As a writer, do you think it's OK to write 'out'?
So can white people write black characters or vice versa? Straight writers, write gay character? Men write as women?
Not at all? One way (Gay can write straight, but not vice versa)? Either way?
Why?
Why is it, in films, that when a person on foot is being chased by somebody in a vehicle - say, through a forest - they ALWAYS run straight down the middle of the road?
It's a REAL pity but I have decided I can no longer read books slated as "The first in a series"
I am TOTALLY PISSED OFF with reading a whole book only to discover that there is no ending and lose ends have not been tied up because it's the first in a SERIAL
@OhHowByronic
@SundownersBook
The best thing you can give anybody you love is your time
Take her out, buy her a nice meal, take her to a show, take some selfies
@AustinJ_P_
The fame of the author
The Cormoran Strike books were written under the pen name Robert Galbraith. They were not great and not selling
Suddenly it was 'accidently' revealed that the author was J K Rowling ... and suddenly they started flying off the shelf
@TheBMA
Your ability to take safe but effective action trumps patients' needs for treatment?
I think if you are a doctor and care so little for patient welfare that you are prepared to strike then maybe you are in the wrong profession
@PaulRMonarch
I really dislike the term 'pantser'
I prefer 'architects' and 'gardeners'
The 'architect' knows absolutely everything before the first brick is laid
The 'gardener' thinks in broad sweeps, generalisations and themes ... but still has an overall scheme in his head
@AustinJ_P_
I wrote one novel almost exclusively while flying around the world
I always tell ppl who claim they haven't got time to do a time audit
How much time do you spend watching TV, on soc-med, travelling (not driving!), waiting?
If you REALLY want to write, divert some of that time
@timmckay52
Anyways is not a word
Toward is US. Towards is the rest of English speaking world
Forward is an adverb and adjective, a verb and a noun. Forwards is archaic adverb
Backward/backwards is same as toward/towards
Spoke to my grandson over Halloween & how we used to carve pumpkins when he was tiny
Last night he arrived at my door with 2 pumpkins and we carved them and made soup
Then he drove 200 miles home because he's on duty today (Junior doctor)
I definitely misted up
@sirensthestory
I can tell you (because I've done it) that it takes 40 to 80 hours to copyedit
How much would you want to earn for 1 to 2.5 weeks work?
That's why copyediting is so expensive
Why do people struggle with the word 'nuclear'?
Even science reporters regularly say, "new-killer"
Where does the extra syllable come from?
It's 'NEW CLEAR'!
Here's my dilemma
In 1985 I bought a wreck of a house on a huge plot
Since then we've developed into our dream 'mansion'
At 81 it may be time to move on
But any new owner will demolish and build 6 houses
Should I be pleased we'll be the only ones ever to enjoy it
Or sad?
@MrDOThompson
I started school aged 5 in 1947
In 1968 I saw the teacher on a London railway station
I went to introduce myself and she immediately called me by my name!!!
(Was I THAT bad?)
Writers: When you do your edits/rewrites do you concentrate on different 'issues' with each pass or do you go for everything, all at once?
I do:
1st pass, story arc, plot flaws/holes, etc
2nd pass, writing flaws (Telling not showing, head-ops, etc)
... and so on
The AA has warned that anyone travelling in icy conditions should take a shovel, blankets, extra clothes, 24 hour supply of food and drink, de-icer, torch, petrol can, first aid kit and jump leads
I felt like a right idiot on the bus
@AuthorTRobare
If a writer cannot write a character they are not, their stories will decidedly two-dimensional
Men can't write women
Straight can't write gay
Black can't write white
Innocent can't write guilty
Human can't write alien
Civilian can't write military
etc, etc, etc
"I don’t usually tell anyone; it’s not easy to drop into conversation. “Nice weather for the time of year and by the way I’m a psychopath.” Doesn’t work, does it?"
Join (or even start) a writers' group
Writing is a lonely occupation and just getting in a local cafe or bar with a small group of likeminded people to discuss one's woes and exchange comments on WIP, etc is wonderful
Authors: I am getting heartily PISSED OFF with reading books that claim to be 'the first in a series' only to find out they are the first in a SERIAL
I review every book I read and I always give 1* to these because, no matter how good they are THEY ARE CONS!
Please don't do it
I bought a roll of bubble wrap and asked the wife where I should out it
She said, "Just pop it over the corner."
So that was my afternoon ...
... what about yours?
Lunch today: Asparagus 3 minutes from the garden, poached eggs laid this morning, butter from farm one mile away, shavings of local (Sussex) 'parmesan' cheese and hot homemade bread
Utter luxury
Just finished 4th draft
Down from about 140k in 1st to 97k
Now I need to Gantt the timescales (it's over several years and event critical) and it's ready for submission!!!
@wendyparciak
Absolutely they do
Many 'authors' are just famous (and rich) people who are approached by publishers
My son knows a 'famous person' who was supposed to have written a book. She asked him if he'd read it. He replied, "No, have you?"
To all my Twitter friends
My latest novel is now available to buy on Amazon
BUT
For the weekend of 13-14 May you can download it FREE for Kindle with my compliments:
I hope you enjoy it. (If you do, I'd love a review on Amazon)
Would it be a conspiracy theory to suggest that China is pumping money into Russia, Iran (& therefore Palestine, Hezbollah, Yemen, etc)
Once democratic countries are spread thinly enough, will then walk into Taiwan
@Maximumatheist
Jehovah's witness came to my door and tried to convert me
Me: "How many JWs does Bible say will enter the Kingdom of Heaven"?
JW: 144,000
Me: How many JWs in the world?
JW: 9 million
Me: Sorry, mate, but the standby list is a bit too long for me
Today I'm finally biting the bullet and throwing about £1,000 of immaculate textbooks and reference books into recycling
PMP, Prince2, SSADM, DSDM, BABOK, CRAMM, risk mgt, BA, etc, etc
Going to break my heart. 40 years of my life
My friend's wife disputes that I can read several books (up to about 10) 'simultaneously'. "It would not be possible to keep track of all the characters and plots"
This from a woman who watches East Enders, Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Hollyoaks &, as far as I know, many more
Is it just me?
When a TV reporter is standing on the sea wall, reporting on a storm, am I the only one who REALLY wants a stonking great wave to break over the wall and absolutely drench them?
Now that free speech is a crime in Scotland, will we see Scottish plods raiding south of the border to arrest English people who write hurty tweets that can be read in Scotland?
Does anybody have any thoughts on whether there's a better or worse time of the year to submit to agents?
When do they get the most submissions? When the do they get the least?
@csmfiction
I prefer 'Architects and Gardeners'
An architect will know the position of the doorbell before the first brick is laid
A gardener will think in terms of sweeps of colour, changes in textures, heights and positions
But a gardener is prepared to prune and transplant
I was approaching 10k followers
Then, about a month ago, I went through and culled about 500 Chinese bot followers
And I lost about 1,000 followers
Nearly up to 9K now
Watching
#Loverat
on
#Channel5
#SallyLindsay
arrives in Cyprus with one tiny bag. By the end of one hour she has already worn about 8 completely different outfits
I wish I could pack like that
Went to the gym this afternoon
Good news and bad
Boditrax machine gives my metabolic age as 60. I'm 81 so I guess I should be overjoyed but it's the first time it's been out of the 50s
Then I set a PB (for the year) of 26 min 11 seconds for 5K on the treadmill
@sandywaterfalls
Whether 'tis nobler on the plate to suffer
The sticky fingers of outrageously hot sauce,
Or to take tortillas by handfuls
And by masticating end them.
I'm know I'm attracting abuse for this but will somebody explain why there's a "Women Against State Pension Inequality" when it was men who were always disadvantaged and the complaints are that women got equality with men
@DavidKonrad24
Not at first but if I find myself deep into a book with reams of exposition and pointless prose I find myself speedreading, then skip-reading, then just skipping
Stupid snowflake on
@JeremyVineOn5
listing the trials and tribulations suffered by the young. First item on her list: "They missed out on their proms"
Words fail me, they really do
Language!
I find it somewhat strange that the English will be required to call the Brecon Beacons by the Welsh name: Bannau Brycheiniog
But the Welsh are still free to call England Lloegr
Bit one-sided
More stabbings
My granddad bought me a knife for my 7th birthday
Every boy I knew carried one
We used them in class to sharpen pencils
Nobody thought of using them as a weapon
What has changed in UK (mainly London) in last 60 years?
Answers to Sadiq Khan, please
#Cop28Dubai
Loss and damage fund for reparations
If rich countries cough up billions for climate damage to third world countries, how much will end up repairing climate damage in third world countries...
...and how much will end up in the Swiss bank accounts of their leaders
Just been to the gym
Young woman, in low-cut top displaying her ample assets as she practised her advanced yoga
It all went well until she did a handstand against the wall
Gentleman that I am, I turned away
How many brownie points did I earn for that?
@TeaRoseRock
Dear forward-parking drivers: I don't hate you (much) but I do seethe when you reverse out of the parking space without looking (because you've parked so that you can't) and nearly take the front off my car. I WILL honk.
@KT_Carlisle
Awful writing: head-hopping, plot holes, 2D non-sympathetic characters
And all the 'goodies' were heartstoppingly handsome/beautiful/intelligent/fit, etc
AND NOTHING HAPPENED!!!!
I don't get
@BBCNews
Again, they are reporting about deaths in Palestine "including many women (and children)"
As if the death of any woman is more significant than the death of innocent men
The SM platform formerly known as Twitter is ludicrous
I get a lot of followers in one day but when I try to follow them back I get the message 'You are unable to follow more at this time' as if were some sort of troll