Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Ups And Downs
Edinburgh basked in beautiful autumnal weather this morning. Blue skies, a breeze with a chill, golden leaves fluttering from the trees and the promise of a seasonal twilight to remember. I love November. It has everything I want in Scotland; temperature, nature, openness, distance from the heat of the summer, yet far enough from Christmas it doesn't impact.
It also means it is time to dig out my recording of Stella, an album by Yello, only suitable to be heard during this month to hear its fantastic imagery and mood contained within the words and bars. It is time to start writing an accompanying story. I've been meaning to do it for years, and this month it will become a reality.
I got through a lot of work today. I queried three major publications about the possibility of using What a Waste in a future issue, including a sample and my business card with the pitches. These guys will start to know my eventually, because in a month I'll be contacting them again with more Fringe book information.
I printed off Whisky Snatching for submitting to the Writing Magazine competition. I just need to dig out the vouchers and the entry form then I'll post it tomorrow morning at the latest. The deadline is January, so there's no mad rush but I want it out the way for peace of mind.
I also worked out November's GDR (see bottom of this post) and submitted Fringe Fantastic to the publisher. Finally it is away, and I await the advance copy for final proofing.
They also came back with my ISBN number!! 1-4116-5441-2 is the official ISBN for Fringe Fantastic!
Fringe Magazine rejected The Oasis, but I've still to hear back about A Bond of Faith that was also submitted to them at the same time.
I resigned from Keep It Coming. Today was the day it was supposed to recommence but as expected, nothing has transpired. I emailed the editor with my intentions and in 30 days I shall be out of contract. Hopefully just after that, the rights to Hunting Jack will revert back to me.
It's very sad because KIC was my first paying gig and it was my first major publication. Serial fiction hooked me and I loved being a part of the process for the past fourteen months, but the last couple of months has left a sour taste. It wasn't an easy decision to make, so I had to wear my business hat when making it. KIC has let me down and it has let my subscribers down, so all I can do now is try to make it up to them.
I want writing to be by full-time career so I will not let anyone destroy my name before I've even got into top gear. If you are a subscriber who I've been unable to contact so far, please email me
I sent out issue 1 of Hunting Jack to the PSH Contest winner; my first self-publication of the serial, which is fine as I am still officially under contract and this was agreed in advance with the editor. I have to fulfil my commitments, even if KIC won't.
And to finish off the day's work I edited and prepared up to issue 9 of the serial. It is so much fun being with Jackie again, I think I have to seriously start to consider doing more with him in the very near future.
November's GDR
Fiction
* Submit Whisky Snatching to WM (deadline Jan' 06)
* Query What A Waste to target markets
* Work out plot to fit the album Stella by Yello
* Read, edit and publish nine issues of Hunting Jack (PSH Contest)
* Read, edit and review remaining issues of Hunting Jack with view to publishing
* Keep on top of submissions list
* Think about Jackie McCann and A Friend To Die For manuscripts
Poetry
* No specific work. Write as the moment takes.
Non-Fiction
* Chase up query for 'How-To Create an E-book' article and dig out new markets (last chased on 17/10/05)
* Complete latest articles for Great Scottish Authors series - Janice Galloway (WIP), Muriel Spark (WIP), Iain Banks (WIP), Edwin Morgan (WIP) (sub to Circadian poems)
* Complete Ian Rankin interview for Scruffy Dog Review
* Complete Ian Rankin interview for Great Scottish Author's Series
* Write story/article for Being Dad Anthology
* Start first issue of Scotland's Treasure for TSDR (plan for theatre, gig, art)
* Write five weekly blog entries for TSDR
Marketing and Promotion
* Market and promote Fringe Fantastic (see spreadhseet for full details)
* Print bookmarks for Hunting Jack and Brick by Brick (for all Fringe Fantastic see spreadsheet)
* Keep website up to date
Reading and Research
* Release Tall Tales and Short Stories Vol.2 into the wild
* Finish research book for unpublicised future project
* Start reading some new books from my pile of 'waiting to be read'
Other Projects
* Stay on top of submission readings for TSDR
It also means it is time to dig out my recording of Stella, an album by Yello, only suitable to be heard during this month to hear its fantastic imagery and mood contained within the words and bars. It is time to start writing an accompanying story. I've been meaning to do it for years, and this month it will become a reality.
I got through a lot of work today. I queried three major publications about the possibility of using What a Waste in a future issue, including a sample and my business card with the pitches. These guys will start to know my eventually, because in a month I'll be contacting them again with more Fringe book information.
I printed off Whisky Snatching for submitting to the Writing Magazine competition. I just need to dig out the vouchers and the entry form then I'll post it tomorrow morning at the latest. The deadline is January, so there's no mad rush but I want it out the way for peace of mind.
I also worked out November's GDR (see bottom of this post) and submitted Fringe Fantastic to the publisher. Finally it is away, and I await the advance copy for final proofing.
They also came back with my ISBN number!! 1-4116-5441-2 is the official ISBN for Fringe Fantastic!
Fringe Magazine rejected The Oasis, but I've still to hear back about A Bond of Faith that was also submitted to them at the same time.
I resigned from Keep It Coming. Today was the day it was supposed to recommence but as expected, nothing has transpired. I emailed the editor with my intentions and in 30 days I shall be out of contract. Hopefully just after that, the rights to Hunting Jack will revert back to me.
It's very sad because KIC was my first paying gig and it was my first major publication. Serial fiction hooked me and I loved being a part of the process for the past fourteen months, but the last couple of months has left a sour taste. It wasn't an easy decision to make, so I had to wear my business hat when making it. KIC has let me down and it has let my subscribers down, so all I can do now is try to make it up to them.
I want writing to be by full-time career so I will not let anyone destroy my name before I've even got into top gear. If you are a subscriber who I've been unable to contact so far, please email me
I sent out issue 1 of Hunting Jack to the PSH Contest winner; my first self-publication of the serial, which is fine as I am still officially under contract and this was agreed in advance with the editor. I have to fulfil my commitments, even if KIC won't.
And to finish off the day's work I edited and prepared up to issue 9 of the serial. It is so much fun being with Jackie again, I think I have to seriously start to consider doing more with him in the very near future.
November's GDR
Fiction
* Submit Whisky Snatching to WM (deadline Jan' 06)
* Query What A Waste to target markets
* Work out plot to fit the album Stella by Yello
* Read, edit and publish nine issues of Hunting Jack (PSH Contest)
* Read, edit and review remaining issues of Hunting Jack with view to publishing
* Keep on top of submissions list
* Think about Jackie McCann and A Friend To Die For manuscripts
Poetry
* No specific work. Write as the moment takes.
Non-Fiction
* Chase up query for 'How-To Create an E-book' article and dig out new markets (last chased on 17/10/05)
* Complete latest articles for Great Scottish Authors series - Janice Galloway (WIP), Muriel Spark (WIP), Iain Banks (WIP), Edwin Morgan (WIP) (sub to Circadian poems)
* Complete Ian Rankin interview for Scruffy Dog Review
* Complete Ian Rankin interview for Great Scottish Author's Series
* Write story/article for Being Dad Anthology
* Start first issue of Scotland's Treasure for TSDR (plan for theatre, gig, art)
* Write five weekly blog entries for TSDR
Marketing and Promotion
* Market and promote Fringe Fantastic (see spreadhseet for full details)
* Print bookmarks for Hunting Jack and Brick by Brick (for all Fringe Fantastic see spreadsheet)
* Keep website up to date
Reading and Research
* Release Tall Tales and Short Stories Vol.2 into the wild
* Finish research book for unpublicised future project
* Start reading some new books from my pile of 'waiting to be read'
Other Projects
* Stay on top of submission readings for TSDR
Colin 10:38 am