Book Deal or Bust

Viv

Following my successful Writers Forum column Barbados or Bust, I am now being given a new column about trying to get a novel published. This time it's Book Deal or Bust! The first one is written and I am working with the WF editor to plan future instalments. Readers will be able to follow my attempts to lick the book into shape and get it in front of the right people, and will also be able to read extracts of it and leave comments on a blog. This is going to be very exciting for me, and I hope helpful to other fledgling novelists too.

Carol

Best of luck Viv. When is the first part scheduled?

Chippy

Ooh, that's great news Viv! Congratulations! =D and good luck...

Alik

Sounds great! :-)

flyingtart

Look forward to reading it, Viv! :)

dorothyd

interesting idea and knowing you, you'll do it!

Jay Mandal

Well done!

Baggy Books

Good luck Viv!

I enjoyed your other column.

:)

niddy

fantastic news Viv, really enjoyed your last column so I know this will be as good.

Viv

Thank you, all. I am hoping to see part one in the next issue, Carol. Lots of people decide to write or try to sell a novel as a New Year resolution, so January seems like the best time to launch it.

Josette

That's great, Viv! Very best of luck with it.

Jenny

What a great opportunity, Viv!!

Dwight

Sounds great, Viv. I'm looking forward to reading every word you write - and seeing what other writers say about it.

Kangaroo

Goodluck Viv! I'll have to keep an eye out for it. :-)

Wordy

Goodluck, Viv. I only caught the last three articles of the Barbados or Bust articles as I hadn't come across the magazine before. Look forward to following your progress. I am sure you will be successful.

Carol

I'll certainly keep a look out for it. All the best.

Mutley

Great fun. Good luck

Rosalie

Sounds good, Viv, well done. I'll look out for it.

Nefertari

I'll look forward to reading that.

Amanda

good luck viv. I'll have to get a copy sent over to me.

ceka

I loved your Barbados or Bust - and obviously so did a lot of other people! I really look forward to reading thisk new column. Kick on!

Stirling

Anyone who hasn't see this month's WF - go out and get it; Viv's column is brilliant.

I also think the opening chapter is brilliant too Viv.

Carol

I wasn't able to get it this week, but will go out for it next week.

Stirling

I got a hold of it on Friday in WHSmiths (no sign of WM though!)

Viv

Glad you like it Stirling. Trouble is I have to really do something with this novel now! Instalment two is already written for the next issue, and Hilary Johnson is doing a critique for me, so we'll see what she suggests I do to improve and sell this book. No idea what instalment three will hold for me yet.

Stirling

Good luck (I know how you feel, I want to just write the novel but have an essay and exam to prepare for!)

niddy

Read your article Viv, excellent, loved the first installment of the book, look forward to reading more.

Viv

I've now had the first 2 instalments published in WF, and they have set up a blog on the writers forum website where readers can share their own novel writing experiences and worries, and leave comments about my quest and about the published opening extract of my own novel. I'd love to get some talkbackers commenting on the blog - it helps me to plan future instalments if I can find out what writers think and what issues matter most. I have just written instalment 3 (for march issue) about whether a prologue works in a modern novel - all based on other writers telling me what they think about it and how they have used prologues themselves. Next topic - synopsis.

www.writers-forum.com

Stirling

Viv you read my mind!

I'm entering my opening chapters in the Yeovil prize; they are ready but I need to write the synopsis. I tried writing it today but couldn't. It's not that I can't; I would just find it helpful to be able to see successful synopsis'. Another niggle is when do you use a single page synopsis or a longer one?

I'll take a look at WF right now. Great to see them getting more interactive!

Carol

Prologues are an interesting issue, so I look forward to that discussion.

Viv

Stirling - I will be quoting from published writers re their views on the synopsis, and I'm hoping to get to see a few successful ones that worked! Coming in the April issue. Also hoping that Hilary Johnson will have read my synopsis and commented on it by then.
Carol - I got great responses re prologues - some love them and some hate them - a very interesting debate as you say!

Kangaroo

Hi Viv, good to hear from you.

ceka

This series rolls on every month! Just read you today, Viv! Did you tell the guys at Caerleon what you've been up to?
Shoving this fred back up

niddy

I read it last night, very interesting Viv - you show a lot of determination.

caro

Well done, Viv!

Viv

Lots of people at Caerleon are following the column and some of my short stories too. We tend to recognise each other's work once we know each other. I will be carrying on with Book Deal or Bust for a bit longer, but if I get no exciting developments by Christmas I think it will stop- it can't go on forever without a result. The next one in October issue is about when is the right time to give up - and will feature some quotes from our very own ceka who kindly agreed to let me include her.

ceka

(And she's waiting, ready to leave the country if wot she said comes over too naff!)

Viv

Don't be daft!

Baggy Books

I shall look forward to reading it.

:)

I see you had a mention in another contributor's column this month - can't be bad!

niddy

I do hope you're successful, Viv, the book sounds great

Stan2

Well done Viv. I no longer subscribe to WF.

Viv

Just to let you know that WF October issue is due out next week - on 3 Sept - and will include my brief 'interview' with ceka. Still no luck finding an agent for my book, but I am learning an awful lot about novel-writing from talking to the experts, critique services, agents and other writers. Writing the column has been very useful to me and, I hope, to the readers too, and has earned me a regular monthly payment just for writing it. I am getting a lot of stuff right now re synopses, viewpoint, length of chapters, covering letters etc, that were certainly not perfect before - so my next novel will show the effects of all I have learned, and will be THE ONE, even if this current one never makes it. Positive attitude!

niddy

the last sentence says it all Viv - good luck and look forward to reading the interview

ceka

I've liked your two columns since long before I 'knew' you, Viv and wish someone would pick your Lucy up and get her out there. Maybe the next one, or the next ... My own 'Lucy' has clearly just bombed out of Macmillan - not heard after 3 months so consider him deleted!) but there's always the next one, or the next ...
Never Give Up (but you can change your plan if you have to!)

Lolli

Well done, viv

Kangaroo

Well done Viv.

mema

well done, Viv.
your column was the reason I suscribed to WF (i used to buy it in Borders but didn't want to miss any part) and it's the first thing I read when I open my copy every month. it's like reading a serial. i still hope there will be happy ending to Lucy's story

Stan2

Good to hear about the regular column, Viv.

Viv

It's out today. Eagerly awaiting ceka's reaction to the way I have mentioned her in this month's column.

Baggy Books

I saw her name, need to read it properly.

:)

Verica

Mine hasn't arrived yet!