Dear O'Abby: Do I need to mention my age when I query?

 Dear O'Abby,

I've written my first book and I'm  excited to start querying it to agents and publishers.  I've done a bunch of research online, and I feel pretty well prepared, but the one thing I can't find out is if I need to disclose my age in a query.  I'm 14, and I feel like that's something unique about me that I should share in my query - I mean, how many 14-year-olds write novels?

So, is this something I should share?  Or should I wait until further down the track to let that little tidbit out of the bag?

Truly,

Younger

Dear Younger,

Firstly, let me congratulate you on finishing a book!  That's quite an achievement at any age.

From my point of view, I'd keep your age out of it at this early stage.  When you're querying, all the agent is really looking at is the quality of your work and whether you've written something compelling that they can sell.  I feel like mentioning your age at this point could skew the way they read your work and potentially bias them one way or another before they even start.

Obviously you will need to disclose your age eventually - at 14 you're not old enough to sign a legally binding contract, so will need a parent or guardian to do this for you - but I'd leave it until you've got something concrete on the table in terms of an offer or "the call".

That's the point where your age could be advantageous as it offers the agent a different marketing angle.  I mean, you're not the only young writer out there, but there aren't so many teenage authors that it's not a talking point.  So use it!

Hope that helps!

And good luck with the querying.  It can be hard, but don't get discouraged or let rejections destroy your love of writing and storytelling.  You have plenty of time to be published.

X O'Abby

Week #38 – Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Welcome to 2023!  On Mondays this year, let’s discuss and have fun with books. No I’m not writing book reviews. But this website is for writers, and writers like books right? So let’s have FUN with books!

Week #38 – Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, 1953

In a future dystopian America where books have been outlawed, firemen burn any that are found. Guy Montag is a fireman who questions his role of destroying knowledge. He eventually quits his job and commits himself to preserving writings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451

It was made into a movie in 1966

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060390/

And in 2018

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0360556/

Banned Book Week is October 1-7, 2023

https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/banned

Lists of banned and frequently-challenged books

https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10

https://pen.org/report/banned-in-the-usa-state-laws-supercharge-book-suppression-in-schools/

https://www.rd.com/list/banned-books/

Have you read any banned books lately? Tell us in the comments!

 

Query Friday: Partials and Fulls- Requests and Rejections

 

 

 Happy Friday Queriers!

I am back after a hiatus, and excited about another query breakdown. This month I'm tackling partials and fulls- the request and the rejection, a bit of a cheat since it comes after a query and isn't part of one, but I'm gonna go with it.

First of all, Congrats! You got a request to read more pages.Your query worked!

                   

Queries are hard and this is a huge accomplishment, and if that query was accompanied by sample pages

 

You got something there. A well written query, a premise that has captured an agents attention, and the knowledge that your first 250 words- 50 pages (what ever you submitted) shows promise.

Now comes the request either for a partial or a full. Some agents do still ask for a partial and while that may seem disappointing to some, I like to think of it as another way to feel out the strength of my story. Were my first pages strong, but I fall apart before 50? I know where to look when I'm revising. Even better is when a partial turns into a full, and I know that this agent has hung in with me for 50-75-100 pages, and they want more!

Not gonna lie, it feels amazing. 

Now you have fulls out and this can end basically one of three ways (well really four if you never get a response but I prefer to pretend that doesn't  happen):

1. You get a rejection.

But with luck that rejection is accompanied with some solid feedback on why the project was passed on, and what you might be able to do to improve it.

2. A Revise and Resubmit

In which the agent is not prepared to take you on as a client with the manuscript as is, but is invested enough to give feedback and notes, AND (it's a big And) they actually want to read your story again. Remember agents don't get paid unless you do, so an investment of time and energy like this is a good sign.

3. You get an Offer of Representation

Full stop. You did it. You're agented.

So celebrate.

You earned it!

Happy Querying!

~B

Dear O'Abby: How do I publish poetry?

 Dear O'Abby,

I've been writing poetry for a number of years now, and I have enough poems I consider good now that I feel  like I'm ready to put them together into a collection.  I've been researching agents, but I haven't had much like finding any that represent poetry.  Is there a different process for publishing poetry than there is for novels and non-fiction books?

Yours truly,

Confused Poetess

Dear Confused Poetess,

Agents very rarely represent poets, and if they do, they're usually big name poets who have won major awards, or they're novelists who just happen to write poetry on the side.  So the process for getting your poems published is going to be quite different.

The first thing I'd suggest is submitting your poems to literary journals and other publications.  This is where poetry gets seen and read and where you can build an audience for your work.  You can also share your poems on social media or on a blog, but just be aware that this can, in some cases, be considered publication,  and some journals won't accept previously published work.

You can also enter competitions which is another way to get your work in front of people.  Some contests offer publication as the ultimate prize, either for individual poems as part of an anthology, or the publication of a collection.

Self-publishing is a good option for poets too, especially if you have local bookstores that carry poetry books.  Make sure you invest in a good cover and you may be able to get your local bookstores to carry the book.  Alternatively, there are some small presses that specialise in poetry and have good distribution across known poetry markets.

I hope that helps!

X  O'Abby

Week #37 – Beowulf by anonymous “Beowulf author”

Welcome to 2023!  On Mondays this year, let’s discuss and have fun with books. No I’m not writing book reviews. But this website is for writers, and writers like books right? So let’s have FUN with books!

Week #37 – Beowulf by anonymous “Beowulf author”, 975-1025

Beowulf is an Old English epic poem of 3,182 lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. The story is set in Scandinavia in the 6th century. Beowulf, a hero of the Geats [Sweden], comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes [Denmark], who is under attack by the monster Grendel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf

https://www.worldhistory.org/Beowulf/

You can read it here

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/16328/16328-h/16328-h.htm

https://www.neshaminy.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=6499&dataid=31512&FileName=beowulf%20text.pdf

The average reader, reading at 250 words per minute, will spend 2 hours and 40 minutes reading the 3,182 lines of this book.

There have been many adaptations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_adaptations_of_Beowulf

Here’s a list of good and bad movies based on Beowulf

https://www.tor.com/2018/01/11/beowulf-on-the-big-screen-good-bad-and-even-worse/

Have you read the book or seen any of the adaptations? Tell us in the comments!

Dear O'Abby: How do I write good dialogue?

 Dear O'Abby,

My critique group recently told me they feel like the dialogue in my stories is letting my writing down.  They say it's stilted and doesn't feel realistic.  Do you have any tips on how to write dialogue that feels natural and smooth?

Sincerely,

Scriptless

Dear Scriptless,

I think the best tool for writing natural sounding dialogue is to read your scenes aloud.  You'll hear when it doesn't ring true.  People are often sloppy when they speak and use a lot of contractions and slang terms, so if you write dialogue using formal written English, it won't feel realistic.

Using too many dialogue tags, especially things other than "said" can also make your dialogue feel unrealistic and stilted.  Save expressive tags like "yelled", "whispered", "howled" or anything else for moments when they are really needed.  The rest of the time, "said" is fine.

And don't even use "said" too often.  A lot of the time you can indicate who is speaking in a scene through action instead of using a tag.

"I'm going now," Jim said.

Sally didn't look at him. "So go, then."

When there are only two people speaking in a scene, there is no need to break up the flow of dialogue with any tags - they can just converse.  I suggest throwing a bit of action in every few lines to keep the reader grounded in who is talking and to keep the scene from reading like a script.  

And remember.  Dialogue shouldn't be used to provide exposition.  It should drive the story forward, always, give valuable character insights and needs to fit the character speaking it.  Everyone has slightly different ways of talking, and one way to make your characters distinct is through their dialogue.  Maybe one of your characters has a favourite word they use often or incorrectly.  Maybe one doesn't ever swear and has silly phrases she uses instead of profanity.

Dialogue is fun and incredibly important to make your characters sing off the page.  So have fun with it!

X O'Abby

Read a Book Day - #ReadABookDay #DebutAuthors

Read a Book Day - #ReadABookDay

Today's holiday is Read A Book Day. I suggest picking up the debut book of a first-time author. Do you have such a book to suggest?

Our Debut Author Spotlight has depended on Twitter as a source for finding such books and authors for many years. With the recent changes, it has become more difficult to find them each week. They're still out there! Just more difficult to track down due to certain changes on that social media site. 

Today is also the twelfth anniversary of the Insecure Writers Support Group. #IWSG

If you're a writer with a blog, consider stopping over at the monthly bloghop which has provided support for twelve years. 

insecurewriterssupportgroup.com

Week #36 – The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

Welcome to 2023!  On Mondays this year, let’s discuss and have fun with books. No I’m not writing book reviews. But this website is for writers, and writers like books right? So let’s have FUN with books!

Week #36 – The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, 1876

A collection of twenty-four stories written in Middle English between 1387 and 1400, presented as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims traveling together from London to visit the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Canterbury_Tales

Canterbury Cathedral

General Prologue
The Knight's Tale
The Miller's Tale
The Reeve's Tale
The Cook's Tale
The Man of Law's Tale
The Wife of Bath's Tale
The Friar's Tale
The Summoner's Tale
The Clerk's Tale
The Merchant's Tale
The Squire's Tale
The Franklin's Tale
The Physician's Tale
The Pardoner's Tale
The Shipman's Tale
The Prioress's Tale
Sir Thopas' Tale
The Tale of Melibee
The Monk's Tale
The Nun's Priest's Tale
The Second Nun's Tale
The Canon's Yeoman's Tale
The Manciple's Tale
The Parson's Tale

The best tales

https://interestingliterature.com/2017/01/the-best-canterbury-tales-everyone-should-read/

You can read the entire manuscript here

https://pracownik.kul.pl/files/10791/public/the_canterbury_tales_penguin_classics_by_geoffrey_chaucer_nevill_coghill_z-lib.org.pdf

And here

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/22120/22120-h/22120-h.htm

The Medieval or Middle Ages began in 476 with the fall of Rome and ended in 1453 with the fall of Constantinople. Then the Renaissance began.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1300%E2%80%931400_in_European_fashion

The Black Death [Bubonic Plague] killed 30-40 million people [in England between 1/3 and 1/2 of the population died] between 1347-1352. The Hundred Years War between France and Britain began in 1337 and ended in 1453 with a French victory. The Peasants’ Revolt began in May 1381.

https://brumafriend.medium.com/what-was-life-like-in-14th-century-england-ec08a1316973

Do you enjoy learning about history? I do! Tell us in the comments!

Dear O'Abby: How do I get blurbs? And do I need them?

Dear O'Abby,

I'm publishing my first novel early next year, and looking at other books in my genre, they all seem to have blurbs from other authors on the cover.  Is this something I need to do, or is it one of those "nice-to-have" things that aren't actually that important?

If they are critical, how do I go about getting them?

Best wishes,

Blurbless

Dear Blurbless,

I wouldn't say blurbs are essential, but they do give another layer of authority to the fact that your book is good.  Not everyone reads them, of course, but certainly, having a great quote on your cover from an author well known in your genre can elevate your book in the eyes of readers.

In terms of getting them, it's really just a matter of asking.

If you're with a publisher, there may be other authors in their stable who you can reach out to.  Your editor may even have an idea already who might be a good fit.  If you're self-publishing, you're going to need to do this on your own.

Find the authors you think would be a good fit and reach out to them.  Make sure you give them plenty of lead time and be gracious and polite if they decline the request.  Reading a whole book is a big time investment, and not everyone has that kind of time.

Make sure you choose writers whose work aligns with yours.  A horror writer is unlikely to want to blurb a romance, and if they do, the blurb is likely to confuse readers more than if there wasn't one there at all.  A writer whose work is similar to your own is far more likely to be interested in reading your book and therefore blurbing you.

Make sure you're clear when you need the blurb, and offer to send the author a copy of the book when it's published.  Small tokens of appreciation go a long way.

And that's really all there is to it.

X O'Abby

Week #35 – The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Welcome to 2023!  On Mondays this year, let’s discuss and have fun with books. No I’m not writing book reviews. But this website is for writers, and writers like books right? So let’s have FUN with books!

Week #35 – The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, 1876

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is about a an orphan boy growing up along the Mississippi River. It is set in the 1840s in a town based on Hannibal, Missouri. Tom Sawyer has several adventures, often with his friend Huckleberry Finn. It’s 1884 sequel is Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It was one of the first novels to be written on a typewriter.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventures_of_Tom_Sawyer

Mark Twain quotes, like “There are lies, damned lies, and statistics.”

https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/mark-twain-quotes

The Mississippi River begins in Minnesota and ends in Louisiana, a total of 2340 miles. It takes a drop of water 90 days to travel from the beginning to the end. At the beginning, the river flows 1.2 mph, and at the end about 3 mph.

https://www.aqvoyages.com/blog/mississippi-river-facts/

https://www.nps.gov/miss/riverfacts.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_River

The Missouri River [considered a tributary of the Mississippi River because it doesn’t lead to the ocean] begins in Montana and joins the Mississippi River in Missouri, a total of 2466 miles.

https://a-z-animals.com/blog/why-the-mississippi-river-is-only-the-second-longest-river-in-the-united-states/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_River

You can take a riverboat cruise down the Mississippi River

https://www.adventure-life.com/mississippi-river

https://travel.usnews.com/features/top-mississippi-river-cruises

https://riverrides.com/

https://www.americancruiselines.com/cruises/mississippi-river-cruises

https://lacrossequeen.com/

https://www.steamboatnatchez.com/

https://marktwainriverboat.com/

Have you been on a Mississippi River cruise? Tell us in the comments!

Dear O'Abby: Do I need to copyright my work?

Dear O'Abby,

I'm about to start querying and I was wondering if I need to copyright my book before I start sending it out.  I've heard some horror stories about writers having their books stolen and published online under other names.  After spending close to ten years sweating over this story, the last thing I want is for my work to be plagarised if a copy of my manuscript ends up in the wrong hands.

Sincerely,

Not A Copy Cat

Dear Not A Copy Cat,

No, you don't need to copyright your book before you start querying.  

As soon as you started writing that story, it is copyrighted as your original work.  And every subsequent draft is also copyrighted.

What you are actually asking is if you should register your copyright and the answer is still no. 

Copywriting your work costs money and if your book gets picked up by a publisher, they will then need to pay more money to amend the copyright.  Copyrighting your book is part of what a publisher does - it's part of every standard publishing contract.  If you have already done this yourself, the publisher will then have to amend the copyright and that cost even more!

Not to mention, copyrighting your work before querying shows both a distrust for and an ignorance of the publishing industry and that's not how you want to come across when querying. Would you really want to start an important business relationship knowing the other party thinks you might steal from them?  And showing that you don't understand how publishing works is a red flag that might make an agent think you're going to be way too much work as a client.  Copyrighting your work may also open you up to questions about whether or not this story has already been published, which you don't want while querying.

I know there are stories out there about writers having their work stolen, but they are more urban myth than reality.  Agents aren't looking to steal anyone's work.  They're looking for compelling stories, strong voice and evocative writing that they can sell.  I would worry far more about whether I'd achieved that, than about having someone steal my book out from under me..

Hope that helps!

X O'Abby 

Week #34 – Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Welcome to 2023!  On Mondays this year, let’s discuss and have fun with books. No I’m not writing book reviews. But this website is for writers, and writers like books right? So let’s have FUN with books!

Week #34 – Moby Dick by Herman Melville, 1851
 

Moby-Dick, or The Whale, is the narrative of sailor Ishmael, who tells the story of the maniacal quest of Ahab, captain of the whaling ship Pequod, for vengeance against Moby Dick, the giant white sperm whale that bit off his leg on the ship's previous voyage. It was a commercial failure in its time, but gained a reputation as the Great American Novel in the 20th century. Its opening sentence, "Call me Ishmael", is among world literature's most famous.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moby-Dick

Moby Dick was made into several movies, including in 1956 with Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049513/

The sperm whale is the largest toothed predator. Mature males are more than 50 feet long, with the head comprising one-third of that length. It can dive more than 7,000 feet. It is the loudest animal on earth (as loud as 236 decibels [a nuclear bomb is approx 250 decibels]) and uses echolocation underwater. Sperm whales can live 70 years or more. Sperm whaling was a major industry in the 19th century and is depicted in the novel Moby Dick.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sperm_whale

https://oceanographicmagazine.com/oceanviz/sperm-whale-sound-range/

https://hushcitysp.com/uncategorized/top-10-loudest-animals/

How loud is too loud for humans?

https://www.noisyplanet.nidcd.nih.gov/publications/how-loud-is-too-loud

The loudest possible sound in air is 194 decibels. Louder than that is experienced as shock waves. When the Krakatoa volcano erupted in 1883, the sound was estimated at 310 decibels. It blew out the eardrums of sailors on a ship 40 miles away.

https://www.iflscience.com/the-loudest-sound-ever-blew-out-people-s-eardrums-from-40-miles-away-67791

Have you read Moby Dick? What did you think of it? Tell us in the comments!
 

Dear O'Abby: How do I come up with ideas?

Dear O'Abby,

I've been writing for several years and am finding it increasingly difficult to come up with original, new ideas for my stories.  Do you have any advice for someone struggling to come up with something new?

Best,

Clueless

Dear Clueless,

There's nothing worse than staring at a blank page and waiting for inspiration to strike, yet sometimes it is difficult to find that first spark of an idea.  

When you're struggling to find a story, there are a number of places you can go to try and find inspiration.  You can try using writing prompts.  Websites like Writing.com have daily contests with prompts and I've used prompts to spark short stories and even to guide the plot of a (still unfinished) novel.

Reading the newspaper can also spark ideas, especially if you juxtapose two very different stories together.  But sometimes a single story can be enough to start a story.  One of my novels was born from a newspaper article that made me so darn mad, I just had to write something against it.

Reading books and seeing films can also help shake good ideas loose.  I can't tell you how many great story ideas I've had come out of documentary films I've seen.  And I sometimes read a book where I like the premise a lot, but not the actual story the author wrote to the premise, so I then write my own story around that same basic premise.

You can also use your own life and experiences to spark a story.  Think of an event or a person important to you and use that as the basis for a story.  Unless you want to write a memoir, you can fictionalise this story a lot and I'd advise changing real peoples' names to avoid getting in trouble.

Or what about re-telling a classic story? There are hundreds of stories, plays, poems and legends you can make your own while using the original text as the framework. The book I'm currently working on started off as a lesbian re-telling of Romeo and Juliet. Admittedly, it has veered away from the original plot a lot in the writing and most people don't seem to know that's what it was based on...

Hopefully one of those might help you find the inspiration for your next story.  If not, maybe you just need to take a writing break, do something else to exercise your creative muscle.  I often find that doing something different gives my brain the break it needs to find the next story or character I'm interested in exploring.  So grab some paint, or knitting needles or a lump of clay and see what happens.

X O'Abby

Week #33 - Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

Welcome to 2023!  On Mondays this year, let’s discuss and have fun with books. No I’m not writing book reviews. But this website is for writers, and writers like books right? So let’s have FUN with books!

Week #33 – Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach, 1970

Jonathan Livingston Seagull, illustrated with black-and-white photographs, is an allegorical fable in novella form, about a seagull who learns about flying, freedom, and self-realization. By the end of 1972 it had sold over a million copies, reaching the number one spot on bestseller lists mostly through word of mouth recommendations. In 2014 the book was reissued as Jonathan Livingston Seagull: The Complete Edition, which added a 17-page fourth part to the story.

Seagulls are actually just “gulls”, and there are several varieties

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gull

https://www.audubon.org/news/seagull-or-gull-who-really-cares

They can live for 20 years or more, generally mate for life, have 2-3 eggs each May, and are VERY aggressive when protecting their young [dive bombings are common]. They can drink both salt water and fresh water.

They are scavengers and will eat just about anything, including whole rabbits and squirrels [and small dogs].

https://animal-club.co.uk/could-a-seagull-eat-a-rabbit-whole/

They are smart and generally not afraid of people

https://www.onekindplanet.org/animal/seagull/

Are seagulls dangerous? [hint: yes they can be]

https://integrumservices.co.uk/pest-control-blog/are-seagulls-dangerous/

As stated in the movie Finding Nemo, they are “rats with wings”!

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Tell us in the comments!

Dear O'Abby: What the heck is a book packager?

Dear O'Abby,

I've recently been alerted to an opportunity to audition to write a book for a packaging company.  I've never heard of something like this before, and wondered if it is legit?

Do you know anything about book packaging companies?  Should I do the audition, or is this another scam?

Kind regards,

Skeptical

Dear Skeptical,

I actually do know a bit about this.  I've auditioned to write for packaging companies a couple of times - I never got the gig, but both times it was a good experience and definitely stretched my writing muscles.

Basically, a book packager comes up with a concept for a book, generally something they see as being marketable, and then hire a writer to write the actual book.  This is something that might be initiated by a publisher who sees a market for a particular type of book, but isn't getting that type of book submitted, or the publisher of a super successful series where the original author either doesn't want to write more, or can't keep up with reader demand.  Think Sweet Valley High or Goosebumps, in the case of the second example.

In the situation where you might have the chance to write more books in a successful series, it's unlikely that you'll get your name on the cover or any acknowledgement of your work other than a paycheque (which isn't bad, in itself).  Generally, you'll get a one-off payment for the work and won't receive royalties on sales.

In the case where the idea is an original one (and this is the type of book I've been approached to write in the past) you may get a lower up-front fee, but a piece of royalties as well.  And generally, it will be your name on the cover.

The first time I auditioned to write a packed book, I was given an idea of the world the book was set in (it was a fantasy or alternative history story) and and idea of what might happen in a very broad sense.  I was then asked to write the first two or three chapters as I saw them.  I wasn't given much in the way of plot to follow; just a general gist.  I think I would have received a more detailed outline had I made it through the audition.

The second time, I received the full outline, with a detailed chapter by chapter breakdown of the plot.  Again, I had to write the first three chapters as an audition.  This was a contemporary thrillere, so more within my own wheelhouse than the previous attempt.  But I didn't get that job either...  

Interestingly though, I stumbled across the book that was written just the other day.  I was browsing my local bookstore and picked up a book, read the blurb, and was puzzled about why the plot sounded so familiar.  It was only after a few minutes that I realized this was the book I'd auditioned to write!  Obviously I had to read it and it was actually quite funny to see how this other author had filled out the story.  The plot was pretty much identical to the outline I'd been sent, but the characters were developed in different ways than I had planned to.

So to get back to your question...  Yes, this is a legit thing.  If I were you though, I'd find out the deal terms before I jumped in to audition.  While something like this is probably less work than coming up with an original idea and plot, it's still going to take up some time, and you need to know it's going to be worth it financially, or that it's going to benefit you in terms of name-recognition and reader numbers.  But I certainly have never regretted the time I spent on the audition chapters - both stories were fun to play around with, even if I didn't get the opportunity to write the whole book.

Hope that helps!

X O'Abby

Week #32 – Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Welcome to 2023!  On Mondays this year, let’s discuss and have fun with books. No I’m not writing book reviews. But this website is for writers, and writers like books right? So let’s have FUN with books!

Week #32 – Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, 1818

Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, was written by Mary Shelley when she was just 18 years old. Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist, creates a living creature by piecing together body parts of cadavers and then giving it life in an unorthodox scientific experiment. He is then horrified by what he made and does not give it a name. The monster initially seeks affection and acceptance, but inspires loathing and fear in everyone who meets it.

In Greek mythology, Prometheus is best known for defying the Olympian gods by stealing fire from them and giving it to humanity. In some versions of the myth, he is also credited with the creation of humanity from clay. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein

You can read the story here

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/84/84-h/84-h.htm

The 1931 movie with Boris Karloff as the Monster is the most famous film adaptation

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021884/

Robert De Niro played the Monster in 1994

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109836/

It has a fan page

https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Frankenstein's_Monster_(Frankenstein)

Here’s an analysis of the book

https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/frankenstein/

An interesting article in The New Yorker

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/12/the-strange-and-twisted-life-of-frankenstein

Have you read Frankenstein? Did you know the name was the scientist and not the creature? Tell us in the comments!
 

Dear O'Abby - Will I ever make a living as a writer?

Dear O'Abby,

I'm a published author with several novels available in both print and digital.  Yet each time I get a royalty statement I want to cry.  I put so many hours into my writing and do my absolute best with marketing and publicity, even with my oldest titles.  And all of this is on top of a demanding day job.

I always thought that by the time I had four or five books in print, I'd earn enough to either quit my day job, or at least reduce my hours to give me more time to devote to writing and publishing.  This is not the case, and I'm wondering if it is actually possible to make a living as a writer.

Do you know?

Best,

Despondent

Dear Despondent,

Yes, it is possible to make a living as a writer.  But I think you're actually asking if it's possible to make a living as an author.  That is also possible, but very few people actually manage it.  I think even authors who look successful on the surface probably have other side-hustles or a partner who is earning a good living and can afford to support the family.

If you really want to make a living as a writer, you need to think about other avenues than just writing and publishing novels.  Writing is a skill and one that is very much in demand. If you're good at it, there are numerous ways you can use your talent to make a living from writing advertising copy to social media to internal office communications and external documents like annual reports.  You can also freelance, writing articles on whatever you're interested in and selling them to publications.

There is also the option of ghostwriting or working with a book packager, academic writing or journalism.  All of these things will allow you to flex your writing talent while making a living.  Sure, some of this writing may not be as creatively exciting as writing a novel, but writing for a different audience is good practice and will strengthen your writing in the long run.  Even something like writing funding applications for a charity can be a good way to earn a living from your writing.

The one downside I've encountered as someone who has done this kind of writing to earn a living is that sometimes you write so much during the day, it's hard to find the energy or inspiration to write fiction after work.  It's like there are no more words left in me at the end of the day.  So to mitigate this, I tend to get up early to do my own writing before the work day steals all my words.

So the short answer to your question is yes, it is possible to make a living as a writer.  You may just have to alter your perception about what that actually looks like.

Hope that helps!

X O'Abby

Week #31 – Dracula by Bram Stoker

Welcome to 2023!  On Mondays this year, let’s discuss and have fun with books. No I’m not writing book reviews. But this website is for writers, and writers like books right? So let’s have FUN with books!

Week #31 – Dracula by Bram Stoker, 1897

Dracula is an epistolary novel, told through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. Solicitor Jonathan Harker takes a business trip and stays at the castle of a Transylvanian nobleman, Count Dracula, who is a vampire.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula

Count Dracula is believed to be based on Romanian governor Vlad the Impaler.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vlad-the-Impaler

The book has been adapted into several movies. The most famous is from 1931 and stars Bela Lugosi

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021814/

I’ve seen Hotel Transylvania which is a really cute take on Dracula

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021814/

The Twilight Saga is a modern vampire novel/movie

https://stepheniemeyer.com/the-twilight-saga/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1099212/

What’s the difference between vampire and Dracula?

https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-vampire-and-dracula/

Transylvania is a real place in modern Romania

 

and you can visit Dracula’s castle!

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/ten-things-you-need-to-know-before-visiting-transylvania

https://thirdeyetraveller.com/visit-draculas-castle-romania-bran-castle/

Have you read the book or seen any of the movies? Tell us in the comments!

Week #30 – Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

Welcome to 2023!  On Mondays this year, let’s discuss and have fun with books. No I’m not writing book reviews. But this website is for writers, and writers like books right? So let’s have FUN with books!

Week #30 – Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, 1838

Oliver Twist, also called The Parish Boy's Progress, is the second novel by Charles Dickens. It was originally published as a serial beginning in 1837, then as a three-volume book in 1838. Oliver was raised in a workhouse and escapes to London, where he meets a gang of juvenile pickpockets led by the elderly Fagin.

The story is a social commentary on child labor, domestic violence, the recruitment of children as criminals, and street children.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Twist

It was made into a movie in 1948 starring Alec Guinness as Fagin, and in 2005 directed by Roman Polanski and starring Ben Kingsley as Fagin.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040662/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0380599/

Disney produced the animated Oliver & Company in 1988

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095776/

You can read the entire book here on Project Gutenberg

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/730/730-h/730-h.htm

“Sanitation”, such as it was, in Victorian London

https://www.npr.org/2015/03/12/392332431/dirty-old-london-a-history-of-the-victorians-infamous-filth

https://www.britainexpress.com/London/victorian-london.htm

Facts you didn’t know about Victorian London

https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/charles-dickens-museum/10-surprising-facts-about-victorian-london

Tips for avoiding pickpockets in London [includes ideas like “don’t look like a tourist” and “don’t wear expensive jewelry or use your phone in public”]

https://www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/personal-safety-how-to-stay-safe/pickpocketing/

https://strawberrytours.com/tips-avoiding-pickpockets-london

https://thesavvybackpacker.com/pickpockets-europe/

Have you lived in or traveled to London? Tell us about it in the comments!

Dear O'Abby: What is platform and why do I need it? (from the archives)

 O'Abby is on holiday for a couple of weeks, so to tide you over while she's away, we've dug a few gems out of the archives for you to enjoy. O'Abby will be back tanned and relaxed (hopefully) in a couple of weeks!

Dear O'Abby,

I keep hearing about "platform" and how important it is for writers to have one, but I'm not sure what it means or why it is so important.  Can you please explain?

Yours,

Unsure

Dear Unsure,

Platform is something that is critical when you are a non-fiction author, but less important if you write fiction.  Basically "platform" means the built-in audience for your book, the people who are already engaged with you and whatever it is you are an expert in and who are already listening to what you have to say.  

Platform could be a popular blog or social media channel.  It could be a newspaper or magazine column. It could be a television show.  The larger your platform, the more likely it is that you will be able to reach a large number of people to talk about and sell your book.

As a non-fiction author, your platform will indicate to agents and publishers that you are the right person to write this book, that you are already an expert in the field and have people following your work.  Before your book is published, your platform may be relatively small, but the aim is to grow it through the additional content.  The publication of your book is one step in growing your platform.  Any tours or interviews or media coverage you get as you publicise the book will help to grow your platform which will hopefully help to make publishing a second book easier.

Platform is not so important for fiction writers because there is no expectation that a fiction writer is an expert.  For fiction writers it's more important to write the best possible book for the audience you are writing for.  Platform for fiction writers will come from the readers who become fans of your book.

Hope that's at least a little bit helpful.

Best,

O'Abby.

Week #29 – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Welcome to 2023!  On Mondays this year, let’s discuss and have fun with books. No I’m not writing book reviews. But this website is for writers, and writers like books right? So let’s have FUN with books!

Week #29 – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925

Set in the Jazz Age [1920s] on Long Island near New York City, the novel describes narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with millionaire Jay Gatsby, and Gatsby's obsession with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan.

Previous proposed titles: Among Ash Heaps and Millionaires; Trimalchio; Trimalchio in West Egg; On the Road to West Egg; Under the Red, White, and Blue; The Gold-Hatted Gatsby; and The High-Bouncing Lover.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Gatsby

It was made into several movies for television and screen, the most recent were in 1974 with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, and 2013 with Leonardo DeCaprio and Carey Mulligan

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071577/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1343092/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

The Jazz Age

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_Age

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/monkeytrial-jazz-age/

Fashion in the Jazz Age

https://www.wardrobeshop.com/blogs/flapper-era/how-jazz-influenced-fashion-in-the-1920s

Have you read The Great Gatsby? Tell us about it in the comments!

Dear O'Abby: How do I write thoughts? (from the archives)

O'Abby is on holiday for a couple of weeks, so to tide you over, she's found a couple of gems from the archives...  Enjoy!  O'Abby will return, tanned and relaxed (hopefully) after a trip to Samoa.

Dear O'Abby,

I have a technical question I hope you can help me with.

When I'm writing a character's thoughts, do I need to write them like this?

She's a fox, thought Ted, before chastising himself, Shouldn't be objectifying her like that, dude.

One of my CPs said this is the correct way to present thoughts, but it looks weird when I have so many itallics scattered across the page.

What is correct?

Sincerely, Thoughtless

Dear Thoughtless,

I agree with you.  It does look weird if you have a lot of italics on a single page.  Personally, I don't tend to write thoughts in italics for just this reason.  But like so much of writing, there isn't actually a hard and fast rule.  The main thing to be aware of is to use italics sparingly as they do really stand out on a page.

My suggestions would be to use them to draw attention to things that you believe are important.  Not every thought is important, but some need some additional emphasis because they're imparting something key to the plot or revealing something special about a character.  In that case, italicize.

If you're writing in a more distant third person POV, you would use italics to show that a specific character had this thought.  Think of it like the narrator just dipped into the character's head and took a peek at what they were thinking.  It's not 100% necessary to use italics in this scenario, but it is something you see often.

When writing in third person and a character is talking to themselves, italics can be used to show this.  Often the thoughts are interspersed with action that can show the conflict the character is dealing with.  This is effective because there is a distinct contrast between the action that is not in italics and the inner monologue which is.

Another place you might use italics in thought is where a character is remembering something that was said in the past.  Again, you wouldn't do it for every memory, but if the words spoken were important, then they should be in italics.

Basically, using italics is a way to draw attention to something or emphasize something significant.  If you italicize all thoughts, you're giving every passing whim equal significance and this leaves you with nothing to use when you need to really hammer something home.

But don't sweat it too much.  There really are no hard and fast rules here, so if you think something deserves to be in italics, go for it.

X O'Abby

Week #28 – Charlotte’s Web by EB White

Welcome to 2023!  On Mondays this year, let’s discuss and have fun with books. No I’m not writing book reviews. But this website is for writers, and writers like books right? So let’s have FUN with books!

Week #28 – Charlotte’s Web by EB White, 1952

The story of a pig named Wilbur and his friendship with a barn spider named Charlotte. Wilbur is being fattened for slaughter. Charlotte writes messages in her web praising Wilbur – Some Pig, Terrific, Radiant, and Humble – to persuade the farmer to let him live.

It was made into 2 movies, 1973 and 2006

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070016/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413895/

And a video in 2002

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0355315/

At the end of the book Charlotte has 514 children, all of which balloon away except three – Aranea, Joy, and Nellie – who stay with Wilbur in the barn.

Different types of spiders and webs

EB White’s most popular books: Stuart Little (1945), Charlotte's Web (1952), and The Trumpet of the Swan (1970). He also co-wrote Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style (1959) currently in its fourth edition.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elements_of_Style

Have you read any books by EB White? Or seen a movie? Tell us in the comments!