PaperBox Books

I started this post with a purpose. I was going to write a review of the book so far. As a publisher, like other publishers, I look at the beginning of the book and decide whether there’s enough promise to make it worth my time to read a whole manuscript.

Like most readers, I have read books that start out great then peter off into poor writing, bad character development and a plot that goes nowhere. And, books that don’t start out so great but are good enough to keep me reading until I hit the gold.

This book, Eat Pray Love isn’t the kind of book I usually read – it is however the type of movie I love to watch. And I fully intend to watch this one.

Why don’t I read these books? It’s the transition from rock bottom to whatever new state the heroine grows into. In the book, for me it takes for freaking ever for the character to let go of the whining and get on with the growing.

It’s not the writing, Elizabeth Gilbert has done a great job putting the story on the page, she did a great job of setting the scene, and I find her ‘rockbottomness’ believable. It’s the pace, I’m around 10% of the way in (by the little blue bar on my Kindle for iPod) and we haven’t yet started the journey.

When this kind of story is in a movie, they cut it to the smallest time possible because they have around 2 hours (at most for this type of movie) and they know the story is in the struggle.

So, if you are looking to write this kind of journey memoir, fictional or not, remember the reader needs to buy into the reason the character needs to change, but the story really starts when the journey starts.

This example, Neon Pilgrim, is a self published book that I happened along in Smashwords one day. It could use some editing but she keeps the “I’m in such a bad place I need to change drastically’ down to under six pages. Even hardhearted me can handle that.

How do you like your memoirs paced?

Happy writing

Perry

No Comments | In: Opinions | tags: movies, opinion. | #

Hi, this is from Ask the Publishing Guru – great advice on writing like a pro.

Five Writing Tips.

Happy writing

Perry

No Comments | In: Awesome Links, Writing Tips | tags: opinion, writing, Writing Tips. | #

Hi, first, this is not a post for hoarders to use to point out they don’t need help. This is about keeping information that might be useful in your writing.

I generally clean house periodically, and I’m not someone who keeps things, I like clean spaces and lots of room. But, I do tend to keep books. Over the years I have purchased a lot of ‘how to write’ books. Most I’ve glanced through and kept them because they make my bookshelves look writerly. But, today I was clearing out my storage – preparations for moving house – and I found three books that I have used more than once.

Looking through this is inspiring and gave me lots of ideas when I started to work on Closing the Circle.

I have to say there’s nothing like a dip into religions to give you ideas on building your own world.

Any help on building a coherent myth – or borrowing one appropriately, is worth it’s weight in Leprechaun gold.

Encyclopedia of Mythology

Do you have any writing books that you keep returning to time after time?

Perry

1 Comment | In: Writing Tips | tags: opinion, Writing Tips. | #

One of the things that a writer needs to do is develop their craft.

Simply writing more stories and stretching yourself to write new genres or working on the part of writing you find hardest will improve your skills. But, like most things in life, you can make bigger leaps if you work with others.

A conference is an organized series of talks or workshops. Some conferences incorporate writing time, but for the most part, you are there to learn skills, techniques, or career lessons from the pros. Shaw Guides is a great place to find writing workshops. It slices and dices the listing so you can easily find a workshop/conference when, where and for what skills you need.

Writing retreats are different, you will find some on Shaw Guides. but you can create your own. You can find a resort, or a B&B in some location – maybe where you’ve set your book – and go alone, or get some writer friends together, and set up specific writing tasks.

If you are trying to get started on a book, have a two day retreat on outlining or character building, or world building. If you are trying to get the first, second, five thousandth or last revision done, take a long weekend, get away from distractions. Then do it.

The benefit of taking a writing friend – not just friends who will want to golf or shop or whatever – is that you have someone to eat meals with who will understand if you are in the groove and don’t want to stop.

One conference I’ll shamelessly plug is the Canadian Authors’ Association CanWrite! 2010. June 2010 in Beautiful Victoria BC.

Happy Writing

Perry

No Comments | In: Writing Help, Writing Tips | tags: growing your skills, opinion, writing advice, Writing Tips. | #

When we got our first horror submission I was worried. I didn’t read horror and didn’t have any idea what to say. Also, I don’t read it for a reason – nightmares, baby.

We often get work submitted that doesn’t fall into what either Sue or I read. In addition, both Sue and I belong to critique groups. So I spend a lot of time reviewing and giving advice to people about books I would never read. Before I started doing it, I didn’t think it was possible.

I have found that I can give and accept critiques across genres. Here’s how I take on a review like that.

I start by looking at the premise, is it credibly set up. For horror, is it frightening? Is the ‘evil’ thing bad enough but still believable within the archetype – let’s not talk about sparkly vampires.

If that’s there, then I just start looking for the same things I normally do. Does the story start at the beginning of the action? Is the dialogue and description engaging? Does the author have a strong voice?

As I read, I look for grammar and punctuation issues. Not that I’m an editor in that sense but sometimes it jumps out. And then I try to decide if I would read the book. I have to say a few books I’ve read outside my normal taste have intrigued me enough to dip my toe into the genre.

On the flip side, I listen very carefully to critiques from people who don’t read/write in my genre. I have to know the conventions of my own genre to write a good story, but my critiquer doesn’t. So, I have to sort through the suggestions to find ones I can work with and discard the ones that I can’t because of the rules. One of my critique groups keep telling me ‘I would like to know more about the background of this person’ or ‘why didn’t you tell me about this aspect’. I thank them because I needed the reader to be wondering at that point – it’s a mystery.

I guess the suggestion here is that you don’t need to find someone who writes or reads the same books as you. Feedback is valuable. If you don’t have a critique group, go find one.

Happy writing

Perry

No Comments | In: Opinions, Submissions, Writing Tips | tags: advice, critique, opinion, writing advice, Writing Tips. | #

I think the answer to the question is, yes they are. Sometimes they are just worth gaining an interesting new perspective, and sometimes they are the first step in getting to the next level. What’s the best free opinion? One you agree to hear.

So, we’ve sent out two tweets offering a free first read and opinion for writers out in our followers, and the followers of our followers, and – with luck – the followers of our follower’s followers. Okay that got me wondering if follower is really a word.

So, the first call gave us three great stories. They weren’t perfect but wow, there was talent there. We were able to get back to people really quickly. Today we sent out the second call – okay Sue did the work – and we’re hoping to get  few more submissions before the offer ends.

The benefits are huge for us, and I hope the authors. PaperBox Books benefits from the opportunity to talk to new authors and the author gets a bit of free critique from a publisher. What is cool for me is that I also get a chance to look for the same blemishes and tics in my own work. Something I become better at as I go through critiquing.

If you are thinking about sending in something, please know we’re here to help, not to destroy. We are writers, too. We know how hard it is to hear that something isn’t working, but we also know it sometimes takes a fresh eye to find out what needs work, and what kind of work it needs. And, even better for the fragile writer’s ego – what is working. We give the good and the bad.

Happy writing.

Perry

No Comments | In: Opinions, Submissions | tags: How to Submit, opinion, revision, Twitter, Writing Tips. | #

Hi, I don’t know about you but I’m getting a bit overwhelmed by the number of reviews of the iPad as a reader.

It seems fairly universal that it’s not the best reader. It’s too reflective, too heavy, and too big. There’s lots of great feedback for other purposes but ereader doesn’t seem to be a hit.

I don’t have one, and probably won’t get one, so I’m not going to rant about whether it will kill the Kindle or the publishing industry. I will give two thoughts.

When looking at iPad being an industry changer, doing to publishing what iTunes did to the music industry, I haven’t seem much comment on the fact that the music industry was mainly bricks and mortar before iTunes. Amazon is not bricks and mortar so I’m not sure the iPad can make as drastic an impact as iTunes did. And, books have not been a mainly bricks and mortar shopping experience for years. So, I will sit back and watch what happens, no predictions from me.

The other comment, well, I’m entertained by the reviews of the iPad as an unwieldy and mirrorlike ereader, but I don’t think Apple actually developed it as an ereader. Just like the iPod/phone/touch the iPad is a multifunction device. And, because of that I don’t think it can be the best anything. The best ereader will fit in a purse/manpurse/ or pocket, will have a long lasting battery and will be readable outside. In my opinion anyway.

Just like the best phone, will be clear, light, easy to use and not feel like  a brick in my hand.

So, for those of you who like the new toys, I’m enjoying your posts about the iPad, but if I decide to buy one, I won’t be expecting it to be a perfect anything, I’ll be expecting it to do a good job with a lot of functionality.

Perry

1 Comment | In: Opinions, e-Reader Competition | tags: e-readers, iPad, opinion. | #

Hi, short post this time to let you know that we tweeted out an offer to give an opinion on the first 10 pages of a manuscript. We got three submissions faster than – insert your favorite cliche here – and we were wowed by the work people sent.

To the three people who have now received our comments, well done. All three had us wanting to read more.

Sue and I are going to do this periodically, so follow PaperBox Books on twitter and watch for the invitation.

It’s sunny here – and still a bit windy. But who is going to say no thanks to a nice sunny day.

Happy writing

Perry

No Comments | In: Opinions, Submissions, What's New with PBB | tags: How to Submit, opinion, Twitter. | #

This post title started out as ‘how did we manage before the Internet? but I realized the topic was wider than that.

I’m a trailing baby boomer (they just kept dropping the birth year until I was suddenly a baby boomer). I’m used to the realization that life has changed so much in my lifetime (I’m pretty sure there were no TVs when I was born – at least not easily accessible for a family) what I am always surprised at is how much has happened in the last 1/2 of my lifetime. This isn’t going to be another list of things like kids don’t know what a cassette deck is… I just wanted to give some perspective. Our first TV (we lived in Wales) required constant feeding of coin to make it work. Now, I can pick up my TV in one hand, and it will soon be in 3d (not sure if that’s a benefit but my mind is open).

So, today I run a consulting business and a share of a publishing business, I hold positions in two different professional communities and I write, and I do have a social life. I couldn’t have done that when I was younger – I can only manage it because I have twitter, blogs, email, conference call, webinars, online banking, MSN, IRC…….

I do waste some time on Twitter – who doesn’t, that’s what it’s for. But my time there is often, marketing, researching and connecting with people.  I write for 4 blogs all together, not daily but I do contribute. It’s a place to inform, connect and share. All in my PJs if I want.

Along with Sue and another writer/teacher/etc friend we’re working on developing two forms of writing workshops, on-line and in person. And, for my consulting company I’m doing the same.

I guess the point is, the technology has opened the possibilities for me to have a varied and exciting life. It’s up to me to make that happen.

So, the next time someone asks me why they should be on Twitter, blogging, Facebook,linked in, You Tube, I think I’ll answer – “What do you think you want to be there for?” It’s all about what you want to do, not what everyone else thinks you should do.

Have a great week.

Perry

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