Well, we're up to day four and it's been an orgy of writing information and ideas. The first night we had an all around discussion with Tara Wynne (Curtis Brown), Ron Serdiuk (Pulp Fiction) and Bernadette and Deonie (Orbit). The next day the ten authors had their individual sessions with Bernadette and Deonie, who gave them feedback on their manuscripts. This was tiring but exhilarating for the authors. And nobody cried!

From them on everyone has been working away on changes to their novels. My role has been varied. I've spoken to most of the attendees individually and tried to support and inform them on the their area of interest. For some this had been related to their manuscripts but for others it has been marketing, networking, psuedonyms.

On top of that Kate Eltham and I have delivered talks on Agents and Web promotion. These have been interesting (I hope) and have ended in drinks around the table. Last night the writers each read two pages from their mans. and talked about the challenges they are facing to make their books better. This was highly entertaining because the manuscripts were so diverse and, of course, well written.

I'm loving it! (nothing to do with having three meals a day cooked for me.) 

More soon...    

 

This sounds wonderful! I am glad that you and the others are getting so much out of it!

I'm interested in your thoughts on web promotion for authors. For myself, I love to read author blogs, especially when it's not /entirely/ about the writing, but has something of them/their personality as they choose to communicate it. I'm aware that it often has little relationship to the real life person - because it seems to me one of those communicative tools, an easy way to be accessible, and yet on your (the author's) own terms.

Hi Ju,

I'll mention your comment to the group. Often writers think their blogs will be too boring for anyone to want to read. (me included) - so this is a positve re-inforcement for the idea that blogging is useful.

M xx