Being prepared…
Explaining your beliefs to other people… may my students be as rapt as these!
There’s nothing that makes you analyse your beliefs more than having to explain them to other people.
I’m coming up against this hard fact a lot at the moment, as I’m preparing to co-facilitate a half-day workshop. It’s called “Selling yourself without selling out”. (It’s for artists of all kinds, and aims to take the cringe factor out of self-promotion.) My co-facilitator is novelist, writer and creative writing tutor Derbhile Dromey.
For one thing, just because it’s obvious to me why using social media for self-promotion is a good idea for artists, workshop attendees may not necessarily agree whole-heartedly. So I am having to peel back the layers of my assumptions on that score, and come up with a way to elucidate my reasoning.
For another, like any skill as you practise it more, using social media for self-promotion as an artist becomes second nature. Consequently, if I am asked “Should I create a separate Facebook page for my artistic work, or can I just use my personal account?”, I really have to scratch my head to ensure that I give a clear answer. I know what I would do, but telling someone else what they should do, and why, is a different matter.
It’s all part of the preparation work, which, like anything worthwhile, is a time-consuming task.
On the plus side, I’m hugely excited about working with Derbhile and having the opportunity to support some fellow artists with their self-promotion work in the world of social media.
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How long does overnight success take?
There is an inspiring new post by Rosie Lugosi on the Myslexia blog called “Hare / Tortoise”. In it, Rosie describes how her novel-writing career is finally taking off after twelve years of slog. The post has got me thinking about the cultural phenomenon of “overnight success”.
I have often mused about this with a friend who is also interested in the topic. We in the English-speaking world are obsessed with the idea of overnight success. It is the concept upon which talent shows like The X Factor are based: Someone is plucked from obscurity and thrust into the limelight on the strength of their amazing talent, which was just waiting to be discovered.
Mary Byrne on The X Factor
Mary Byrne and Susan Boyle are perfect examples. In the PR narrative that was presented along with them as they came to media prominence, both women (both undeniably very talented) had languished in obscurity for decades, their gift known only to their nearest and dearest, until Simon Cowell and co. swooped in to rescue them.
However, look a little more closely, and it emerges that both Ms. Byrne and Ms. Boyle had been singing for many years, and with some success, long before they went on The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, respectively.
Susan Boyle, runner-up in Britain’s Got Talent
Mary Byrne had been a singer in her brother’s band and had actually won a singing content on Irish TV in 2008. Susan Boyle began singing in school productions at age 12, and she and her mother often talked about her possibly becoming famous. She sang for years in pubs and local competitions before The X Factor. In both cases, they had worked and grafted away for years. There was nothing overnight about it.
As an artist, I resent the overnight success concept. Anyone who has ever achieved anything worthwhile, ever, no matter in what field, knows that it takes graft, graft, and then more graft. Staying up til all hours, getting up at all hours, working when you could be out socialising, working when you could be spending time with your family… and you keep doing all these things for months, years and quite possibly, your whole life. That is what lies behind most creative success.
There are several examples in fields other than showbiz: Search engine behemoth Google and the ridiculously popular game Angry Birds both appeared to gain incredible popularity in no time, whereas in actual fact, both took several years’ steady, unremarked-on work on the part of their creators.
Overnight success is a myth, in all senses of the word.
Despite this, as a human being, I love stuffing my rational brain into a drawer and gorging myself on reality TV sob stories.
So why are we so in love with the idea of being suddenly “discovered” and catapulted to instant success?
Cinderella, before Disney got her
It has to be something to do with the Cinderella meme that is still so strong in Anglo-Saxon culture. We all love a good rags-to-riches tale, and the Disneyfied Cinderella, the version now most familiar to us, is the iconic one. After pining for years amongst the cinders, Cinderella is transformed into a beauty by her fairy godmother (or the spirit of her dead mother, depending on which version you read), goes to the ball, and after some token faffing about with glass slippers, marries the prince and lives happily ever after. This is the original overnight success narrative arc, now found in countless movies, books and TV shows, and we can’t get enough.
The key question is, of course: Which came first? Did something inherent in human nature lead to the creation and rise of the Cinderella meme, or was an original affinity with the idea of sudden success nurtured by the rising popularity of the Cinderella fairytale?
For my part, I don’t know. If anyone with expertise in sociology or cultural history can shed more light on the question, I’d love to hear your thoughts below.
In the meantime, all hail to Rosie Lugosi on getting her debut novel picked up by Harper Collins after she won last year’s Myslexia Novel Competition. Her overnight success took twelve years. I’m still hanging in there for mine. 
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The write advice
Well-known writers are always being asked, “What advice would you give to new writers?”
This question must fill writers with dread. For one thing, it is quite a responsibility to give advice that someone may actually act on. For another, it is even more of a responsibility give such advice publicly. For yet another, advice is a strange beast that can reveal more than is intended about the giver of the advice.
Every week, in the “There are no rules” section of Writer’s Digest editor blogs, the author trails through the magazine’s archives, searching for writing advice from famous authors. The most recent list includes Harper Lee, John Steinbeck and James Thurber.
The article contains several contributions from famous and less famous writers, and is worth a read. Also, it’s fun to try to connect each piece of advice to the author’s personality (or persona).
Harper Lee’s contribution seems typical of the notoriously media-shy and no-nonsense author of To Kill a Mockingbird: “I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career, that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide”.
John Steinbeck and Carl Sandburg both take a subversive approach to giving advice:
“Beware of advice – even this” (Sandburg)
“Sorry – if I had any advice to give I’d take it myself” (Steinbeck)
My favourite is the single word provided by Robert Fuoss: “Write”.
If you have any favourite pieces of writing advice, from well-known or less-well-known writers, I’d love to hear them – just reply below!
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Gone Fishing
I never anticipated that the “Wait” in the title of my blog would take on such a literal meaning. It’s been ages since I posted.
What have I been doing? I’m happy to report that I’ve been writing, a lot. Progress on my short story collection is going well: I now have three completed stories.
Since I last posted, I attended a lecture given by Claire Keegan in Cork, aid of the Munster Literature Centre. I’d never heard Claire speak before. Her points about writing were brutal and straightforward: Get out of your own way, let the story speak for itself. Writers hear this advice regularly, but somehow, coming from Claire, it had a major impact. When writing, I now regularly refer to the notes I took at Claire’s lecture and try to implement some of her techniques and approaches.
Getting back to the long hiatus in this blog: Hopefully it’s been worth it for another reason. One of my stories was shortlisted for the 2011/2012 Fish Short Story Prize. The awards were announced today. The judge was David Mitchell of Cloud Atlas fame (shortlisted for the 2004 Booker prize). The shortlist consisted of 145 stories, whittled down from 1900 entries. I am very pleased with that result.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!
Compass Writers interview: How to publish a book and organise a book launch for community writers’ groups
Writers’ groups are a source of support, inspiration and motivation for their members. One project that many writers groups undertake is to bring out a compendium of their members’ work. Compass Writers, a volunteer-run community writers’ group that has been running in Waterford, Ireland since 2007, is just about to publish its first collection of members’ work. I chatted to Jim Lawlor of Compass Writers about the highs and lows of putting together a group work and organising the launch event to go with it.
OS: Jim, you are one of the main organisers of Thursday night’s launch of Compass Writers’ new book, “Between Water, Land and Sky”. Fans of Compass Writers will know that the book and launch have been in the planning for the best part of a year now. Can you give us an idea of what we can look forward to at Thursday night’s launch in the Tower Hotel? 
JL: I’m one of several Compass Writers that have been putting many hours into the book and the launch over the last while. As launch night approaches, the number of people directly involved has been growing quickly.
As for the launch itself: On Thursday December 8th, the evening will kick off at 8 pm sharp in The Tower Hotel, when the Deputy Mayor of Waterford, Mary Roche, will introduce the event, and then poet John Ennis will launch the book. This will be followed by readings from the book by group members.
At least as importantly, there will be tea, coffee, biscuits and cake for those in attendance, and spot prizes will be raffled at the end of the evening. I’d expect the formalities to last for about an hour and I’d hope that everyone will enjoy themselves. Last but not least, books will be on sale on the night. Buying local is more important than ever this Christmas, and we hope that the book will find its way into many Christmas stockings!
OS: Let’s talk about the process of putting together a book like this. What are the particular challenges of putting together a compendium like ”Between Water, Land and Sky”? What are the benefits for the group? Do you have any advice for other writers’ groups who may be considering a similar project?
JL: Well… how long have you got? I’ll try to keep it as brief as possible.
First of all, the sheer range of people involved poses challenges. We have ten Compass Writers directly involved in the book, and this includes poets, short story writers, memoir-writers, and those reporting on factual events. In other words, we have all styles and preferences in writing represented.
Once the pieces each writer was contributing to the book were decided, we broke up into critiquing pairs. While constructive criticism is a staple of Compass Writers – just as it is in any writing group – one-on-one criticism of personally-favoured pieces is still a challenge. But getting through this – before you even get to the stage of publishing the book – is a strong learning experience for the writer.
Second, the dynamics of transforming the gathered material into a book and dealing with the publishing process had to be managed. While many Compass Writers have been published before, few enough of us have actually had books published and this was a great learning experience about the logistics of the activity. Everything from organising a sequence of contributions (alphabetical), getting an ISBN, writing a back-cover ‘blurb’, dealing with proof-reading errors, integrating the pictures and sketches (there is some artwork in the book also), choosing the font and paper, finding a printer, scheduling the printing and the launch… there were endless details. Oh, and don’t mention coming up with the costs involved.
Third (I’ll stop after this) – the costs (I know what I said – I know – but they have to be covered). Compass Writers are pleased to acknowledge the grant from Waterford City Council, without which achieving publication would have been much more challenging. Compass Writers also garnered a substantial amount of sponsorship and provided a degree of funding from within the group.
Finally, the launch night itself…. ah, that’s the next question!
OS: Once the book itself went to the publishers, Compass Writers had to get stuck right into the process of organising the launch, which is a project all of its own. How has the group managed the organisational side of the book launch? Again, are there any particular challenges in organising a book launch where a group is involved?
JL: Because there are ten Compass Writers directly involved in the process, it is difficult to keep the workload even among them all. But everyone is involved, from ensuring that their friends and acquaintances are invited, to sourcing spot prizes, to collecting books (they have been printed and are now sitting in a time-locked vault in a little-known secure facility located somewhere on the inner ring-road. Well, they’re in someone’s kitchen), to dealing with the Tower Hotel, to organising complimentary copies for sponsors, to inviting John Ennis and the Deputy Mayor, Mary Roche, to contacting the newspapers, to doing this interview (!), to getting a photographer, to…. well, you get the idea. Did I say something earlier about lots of details?
But this work is quantitatively different from organising the book. While the book experience was a strange roller-coaster ride, it at least had the reward of involving our own creative work. The launch itself has had few such consolations… so far. But I’m optimistic that the event will be thoroughly enjoyable on the night.
In summary, the book launch, the publishing process and the various details associated with these activities – they all take a great deal of commitment over an extended period by a group of people. They also require patience when these people occasionally disagree on how to progress. But we are certain that the hours of meetings and work will be worth it in the end. It’s also important to recognise that the Compass Writers who have not directly contributed pieces to the book (not everyone did, and some members have joined more recently) have been extremely patient – especially recently, when the momentum of the publishing process and the launch night details threatened to overwhelm the ongoing work of the group.
OS: ”Between Water, Land and Sky” will be available for sale on launch night. How can people get hold of a copy after that?
JL: The phrase ‘All Good Bookstores…’ comes to mind, but of course even the act of getting the book into bookstores is another job of work for the group members. I recommend that those sophisticates (well, they obviously have good taste) who would like a copy of “Between Water, Land and Sky” should go to The Book Centre in Waterford City or Ardkeen Quality Food Store on the Dunmore Road as their first port of call. I wish them much enjoyment in reading it.
OS: Thanks Jim and best of luck with the book and launch!
The inaugural Compass Writers compendium of members’ work, “Between Water, Land and Sky”, is available at The Book Centre, Waterford, Ardkeen Quality Food Stores, Dunmore Road, Waterford, and on launch night: 8 pm, Tower Hotel Waterford (entry free, all welcome).
Compass Writers are on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Compass-Writers/118131924929068
Support local artists and buy local this Christmas!
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With love from Roald Dahl
This piece, titled “With love from”, is an autobiographical piece that I originally wrote in shorter form for an appearance by Compass Writers at Waterford Writers Weekend 2011. I subsequently broadcast this modified and extended version on 30.10.2011 on RTE Radio One’s Sunday Miscellany show. A recording of that show is here; the piece starts at 10:57.
With love from
“Gipsy House, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire. Twenty-third of October, nineteen eighty-five.” My hands trembled as I held the letter in both hands.
My imaginary Gipsy House
The address, printed in bold in the top right-hand corner, read like a poem to my ten-year-old eyes. I pictured an ivy-covered cottage, nestled amongst lush willow trees and rose bushes, the rolling dales of my imaginary Great Missenden stretching away into the distance on all sides, bathed in the rays of a perpetual sun.
In my mind, I walked past the front door and around the side of the house. Tucked away in a corner of the back garden was the heart of it all: the writing den. I approached the den and pushed open the door. There he sat, as alive and well as ever, a man with a high forehead and crinkly eyes. Just as it said in his biography, the plaid rug was tucked around his knees, the board covered with green felt lay across the arms of the chair, a row of neatly sharpened pencils sat to one side, and in the centre was a single sheet of paper.
He looked up to see who it was, a pencil poised in mid-air. “Just replying to a letter from one of my young fans,” he said in a wonderfully clipped, English tone that was incredibly exotic to my ears. I smiled and leaned over, cheekily, to take a peek. The letter began “Dear Orla”.
The writer and I were firm friends from that day on. That this was the case solely in my imagination did not bother me at all. I would sit on a stool by the arm of his chair and watch the pages of his copy books fill up with the stories that the rest of the world only got to read much later, when the books came out. Not only did I become well acquainted with the writer, I also got to know some of his characters. I was there in the sweet shop with Charlie as he tore the wrapper off his bar of Whipple-Scrumptious Fudgemallow Delight and saw the glint of the Golden Ticket. I begged him to take me with him into the Chocolate Factory. Only one child per ticket was allowed, and I waved him off at the big iron gates, shedding bitter tears. Another time, as the Giant Peach bobbed up and down in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by hungry sharks, I clung on, terrified, along with James, Miss Spider, Earthworm, and the other Peach residents, the sharks’ teeth snapping greedily in the sea below.
For many years, the letter lived the darkened existence of young girl’s treasure: folded carefully as it had been in the envelope and secreted carefully away in a fancy box in the top of a wardrobe, occasionally taken out and marvelled over.
Today, the letter is a dearly cherished possession that I hope to pass on to my children, though only when they prize it from my cold dead fingers – literally.
The lure of the internet is always there, like a wayward friend, urging me to simply Google the address at the top of the letter to see photographs of the house in Great Missenden as it really is. But we have a pact, my childhood self and I.
I will go there one day, to the house that was once his home. I will push open the door of the den in the garden and see the chair, the writing board and the rug, all laid out exactly as he had them. Until then, I am happy with the Gipsy House that I have in my head, and the letter from him that now hangs in a frame over my own writing desk:
“Gipsy House, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire
23rd October 1985
Dear Orla,
I’m sorry you have had such a hard time in reaching me with our letters but your last one arrived safely by today’s post. I must confess that I do not usually reply to individual children’s letters. My secretary says that it would be impossible to answer them all but you certainly deserve an acknowledgement and a big thank you from me for writing.
With love from
Roald Dahl.”
Roald Dahl, 1916 - 1990
(c) Orla Shanaghy 2011
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Gestation of a short story #5: First draft, first draft, first draft!
Events (in real life) intervened since I last posted an update on the progress of my short story. The result was that I wrote nothing for six days. It’s difficult to resume a writing project after a gap. You’ve lost some of the closeness that you had with your characters, your head is not in the right place any more, you are no longer “in the zone”.
Having said that, these things can all be regained. I sat down when the house was quiet, pretending not to notice the towering piles of papers on my desk waiting to be sorted out (an essential writerly skill), and closed my eyes. (If anyone had been watching, they would have assumed I was having a little nap.) The story re-formed itself in my head, the characters came back, and I was in business again.
It’s great to be back writing; as Ray Bradbury says in Zen in the Art of Writing, “An hour’s writing is tonic”.
And now…
I have a first draft!!!
Apologies to the exclamation mark police here, but I really feel I need them at this point!!!
I have a first draft!
Can it be that the six-day gap was actually beneficial to the story in some way? Does a break in writing allow characters, plot and the other elements of the story to develop unnoticed at the back of the writer’s mind?
Characters
I am fairly happy with how the characters have developed and consolidated. The short-lived siblings are long forgotten (God rest their souls) and the dynamics of the three-person family are working well. The character profiles that I completed at the beginning have really helped with the development of the story in my head. Each character seems to be doing what comes naturally; I haven’t found myself struggling, asking myself “What should be happening now?”
Timeline
The timeline has proved itself a trustworthy friend. I refer to it often for various reasons. For example, when one of the characters hums a song, I needed to check exactly when that character was born, so that I could research what songs were popular when he was growing up.
House plan
As for the house plan that I sketched at the beginning, it is looking a little well-thumbed by now. I have referred to it many times to figure out the characters’ movements around the house.
Light at the end…
For some reason that I suspect it would take a psychologist to figure out, I put off writing anything to do with the ending until the last possible moment. OK, let me hazard a guess.
In a short story, the ending is a big deal, the big kahuna. It brings everything in the story together and “wraps everything up”. By this I do not mean that the ending has to explain things or bring everything to a conclusion – far from it. A short story may end with nothing much having happened. What I do mean is that the ending puts the stamp on the story that the writer wants it to have. As Nancy Kress points out in Beginnings, Middles and Ends, the ending may be the climax of the short story (unlike in the novel, where the climax comes somewhere near the end, followed by a denouement). So writing the ending feels a bit like heart surgery: mess it up, and the whole thing is gone.
I’m also aware that in previous short stories of mine, the endings sometimes tended to drag on. A creative writing teacher of mine (I think it was either John F. Deane or Mark Roper, both outstanding writing teachers I have been lucky enough to learn from) made me aware years ago of the need to put a quick, clean end to a short story.
In the case of this story, the original anecdote on which the story is based pulled me towards one kind of ending. As I started to write the last few paragraphs, another ending began to form in my head. So I wrote two different endings. Now I just have to decide which one to use in the final version, keeping in mind the need to “get out quick”.
To do
So, I am really happy that the story is nearing completion. The final few things that I need to do are:
- Iron out some background details about the time period in which the story is set
- Decide on the ending and get out quick
- Check that the imagery is consistent and balanced. In terms of the five senses, this story is mainly oriented around sight and hearing; the readers see the main character’s world through his eyes and ears.
Don’t put the kettle on…
Events intervened since I last posted on the progress of my latest short story. It has progressed - just not enough to write anything meaningful about yet. There should be a new report early next week. In the meantime, something a little lighter for a Friday evening…
An hour ago I had never heard of a kettle bell. If asked, I probably would have hazarded a guess that it was something our ancestors might have used to alert them when the kettle had boiled – possibly a more soothing, rural version of a kettle with a whistle… No?
Sadly, not this.
No. A kettle bell is a recent phenomenon that has nothing to do with hot beverages (NOTHING, sadly) and looks like this:
Yes, this.
Bit scary eh?
You may be wondering how I discovered what a kettle bell is. There I was this evening, innocently wandering into my local gym here in Waterford, nice and relaxed and feeling very pleased with myself for being there instead of tucking into a glass of red wine on the sofa in preparation for The Late Late Show (and let’s face it, some chemical assistance is needed to sit through The Late Late Show these days).
In the gym, I noticed that instead of working the machines, the members already present were standing in a circle, stretching and bearing distinctly tense facial expressions, with the aforementioned bizarre-looking objects lying in the middle of the floor.
I had inadvertently wandered into the Kettle Bell Class and it was just about to start.
Despite the cuddly-sounding name, I had a strong feeling that the kettle bell was not about to add to my happiness levels.
What could I do? I had got changed, got myself down there, and everyone was ready to go, eyeing me balefully. I manned up, picked up a kettle bell and found myself doing my first class.
It is not for the faint-hearted (me).
The tattooed, muscle-bound instructor swung his kettle bell around like it was an empty handbag for the duration of the one-hour class. We did everything with them: lifted them above our heads, down to our legs and back up again, clasped them to our chests while rotating our torsos from side to side, and lots of other things that I have blanked from my memory (no doubt to resurface again in a disturbing dream).
And this, please.
Now, safely ensconced at home again, I have that great post-exercise buzz and incredibly, am considering – in a very measured, considered way – going again next week.
Now for that kettle – I mean glass – of wine.
Author interview: Derbhile Dromey, author of The Pink Cage
Derbhile Dromey‘s first novel, The Pink Cage, was published in June 2011 by Book Republic. Derbhile is a full-time writer with many strings to her writing bow: fiction, journalism, editing, and creative writing teaching. She is also keen to help other people achieve their writing dreams and is launching a Prepare to Publish Service, offering manuscript evaluations and lists of places to send manuscripts. 
Orla chatted to Derbhile about getting published as a new writer, the pros and cons of working with a “non-traditional” publisher, and the best ways for new writers to promote themselves and their work.
OS: Derbhile, congratulations on the publication of The Pink Cage. The book is published by Book Republic, a small, new, non-traditional publisher. How did you establish contact with this publisher? Can you describe the steps leading to publication of your book?
DD: I finished the book in May of last year and immediately started sending it out. I began with Irish publishers and agents, then moved to British agents and publishers who took email submissions. I then hit a wall because most of the publishers and agents required SAEs and Irish post offices don’t supply International Reply Coupons that the publishers and agents could use as stamps. But most were happy to reply when I explained this.
I had a total of 27 rejections before I found Book Republic. I had fully expected to get at least 30. After a ‘positive rejection’ from a British agent who had taken the time to write an encouraging note with her form slip, I had a spurt of energy and went onto the site www.writing.ie, a new resource for Irish writers, which had a list of current publishers. I had been thinking that a small, independent publisher would be a good way to go. They would bear the cost of bringing out the book and I was willing to promote it. Book Republic were listed on writing.ie. I submitted to them and three days later got an email to say they were interested.
OS: There can be a negative perception around the financial rewards for writers, especially new writers, who work with the more established print publishers. Book Republic describes itself as a “boutique publishing press” that “was set up to combat the traditional model of publishing”. How have you as a writer found working with this kind of publisher? Do you think the financial rewards for the writer can be greater with a non-traditional publisher like Book Republic?
DD: The advantage of going with a publisher like Book Republic is that you get to keep more of your money. Royalties are better than with traditional publishers. And you get more autonomy over your book. You can decide on your cover and you get a strong say in the editing process. They also distribute books on a Print on Demand basis, which means that a book is only printed when someone orders it. This means no returns and less likelihood of ending up on the bargain pile. They also automatically produce an ebook version of the book at the same time, which gives me a chance to avail of the growing ebook market.
But the disadvantage of that is that it’s proved impossible to get it into the bookshops. People can order it in bookshops, but most bookshops won’t stock it because they use the more traditional distribution channels. And despite all the talk about high figures for buying over the Internet, a lot of people still expect to stroll into a bookshop and pick up a book. So this has meant that the book isn’t as visible as I’d like.
OS: The Pink Cage was released in print and electronic format simultaneously. How do you feel about having a published e-book? Is it something you would encourage other authors to do? Do you think having a book out in electronic format as well as print is a positive thing in terms of sales?
DD: I was interested in Book Republic because I felt that they would help me tap into the growing trend for people to buy ebooks. I think Book Republic are ahead of the curve. They publicise and sell largely over the Internet, but a lot of people still live in the world of paper books, including myself. I’m looking forward to seeing how the ebook phenomenon develops over the next few years and hope that I’ll benefit from it.
OS: You marked the release of The Pink Cage with book signings and launches. Can you tell us a little about the “real-world” publicity side of a new book: How important are launches and signings for new authors? Did you organise the events yourself? How much of that kind of in-person publicity do you think a newly-published writer needs to do? Do launches and signings have a noticeable effect on book sales, or is their effect more general in terms of profile raising?
DD: The launch and signings were hugely beneficial. Book Republic do a small print run of 250 copies to mark a launch. They decided to print mine in hardback and all the copies were sold out at the launch and two signings. It’s hugely beneficial to do real-world publicity. And traditional media proved to be extremely effective in publicising the launch in particular. Book Republic organised the launch and I organised the signings. So in all, I would say they’re extremely important. The Internet is great, but it’s too easy for your book to get lost in cyberspace. Nothing beats that real-world connection with readers.
OS: You are active in the online and social networking worlds. Social networking can be hugely useful for creating a buzz around a newly-published work. How have you leveraged social networking for the publicity around The Pink Cage?
DD: Twitter has helped me to find people to blog about the book and Facebook has helped me to communicate with potential customers. I have a page for the book on Facebook, www.facebook.com/thepinkcage and a profile on Twitter @ThePinkCage.
OS:You also have your own blog and you do guest blogging on other sites. In your experience, how can blogging be used to publicise a published work?
DD: Blogging is more about giving useful information and creating a profile for yourself as an expert. It’s a complement to other social media activities.
In the end, you need to adopt a multi-pronged marketing approach, with traditional media, social media and word of mouth working in combination.
OS: In your experience, is there a specific period of time post-publication after which publicity efforts are no longer effective in terms of sales of that particular book – e.g. six months, a year?
DD: I’ll know more after Christmas!
OS: I know that you are also an active networker in the offline world. How important is real-world networking for writers? Do you have any recommendations for fledgling writers in terms of what they can do in the real world to promote themselves and increase their profile?
DD: Networking can be tricky for writers, since they tend to be quite reserved. But going to festivals and short courses are a good idea, because you meet like minded souls and you’re brought together by your work. Your priority has to be your work, but it’s important to step out of your cocoon and freshen your mind through contact with other writers.
OS: Derbhile, thanks for stopping by Wait til I tell you and enjoy the rest of your blog tour!
The next stop on Derbhile’s blog tour with The Pink Cage is tomorrow with Sian Phillips at www.sianphillips.ie.
The Pink Cage is available from the following outlets
Amazon.com/.co.uk, http://amzn.to/mPbKqO
Ebook: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Pink-Cage-ebook/dp/B0055PDNKO/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1315832405&sr=1-2 (paperback book can also be found here)
The Book Depository, http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Pink-Cage-Derbhile-Dromey/9781907221248
Book Republic website, http://www.bookrepublic.ie/books-p/188-the-pink-cage
Gestation of a short story #4
Day 6
Thanks to the commenters on yesterday’s post for their advice and encouragement. I got stuck into my story again today with renewed enthusiasm and a calmer demeanour, and have gone from looking like this:
…to this:
Time period
I have decided to keep the story in the 1950s because:
- Some of the key words in the story, words that were included in the original anecdote and sparked my imagination, are specific to that era.
- Setting up a small shop in your own home is much less likely to happen nowadays (planning permission laws are much stricter, and new small businesses less likely to get financing).
- If I can pull it off, the non-contemporary setting adds interest to the story.
Timeline changes (again)
I realised that the mother needed to be older. Based on the previous timeline, she had been only 18 when she opened her shop. I decided she needed to be a little older when she took this step. Also, now that there is only one child, I wanted to create extra space in the timeline, leaving the reader free to guess that there may have been miscarriages, as a possible reason for there being only one child in the family. Here is version 3 of the timeline:
Time scope
The next issue I was dealing with today was also to do with time. Originally, I had thought that as well as the action that takes place in the story present, the story would include scenes from the past as background. Now I think that this time scope is too wide for a short story – for this one, anyway. I am going to keep the story within the limits of a few hours on one day. I am really trying to keep this story as tight and focussed as possible.
Development of the main character
The character of the boy is filling out. His new status as the only child has made him more self-assured although he still has the searching, watchful nature. The idea is still that the parents are very busy, so he is still always striving for time with and attention from them.
I have written just under 400 words of the actual story. This is a bit discouraging after six days.
A more encouraging thought is that a large part of the planning is complete. Now that I have quite a clear idea of the shape and sound of the story, further changes can be made as I write.
