Comments for Choc Lit http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk Hear all the latest news from the Choc Lit Authors Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:04:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 Comment on Margaret James on the New Writers’ Scheme by Christina Courtenay http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=518&cpage=1#comment-243 Christina Courtenay Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:53:06 +0000 http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=518#comment-243 I totally agree, Margaret! I wouldn't be published without the RNA's New Writer's Scheme - I learned so much from it and although it can be hard sometimes to take the critique, it's worth it if it makes your writing improve. As for the parties and lunches - they're a huge bonus! I totally agree, Margaret! I wouldn’t be published without the RNA’s New Writer’s Scheme - I learned so much from it and although it can be hard sometimes to take the critique, it’s worth it if it makes your writing improve. As for the parties and lunches - they’re a huge bonus!

]]> Comment on Sue Moorcroft on SirenFM by Sue Moorcroft http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=513&cpage=1#comment-242 Sue Moorcroft Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:52:34 +0000 http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=513#comment-242 Oh yes, definitely. Essentially, you're just talking to one person in a quiet little room. It's not at all intimidating. And because it wasn't live it didn't matter when we went wrong! The first time I was on Radio Northampton I got a magazine out to show the guy ... Durr. Oh yes, definitely. Essentially, you’re just talking to one person in a quiet little room. It’s not at all intimidating. And because it wasn’t live it didn’t matter when we went wrong! The first time I was on Radio Northampton I got a magazine out to show the guy … Durr.

]]> Comment on Sue Moorcroft on SirenFM by Christina Courtenay http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=513&cpage=1#comment-241 Christina Courtenay Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:46:09 +0000 http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=513#comment-241 I too am seriously impressed, Sue! I'd be totally tongue-tied I think, but perhaps it helps not to see the audience? I too am seriously impressed, Sue! I’d be totally tongue-tied I think, but perhaps it helps not to see the audience?

]]> Comment on Margaret James on the New Writers’ Scheme by Chris Stovell http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=518&cpage=1#comment-239 Chris Stovell Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:31:53 +0000 http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=518#comment-239 Absolutely! The price of appraisals alone can be very expensive so to get membership of the RNA as well for a relatively small fee makes it excellent value for money. Absolutely! The price of appraisals alone can be very expensive so to get membership of the RNA as well for a relatively small fee makes it excellent value for money.

]]> Comment on Sue Moorcroft on SirenFM by Chris Stovell http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=513&cpage=1#comment-238 Chris Stovell Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:19:15 +0000 http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=513#comment-238 The thought of doing 2.5 hours of radio interview seems very daunting to me, Sue, but having listened to you before I know how good you are at doing them. Will click, listen and learn! The thought of doing 2.5 hours of radio interview seems very daunting to me, Sue, but having listened to you before I know how good you are at doing them. Will click, listen and learn!

]]> Comment on Christine Stovell on Plotting and Planning by Christine Stovell http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=509&cpage=1#comment-233 Christine Stovell Sun, 05 Sep 2010 10:55:20 +0000 http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=509#comment-233 Hi Milla, and Fennie, thanks both for your cooments - have unlocked them as they were tucked away here, apologies for that. Yes, Milla, I do use Excel (not difficult to set up basic speadsheet, honest. And Fennie, yes, that way of doing business clearly does work for some people - See Jane's response! Good luck with the competition. Hi Milla, and Fennie, thanks both for your cooments - have unlocked them as they were tucked away here, apologies for that.

Yes, Milla, I do use Excel (not difficult to set up basic speadsheet, honest. And Fennie, yes, that way of doing business clearly does work for some people - See Jane’s response! Good luck with the competition.

]]> Comment on Christine Stovell on Plotting and Planning by Fennie Somerville http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=509&cpage=1#comment-232 Fennie Somerville Sun, 05 Sep 2010 09:58:00 +0000 http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=509#comment-232 Not sure I could plan with spread sheets, but I'm sure that must be logical. I believe Graham Greene said that when he started a novel he had no real idea where it was going to go - just a vague idea. A 'Journey Without Maps,' I suppose. I think I incline towards this way of writing, though I've never written a novel (yet! - you never know). But with stories I have an idea and then start writing. The words and the tale flow up slowly from the subconscious. It is difficult for me to think of them out of a context. Yesterday, I heard about an old woman who had Alzheimers and had threatened violence with her walking stick. I wondered what would happen if a witch had Alzheimers - I mean she could then start creating all sorts of mayhem if she got angry. I scribbled (and as I wasn't at my computer) I mean scribbled for an hour and then I had a children's story and a vehicle with through which to introduce the subject of dementia to children. When I started I had no idea of where the story would go, but as sentence follows sentence it just builds somehow. As it is vaguely suitable I shall enter it in Cait's competition. Whether of course the unconscious factory would ever last as long as a novel is something that I shall just have to find out in due course. Meanwhile I shall keep the spreadsheets in mind, so thanks. Not sure I could plan with spread sheets, but I’m sure that must be logical. I believe Graham Greene said that when he started a novel he had no real idea where it was going to go - just a vague idea. A ‘Journey Without Maps,’ I suppose. I think I incline towards this way of writing, though I’ve never written a novel (yet! - you never know). But with stories I have an idea and then start writing. The words and the tale flow up slowly from the subconscious. It is difficult for me to think of them out of a context. Yesterday, I heard about an old woman who had Alzheimers and had threatened violence with her walking stick. I wondered what would happen if a witch had Alzheimers - I mean she could then start creating all sorts of mayhem if she got angry. I scribbled (and as I wasn’t at my computer) I mean scribbled for an hour and then I had a children’s story and a vehicle with through which to introduce the subject of dementia to children. When I started I had no idea of where the story would go, but as sentence follows sentence it just builds somehow. As it is vaguely suitable I shall enter it in Cait’s competition. Whether of course the unconscious factory would ever last as long as a novel is something that I shall just have to find out in due course. Meanwhile I shall keep the spreadsheets in mind, so thanks.

]]> Comment on Christine Stovell on Plotting and Planning by Jane Lovering http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=509&cpage=1#comment-230 Jane Lovering Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:20:39 +0000 http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=509#comment-230 Oh Lordy, I'm the black sheep again - never plotted anything in my (shiftless) life! I have a beginning (often just an opening line or character) and an end point, and from there on I have to write it to find out what happens. Which usually results in much re-writing and editing. But I guess the moral of the story (and your post, Chris) is that there are as many ways of writing as there are writers. Thanks for showing us your way of doing things. Oh Lordy, I’m the black sheep again - never plotted anything in my (shiftless) life! I have a beginning (often just an opening line or character) and an end point, and from there on I have to write it to find out what happens. Which usually results in much re-writing and editing. But I guess the moral of the story (and your post, Chris) is that there are as many ways of writing as there are writers. Thanks for showing us your way of doing things.

]]> Comment on Christine Stovell on Plotting and Planning by Christine Stovell http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=509&cpage=1#comment-226 Christine Stovell Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:18:32 +0000 http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=509#comment-226 It is interesting to compare approaches. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It is interesting to compare approaches. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

]]> Comment on Christine Stovell on Plotting and Planning by Christina Courtenay http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=509&cpage=1#comment-225 Christina Courtenay Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:58:55 +0000 http://blog.choc-lit.co.uk/?p=509#comment-225 Well, don't let your students read this, Sue, because I'm afraid I do exactly what Chris did first, with one improvement - I get an idea, run with it until I come to a stop and then (only then) do I start to do some plotting. So far, it's worked for me, but I don't know if I'd recommend it to others. Sometimes I do have the whole plot in my head beforehand, but mostly I don't. I guess it's horses for courses! :) Well, don’t let your students read this, Sue, because I’m afraid I do exactly what Chris did first, with one improvement - I get an idea, run with it until I come to a stop and then (only then) do I start to do some plotting. So far, it’s worked for me, but I don’t know if I’d recommend it to others. Sometimes I do have the whole plot in my head beforehand, but mostly I don’t. I guess it’s horses for courses! :)

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