Dear Agent

Dear Agent

I am sure you drop by my blog on a regular basis, to see how I am doing with my WIP, and I thank you for doing so. Today however, I thought I would keep you up to date in this letter.

My writing is improving thanks to fellow bloggers, writers who care and of course yourself. I learn so much from your valuable posts. I am using various editing methods and I am pleased to say I am on first edit of my MS. Draft has been removed from the file name and has been replaced by EDIT ONE/1.

I do have one question for you now you are here. When you move from blog or website of aspiring or published authors, those who have snippets of their work on display, do you ever contact the ones whose work reaches out to you? Or do you hope that you are the agent they will contact.

Do you wait by your email inbox in hope? Do you watch the postbox in your coffee stained PJ's, just waiting for the query letter of that writer who has so much to offer you? Do you clean the house, walk the dog and take up exercise just to kill time, while you wait in hope?
Just wondered...I am sure you didn't mind me asking.

Well thanks for dropping by and spending time reading my blog. My query letter is in the process of being written, so you will have to wait just a tad longer for Ripper My Love to drop in your box.

Regards
Giggling Glynis

PS: Is your surname really INMYDREAMS?

Fifteen Minute Challenge.

I entered a fifteen minute writing challenge by Nadine Laman today. To see my effort go to my coffee break blog New Scribbles. It was fun to do and good exercise for the writing brain.

Software Life Saver: yWriter

(Not an advert)

Reams of the stuff, notes everywhere, a tree load of scraps and a box of waste paper. Yes I am editing my MS! I was getting in such a muddle and was fretting about the situation. I was scrolling through word and it was taking ages.

I was browsing through Wordplay the blog of KMWeiland (brilliant blog by the way), and came across a post with video from July 2009. I had a read and watched the video she compiled about yWriter, a software programme for writers. She was so taken with the software that she made the tutorial video. It is free to download, so I thought I would have a go. This is not an advert, just me sharing my experience with a piece of software that saved my life, well not literally but you get my drift.
I am so glad I did. I am far more organised now. Each chapter is getting more attention and it doesn't feel like a chore. I love seeing the word count change and increase. The area to capture my character's and their lifestyle etc is so good. I am only using the basics of it at the moment, but every time I click on a button I find something new that helps. I love the way, when I copied and pasted my work it indented my paragraphs and it became a manuscript before my eyes. This gave me drive, to move forward.
It stays on my computer, and I will continue to use it. When book two starts its journey, this is what I will use. In fact I am adding a few notes to yWriter already as it has the facility for me to do so. If you are struggling and do not want to spend out cash to try a programme, go for this one. Watch the video and see how simple it is.

An Oh Um Moment

I hate Oh um moments. You know the time when a friends says "Oh, um", when you ask if they like what they read of your work, or what they thought of your work.

The Oh um moment when you are reading a book, a good story and it has a storyline that is close to the one you are writing. You know it is your own work, but this author has written it in her own words...or vice versa, you are writing her work in yours.

The Oh um moment when you wipe out two chapters and cannot retrieve them.

The Oh um moment when someone asks what you do for a living, you know..."Oh um I am a writer".

The Oh um moment when you read your manuscript and you have put mother and son in bed together!

The Oh um moment when you have finished the said manuscript and it is editing time! OH UM...

The Oh Um time when the words just will not flow...


I have had a few Oh um moments this week, but am pleased to say that I am turning them around and moving forward. I have April in my sights for finishing...Oh Um it is nearly March!


What has been your Oh Um this week?

Tender Graces by Kathryn Magendie : Book Review

Tender Graces by Kathryn Magendie is a book whose story compliments the title, and vice versa. Throughout the book, grace and tenderness is portrayed. A young Virginia Kate Carey takes us through her journey into womanhood.

The author captures moments in the book, that come alive. Her description of the wild mountain child who gave birth to Virginia, the struggles of coping with outside interference are wonderful. Family life and stresses are intermingled with snippets of hope, fear, humour and raw love.
The contrasts of emotions the young girl shares are a delight to read. One sentence towards the end of the book (chapt 29, as Virginia describes her brother sitting on a plane, stays with me:

He sat as quiet as a cotton field with his comic books on his lap.

Why do these few words portray so much to me?

The previous descriptions in the story had enchanted me, taken me to mountains and beyond. Words had transported me to a country I have never been to, one I have only read about or seen in a movie. I have never seen a cotton field, only in a movie, but that sentence gave me the feeling of peace, of quiet acceptance. I could imagine the stillness of a boy, sharing no emotions. Kathryn Magendie had prepared me for moments like this, she has painted her story on a canvas of words and I recommend her book to you.

Kathryn Magendie Website for book purchase.

Signs and Prompts

I dropped some papers this week, just scraps nothing special. I had been trying to find the oomph to edit my ms, but decided to clear a shelf instead. The papers scattered across the room, the cat thought it would be great to chase some, and our old dog sat on one. He would not move, he is normally so obedient, but would not shift.
I cleared around him, put the papers away in a file, then went back to tackle the pooch. No budging on his part, so I set up the desk, turned on the computer and went to his biscuit box. He still would not get off the paper, I laughed and picked him up to move him as I wanted to settle down to write.
I could not believe it, he had found four sheets of paper stapled together from an old file of mine. It was a short story I had written several years ago.

I think Jakeyboy was trying to tell me something, because when I read through it, I realised that it would fit into my ms and kick start a dead end! I edited it, and moved it into place, it was a perfect fit. He got an extra treat for giving me a sign, I would not have read it if he hadn't sat on it.

Talking of signs, do you ever see some that just trigger off a story?


If you are looking for inspiration, look at this site Fantastic Fashion over at Polyvore. Collage collections that capture the imagination. I found a few things to help me with Kitty over there.


A great place to visit is 365 Pictures Daily Photo Prompt @ The Creativity Portal, this is a prompt generator, great for triggering the mind into action. There are articles for writers, with tips and ideas.

Short Story Contest & Author Nadine Laman

Firstly I must share with you my joy. Our postman brought me an unexpected parcel, ripping open the packaging and seeing the contents brought the biggest smile to my face.
Nadine over at First Draft had sent me two journals. They have matching covers to her novel trilogy and...well see the photo below.

A very big thank you went to Nadine via email today. This was so lovely and one will house notes for my second book. They are fantastic!
My shelf looks lovely with her three books and two journals all matching in a row.

Now Nadine has also got information about a short story contest, so check it out HERE. Cash prize to be had for the winner! Yes I thought that would get you visiting Nadine :)