Had a meeting yesterday at a local church who are holding a craft fair on 11 July. I spotted the sign on the gate last Saturday and - being the new ultra-confident me - instantly saw the potential. I rang the number straight away and left a message. By five pm, I'd been invited for an informal chat. "What do you do?" asked Jackie the organiser. "I write children's books," I replied. There was a moment of silence before she said "That's different! Usually people tell me they make birthday cards!" Got to meet her yesterday and paid my £10.00 deposit for a table. The plan is to set it up as 'local writer makes good' and obviously to sell - and sign - as many books as I possibly can! I have already spoken to Sarah the Publisher about obtaining a stock of Yucketypoo books, and she has also graciously agreed to supply me with any posters and flyers I need. It is all extremely exciting! So - if you can get to St Michael and All Angels Church in Poplar Walk, Croydon (there is a car park next door), on Saturday 11 July between 10.00 and 2.30, then come along, say hello - and meet Yucketypoo!
Tomorrow sees me being taken out for lunch by the gentleman with whom I am developing ideas for a local interest book. I have been jotting notes ever since our first meeting three weeks ago and I am more convinced than ever that we are onto something massive here; mainly because he is as enthusiastic and excited about it as I am. And he wants to fund it. I mean how cool is that? I will come back with another update on this as soon as I can.
Still haven't heard about the commission but I was told by another company yesterday that I am 'first on the list' if anything suitable comes up on the ghost-writing route so that's another option. Do you know what else I have done? Suggested a Poet in Residence scheme to one of the major coffee house chains. I do so much writing in Coffee shops (as I am sure I have said before) - and so do lots of other people - so I will keep persuing this until they respond.
Finally - before I dash off - I am going to set up another blog to run in tandem with this one which will mainly showcase my haiku and tanka so keep your eyes peeled.
And please, please, PLEASE get hold of a copy of The Choice by Og Mandino. Read and devour it because it will convince you - as it did me - that the power of choice can be enormous. I chose in January this year to live my writing dream. And I am.
Wednesday 25 March 2009
Wednesday 18 March 2009
BEING A WRITER
I have got lots and lots and lots of fingers in pies and toes in doors in the wonderful world of writing right now. It is all due to a realisation at the beginning of the year. It is something I have known for a while but never really acted on and it is this - if I don't make it happen, nobody else will. It is that simple. In fairness to myself, I think I did act on it before when I was writing jelly baby stories for Trebor Basset and running creative writing courses at adult education centres and workshops for children at local libraries - and writing a weekly children's column for the local rag. That all happened in the space of a year and it was because I made it happen. I had realised then - and have re-realised now - that opportunities seldom come knocking at my door unless I have knocked on theirs first.
After my stint in the literary desert during the tail end of last year, I just knew that I had to get out there and sell myself again. Not as a high-class hooker you understand - but as the person I am - the writer. So I have contacted and signed up with two companies who use ghost writers and have already been invited to pitch for a series of boys' adventure stories. I got my sample chapter in two weeks ago and hope to hear soon whether or not I have won the commission. If I don't get it, it won't matter. At least the company took me seriously enough to consider me. I contacted someone about a local interest book three weeks ago and have a second meeting lined up about that next week so fingers crossed there (quite difficult when they are already in pies but I'll try anything once). I have been in touch with the local tourist information centre and made some suggestions for an exhibition there on the theme of local literary connections (and Croydon has quite a few, believe it or not) so I will follow that up over the next day or two. I crawled out of my comfort zone and ventured into Brighton all by myself last Thursday to attend a Society of Authors seminar at the wonderful Jubilee Library - and that was a real eye-opener. I met Judy Cornwell!! We shook hands and chatted and sat next to each other and I understood I was back in my true world. I suddenly realised I have been starving myself of litarary oxygen. I truly need to mingle with other writers from time to time.
On top of all that, I have actually been invited to take part in an exclusive poetry competition and that is the first time that has ever happened. I am writing whenever I get the chance, and looking for new openings all the time. It is amazing how inspired and alive I feel again. I am always telling aspiring poets and writers to believe in themselves and their writing. I have always been good at firing up others. But none of that amounts to a thing if I don't pratice what I preach, does it? Current projects include re-establishing contact with the Duchess of York with regards to picking up the thread of an idea for a project we got close to a couple of years ago that never came to fruition. I am also trying to contact a number of celebrities with a view to asking them to read and comment on the Yucketypoo series so that they can be quoted on the cover of either the second or third book. I have somehow become involved with the Earl's Court Literature Festival which takes place in July (long story - tell you about that another time) and I am seeing new chances everywhere I look. All I need now is an agent - sadly that still eludes me and it is not through lack of trying. Eventually I will find one. And a website - which I am working on.
I am offering my services as a writer and critic to anyone that needs it. I am good at what I do.
Contact me. I'd love to help you turn your writing career around, too.
After my stint in the literary desert during the tail end of last year, I just knew that I had to get out there and sell myself again. Not as a high-class hooker you understand - but as the person I am - the writer. So I have contacted and signed up with two companies who use ghost writers and have already been invited to pitch for a series of boys' adventure stories. I got my sample chapter in two weeks ago and hope to hear soon whether or not I have won the commission. If I don't get it, it won't matter. At least the company took me seriously enough to consider me. I contacted someone about a local interest book three weeks ago and have a second meeting lined up about that next week so fingers crossed there (quite difficult when they are already in pies but I'll try anything once). I have been in touch with the local tourist information centre and made some suggestions for an exhibition there on the theme of local literary connections (and Croydon has quite a few, believe it or not) so I will follow that up over the next day or two. I crawled out of my comfort zone and ventured into Brighton all by myself last Thursday to attend a Society of Authors seminar at the wonderful Jubilee Library - and that was a real eye-opener. I met Judy Cornwell!! We shook hands and chatted and sat next to each other and I understood I was back in my true world. I suddenly realised I have been starving myself of litarary oxygen. I truly need to mingle with other writers from time to time.
On top of all that, I have actually been invited to take part in an exclusive poetry competition and that is the first time that has ever happened. I am writing whenever I get the chance, and looking for new openings all the time. It is amazing how inspired and alive I feel again. I am always telling aspiring poets and writers to believe in themselves and their writing. I have always been good at firing up others. But none of that amounts to a thing if I don't pratice what I preach, does it? Current projects include re-establishing contact with the Duchess of York with regards to picking up the thread of an idea for a project we got close to a couple of years ago that never came to fruition. I am also trying to contact a number of celebrities with a view to asking them to read and comment on the Yucketypoo series so that they can be quoted on the cover of either the second or third book. I have somehow become involved with the Earl's Court Literature Festival which takes place in July (long story - tell you about that another time) and I am seeing new chances everywhere I look. All I need now is an agent - sadly that still eludes me and it is not through lack of trying. Eventually I will find one. And a website - which I am working on.
I am offering my services as a writer and critic to anyone that needs it. I am good at what I do.
Contact me. I'd love to help you turn your writing career around, too.
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