple of books that I've moved over to the flat as sort of 'back-up' reads. My books aren't over there yet because I've not moved in, so they're with me in my parents' house, but there's always the risk that I'll be over at the flat for a while on my own (daytime while boyfriend's at work) and I'll run out of something to read. So I have these books there because I know I won't actively choose to read them when faced with other options. I should just give them to charity, but who knows. Maybe one day.
And then, of course, there's those books you mean to read and don't get round to. For me at the minute it's ULYSSES. I got a cheap copy last summer and have been meaning to read it for ages (even before I bought it), but am put off by its length and difficulty. However, I have progressed to the stage where I've got it down from my shelves and it's now living by my bed, so maybe soon I'll take the plunge...
Also, I always fold down page corners rather than using bookmarks. Sorry.
What are your strange book habits? And should I bother reading ULYSSES, after all?
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