tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38094018551239323272024-03-13T18:42:25.077-07:00Diary of a Cotswold NovelistRebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-1046625578531832252011-04-09T08:52:00.000-07:002011-04-09T08:52:49.962-07:00I Actually AM a Cotswold Novelist Now!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VLK3soMrOq8/TYpsEVF-9_I/AAAAAAAABEI/SDaXoEdfN-Q/s1600/book+teaser+for+site.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VLK3soMrOq8/TYpsEVF-9_I/AAAAAAAABEI/SDaXoEdfN-Q/s400/book+teaser+for+site.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My book is out. It will be available for £4.99 from 20th April, but I've put it out at a special Word Nerd rate for those who've helped me on the journey. Grab it before the 20th and it's only £2.99. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The e-books are non-DRM, so you can give them as gifts. To encourage people to introduce the new tradition of #EbookEaster - more on my author blog - I'm putting up special offers between now and then on multiple purchases. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">TODAY'S OFFER: Buy 3 books (any combination of Kindle, iPad, Sony Reader, Nook and PDF) and you get a further 20% off! A decent sized Cadbury egg costs £6. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Easter Gift suggestion: I'm suggesting you put a gift card into an egg/bunny shaped box or tin (there are so many right now) and include the download link. You can print an image of the book if you like. I've endured non-chocolate Easters (due to allergies) and they are NO fun, because there's no alternative. Let's create an alternative: e-books. Do you have a family member with diabetes or who's on a diet or just doesn't like lots and lots of chocolate? Perfect present. Cheaper than an egg. Frugal and classy, and you get to be the person who made them feel SPECIAL rather than just different. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My book has already been reviewed by a US editor: <a href="http://bit.ly/palacesreview">http://bit.ly/palacesreview</a> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hope you enjoy Palaces & Calluses!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-78857904019087077612011-01-15T08:14:00.000-08:002011-01-15T08:16:50.874-08:002011 Update - Where I Am NowI haven't written in my online diary for so long. Much has happened. Here goes:<br />
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The magazine closed without warning, so my column - before it was even an entity - was no more.<br />
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Dad got an aneurysm. A big one. A MASSIVE one. The summer and autumn were a series of operations. I spent days praying. Days were spent in waiting rooms (listening to people cry) and in wards (listening to people scream). My book stopped being a priority.<br />
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Anyhow. He's alive. He's home, and things are improving every month. Once I knew he was on the mend, I started to move things along again for my writing. Here's what happened:<br />
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<a href="http://writingmagazine.withrebecca.com/">Writing Magazine Article</a><br />
<a href="http://blog.groupon.co.uk/author/rebecca">Groupon Blog</a><br />
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My novel went to America to be beta read by an editor over there, to make sure it is readable for the US. I'm now editing it YET AGAIN, and when that's done it will be published. In the magazine, I said it would be out in the spring, so it will.<br />
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Meanwhile, I'm making book trailers for people. Here's an example of what I can do:<br />
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<center><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" height="234" id="vp1Jc1R2" width="340"><param name="movie" value="http://static.animoto.com/swf/w.swf?w=swf/vp1&e=1293814829&f=Jc1R23lKHUfQsaptDdhrZw&d=100&m=p&r=w&i=m&ct=Find%20me%20here...&cu=http://twitter.com/rebeccawoodhead&options=" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed id="vp1Jc1R2" src="http://static.animoto.com/swf/w.swf?w=swf/vp1&e=1293814829&f=Jc1R23lKHUfQsaptDdhrZw&d=100&m=p&r=w&i=m&ct=Find%20me%20here...&cu=http://twitter.com/rebeccawoodhead&options=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="234"></embed></object></center><center><br />
</center><center style="text-align: left;">If anyone happens upon this diary, and wants to be a pen pal of mine, they only need to click <a href="http://penpals.withrebecca.com/">here</a> for their wish to come true. :)</center><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-73071691642373189912010-09-01T11:01:00.000-07:002010-09-01T18:19:56.597-07:00Carrie Bradshaw of the Cotswolds?I'm a columnist. Wow. Not sure what to add to that. By the end of this year, I should be both a published author and a columnist. Here's the magazine...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thebexter.com/mag"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mEe4LDVI56E/TH6UlhHWA7I/AAAAAAAAAzE/dfWUYiQLPg8/s320/publish+now+-+bigger+image.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bit.ly/publishnow">bit.ly/publishnow</a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="0" src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyODMzOTAxNTg1NDYmcHQ9MTI4MzM5MDE2NTAxNSZwPTQ1MDk3MiZkPSZnPTImbz*zNzIwMTVkYjNjODA*ZjI*OWE4/ZTk2YmFlZjU1NjYzZCZvZj*w.gif" style="height: 0px; visibility: hidden; width: 0px;" width="0" /><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="200" menu="false" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" src="http://www.cinchcast.com/cinchplayerext.swf?file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecinchcast%2Ecom%2FCinchPlaylist%2Easpx%3FRecordingID%3D90611&autostart=false&bufferlength=5&volume=80&initialshow=undefined&buttoncolor=#FFFFFF&buttonbordercolor=#999999&buttonhovercolor=#A5549F&buttoniconcolor=#333333&buttoniconhovercolor=#FFFFFF&loadedarccolor=#CCCCCC&elapsedarccolor=#A477D0&imageborder=true&imageborderweight=1&imagebordercolor=#999999&imagemode=undefined&playermode=full&textcolor=#7F2880&detailscolor=#333333&callback=http://www.cinchcast.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&C1=7&C2=6042973&C3=31&C4=&C5=&C6=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="300" wmode="transparent"></embed></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-26664875927624104622010-07-11T07:17:00.000-07:002010-07-11T07:25:34.546-07:00Dear Diary... It's Just Not Fair!The 'not being able to afford to publish' hurdle was behind me. Just a hop, skip, and an ISBN and my book would be free to be whatever people wanted to make of it. Then it happened. Virus.<br />
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My trusty netbook. My web-travelling chum. My twitter companion and blog buddy. We'd been through so much together. She barely remembers her own name now. Nervous breakdown follows nervous breakdown. A flash of recognition is followed by a lack of response and a sudden crash. Her hard-drive is corrupted. Her battery is a burnt out wreck. She's a goner. They say she might limp along with some degree of ability but, without a full costs-more-than-the-netbook overhaul, she cannot be put in charge of fork lift trucks, hot kettles, or my manuscript. *Sniff*.<br />
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So, I had to get another netbook. Where would the money come from? The Publishing Fund, of course. I'd scrimped enough to form a barrier against misfortune. I bought a netbook. It was less pretty, less qualified in many ways, but it could handle the tasks for which it was so desperately needed.<br />
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It arrived. Within minutes, it developed a cough of some description. When it came time for bed, it refused to close its eyes. It wouldn't shut down. It wouldn't switch on. It crashed, it stalled, it cried and bawled. (Couldn't resist. Oh, who cares? It's my diary and I'll rhyme if I want to). 'To' at the end of a sentence? Damn right! Huh!<br />
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Anyhow, the new netbook was less use than a pen on a string, so I phoned QVC (the place from whence it had emerged) and explained. They handed me the number of Hewlett Packard that I'd already spent a fortune calling. The general level of service from them had been a bit beyond 'have you tried turning it off and on again?' but not far off. Hubby and I decided to negotiate. The self same netbook was being pimped out on the self same channel that very day. Surely, they would just trade one for t'other? Nope. I'll spare the details but the conclusion was that the ill computer must be sent back. No refund would be received. If I wanted access to the web, I must buy another computer from them. At some point in the future a refund would arrive for the first computer. Until then, we will have forked out for TWO netbooks from... oh yes... the Publishing Fund.<br />
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There's not a chance that this book will be out in the summer now. No chance. The original plan had been to be published by/in September. I'm reverting to that. I've set myself the deadline of 18th September. It's a deadline. A firm deadline. A cross my heart and hope to be tickled until I beg for mercy deadline. I've no idea how I'll hit it, but I will hit it. Meanwhile, if that next netbook arrives and develops some kind of malady, it will just have to limp on regardless. Tech problems have held me back long enough. They could undo all my hard work if I give in to their childish demands. Up with this I WILL NOT PUT.<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-68597469430558681092010-04-29T10:38:00.000-07:002010-04-30T07:47:53.498-07:00Easy Breezy Lemon SqueezyPeople are asking for books. Worrying. There are no books. Well, there ARE books, but they're not bound. Well, they ARE bound but they're not for sale. Galleys. I have galleys and am dealing with the hell of pantone colours about which I know squat. <br />
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That is a mere garnish on the plate of dung stew with which I am presented. I could be published tomorrow. I could put out a PDF and charge for it. Don't want to do that though. I picture people snuggling down with hot beverages and slankets/snuggies or cold beverages and floppy holiday hats. They are reading my story. They are not wincing at formatting errors. After all this work, I want the end product to be worth the wait. <br />
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Of course, in between trying to pay for food, hot water, and broadband, I also need to put aside cash for the books legally required within a month of publication by: the British Library, Bodleian Library in Oxford, Cambridge University Library, the National Library of Scotland, the National Library of Wales, and Trinity College Library, Dublin. <br />
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<i><b>You had better make it available in the right format for my device or you're just asking for me to pirate it.</b></i><br />
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Of course I'm asking for you to pirate my work, Cherub. What else would I be doing? Not working my butt off, trying to get my books to you even though every step of the way impoverishes me still further. Absolutely you should steal from me. Why not? <br />
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Pages of digital and physical paper fill my table, computer and brain. If I want it to look right on an iPad, I need to pay X amount to this person. For it to work properly on a Kindle, then I need to pay X amount to that person. I have to have ISBNs, but if I have them then Lulu will double the price, unless I pick the easy breezy free ISBN option. That'll be Lulu registered as the publisher then? Publishers rights would rest with... um... not me, that's for sure.<br />
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<i><b>You had better keep the price low. If it goes over $9.99 you've lost me as a reader FOR LIFE!!! </b> </i><br />
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<i></i>Oh, okay then. Um... what if I can't actually supply it to you for that amount without losing money? What if Lulu or whomever has their own way of doing business that is completely out of my hands? Oh. You unfollowed. Oh look. You're flaming me because I'm such a money-grabbing capitalist. I should provide you with the stories you want and pay you for the privilege of you reading them. Bye then.<br />
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<i><b>When is this book coming out? You said it was finished! </b></i><br />
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<i></i>It<i> is</i> finished. I wish I could get it to you yesterday but publishing takes time. It takes publishing houses months and months and months. They have employees and specialists, and budgets. I just have me.<br />
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Copyright laws aren't the same in America. Need to pay X amount to a company to register my copyright. Have to make sure I register for my other rights to be protected. That money comes out of income. Income? What income? My head hurts. I'm nearly out of paracetamol and they've changed the formulation. Don't know if I'm allergic to this one or not. Hmm... another night in hospital or should I just put up with the headache? Just put up with the headache. <br />
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<i><b>What the hell are you doing automating tweets? You have no right! </b> </i><br />
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<i></i>Sorry. I did it in response to complaints on the other side of the world that I wasn't tweeting enough for their time zone. Apparently I had no right to do that either. I looked at the stats. My following is global. Not a time zone missed out. To tweet in person to the whims of each user would mean I could never again sleep. You know I have C.F.S./M.E. right? Do you think I can go without sleep? Hmm? <br />
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Not sure when I became a public service. Do people pay taxes for me to entertain them? If so, I haven't been informed. <br />
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The latest galley isn't the right size for book shops. It's gorgeous though. It may be the best sized book I've ever read. It fits in my hands perfectly. I tested it out in extreme reading conditions. I threw it at my husband. It survived. I read it in the bath. It survived. I dropped it in the bath. It survived. It's not quite the traditional ticket size-wise though so I need to try out another one. More money. Thank God for my slow metabolism. Nothing like being chunky to get you through a financial crisis. No starvation for me. Hurrah! <br />
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Paying rent is a chore. Ah... rent.... the wonder of the tenancy agreement. Can't register a business to a rented property. To get ISBNs you have to register yourself as a publisher. Your address gets printed. Can't happen. Cost of PO Box for one year? £95.<br />
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What if I jump through all these hoops and nobody likes it? Well, there's nothing I can do about that. It won't be for lack of trying. I put up a <a href="http://bluebeebooks.blogspot.com/"><b>page</b></a> for people to help if they want to, but that will probably get me shouted at. Turns out that self-publishing in a professional way, on a tight budget, isn't a doddle - not that I thought it would be.<br />
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<i><b>Why don't you just sell a PDF? Stop pretending it's hard to self-publish. Anyone can do it!</b></i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
Oh, sod off!<br />
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---------<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-84896721580682241722010-02-22T19:27:00.000-08:002010-02-22T19:27:27.543-08:00My Book Has a TrailerThere are many elements to my first novel, but I liked the idea of basing the book trailer on the relationship between the main character and an unusual and special friend who plays an important role in the plot. This part of the story starts very early in the book so nothing here spoils anything beyond about the third chapter. <br />
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<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8ACSNb2gBgs&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8ACSNb2gBgs&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-16930718206694139752010-02-22T05:45:00.000-08:002010-02-22T05:45:52.739-08:00Awards, Announcements, and AnguishThe official email came through, confirming I was a finalist, and inviting me to the Shorty Awards ceremony in New York. I declined. Obviously. Where the heck would I find the cash for a plane ticket? If you're there, when they say 'the nominees are...' and read out my name, raise a glass in the direction of England.<br />
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I announced - finally - my desire to self-publish. How long have I battled with that one? It was always the shiny option for me, but I know that is not a widely held view so I kept putting off the moment I dedicated myself to it in public. Commitment-phobe. I made the announcement yesterday on my blog - <a href="http://frombrain2bookshelf.blogspot.com/">From Brain to Bookshelf</a> yesterday. <br />
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This will be hard. People yearn for the perfect publishing deal, where they are free from the burdens of enterprise and left to do nothing but write. I'm not one of them, but I am aware of the task ahead. Anguish and adventure, here I come.<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-22726194054667984372010-02-03T05:41:00.000-08:002010-02-03T05:41:25.110-08:00Last 2 Days of the Shorty AwardsI am an official finalist. Reading all the reasons people give for nominating me is so reassuring. Sometimes, online, it can be hard to know whether you are helping anyone or not. The number of times people have used the word 'inspiring' or mentioned that I have encouraged them to write etc has been a pleasant surprise. When I'm panicking about money and its impact on my health (another three bouts of hypothermia in the last week) it can be hard to get a sense of perspective or worth. When my book comes out, I'm happy to take credit for my writing - it has taken years of hard slog to get this far - but in terms of the Shorty Awards I am more than happy to pin the credit on my followers. You lot are the ones placing the votes and giving the reasons. Whatever position I reach in this contest is down to you. Thank you.<br />
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<a href="http://shortyawards.com/">http://shortyawards.com/</a> (literature category)<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-32221811606192841662010-01-30T01:05:00.000-08:002010-01-30T01:05:31.165-08:00May be in the Final of the Shorty AwardsExhausted. Three hours sleep last night. I don't envy the politicians campaigning for votes for the next few months; it's only been a few weeks for me and I'm less animated than a non-possessed ventriloquist's dummy without its ventriloquist.<br />
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It looks as if I made it through to the final. It will take them a couple of days to judge, so I may still have missed out. If anyone ever nominates me for another award of this kind I'm not getting involved. End of. The foot is going down; it has hit the floor; the foot is down. I have put my foot down. No more contests.<br />
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Must sleep, then write, then sleep, then repeat until book is finished.<br />
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Goodnight,<br />
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Rebecca<br />
<a href="http://blog.rebeccawoodhead.com/">blog.rebeccawoodhead.com</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-43397252739141068632010-01-22T10:29:00.000-08:002010-01-22T10:29:12.445-08:00Only a Few Weeks Until my DeadlineNot long to go and I am in agony and completely exhausted. My characters are not willing to play ball and my mind is so full of the business side of writing that my creative self is struggling for breath. <br />
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At least I'm not 27. Nearly a decade has passed by since then. Today, I looked at a piece of writing recovered from the vaults of the internet that I wrote in that year. By coincidence, I also stumbled onto the blog of another 27 year old. I revisited that time: too old to be young and not old enough to be deemed wise with any sense of conviction, regardless of evidence to the contrary. In many ways, I feel less old approaching my 37th birthday than I did approaching my 27th. Many of the dreams I had a decade ago have been accomplished. 27 felt like running in traffic that someone else was controlling. Now, I feel I am at the wheel of my own vehicle. I know what it looks like and all the little idiosyncrasies with its controls and I'm happy to drive it. I threw out the sat nav a long time back. I prefer not to have my course dictated to me any more. Wherever I end up, is down to me. I'm enjoying the journey, and if my characters don't want to play ball? Tough. I have a novel to finish.<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-79413316748368017322010-01-04T14:23:00.000-08:002010-01-04T14:23:49.782-08:00Twelfth Night Deadline FrightOnly just over a month until I finish my first draft. Stephen Fry has got <em>The Fear </em>and abandoned Twitter and the like for total writerly seclusion and his book's not due until April. Okay, I don't have a publisher breathing down my neck but I've never missed my mid-Feb deadline and I don't plan to start now. My New Year prediction is that I will disappear into Writer World until mid-Feb. <div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-4498815127809216772009-12-23T10:34:00.000-08:002009-12-23T10:34:31.978-08:00Not Yet at the Publishing Banquet but I can Smell the TurkeyOnly a little while now until my next self-imposed deadline. Another book must unleash itself from my brain by Valentine's Day. Good old Valentine, saint of my first-draft deadlines. <br />
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It is tougher this year. For one thing, hypothermia is a constant threat to my continued existence and, to be honest, that is annoying enough to require an entirely new swear word. For another thing, there is so much more to do. I wished and worked for this 'platform' thing and envisioned about 800 to 1000 followers by this point, but it's somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 now! I can't organise a dinner party for four people, how the heck am I supposed to entertain that number? Of course, much of it is Stephen Fry's fault and I will have stern words when next we meet. He just threw followers at me with no thought for the work load at this end. Did he ask if I had food and beds for that number? No. The manners on that man. Honestly! <br />
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It turns out that this 'platform' thing is just a bunch of readers, so I have thousands of people to talk books with. It's like the biggest book group imaginable. This is all fine and large but I like talking books and all things literary so I never leave. It is catnip to the inner Word Nerd. Twitter's the worst: within minutes you can hear about a book, speak to the writer, buy it and congratulate the publisher. Is wordy wonderland. Fortunately, that wordy wonderland has put me in touch with some agents and publishers who've asked for my work. The last month in particular has been crazy. I can almost smell the publishing deal!<br />
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Right, well, I'm off now. Christmas to have. <br />
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Thanks to everyone who's read my diary in the last few months. If you pop across to my site, <a href="http://www.rebeccawoodhead.com/">rebeccawoodhead.com</a> you can hear my radio debut. If you want to help me to get published (such a fabulous Christmas gift) it will cost you nothing and require only a couple of clicks - <a href="http://tiny.cc/PublishRebecca">http://tiny.cc/PublishRebecca</a> <br />
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Thank you and Merry Christmas xxx<br />
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Rebecca<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-2993832790116880822009-12-01T10:48:00.000-08:002009-12-01T10:48:44.675-08:00November - a Month of non NaNo Compliancy and Huge Literary StepsWhat a month! Well, I have proved to myself - not that it needed proving - that I will never be NaNoWriMo compliant. In fact, the few days that I forced myself to participate were torture. I am no less in favour of it than before. If anything I love it more. It is not my thing at all but is such a great event for so many writers that I plan to support it next year. If I suggest taking part, however, scream at me.<br />
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Why is it not my thing? Too many reasons for one post. In fact, whilst I always suspected I might lack compliance I thought I'd be able to give it a bash at least. No. Had an almost physical reaction to it. The main reason? I need privacy. I'll wait for you to stop laughing..... Okay, I understand the irony of broadcasting my need for privacy in my online diary, and I know that as a Twitter native it may sound odd - but it is true. This is why I am so glad that I tried - and failed - to be NaNo compliant.<br />
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NaNoWriMo showed me the difference between my writer self and my novelist self. As a writer, I can tap out blogs, tweets, business reports, contracts, articles etc with the world watching and not give a hoot but as a novelist I cannot. Writing fiction is sacred to me. The people who exist in my books only ever exist while they are being written or read. The outside world does not belong in my novels. Yes, I research - I never stop researching. The 'real' world is vital to my books but the actual day-to-day world does not belong in their world <em>while</em> they are being written. My characters demand space that is just for them. They demand that I tell their stories with emotional accuracy and they won't let me invite others into that process. Once the first draft is done, it's a different. For me, the creative process and the editing process are not the same. I don't need someone telling me what they think of my story; daily word count etc while I write. Not helpful. I hit my deadline ALWAYS. My deadline is 14th February. My characters finish talking on the 14th February every year and that is that. Suddenly deciding that this time around I will write a novel in a month is an exercise in daftness. Unfortunately, when I suggested it, nobody slapped me. As a consequence, every one of my characters has - and I am bruised.<br />
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No 'writing a novel in a month' for me then. So, has November been a total waste? Oh no! In fact, I took advantage of the fact that most people are NaNo compliant to hunt in usually crowded territory. November, for me, was about getting published. My first manuscript is with both agents and publishers; I have written articles for two magazines - one in UK and the other in US - and I made my BBC radio debut (my bit is minute <a href="http://tiny.cc/rwradio1">47 </a>onwards) Aside from that, I received three public endorsements from <a href="http://tiny.cc/rwauthor">Stephen Fry</a> for my writing. Not a bad month! The moral of the story? Sometimes your answers come to you in an unexpected way. The most obvious route is not always the best for everyone and life can surprise you or, to put it another way...<br />
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</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-34931368021868673942009-11-07T04:46:00.000-08:002009-11-07T04:48:04.131-08:00Never Ask a Gift Horse for its Dental RecordsWhat an odd week. <a href="http://twitter.com/scobleizer">Robert Scoble</a> - Google him if you don't know who he is - put me on his <a href="http://twitter.com/scobleizer/tech-pundits">Tech Pundits</a> list on Twitter! Obviously, the cool move here would be for me to acknowledge that this is an entirely expected development on the road to global domination but it's not. It's HUGE! How the heck am I a 'tech pundit?' I scribble eccentric nonsense about how different online gadgets and thingumies connect people. All around me, giant kings and queens of tech and social media write highly technical jargon while I compare Twitter to a pub and thrash out the finer points of Dickens' <em>A Christmas Carol</em> for the digital age. So, why have I been so honoured? Goodness knows, but the expression 'never look a gift horse in the mouth' may apply.<br />
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Today, the oddness continued. Again, this was from a most unlikely source. I received a tweet:<br />
<blockquote><blockquote><em><strong>I just read your bio, what an amazing story. You are an inspiration.</strong></em><br />
</blockquote></blockquote>Regardless of where that tweet had come from, I would have been chuffed but you'll NEVER guess who sent it.... Go on, guess. Give up? <a href="http://tiny.cc/dbtweet">Duncan Bannatyne!</a> Duncan - Dragons' Den - Bannatyne!!<br />
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Before the week gets any weirder, I feel the need to remind myself that a pat on the back is only ever inches from a kick in the butt, pack my ego in a tamper-proof safe and get writing. I have 50,000 words to write before the end of this month and patting myself on the back won't get them written.<br />
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Rebecca<br />
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(It is cool though isn't it?) OY - BACK TO WRITING (Oh, okay then.) :) xxx<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-84234925121815295162009-10-27T12:14:00.000-07:002009-10-27T12:14:41.287-07:00The Clocks have gone Back. Writing Time!The moment has arrived. The writing season. For me, November to mid-February are the most productive writing months. I choose a Yankee Candle, lock myself in a room and disappear into another world. Only a few days now until NaNoWriMo and I'm reading my books. Over the next month I will write another novel, but for now I am re-acquainting myself with old friends. How did they all meet? What did they first notice about each other? How did their relationships develop? As I sit, wrapped in my slanket, while my husband attempts to design a candle-powered radio in the other room, I am revising the world of my books. When the first of the month arrives I will be ready, and so desperate, to dive back into that world again. I cannot wait!<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-88979895475476699312009-10-26T03:50:00.000-07:002009-10-26T03:50:45.726-07:00When Did I Become a BETA Tester?Well, the slightly secret nature of my slightly secret squirreling is somewhat of a joke now. 'Lists' has been explored in minute detail all across the web but, still, I'd prefer it if you googled the details. The banner on my Twitter page features the Bluebird of Guilt and you should never underestimate the power of that bird. It says 'no' and somehow I am unable to ignore it and download screenshots.<br />
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Moving along... I'm BETA testing something else: Google Wave. Fortunately there is no secrecy clause on this one so I can tell you all about it. It is brilliant. Of course, my immediate thought upon entering the closed world of Google Wave was: 'how do word nerds use this?' <br />
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I have so many thoughts but the one that excites me the most is at the foot of this blog post. This is my attempt to describe the new Digital Village. I hope you like it. <a href="http://tiny.cc/rwblog">http://tiny.cc/rwblog</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-80261192310674459962009-10-17T07:43:00.000-07:002009-10-17T07:43:41.277-07:00I am a - Slightly - Secret SquirrelTwitter asked us not to tweet about this but nobody said anything about blogging... <br />
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Okay, I fess up, I'm one of Twitter's SSS (Slightly Secret Squirrel) Beta testing team for the new 'lists' facility. There's only a teeny tiny group of us so it's a huge honour to be involved. In the spirit of keeping things slightly secret, I'll avoid spilling too many beans on how it works but it rocks and I hope they roll it out to everyone soon.<br />
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If I ask some strange questions on Twitter over the next few days and you have ANY interest in the questions I ask then answer. You'll be glad you did. I won't give away any specifics on Twitter though because they asked us not to but I think, since so many other testers have let the cat out of the bag already, I've not broken any rules here. Please don't push for more info on Twitter because:<br />
<ul><li>The first rule of Lists Club is you don't tweet about Lists Club </li>
<li>The second rule of Lists Club is you don't tweet about Lists Club</li>
</ul>Slightly Secret Squirrel signing off...<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-19848106742436481182009-10-15T12:54:00.000-07:002009-10-15T12:54:29.004-07:00A Nibble at Cheltenham Festival of LiteratureMy various ailments subsided, Hubby wasn't working and the day was drizzled with possibilities. The drizzle ensured that Cheltenham would be emptier than normal and that brought with it the tantalising chance of a parking space near the festival. Food was needed; Cheltenham was equipped with both supermarkets and a bookery festival. We took a chance.<br />
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The space was perfect - right next to the action. The timing was less perfect - or so it seemed at first. Events were afoot and the cultural norms of the country dictated that we should not merely barge in and demand to be entertained by bookists so we strolled around the book tent. <br />
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Hubby found a book by an author he had yet to read but about whom his brother raves. It was not an expensive book and Mum had given me £20 for the festival so I offered to buy it. In fact, there were sufficient funds to buy the first and last in the series. He was happy to trawl library shelves for the others. At the counter, we were told that the author was giving a talk and would be signing copies afterwards. In fact, she said, he would be signing copies in around ten minutes! The signing table was clear of all but a book on a stand, and queue was there none. We queued. Within a few minutes, genius entered the room and Hubby got to chat with the author before even reading his book. A signed book for now - and one for Christmas - and a happy husband. Drizzly days rock!<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-13703798871738536842009-10-12T04:15:00.000-07:002009-10-12T04:15:29.669-07:00The Big PictureIt turns out that the best way to calm an allergy on your face - from a 'big picture' perspective - is not to wander around in insubstantial clothes when it is cold. Yep, the face got better but I wound up with hypothermia - again! I'm such a nut. Still, third time lucky. I caught it early this time. Hubby put the forehead thermometer in place to check if my temp was genuinely low. It was too low to register. Cue much walking around, drinking hot beverages and, once the shivering had stopped, dancing the Y.M.C.A. until my temperature was back to normal. Have had a stern word with myself about layers and thermal undergarments.<br />
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Of course, the layers thing is getting trickier by the month. I've lost another half a stone (7 pounds) and nothing fits. The budget is not roomy enough to buy more clothes (see <a href="http://rebeccawoodhead.com/blog">http://rebeccawoodhead.com/blog</a> for the story of my life-on-a-budget 16-meals-from-1-chicken life over the last year) and the heating oil must be eked out incrementally over the next season. Never mind. NaNoWriMo is just around the corner. Who knows... an agent might notice me or hear me on the radio at the end of November and publication could be a heartbeat away. Until then, I plan to eat much porridge ('oatmeal') and keep blankets handy at all times.<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-37502411180251221292009-10-10T08:55:00.000-07:002009-10-10T08:55:07.837-07:00Cheltenham Festival Buzz may have Buzzed off<strong><span style="font-size: large;">An Outing!</span></strong><br />
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This has not been a great year for indulgences. The other day I realised that I have not actually been out - on a trip or 'outing' if you will - since this time last year when I went to the Cheltenham Festival of Literature. <br />
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This year I hoped to go again. I know funds are tight and all that but Mum gave me a £20 note and told me to go to the festival. Everything I want to see has sold out and now I've had an allergic reaction to something. I don't claim the two are related but, really! Is it too much to ask to go out once a year? My pre-festival buzz may have buzzed off. Maybe someone will drop out of one of the events and I can scurry in? It's quite an elegant gathering. I wonder if my side-show attraction face will scare off the people sitting next to me and give me a bit more space to stretch out? Hmm. Could be a good thing after all. Buzz buzz buzz.<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-20091388347324234062009-10-06T11:20:00.000-07:002009-10-06T12:36:01.719-07:00My Characters will not Shush<span style="font-size: large;">Feeding Time</span><br />
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Like impatient horses at feeding time, my characters are kicking off in the worst way at the moment. They can smell the start of November. I'm worried.<br />
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I've never done NaNoWriMo before. It seems terribly sociable. When I write, I am a hermit. The 'real' world has no place in my life when I'm in novel mode. I can't chat merrily about my progress or utter a word about my characters until the first draft is down. A few moments to moan about the horror of the 'tricky middle bit' is pretty much the extent of my communication with the world. Something tells me I may not be NaNoWriMo-compliant.<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3809401855123932327.post-66786900926085720252009-10-04T14:16:00.000-07:002009-10-06T12:38:01.908-07:00Welcome to My New BlogThis is the time of year when students return to university. The moment the weather starts to change and the leaves start to turn I get itchy fingers. It's not eczema. The autumn makes me lust after books and a QWERTY keyboard. Ideas that have percolated through the summer start leaking into my conscious mind and demanding to be unleashed into a book.<br />
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How do I plan to let them out this time? NaNoWriMo. A month from now, I will be at the start of the third book in the series. I'm not sure the characters would be so eager to get onto paper if they knew what was in store for them. I have a feeling that things may not go entirely as planned. By the end of November I should have the first draft finished. It's an ambitious plan but I can't wait!<div class="blogger-post-footer">www.rebeccawoodhead.com - my news, blogs & networks</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com1