Category: me

The story that I can’t write

Sara Crowley5 Comments

I had this idea for a story well over a year ago. I wrote it but something didn’t quite work. I posted it for critique in The Fiction Workhouse. They said it had many flaws and suggested I concentrate on one part and cut another. I left it to simmer. I have kept on thinking about it, wondering how it could be strengthened. I sat down recently and tried again. I thought I’d had some great inspirational idea. I cut parts ruthlessly, wrote some new bits. I left in the stuff that had positive feedback, expanded it. Then I asked a couple of writers whose opinions I respect to take a look. One said there was too much that was unrealistic and I should chop those parts. I did. I sent it to another 2 writers. They both said, hmmm, not your best work, and it could really do with some more magic. One even went on to describe exactly what I had cut.

Still, nobody actually thinks it “good’. And I have been left utterly baffled. I think I have lost what my original vision was, and in trying to please I may well have cut the heart out.
I’d love to know if any of the other writers who read this have been defeated by one particular story. Does it mean the story is doomed? Or perhaps I just haven’t found the right way to tell it yet.

I wrote "A realistic and informative piece"

Sara Crowley3 Comments
There is a review of Writer’s Market UK 2009 at The Crafty Writer
and in it they say some good things and mention me. Hurrah. Although they call me a not-yet-published person, I assume because I was short listed for the Not Yet Published Award but it made me feel a bit, hmmm, well, I do have some things published actually mumble, mumble…

Anyway, you should all buy Writer’s Market Uk 2009 because it is jolly useful and I am in it.

Tagged twice in one day, so it’s mememememememe

Sara Crowley7 Comments

I was tagged by Kirsty at Other Stories.

These are her rules:

  • Link to the person that tagged you – i.e. me.
  • Post the rules on your blog.
  • Write six random things about you in a blog post.
  • Tag six people in your post.
  • Let each person know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
  • Let the tagger know your entry is up.
So, being obedient here are my six random things.
1 – The first concert I ever went to was Barry Manilow at The Royal Albert Hall. 
2 – BBQ is my favoured flavour, and at the moment I am particularly partial to BBQ Snack-a-Jacks.
3 – I saw a ghost about six weeks ago, but because I don’t believe in ghosts I am trying not to think about it.
4 – I find it hard to write random facts about myself.
5 – I recently wore a different perfume for the first time in fifteen years (I usually wear Penhaligan’s Bluebell but bought Valentino’s Rock and Rose, crap name, rather lovely scent.) 
6 – I will never drive.
Right, so I tag six people and they will be:
On to memememememe 2
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

Okay…hmm, well the nearest book is not one that I am reading as that is upstairs by my bed, and there’s another in the bathroom. Taking this incredibly literally I walk to my bookcase and pick up the book closest:

Granta – Best of British Novelists 2003 (I do have more current editions, but they aren’t so near.)

The Costa Pool Bums by Alan Warner

Page 123, fifth sentence says:

 “We leaned forward in the sky as the undercarriage and full flaps were rammed down. Our engine whined smartly and floated us briefly upwards.

The hazy air now revealed the uniform, dull sheen of the deep black Mediterranean visible between the drooped flaps; sun glazed the aluminium wing, its central wing duller and doubtless cheaper to produce than the frictionless boss of the dazzling leading edge.”


Which leads to yet more tagging.
I’m going to tag Pierre L, who doesn’t use his blog I don’t think? If he chooses he can post in the comments here (no escape!)
And

(Three K’s, has to be Kool, hahahah etc)