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Advice required on how to build up a writing CV, please!
Hiya everyone!
I've been on here before (Cooper may remember me), but always seem to have problems logging on (got about 10 different log in names, as if writing's not frustrating enough!). I've been 'away' focussing on actually writing for a few months and have completed a few children's stories. However, no agents seem to want them - just standard replies with the dull thud of the returned manuscript - ouch! Well, me Mum thought they were good!!!
I'm learning how hard it is to get published. Nonetheless, I've been studything the craft of fiction writing for years now and I'm at the mid-crime-novel stage, but nagging in the back of my mind is the fact when I do come to send this off, I have only a couple of articles from the nineties to include in my cover letter.
Question: should I defer my novel writing and try to increase my CV so I am taken more seriously (I know this could take time), or just crack on regardless? And are there any markets out there for crime-based short stories as I can't seem to find any?
I would greatly appreciate any advice at all.
I've been on here before (Cooper may remember me), but always seem to have problems logging on (got about 10 different log in names, as if writing's not frustrating enough!). I've been 'away' focussing on actually writing for a few months and have completed a few children's stories. However, no agents seem to want them - just standard replies with the dull thud of the returned manuscript - ouch! Well, me Mum thought they were good!!!
I'm learning how hard it is to get published. Nonetheless, I've been studything the craft of fiction writing for years now and I'm at the mid-crime-novel stage, but nagging in the back of my mind is the fact when I do come to send this off, I have only a couple of articles from the nineties to include in my cover letter.
Question: should I defer my novel writing and try to increase my CV so I am taken more seriously (I know this could take time), or just crack on regardless? And are there any markets out there for crime-based short stories as I can't seem to find any?
I would greatly appreciate any advice at all.
Comments
It wouldn't matter if you had just woken from a coma since birth, if your novel is brilliant it will get published.
What is vital is your covering letter, which should be concise, grammatically correct, and punctuated correctly. It should definitely NOT contain any reference to your mother liking your story... A whole lot of conclusions about your novel are drawn from that letter, and the better it is, the more likely your manuscript will get read. If your letter's no good -it won't. No good does not mean containing no experience.
The best way to write a good novel is to practice by writing novels. It is not by doing something else... so I'd carry on...
Many thanks for taking the time to comment. I will take your advice on board with thanks.
The Mum comment was thrown in above for sarcasm purposes only and would definitely not appears in my cover letter! I am quite an experienced fiction writer (compared to many amateurs) but I need someone, somewhere, to actually read my stuff (that many educated professionals tell me is 'gripping').
I know there's luck involved in the right person reading it at the right time, but I'm also aware that the right person will be busy too!
I see you're writing picture books, which is another thing I've tried. How are you doing?
So at this precise moment, I am completely unable it seems to settle to any task. This morning, since you asked, I note I have read half a book of children's poetry (someone sent me this morning), looked a at a U-tube poetry reading (someone sent me this morning) looked at my Wildlife magazine (sent this morning, I write poetry mainly about animals and use it for sparking ideas), sat down with a blank piece of paper to try and write school poems, then decided to come and look to see if there are any I've written on the computer already to make better and in between and now read and commented here...!
Fingers crossed re the two stories being considered. Did you go through an agent or direct?
Last time I was on I was inundated with welcomes, warmth and advice. What's happened? Is everyone at work, or has everyone had their blockbuster novels published and forgotten about the likes of us meagre mortals?
Ah, well...back to the writing...
They rather scarily suggest that writing about non-writing stuff is not allowed. Or similar. I feel a bit scared now to say anything other than that which directly concerned with writing... maybe the general chatter has died down...
OR you have offended absolutely everybody. But I doubt it!
I'm sure Dorothy or Jay will remember it too.
So let me get this clear, as I've not been on for a while; we can only discuss writing related topics? Surely every topic is writing related! Or am I missing the point?
These are the original rules when Talkback started- though there may have been additions over the years.
We all (at the last time) agreed that just because it wasn't about writing directly, it didn't mean we shouldn't be able to talk about it. As you've said [quote=Col B.]Surely every topic is writing related[/quote]
No objections were raised by WN/WM or Webbo then.
It's just unfortunate we had problems over the weekend- inadvertantly caused by me-that has needed the Administrator to clarify the rules.
On the subject of CVs - I pretty much agree with LizB but would suggest that if you can find the time you enter some short story competitions, too. Getting shortlisted opened up some doors for me, and it looks good to put them on your CV. But I'd say focus on your crime novel - there's a huge market for them out there.
Good luck :)
I'll bear that in mind Carol & watch what I say!
Thanks for the advice Rosalie, Midia & Jay. Sound, as expected, & has diminshed my befuddlement somewhat.
Catch you soon guys - I'm off to write throughout the night!!!
I find dipping in here takes my mind off into another direction which really helps with the lateral thinking needed to write poetry -also when you've been researching and thinking about one topic, it's a good idea to relax your mind by thinking about something completely different -and if the relaxation includes talking to like-minded people, so much the better...
Looking at the actual subject threads is a better way if you want to avoid general member chat...
The top of your head is in good form - the answers to your questions are: yes, yes, yes and, you guessed it, yes!
Nice one (or, should I say, four).
Cheers.
PS.I sent you two private postings and you ignored them both. Are you like this in 'real' life, too, sharp and sarcastic with all and never offer a friendly word to anyone?
Col, if you had gone on the welcome thread, as in welcome back, you would have had a lot more response, but asking a question which some of us can't answer means we often don't visit that thread. That's the only reason. We are all here, but not visiting all the threads all the time.
If you don't want to read what I think is my kind of humour . . . don't read it.
If you want to read about writing topics . . . start the threads and get people talking about what you want to read about.
It is actually very easy.
Hi Col B, sorry for not writing to you, but I don't have much information concerning CVs that I could have given to you. That's why I didn't write in the thread earlier.
I have little time - mostly - and I sometimes don't have the energy left over to read every single thread that has opened since my last visits.
Please accept my appologies; I am not ususaly 'not talkative'.
:-)
No worries Gully.
Viv, you're a star.
I'm glad I returned!
Still no sign of Coops, though.....
There are 3 things that will get you published today; be a celebrity, have a recent bestseller and sadly nobody knows what the third thing is.
I think the best thing you can do to improve your chances of publication is to send manuscripts out to as many publishers and agents as you can afford at the same time; 10 or more if it is feasible. This practice is acceptable nowadays, include a line in your letter stating you have sent your manuscript to other publishers/agents at the same time. Also try and get to the Winchester Writers' conference, held in June/July each year; you can book an appointment with an agent or publisher and send them stuff to read first so they will discuss it with you - but beware, they are honest and it can hurt a lot more than a rejection letter (it's a bit like showing your baby to someone and being told 'Ugh that's ugly').
Don't forget that writing the novel is only the start; it is editing that makes the difference between a published novel and a rejection letter. Don't send anything out if you don't think it is the best it can possibly be, only top writers get editing services from a publishing company.
And finally, remember at our level this is not art it is business. The only thing publishers/agents want to know is, can they make money out of you. You must treat it as if you were trying to sell a product to a supermarket chain, be professional, on time and most of all, give your absolute best in every possible way; if you think 'oh that'll do', it won't.
Good luck
As an editor the one thing I hate is being sent work that needs editing to be told later 'oh, that's not the finished item' by which time I have shown such a lack of interest they have taken it for a no anyway.
the other thing I hate is being told 'you can read my work at www...' like I have time to do that!
Thanks for digging this from the archives. I appreciate your advice (yours too Dororthy).
I was very flattered (and surprised) when a prospective client sought my site out. I'd gone along to the meeting with a paper CV in case it was needed, but he told me that he'd read all he needed to on there.
It took a while to get enough pieces together to add but not forever!
I have links to the newspapers I have appeared in and have PDFs on the actual articles stored too.
You will soon build up evidence of your work.
Just your writing successes and anything work-wise that you feel is pertinent or what would make you an authority on the your chosen subject (if there's nowt, then leave it out!). Plus ANYTHING you've had published and if that's not a lot then 'glam' yourself up a bit with aspects of your personality like, tenacity, determination, dedication and your long term plans....
Maybe calling it a 'CV' is somewhat amibiguous...it's really just selling yourself in a cover letter, but I personally wouldn't do more than a page of A4. I'm sure others can add more to this, but that's just my take on the subject.