Silja Swaby

Cherry Cookson - Radio 4

2012-02-17T03:00:00.002-08:00

I went to Cherry's talk last night at the Yeovil Octagon. Wonderful insights into producing/directing radio plays, casting, voices, popular subjects, who's who and where it's all going. She kindly answered my questions about one of my constant dilemmas - when is bad language justified.

Charles Dickens at 200

2012-02-08T00:42:00.000-08:00

The man, his life and work. Colourful stories, powerful characters, but nowadays not easy reads. Being paid by the word, being published in intsallments, and an audience that rarely went to the next village, he was a product of his time. As writers of today will be in 200 years time.

Newt Gingrich's Moon Colony

2012-02-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

I must have some psychic link with the guy because I'm writing a series of short stories about just that - a colony on the moon. Mind you, these people are not ones you'd want to be stuck up there with. You wouldn't want to get too close to them on earth either.

Jennifer Worth's Call the Mid Wife

2012-01-30T08:11:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Worth's Call the Mid Wife is a prime example of how success can come at any moment, even if the timing is ill-fated. Sadly for Jennifer, who died in 2011, it came too late for her to see the first of her novel trilogy appear on BBC TV.

Taxing issues

2012-01-27T11:52:00.000-08:00

There is no tax on prize winnings unless they come about as a result of your employment or self employment, but if you don't exceed your personal allowance, then you pay Mr Taxman nothing.

Routine is routine

2012-01-23T14:25:00.001-08:00

Get a routine, and do your best to stick to it. That's the way stuff gets written.

Meditation

2012-01-12T12:06:00.000-08:00

Taking five minute to meditate at the beginning of a writing session will quiet the 'chatter' and give your mind a chance to access your creativity. I set a timer, close my eyes and when the negative thoughts come I tell myself, 'Let it go. It's got nothing to do with you.' Yes, my mind wanders, but the discipline helps me ditch the rubbish and enter my 'writing head'.

Web presence

2012-01-06T10:10:00.000-08:00

Every writer should have a web presence and one way of doing that is via Blogger. Ta Da! The range of templates and ability to upload photos and information about you is too good an opportunity to miss. The best bit is you don't need to write (or know) a drop of code. Actually the best bit is - IT'S FREE!

Uncharted territory

2012-01-04T06:23:00.000-08:00

I'm embarking on a journey into the depths of bloggerdom - is there ever any escape?

New look for 2012

2011-12-30T00:33:00.000-08:00

This blog is being updated for 2012, so watch this space.

Christmas

2011-12-22T03:05:00.001-08:00

Bored of the same old bah humbug? Why are songs, stories, TV programmes repeated every year? Lack of talent? I doubt it. If you can write something that captures the imagination you'll have it repeated year on year. The new Scrooge? Why not? Lyn Truss wrote a wonderful short story based on It's a Wonderful Life. It can be done.

Track - getting back on

2011-12-15T08:12:00.000-08:00

Every writer has time away. The reasons are many, the getting back in to the swing of writing is single and universal. Make sure you are healthy, fit, rested and able to start. False starts aren't helpful and you'll be back to peg one. Then find a routine, a new one or an old trusted one. Whichever you choose go for and stick to it.

Copyright

2011-12-01T00:36:00.000-08:00

As creator you own the copyright of everything you produce (text, drawings, photos etc) and in every form. No one can use it without your permission unless you specifically sign it away so there is no need to put a copyright sign. If it is published in an article then all content is your copyright.

Book as event

2011-11-24T00:51:00.000-08:00

Nowadays books are 'events' and if you are lucky enough to get published traditionally you have to be a big success or you get pulped. Publishers are even more skittish and really want the biggies. By all means explore this route, but watch other spaces too!

Regularity

2011-11-17T00:28:00.000-08:00

Keeping going even when you don't feel like it, separates the successful from those who want to do well, but somehow just don't get around to it. Routines and deadlines are the best way to keep on track.

Imagine there's a future - Anthology

2011-11-14T09:54:00.000-08:00

The Wave
by
Silja Swaby

Imagine there's a future - Anthology
ISBN 978-0-9558326-8-0

Who you know

2011-11-10T00:26:00.000-08:00

Don't fool yourself. Your chances of getting published are vastly improved by, having the right parents, going to the right school, the right university, having the right friends and networking like your life depends on it. Everyone's heard the story of the author who gave their book to a friend and his wife happened to be a commissioning editor at some big publishing house. Don't get me wrong the odd person is pulled off the slush pile but your chances are very very small. Whereas ebook readers like Kindle are great levellers. You don't have to know a soul!

Jeanette Winterson

2011-11-03T01:12:00.000-07:00

Mining your past, like Jeanette Winterson and her biography - Why be happy when you can be normal? - can be a profitable. But it has its downfalls. Family members taking umbridge, even serious falling out. Some writers recommend waiting until certain folk you wish to immortalise are no longer in a position to comment.

Mix things up a bit

2011-10-27T00:33:00.001-07:00

Novelty is food for creativity. Going to new places, meeting new people will fuel your imagination. The same old humdrum won't!

Clare George

2011-10-20T03:04:00.001-07:00

I give you author Clare George (on right), who is doing so much for writing in the South West. And me greatfully receiving my prize and published copy in her anthology funded by Arts Council England and Exeter University.

Competitions

2011-10-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

Do them, especially if they are free.

Change ahead.

2011-10-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

This blog is undergoing a change soon, focussing more on my writing and marketing for work that is ready to go, starting with my prize-winning short story - The Deluge (The Wave as was).

Sense of place

2011-09-29T11:12:00.001-07:00

A story needs a thorough grounding from which the character arc can play itself out. A few vivid details should be enough but for sci-fi a writer has to work harder. Either way make the reader feel at home.

Network like crazy

2011-09-22T01:11:00.000-07:00

Always take the opportunity to 'say hello' to people in the industry. The manager of my local Waterstones was at an event and after a quick chat, he's up for talking to the writing group I belong to. Not only do we get to quiz him, he'll be so much more approachable for future collaborations.

Marketing

2011-09-16T23:40:00.000-07:00

While you pen your great work, spare a thought for how you are going to market it. The man at the fair who sat behind a table strewn with his novels (with a particularly nondescript title), calling to people, 'Would you like a good read?' is not the way to go.

Keeping the faith

2011-09-09T04:38:00.000-07:00

Keep faith with your writing group. You never know who just might turn up

Writing groups and gems

2011-09-09T04:35:00.000-07:00

Keep faith with a writing group because you never know who might just turn up.

A win is a win is a win.

2011-09-01T05:37:00.001-07:00

Celebrate your victories. No writer has so many that they are blase about winning. So make sure you eek out every last bit of praise to sustain you through the longer, leaner times.

Punctuation and spelling is back.

2011-08-25T02:52:00.000-07:00

I heard on the radio that punctuation and spelling is back on the school menu. My point is that, on paper, bad punctuation and dreadful spelling makes you look thick. You may not be, but that's what it looks like. OK next question. Who is going to teach it?

Oxford Manual of Style

2011-08-18T02:15:00.000-07:00

This is the bible for writers who need a 'house style' and a reference for all those tricky punctuation questions that come up all the time.

Dialogue

2011-08-11T11:40:00.000-07:00

Four words that all good dialogue should contain: freshness, indirectness, cleverness and colour.

Pretend

2011-08-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

Pretending is one way to give your imagination a work out. Pretend you've painted a famous work of art or are in the final of an Olympic sport. Stretching beyond your comfort zone will colour your writing. And why not have some fun with it.

Crit others

2011-07-28T11:39:00.001-07:00

If you get a chance to crit other new writers you will quickly spot errors, that you can't see in your own work. Having to rework their partial MS takes it one step further. We can all learn from each other.

Give yourself time

2011-07-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

When you think you've completed your novel, leave it for a spell. Some recommend a month, others a year. A year is long, but distance will mean you'll come back to it refreshed and see it with a new eye.

A great start

2011-06-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

Your beginning should grab the reader/agent. Not too much exposition and lots of action.

Sense of place

2011-06-23T10:28:00.000-07:00

Remember your reader can't see the scenes in your novel. In the first chapter give them sights, sounds, something to go on or you will lose them. Sci-fi writers should take particular note.

Faces

2011-06-09T03:07:00.001-07:00

It's hard to find faces of ordinary people in most magazines. They prefer celebrities in either manicured perfection or disarray. So where to go? Look for the face of your character in real life or supermarket magazines and financial reports from your building society or bank.

Location

2011-06-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

Eek out every last smell, sight and sound. Painting a believable place out of nothing is hard which is why so many writers use real ones. But make sure the details are the ones that make the difference.

Birthdays

2011-05-26T02:34:00.000-07:00

Every one of your characters has a birthday, so even if you don't believe in horoscopes, don't ignore them for character traits, like tidiness - Virgo, hot-headed - Leo. The books on sun signs and birthdays are a great source and can be picked up cheaply in second-hand shops.

Getting in character

2011-05-20T02:53:00.000-07:00

Take your character out and about. John Le Carre took George Smiley with him on holiday. What do they look at, enjoy, want to do? It shouldn't be the same as you.

Elmore Leonard

2011-05-12T00:57:00.000-07:00

Mr Leonard was on Radio 4 last night. Lots of advice on writing, but mostly churn out some each day.

Keep it up

2011-05-06T07:21:00.001-07:00

It doesn't matter where you are or what your are doing, find a few moments to write.

Late but worth it!

2011-04-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

Saved this blog entry for my visit Badminton Horse Trials and what it provides for any writer looking for characters to populate your novels and short stories. You can glean so much from so many people and all in one place at one time. Never miss an opportunity to go to places where you'll see/meet people you wouldn't normally.

Pen and paper

2011-04-15T00:50:00.000-07:00

Carry a pen and paper for when inspiration strikes!

Those personal details

2011-04-08T05:53:00.000-07:00

If your point of view character is the opposite sex, find someone who can be honest with you about the little details of being that sex. Another writer is ideal as they will understand why you are asking if they refer to a bottom as a bum or behind or...you get the picture.

Getting it right

2011-03-31T02:28:00.000-07:00

It's all too easy to jot stuff down, do a bit of editing and think it's OK. Jonny Geller wrote on his blog he started reading a book on Kindle that had so many typos he wanted to throw it against the wall. Paying attention to every last detail is a skill all writers should learn.

Synopsis

2011-03-24T14:20:00.001-07:00

Never stop working on your synopsis. It's tough to get right even if you've done it before.

A deeper ending

2011-03-17T03:28:00.000-07:00

Great endings stick in the mind when they echo something from the beginning of the story. This may be an image, word or feeling. It forces the reader to think back and make connections. And You've given them an 'Aaah I get it' moment.

Getting something down quick

2011-03-10T07:47:00.000-08:00

Writing fast is a good way to let a story develop. Put two characters in a situation and jot down the dialogue. Something will spring from it. You won't be able to help yourself and don't even think about editing as you go!

Time and inclination

2011-03-03T04:46:00.000-08:00

It's finding time to write that's the hardest thing and when you do, you struggle to get anything down. Establishing a routine is one way to make the flip quicker. Try out different things, or just sit and do nothing even if it takes up the whole time. Like brushing your teeth before bed, eventually you'll train your body and mind into writing.

Ebooks

2011-02-24T07:24:00.000-08:00

Everyone should be looking at developments in the ebook world. Times are changing and it makes sense to keep up otherwise you'll be left behind.

Keeping it local

2011-02-18T04:08:00.000-08:00

Lyndon Stacey's Somerset based thrillers have a strong local following. It's not a bad thing to place a novel in a town or village but be careful. Lyndon has a fictional villlage in Somerset which means her imagination isn't restricted by a real place although her characters do go to the bone fide places. Best of both worlds!

Sense of place

2011-02-10T02:12:00.000-08:00

Freeze frame your character and look around. What are the sights, smells? What do you see that they don't notice. Doing this will make you really feel you are there.

Submissions

2011-02-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

Agents and publishers get many submissions that are just not up to scratch. Punctuation errors, formatting anomalies, and grubby sheets that have done the rounds. Is it any wonder they hardly look at them? Helen Corner advises new authors treat it like going for a new job where there are thousands of other applicants. That's how good it has to be.

Your library

2011-01-27T07:03:00.001-08:00

Libraries are in the news, but don't ignore yours, especially if it's threatened with closure. You get paid each time your book is borrowed so think on it as a source, or potential source of income that might be lost to you.

Writing groups

2011-01-20T09:42:00.000-08:00

Finding a writing group that suits you is often tough. But perservere as you may find the writing buddy you've always wanted at that group. Stranger things have happened.

Loving a win

2011-01-18T11:46:00.000-08:00

Celebrate a win, whenever one happens. No writer gets enough pats on the back. When one like my Circalit win happens, it's time to pull out the stops.

When it all goes wrong

2011-01-18T06:39:00.000-08:00

No time, no internet, no nothing. That's it!

You and them

2010-12-30T14:01:00.000-08:00

Where ever you go imagine how your character would react to the rude shop assistant, the oik who cuts you up or the disinterested call centre operator. Are they more or less sympathetic than you? If all your characters behave the same way as you then you are in danger of not keeping them distinct.

Don't give up.

2010-12-22T05:39:00.000-08:00

No matter how hard it gets, you must carry on.

When you are dead

2010-12-16T08:55:00.000-08:00

When you are just too unwell or dead to write, just give in.

The human brain

2010-12-09T00:21:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's hard to work out what happens next in your story. You need a character to be at a certain place at a certain time, but how do you get them there - for a good reason and not just have them happen to be passing? Your human brain will sort it for you. Just give it time!

Agent twitter

2010-12-02T08:18:00.000-08:00

See if any of your prospective agents are on Twitter. You'll discover their likes and dislikes and maybe learn if they are someone you can work with!

Empathy

2010-11-25T07:13:00.000-08:00

A reader must get on board with your character, feel for him/her, care about what's happening to him/her. Any little act of unkindness or terseness with a vulnerable soul could destroy their faith. Your good guy is the good guy for a reason, but don't go all gooey because the reader won't like that either.

Time and tide wait for no man

2010-11-20T06:13:00.000-08:00

Juggling timelines is something every writer must do. Readers will lose faith the instant someone knows something before they should. Tough for the writer who knows what happens, but can't let the characters let on. Craft, craft, craft.

O-story

2010-11-11T15:56:00.000-08:00

Every story must have a structure and pretty much all of it must tie up by the end. Serious loose ends turn a narrative into an 'O-story'. You get to the end and go 'OH?' If your reader isn't satisfied then you can't be sure they'll read your next work. And no writer wants that.

Every experience is valuable

2010-10-29T01:02:00.000-07:00

Wherever you are, what ever you are doing, valuable material for your novel is all around you. Just don't forget to make notes as turning feelings into words isn't an instant process and not everyone's memory is great.

Time out

2010-10-23T04:55:00.000-07:00

There will be times when things aren't going well and it's a pig of job to even get started. Clearing out the fridge/freezer/garage/kitchen cupboards/loft/basement suddenly take on a surprising importance. This displacement activity needs to be kept in check or valuable writing time will be frittered away.

On board with your characters

2010-10-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Be on board with your characters. Don't let them 'lift' from the scene. Make sure they are thinking about what they should be thinking about - what the reader knows they should be thinking about. This will keep the reader on board too.

Freeze the action

2010-10-07T01:41:00.000-07:00

When your chapter or scene goes 'all dialogue'. Freeze the action and look around. Where is the character standing or sitting? What would they see if they weren't so busy talking? Anything to ground a scene, give it that sense of place is invaluable. But no long descriptions. When you unfreeze the story still has to maintain it's momentum.

Frustration

2010-10-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

Note frustration in yourself and others. Use these reactions to enrich your characters.

Wading through treacle

2010-09-23T04:26:00.000-07:00

Writing a novel is like wading through treacle. Things conspire to get in your way and at times you just won't feel up to it. The writers who succeed are those who just keep on going. A little bit at a time.

Character development

2010-09-16T10:52:00.000-07:00

Make sure your lead character has changed by the end of your novel. Readers expect them to have at least learned a lesson or two.

Food

2010-09-02T00:19:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to include food likes and dislikes. We all have them and so should each of your characters. But don't make them the same as yours. They need their own tastes.

Future proof your novel

2010-08-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

Write each chapter knowing what happens later on. This foreshadowing means any device or information you use later is not a surprise to the reader.

Discipline

2010-08-19T01:35:00.000-07:00

Easy to say, but writing every day means you are a writer. Short post because novel becons!

Life gets in the way

2010-08-12T01:16:00.000-07:00

Don't fret if life gets in the way of writing. Everyone has those crisis moments when the writing comes to stop. It may be a laptop bereavment or something more serious. If you can, then try and use the odd moment to mull over a character or scene, but don't put yourself under pressure. Just believe you'll pick it up when the crisis is over and you will.

Getting in the magazines

2010-07-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

The more publicity you can get the better. So start early and practise your promotional skills. When the times comes you will look at ease and professional.

Music

2010-07-22T02:44:00.000-07:00

Don't forget that every novel has a soundtrack. No one hears it, but its there. It's the difference between reading about it and being there. So when you write your next scene, will your character hear the music in the room next door or the baby crying in the street below?

Atmosphere

2010-07-16T09:24:00.001-07:00

Every novel has 'atmosphere'. Intimate interactions between characters being the closest level, but the society around them is no less important.

A new beginning

2010-07-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

The start of a novel is a very tricky place. It has a lot to do and your reader is not fully on board yet. Get it wrong and they jump off at the first stop. Get it right and they don't know they are at the final stop until the announcement. Read everything you can on beginnings and experiment with your own work. Cutting is a good place to start. The jury is out on prologues. Have one if it's absolutely necessary but otherwise it's a big NO.

Think ahead

2010-07-01T02:33:00.000-07:00

Agents and publishers are looking for long term investments. That is why authors of serials, like Ian Rankin, Lee Child and Patricia Cornwell are so popular - they pay! If you can rough out a plan of three or five books, you'll have something to show a prospective agent and be way ahead of the competition.

Book love

2010-06-24T02:11:00.000-07:00

Or to be more precise, http://www.bukluv.com/. This is one site where people can post opinions on their latest read. These websites are yet another form of word-of-mouth marketing that every writer should be aware of and be ready to use.

History and the now

2010-06-16T23:34:00.000-07:00

A historical event can fuel ideas for modern novels as can a newspaper cutting or TV programme. Never be afraid to work up an idea on paper and the sooner the better as life is guaranteed to get in the way and you'll never get those precious insights again.

Location and characters

2010-06-10T01:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a character, or mannerisms, just fall into your lap. Days out and experiences should be made the most of, but remember to take the time to make notes.

Sheila Crowley - Curtis Brown

2010-06-04T00:58:00.001-07:00

If you get a chance to meet lovely agents like Sheila Crowley then grab them with both hands and feet. Her talk to the SWWJ yesterday on where the industry is going and what we as writer's should be aware of was invaluable. Certainly the digital age is here to stay.

Four days of murder

2010-05-28T00:39:00.000-07:00

Crimefest 2010 in Bristol was a feast of blood, serial killers and death. The stuff of life for crime writers. Conferences are the best way to learn who is who in your genre and eyeball those all elusive literary agents.

Festival

2010-05-20T23:11:00.001-07:00

If you possibly can, get to a writing festival. You learn so much more than tips on character and plot. You meet other writers, agents and celebrities too. Writers observe and they'll remember you next time you happen on them, so smile and chat. It's all money in the writing bank.

Back to reality

2010-05-13T00:31:00.000-07:00

After a writer's retreat, take a few days to ease back into 'real' life. There will be stacks of emails, post and phone calls to deal with. Think how you felt while you were away and be kind to yourself.

Newspapers

2010-04-15T14:12:00.000-07:00

Newspapers are a great source of stories. Read ones you don't normally as they can be a mine of characters and quotes and best of all, you can rip passages out saving you the bother of copying them into a notebook.

Conferences

2010-04-12T03:25:00.000-07:00

Any chance you get to go, take it. The insider information you pick up is just phenomenal and the contacts are equally valuable. Or just go to hobnob with other writers. Worth it for the buzz alone!

Every little helps

2010-04-01T01:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the hardest thing is to keep going, yet you have to. Even thinking up a few words of dialogue or scribbling down an idea is progress.

Beryl Bainbridge

2010-03-25T04:36:00.000-07:00

A quote from Beryl, "Everybody should write down, as best they can, before they die, what they think they were like and then the children will get an entirely different idea of who they were. "

Conflict

2010-03-18T05:58:00.000-07:00

You can't have too much of it in a novel, even amongst two characters that get on with each other. If there isn't some in every chapter then ask yourself why not?

Ice and ise

2010-03-11T01:59:00.000-08:00

Practice is a noun and practise a verb, but how do you remember which is which? Ice is a thing, an object you can touch. You can't grab an ise. This works for advice and advise too, but in this case the pronunciation is subtly different.

Word count

2010-03-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

Setting a word count is easy. Sticking to it is a whole different matter, but using targets is an important skill to master. The professionals do it, so practising now will put you in good stead even if you don't get it right all the time.

No writing is ever wasted

2010-02-25T08:34:00.001-08:00

Whatever you write is good practice. So if you start a story and it goes nowhere, the time you've spent even partly developing a character may prove useful later on.

Theme

2010-02-18T08:59:00.000-08:00

Theme is the underlying truth an universality of human experience expressed in literature. It answers the question, 'What does this story mean?'

Foreshadowing

2010-02-11T06:09:00.000-08:00

A woman gets out of bed and loads her handgun. She's going into town. What happens next? You've got it!

A sense of place

2010-02-04T11:11:00.000-08:00

Location is essential to ground your characters in the story and in your reader's mind. Bring your writing to life by selecting one or two vivid, specific details or maybe a recognizable smell.