Jelly Bean is pleased to announce its second ‘Book of the Month’, Old Clothes and Porridge by author Maureen Mullally-Clarke. This wonderful memoir looks back at a bygone age, particularly focusing on the 1930s and ‘40s.
Brought up by her grandmother in Glasgow, Maureen and her little sister Oonagh only saw their parents at eighteen month intervals. Old Clothes and Porridge tells the story of a childhood spent against the backdrop of the Depression, the launch of the Queen Mary, the Jarrow march, the abdication of King Edward VIII, the coronation of George VI, WW2 and the VE Day celebrations. Maureen says: “I wrote this book for my grandchildren. I’ve always told them about my childhood, and they have often said, “Why don’t you write it all down?”, so that’s exactly what I did.”
Candy Jar Publishing Co-ordinator, Keren Williams, says: “It is important to document our lives and the lives of our families, otherwise this information becomes lost. Old Clothes and Porridge is a personal memoir that the world will enjoy, and I’m certain Maureen’s family will treasure. More people should be encouraged to write about their lives, even if it is just for their family.”
Maureen agrees and would encourage others to write down their life stories. She continues: “Yes, I would and in fact I do. I know one woman who used to be a war correspondent and one man who had a brilliant military career. People have fascinating lives and they should be documented.”
One of Candy Jar’s most popular titles is Eileen Younghusband’s One Woman’s War, which offers a vivid insight into the life of a young woman facing the grim reality of war. Shaun Russell, Head of Publishing, says: “Old Clothes and Porridge reminds me so much of One Woman’s War. As soon as I read it, I knew Maureen’s story would touch hearts across the generations. This book is attention grabbing, well-written and also extremely funny. At this time of uncertainty this book is a joyous reminder how wonderful it is to be human. ”
After being advised by her best friend’s granddaughter of the benefits of being in control of the publishing process, Maureen decided to go with Jelly Bean. Maureen says: “It was great to receive an email from Shaun on 19th January and the books arrived on 19th March! And when you hold that book in your hands it’s like having a new baby.”
Overwhelmed by the support of her family and friends, Maureen is really delighted with the end product. She concludes: “I would like to send my gratitude to everyone who has read my book and for the lovely things they have been saying about it. I am so pleased that it now available on Amazon.”
Old Clothes and Porridge is now available worldwide through Amazon. To order the book visit: https://tinyurl.com/ycybtlg3
Jelly Bean is pleased to announce their new feature entitled ‘Book of the Month’, which aims to showcase new talent on a monthly basis. We will be publishing several categories. The first is children’s 7-12.
Kickstarting ‘Book of the Month’ is Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi by Rob Willsher. In his children’s book two dogs, Rory and Harlow, find a magical Taxi which transports them back in time and into a historical adventure of a lifetime.
In a recent interview, Rob explains how the idea for Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi was, in fact, more of a collaboration. He explained: “Many years ago I was a London cab driver. At the time we had some rescue dogs and on a few occasions I took one of the dogs, Toto, to work with me in the front of the taxi. That’s when my wife Fiona came up with the idea of us doing a book about a dog that travels to historical places in London, or even all around the world!”
The book’s target audience is four to eight and adheres to the National Curriculum for this age group. In the book, Rory and Harlow travel back in time and meet Alfred the Great, who defeated the Danes by sending messages to his officers, thus highlighting the importance of being able to read and write.
Rob states: “One of the greatest skills in life is the ability to read. Even if all you are reading is a tin of beans, it can take you so far in life. I hope I’m helping to encourage a new generation of readers.”
Rob is currently working on the second book in the series entitled The Woman with the Long Red Hair, which focuses on Boadicea, who was bullied by the Romans over how much land she was entitled to after her husband’s death, and is a topic that children can relate to.
Rob continues: “They are books that you can read to your child, or that your child can read to themselves. I gave Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi to a twelve to thirteen year old to read and he couldn’t put it down, saying it was nice and easy to read, especially with the pictures. Even adults have said they’ve learned something from the book!”
Head of Publishing at sister company Candy Jar Books, Shaun Russell, says: “This book has a lot of potential and I can see lots of children and parents really taking an interest. The text is a mixture of fact and fiction and, paired with beautiful illustrations by artist Patrick Coombes, it is perfect for those who are just getting into reading. Once the Candy Jar schedule has cleared up, we are hoping to bring this book out as one of our own.”
With the promise of becoming a Candy Jar publication in the near future Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi is sure to be a hit. Both entertaining and educational, the book will make a great addition to any bookshelf and is sure to give young eyes a workout!
For now Rory and Harlow’s Time Travelling Taxi can be bought and enjoyed straight from the author. To order the book visit https://roryandharlows.co.uk/
Until further notice, Jelly Bean has relocated to a number of different properties across the Cardiff area!
I know I speak for all of us – Will, Keren, Andy and myself – when I say that I sincerely hope you are safe and well in these difficult and uncertain times.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve all heard a lot of ideas about how best to keep ourselves occupied in the months to come: whether online classes, box sets – even Joe Wicks workout videos on YouTube!
Of course, you may have your own ideas: maybe working through that to-read pile , putting the final touches on a new manuscript, or starting something else creative.
Sadly, we know that the next three months are not to be ones of leisure. Every one of us will have our own difficulties to face: from setting up a workplace from our bedrooms, providing for vulnerable friends and family, or simply keeping ourselves healthy in body and mind during our suddenly constricted day to day lives.
And of course, the greatest pressures will fall on those of you who are key workers, to whom we can only extend our gratitude and admiration.
To say a big thank you to our clients and customers we will be giving free books away on Kindle every Friday until isolation is over. The first freebie is the Lucy Wilson book, Avatars of the Intelligence (available from 9am Friday morning).
We are also creating a Jelly Bean ‘Book of the Month/Week’ page on our Candy Jar website. If you like your book to be considered for this please get in touch. We will be sending this information out on Twitter, Facebook and via our subscriber list.
On the flipside, if you have any work you need doing such as editing, proofreading, website design, audiobooks or illustration work please do get in touch. If not, please pass this email on to your friends.
We are just a phone call away, and would love to discuss any new projects you may have, with no commitment on your behalf. Although for the foreseeable future, individually we are all holed away in our respective homes, we offer the same personal service as ever. In short, everything to take your work from draft to print and into the hands of readers.
The wheels keep on turning, albeit through a strange new landscape, and soon, I am sure, we will return to familiar ground.
From all of us here at Jelly Bean, stay safe.
Shaun Russell Head of Publishing Jelly Bean / Candy Jar Books
We need to talk about Dementia! The illness has long been misunderstood and stigmatised. Despite millions of people being diagnosed or impacted by it every year we do not talk about it.
Enter Sally Flint. In her children’s picture book I Love My Grandpa!, Sally has approached the subject of dementia in a heart-warming and educational way. She aims to eliminate the stigma of the illness. She says: “There is still a lot about dementia that people don’t understand. We need to talk about it. Dementia is not as simple as forgetfulness.”
In the book, Sally’s explores how dementia affects all those involved, most particularly children. Her beautifully illustrated and poignantly written story tackles this issue with sensitivity, intelligence and love.
She continues: “When a family member is diagnosed with a type of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s or Lewey Body, the change to normal family life can be overwhelming. My story is about a boy, Chris and his grandpa. Despite Grandpa’s dementia they have a loving relationship. The story explores the coping mechanisms of dementia, while being entertaining, uncomplicated and thoughtful.”
The book has been published by Jelly Bean Books. Head of Publishing, Shaun Russell, says: “I Love My Grandpa! has gorgeous illustrations by artist Terry Cooper. Alongside the sympathetic text by Sally Flint, it is humorous and offers a fresh perspective on the illness. You don’t need to have experienced dementia to read the book. Its overriding message is that family is important and love will conquer.”
I Love My Grandpa! is a sincere, insightful, and uplifting story that everyone needs to read. The message is clear! Those diagnosed with dementia are still human and have so much to offer.To order the book click https://www.sallyflint.com/shop.html
If you would like to self-publish your book please visit here.
Imagine: you’re in your room and you can hear the whoosh of the rain outside. Opening your curtain it seems that the people out in the rain are running for shelter. It’s probably best you don’t go out for a while. You check your phone only to see that the Internet is down. You have enough food and drink, so you turn to your bookshelf. You have no idea when the storm will pass, and you have endless amounts of free time.
What books do you choose to read?
This is my own compilation of books for just such an occasion. These are books that I have read and personally enjoyed and I hope that you appreciate these books as much as I do.
1 – The Deepest Cut by Natalie Flynn
This book made me cry.
Not many books have done that, so I definitely recommend this one if you are in need of a compelling story about death, rock bottom, and finding your way out again.
We follow Adam’s guilt-ridden perspective as he tries to cope with his best friend, Jake’s, murder. After an attempt on his own life, Adam is taken to a mental health facility where he is too traumatised to speak. Instead, he writes down the events leading up to Jake’s murder and tries to come to terms with what happened.
The entire book is an extremely cathartic experience. The first time I read it, I finished it in only a few hours. The writing is especially engaging with Adam’s distinct character voice shining through.
Overall, a fantastic book that you won’t want to put down.
2 – The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1) by Patrick Ness
The style of this book is phenomenal.
It is definitely a different type of mystery book than you’d find usually, it’s full of otherworldly things while at the same time making them seem ordinary.
Following Todd Hewitt on this alien world, we find out that while the men can hear each other’s thoughts, the women are missing; thought dead. While walking in the swamp with his dog, Todd discovers a gap in the noise of men’s thoughts. It’s terrifying. As Todd steps further into the mystery, he suspects that the men in his town are hiding something from him. Eventually, he has to run away with his dog Manchee, but he doesn’t get far before he runs into a girl. But didn’t all the women die years ago?
One of the most charming parts of the book, in my opinion, is the child-like spelling and grammar mistakes. This is because this informs you of Todd’s character immediately on the first page as someone who hasn’t had a proper education. This also helps to establish his unique character voice, which shines throughout the book.
It’s been a while since I first read it, but now, after looking at it again, I’m tempted to revisit it. It’s really one of those books you can’t put down, because you want to know where the story goes next or how the mystery gets solved, or even how everything gets worse.
I would recommend this book if you like both science fiction and mystery stories. This is well worth the read, and is only the first book in a trilogy. I guarantee that you’ll want to read the rest.
3 – Thunderbirds Agent’s Technical Manual by Haynes
As a Thunderbirds fanatic I had to include this on the list.
This is definitely a book to read on a rainy day; it’s incredibly fascinating to see how all the machines work from the 1965 era of the show.
This book shows the schematics of everything from Thunderbirds 1965; from Tracy Island to FAB1. Ever wondered how fast Thunderbird 1 really goes? Now you know. Want to know exactly how the boys make it into their respective ships, even to Thunderbird 4? It’s all right here for you to feast your eyes on.
I first received this as a birthday present and I’ve loved it ever since. With an introduction letter from Jeff Tracy himself, Haynes really gets the feel of the original show and even gives character profiles if you wanted to know more about all the lovable characters from the show.
If you yourself are a Thunderbirds fan, or you know someone who is, this is a must have.
4 – Steelheart (Reckoners #1) by Brandon Sanderson
This turns the entire superhero genre on its head.
Sanderson has done something special with this book. He’s given us an anti-hero story wherein the people you think are superheroes are really not.
When the star Calamity first appeared in the sky, select people gained different types of supernatural abilities, but it turns out, the more they use these abilities, the more they turn bad. The story starts with our narrator, David, recalling a memory from 10 years ago that is the key in fighting the superhumans called Epics: he’s seen Steelheart bleed. Steelheart killed David’s father, and David wants to fight back. The thing is that no one fights the Epics, at least, not anyone who wants to stay alive. So David joins the Reckoners, the people who are the only ones brave enough.
This is a brilliantly written and constructed fantasy story with elements of mystery. You have my dad to thank for this recommendation, because he made me listen to it in the car as an audiobook. The journey was 6 hours and was made miles more interesting (pun intended). Sanderson really immerses you in the action of the book. A must read for fantasy and action fans alike.
5 – World War Z by Max Brooks
‘An Oral History of the Zombie War’.
If you’ve seen the movie, forget it. It’s about as different from the book as the sun is from the moon. This is a different sort of zombie book that focuses on the aftermath.
Instead of the struggle of a single man against a horde of the undead, you have a single man interviewing a number of people about their experiences during the war. He travels across the world and each character he interviews has a different horrific story to tell about their experiences. The first interview is that of the doctor that discovered Patient Zero in the small village of New Dachang in the United Federation of China. The goal of these interviews, as stated by Brooks, is to include the ‘human factor’ in his book, because it is ‘the only true difference between us and the enemy’.
With each interview, you are immersed in their story, in their descriptions and in their clearly displayed emotion. This book is an incredible collection of humanity after such a dark time, and even though it is fiction, it feels very real. This is something to read that makes you feel like you’re reading actual accounts of survivors of a real war.
6 – Tokyo Ghoul by Sui Ishida
A deliciously horrific manga that questions who the real monster is.
For those who are unaware, a manga is essentially a Japanese comic book. This specific manga looks at the transformation of a normal human into a flesh eating Ghoul; drawing strong parallels with Kafka’s Metamorphosis.
Ken Kaneki’s story begins with his crush on a girl, Rize, and she seems to be a bookworm like him, and they agree to go on a date. However, this date turns fatal. As Kaneki walks her home, he discovers way too late that she is a Ghoul and plans to eat him. Luckily, before she can, heavy construction beams fall on them. Waking up in hospital with an organ transplant from Rize, Kaneki notices that all the food he tries to eat tastes disgusting. This follows to his later, horrifying discovery that he has become a Ghoul, a creature who craves the flesh of humans. Follow him on his journey to come to terms with what he has become and what terrors await in the dark underworld in which he now finds himself.
The story, as bizarre as it sounds, is incredibly compelling, and Kaneki’s inner turmoil continues throughout the series. I personally enjoy stories that focus on an inner struggle, and this provides that and more.
Despite the physical needs of the two opposing forces in the series, the Ghouls and the CCG (an organisation that hunts down and kills Ghouls), they appear to all be people who have their own feelings and aspirations. This series is ambiguous as to who the real monsters are, and I love that uncertainty.
Swearing in writing. This is something of a taboo. None of the children’s books you read growing up will have contained any swear words; it is un-Christian (and blasphemy in any religion is
discouraged), it is socially unacceptable, it is age-inappropriate, it would plant words into the vocabulary of children which are unacceptable in school environments. As you grew older the books or magazines you chose to read would have been edited with the age of the audience in mind or they wouldn’t have been allowed on the shelf. Books selected by schools for the curriculum would have had your level of learning and appropriateness of age as well.
Swearing in speech. Now this is something which, with each passing generation, the social standards seem to be slipping on. Language fit only for the dock yard or a building site is now part and parcel of everyday speech for some people and it is not uncommon to hear it frequently in the presence of children. While I have read arguments that the use of swear words demonstrates a lack of intelligence, a poor command of vocabulary and further evidence of a degenerative society I would like to argue that is has become part of our cultural heritage. Indeed, swearing often adds impact to what we are trying to say and I believe in some parts of the country an emphatic statement can only be made in certain social environments by including such colourful language. Given the full power of the entire English dictionary, one would not make their message – and the strength of one’s sentiments – entirely clear if speaking the Queen’s English. Furthermore, if communication is only effective when a message can be transferred successfully, efficiently and cohesively from one person to another then surely it is of the utmost importance to use language that the receiver can understand and therefore decipher. Language is after all, in its simplest form, a set of codes to be communicated and understood.
‘Nobody move! That lassie got glassed and no c**t leaves here ‘til we find out who what c**t did it.’ – ‘Franco’ Begbie, Trainspotting (1996).
There are a few things to note regarding the statement above. Firstly, I have quoted it as I heard it in the film – the link is at the bottom of the blog for those interested – as Welsh’s Trainspotting is often written in the accent being put across (more information on this can be found in last week’s blog). Secondly, the line is delivered with aggression as Begbie is actually spoiling for a fight having thrown the glass which injured the girl himself; that said, it is also delivered in a humour of sorts as he is looking forward to the fight that follows knowing full well he is the perpetrator of the offending act. Thirdly, while the sentence may appear disjointed and grammatically incorrect to us it is anything but to anyone from within that social environment who has shared his cultural background. Swearing can therefore not only be socially acceptable but in some cases it may be imperative to use swearing in order to be accepted socially. Finally, while films have to be rated for the appropriate audience prior to being made public this blog is under no such obligation. It is therefore my own editorial choice to have censored the swear words for the benefit of the readers – in this instance, yourselves – as well as the publisher. If we were to have referred to blasphemy of Shakespeare’s time by quoting ‘S’blood’, which is of course short for ‘God’s blood’, I doubt I would have censored it at all whereas this particular swear word still offends large groups of people and I have no wish to unnecessarily offend anyone.
This brings us to the writing element of the use of swearing and that is the editorial process. David Lodge quotes Mikhail Bakhtin as stating that ‘For the prose artist the world is full of other people’s words, among which he must orient himself and whose speech characteristics he must be able to perceive with a very keen ear. He must introduce them into the plane of his own discourse, but in such a way that this plane is not destroyed.’ (1992, 128). So when considering your novel or short story ask yourself: does the inclusion of cursing add to the dialogue or detract from the quality of it? Perhaps there are other ways to illustrate a character’s frustration which would reduce the use of swearing as the sole vehicle of frustration and anger. It could be that perhaps a fists slams against a door, tearing at one’s own hair, kicking an object or – if swearing was used to highlight despair – the character may slump to the ground. These are of course choices for you to make and there are many others besides the few proposed here. Ultimately, what I want you to think about is that if swearing is employed to make a particular character seem angrier or a situation appear more tense then when is the best time to use it for dramatic effect. Once you have decided, use it sparingly to make your writing of these passages better and not to dilute the quality of your work.
The other scenario when swearing is used is in speech and we have already discussed a few factors which contribute towards this. John Mullan states that ‘Swearing tells us of the real world of emotions out there.’ (2006, 153) and while this is true it does not account for people who censor themselves; it is undeniable however that in some circles swearing is an everyday occurrence in language. This is one of Trainspotting’s charming factors. The novel is heavily laden with cursing and yet the characters would not be authentic without it. I made reference in last week’s blog that fiction smooths speech so maybe Irvine Welsh included more swearing than was natural for that social environment, maybe he made Begbie’s line of enquiry above more comical and maybe, just maybe, he removed language which would not have ‘travelled well’ in order for the novel to reach a wider audience. Whatever he did, the series of novels following these characters are hugely successful and it would be worth reading at least one in order to identify some of the techniques used and choices made.
Rather than invite a plethora of profanities onto Candy Jar’s website I would prefer you instead to think creatively about this topic. Therefore, if you have already produced some writing which contains a lot of swearing it may be beneficial to revisit an extract of it and revise your work to try and replace some of the phrases containing swear words with descriptive phrases which tell us of the character’s frustration or anger instead. If you haven’t yet written anything containing curses it might be an idea to document some phrases which are particular to your or your kin when you are frustrated or angry (no need to share this just yet).
Finally, if you wish to see a topic discussed which you haven’t seen yet then please let me know and I’ll include it at some point. Happy writing!
A blog by Steve Marshall
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Further reading:
Lodge, D. (1992) The Art of Fiction. London: Penguin Books.
Mullan, J. (2006) How Novels Work. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Welsh, I. (1993) Trainspotting. Secker and Warburg: London.
This phrase opens the final chapter of Charlotte Bronte’s fabulous novel Jane Eyre yet it does so much more than that. It marks the end of the journey that the character Jane Eyre herself had completed. A classic bildungsroman, the strength of Jane Eyre lies in the depth of character created in the novel’s main protagonist, but what exactly contributes to making it possible? While I would be unable to answer that on Charlotte Bronte’s behalf, perhaps we can think of a few contributing factors.
Patriarchy is a strong feature in the novel, as is religion, and both contribute significantly to the choices and subsequent actions chosen by our heroine. However, Bronte delves far deeper in her pursuit of Jane’s key motivations; rather than focusing solely on the impact of social behaviours or other events which impact on her, Bronte goes as far back as Jane’s childhood to find what really drives her creation forward. The attention to detail is admirable as is the application to its execution but, most of all, it is well thought out and that is something which we all – as writers – need to strive to emulate.
This can, of course, work both ways and a negative correlation can be just as effective. It is not uncommon for a novel to focus on the decline of a character before restoring some form of order at the end, much like Dorian Gray’s increasing taste for drugs and debauchery in The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) or the narrator of Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club (1997), whose descent into anarchy is matched only by his ever-decreasing mental state. A negative decline in character can prove just as intriguing for the reader, but it is the quality and intricate detail of the creation that is of value rather than the reader’s appetite for alternative conduct.
In Frankenstein (1818), was Frankenstein’s monster born with a dedication to destroy his creator Victor? No. In relaying his tale of woe to Victor, the being states ‘I shall relate events, that impressed me with feelings which, from what I had been, have made me what I am’. This decided course of vengeance was a reaction to learned behaviour after being rejected by his maker, scorned by society and denied a mate. Neither Victor nor the author Mary Shelley truly created the monster in its true sense, but Victor and the people that the being came into contact with all had significant roles to play in the making of a monster. In considering the environment that would most enable her creation to flourish, Shelley has gone to the stage of creation itself in the novel and put together (so to speak) a character who, even from ‘birth’ would never be accepted by society. The subsequent fall out was inevitable.
It may of course be argued that the being was inherently evil or was created by using limbs from the deceased that were themselves of a bad nature. While a nature versus nurture debate is never far away when discussing Frankenstein it does highlight that biology or genetics may, just may, have been contributing factors to other intriguing literary offerings. The title character in King Lear descends into madness irrespective of environmental factors. Another Shakespeare play and another title character, this time Othello, is a victim of his own race amongst Venetian society; his pride is misplaced and the jealousy which ensues is borne of insecurity as he is not truly accepted in the world in which he inhabits.
The characters discussed so far have all been well thought out in terms of the impacts on their childhood or elements prior to even being born, therefore cause and effect are critical in building a character. However, it remains that some of the most intriguing characters of British literature include those with large question marks over their past. Othello’s resident machiavelli malcontent – Iago – at first glance is the less accomplished creation yet his ‘motive-hunting of motive-less malignity’, a phrase coined by Samuel Coleridge in relation to Iago, offers much to consider for the reader. Although we know him to be a soldier not born into high society, we are still prevented from knowing intimate details of his past which may have offered possible solutions to these questions. Another famous character without anything more than speculation of his past is Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights (1847). His whole heritage is one of mystery and this contributes to many aspects of the plot, he even manages to disappear and return during the novel with only a hint as to his supposed activities during his absence. Despite the omission of this information from the novel, one can be certain that William Shakespeare and Charlotte Bronte had given far more consideration as to their past endeavours than the novel suggests.
In summary, it is not enough to create a character with a single flaw or one that is affected by a single event. It is not enough to describe what they look like and convey their speech patterns without thinking of their past and ultimately what drives them forward in their motivations and desires. There is a lot which needs to be carefully considered and in doing so it might be useful to think about the following:
What do they want most in life?
How do they set about achieving their goals?
What conflict will they encounter and how will they overcome it?
What are the consequences of failure?
What possessions or people does your character covet the most and why?
How does their environment reflect their past or shape their future?
What are their flaws or weaknesses?
What event from their past has helped shape their present character?
What is their distinctive pattern of speech?
In terms of form, how would they best ‘tell’ their story?
These are of course simply suggestions to assist you. There are a number of characterisation worksheets available on the internet which will help you further, such as Claire Wigfall’s Character Profile, but many other variations exist. If you participate in completing a worksheet or in answering the questions above it would prove valuable to then write a short piece which brings the past and present of the character together. Some suggestions can be found below to start you off:
I saw ……………… and was instantly transported back to ………..
I’ve never felt so …………… since ……………….
A song or photo that reminds them of a past event
I looked in the mirror but instead of seeing my own reflection I only saw…….
Have fun with it. I am, as ever, interested to read anything you can offer and to hear about how much or how little use you have found this article. Everyone is brave by posting on this page so please be honest but tactful in your feedback as we are all here to support each other and want to make it a positive experience for everyone.
The aim of last week’s blog was to help new writers realise that we all possess a wealth of knowledge on how to produce writing which can be taken from our previous reading, social conditioning and our life experiences. These can prove valuable sources of inspiration and can be found anywhere, but it can be overwhelming to sit down and focus when faced with such a vast plethora of ideas, so how do we set about creating order from this chaos?
Maybe the first question to ask yourself is do you want to create order from chaos? Some may find it more beneficial to work on these ideas straight away — harnessing the motivation and creative juices while they are flowing. After all, a lot can be said for converting these ideas into chapters straight away, as it provides tangible evidence that your ideas can become a reality, resulting in further motivation to continue. By producing a few chapters following the nucleus of your idea it may be that you think more about the depth of your characters or aspects of the plot and how they may develop. Have you decided how your story or novel ends? Not a problem having the gung-ho approach and just jumping in without solid direction, you can decide that as you move forward and may find that when the time comes your characters will dictate to you how the story ends rather than the other way around. Your early drafts become a playground within which you can lose yourself for hours as you tinker with a solution that suits you — time lines can be adjusted or played with, drafts of chapters can be broken up to create suspense and so on and so forth.
So why would we want to stunt this creative flow? We don’t. In fact, what you’ll find consistent among all of these blogs is that the act of writing is a very individual thing and that each person may find their productivity following different methods; each to their own. Just for a moment though, I would like you to consider an alternative. A ‘write first’ approach may have some drawbacks, the first of which is in the production of a synopsis, which is the cornerstone of being able to promote your work to a publisher. We will go into detail on the production of a synopsis in future weeks but, for now anyway, the question is what would go in it? Adopting a ‘write first’ approach means that the writer would be less likely to concisely tell the publisher about the novel including the details they want to know about the full plot and the ending, so at some stage these things need to be considered. Furthermore, if a character develops in some way (think classic bildungsromans like Jane Eyre) then this could be pivotal in selling your story.
However, if we step away from the business side of writing we can still view a plan or writing structure as having practical merit. It can help the writer make crucial decisions about how the writing will be presented, such as journals alternating between characters, what narrative voice you wish to employ or maybe the locations that you want the action to take place in. Consistency can often be traced back to a plan as it may assist the writer in maintaining a focus on some of the fundamental issues contributing to the text such as dialects, socio-political events relevant to the time and location of the story, or simply what tense to present it in. A plan may also have further benefits in that they can capture fantastic ideas, the value of which may have been diluted if revisited some weeks later. Ever forgotten something? Revisiting a brief summary of each chapter would prevent this. Finally, motivation is key to all writers so the production of a plan can be linked to achieving writing targets whilst also helping to prevent having to ask yourself about where the story is going next or hitting the wall that is writer’s block.
The very essence of writing is creativity but, rather than stifle that, what I am suggesting is that a small investment of time in producing a writing plan may assist you in making authorial decisions at the beginning of the process as you’ll be able to see the bigger picture throughout. If it is a practice that you’re not familiar with, and even if it is, might I propose producing four sentences which capture the essence of your novel and then one sentence or three bullet points for each chapter thereafter. This is just a guide and you may decide to capture more information within your plan to assist you on your journey.
As always, share your ideas and thoughts in response to this and lets all support each other along the way. Happy writing!
Know Your Product
Your book is a product – and you are hoping to find buyers for it, just like any other product. But to make sure it is the best it can be – you need to know exactly what it is; are you sci-fi? Non-fiction? What is your book about? Is it a quirky encyclopaedia of the world’s weirdest garden sheds? Or a poetry collection focusing on the struggles of motherhood? Think about the objectives of your book. Knowing your product enables you to make it the best it can be in all aspects; marketing strategy, promotion, finding niche markets, editing, cover design etc.
Where
Before publishing – think about how and where you are going to sell your book. Do you want to approach retailers and bookshops or is your book just something small you want to keep for yourself? Either or, this will dictate the kind of services you require from Jelly Bean Self Publishing. For example, if you want to try and get your books into stores and libraries you will need as ISBN. These kind of thing will all shape what kind of book and deal you want to arrange with us. As a result, we recommend putting some forethought into how you’re going to sell.
Who
Think about who will read your book. If it’s a children’s book – the answer is obvious. The steps to capturing your readers might involve going to school’s to do readings or organising a reading event for children and parents in the area. Jelly Bean Self Publishing author Molly Arbuthnott reached out to schools in the UK and ended up getting orders of her book Oscar the Ferry Cat through her reaching out! So hitting the right market is really important and can really help improve your book’s success in terms of moving copies. See here for more information about Molly’s story…
How
How will you sell? Marketing. Marketing is how you will sell. People need to know your book is out there, and they aren’t going to find you – you need to find them. Here at Jelly Bean Self Publishing we do offer small marketing support, but a lot of it lies on the author’s shoulders to self promote if you want your book to do the best it can.
Attending literary events (or events to do with what your book is about) and doing readings, getting on to social media, interacting with readers and writers who follow you online, entering yourself into competitions – all of these are ways to self promote that cost little-to-nothing. If your book has a niche – make yourself known in these circles. If your book is niche – this can be both an advantage or disadvantage. You might have lots of people in the waiting for a book like yours or your niche might not exist out there – so be aware of either or and do some research if you can.
We recommend thinking of marketing as a little business; overseeing the practicalities of what will bring sales in is so important in ensuring your book’s success.
These are of course simply suggestions to assist you. There are a number of characterisation worksheets available on the internet which will help you further, such as Claire Wigfall’s Character Profile, but many other variations exist. If you participate in completing a worksheet or in answering the questions above it would prove valuable to then write a short piece which brings the past and present of the character together. Some suggestions can be found below to start you off:
The aim of last week’s blog was to help new writers realise that we all possess a wealth of knowledge on how to produce writing which can be taken from our previous reading, social conditioning and our life experiences. These can prove valuable sources of inspiration and can be found anywhere, but it can be overwhelming to sit down and focus when faced with such a vast plethora of ideas, so how do we set about creating order from this chaos?
